#We also have a red-shouldered hawk that lives in our neighborhood

[dspite]

9) A bit of a specific case, but if your dog is a small and barks at everything that moves and you live in America (not sure about other countries so feel free to confirm/deny) there’s a high probability of a hawk snatching up your yappy little Creature the second it strays far enough away from you because that bird’s usual prey is generally larger and faster than your Creature and your Creature has been broadcasting its position for the past twenty minutes.

Everyone else talked about outdoor cats, it's time for me to talk about offleash dogs

[anonsally]

Recent birdwatching highlights

I haven't done as much birdwatching in California as I might've liked this winter/spring, as the weather has been uncooperative. I'm sure the birds are still out there, but it's hard to motivate myself to go out when it's cold, especially if it's also wet. This is really an unusually cold winter/spring for us. We didn't even get our usual February heat wave. But, on the positive side, the streams are all flowing again after a long and severe drought.

Recently, though, the rain is starting to get less frequent and the temperatures aren't quite as low, so I've been going out a bit more, though still only in my own neighborhood.

In this past week, I've seen lots of birds that have made me happy:

A single wild turkey, probably female, seems to have taken up residence on the grounds of the priory for some reason. One of the priests, who's seen me walking past with my binoculars a lot, pointed it out to me and seemed highly amused! I've seen this turkey every time I've passed by for the last week.

Band-tailed pigeons seem to be hanging around lately.

The red-shouldered hawks might be nesting up the street again!

Northern flickers are always fun to spot.

The crows are building nests; I keep seeing them carrying twigs.

The hermit thrushes have been a little more vocal and visible than usual, presumably a seasonal thing.

Yellow-rumped warblers are also making a lot of noise.

But it's the lesser goldfinches that are really making a racket. They're everywhere and they are singing!

Cedar waxwings are still around and continue to be one of the prettiest birds we get.

I've seen a few golden-crowned sparrows, including one singing quietly in a bush.

Song sparrows, of course, are living up to their name.

Nuttall's woodpeckers are very charismatic...

...but the downy woodpecker is noticeably smaller and cuter!

I saw a pair of brown creepers chasing each other around.

Yesterday there was a red-breasted nuthatch singing on a utility pole. I wondered if it had excavated a nest in the pole.

Townsend's warblers are also really a very high-quality bird.

Oak titmice are still some of our cutest little guys.

On yesterday's bird walk there was one huge, majestic live oak tree in which I spotted at least 7 species of birds!

We're less than a week from Hatch Day on the Campanile, when the peregrine falcon chicks should start emerging from their eggs. For those who have lost track of the soap opera, Annie has a new mate this year, who has been named Lou after Louise Kellogg, who was Annie's namesake (Annie Alexander)'s partner. (Annie Alexander founded the UC Museums of Paleontology and Vertebrate Zoology.)

[firegrilled]

Mommas’ Boys - Part 4

@erejeanweek2k19 Prompt: Formal Wear

Summary: Homecoming has arrived and neither Eren nor Armin know who Mikasa’s date is. Carla enjoys her son’s shock when their guests arrive.

Part 1 | Part 5

“Come on, Mikasa. Who’s your date to Homecoming?” Eren asked, crossing his arms.

“Eren, stop prying and don’t wrinkle your suit!” Carla warned him, waving her finger at her son. “I’m sure you’ll find out whenever he comes to get her tonight.”

“Can’t be Connie cause he’s going with Sasha… Maybe Floch? God I hope not. And it can’t be Armin for obvious reasons.”

“Eren stop trying to guess and just wait,” Mikasa shook her head. She didn’t bother to make eye contact with her adopted brother while she finished applying her eyeshadow. “I’m not going to tell you.”

“Well whoever it is better treat you good,” Eren frowned. Not that Mikasa needed any defending but the thought of someone mistreating her stirred his fury.

“I don’t think she would’ve asked them out if she didn’t think they would do that,” Armin chimed in from the doorway.

“Them? Did she ask a girl?” Eren wondered, quirking an eyebrow. Rather than give it much thought his eyes fell to his best friend. Armin wore a light blue button down shirt with a navy blue tie. Eren’s heart skipped a beat at how cute he looked. “Looking good, ‘Min.”

A pink blush dusted Armin’s cheek at the compliment.

“He’d look even better if he wore the outfit his grandpa picked out for him,” spoke a deeper but distinctly older voice from behind Armin. An older man emerged with a wide smile, placing his hands on Armin’s shoulder. “Isn’t that right, ma’ boy?”

“No one wears sweater vests anymore, grandpa,” Armin sighed.

“I disagree! Gentlemen of class still wear them proudly,” Armin’s grandpa laughed heartily, gesturing to his own sweater vest.

He walked into the room with his grandson trailing in behind him.

“Armin can wear what he likes,” Eren shrugged, taking another quick once over of Armin.

At that comment, Armin’s grandpa stepped forward and loomed over Eren.

“And what are you intentions with ma’ boy, Eren? Just ‘cause you’re now in the neighborhood and I’ve known you since you were a tadpole don’t think I won’t judge you any less if you-”

“Grandpa!” Armin interrupted, his face a deep red. “We’re just going to Homecoming! This isn’t a date!”

“He’s made advances on you, ma’ boy! I’m just saying-“

“I’m going to give him the best night of his life,” Eren answered, looking Mr. Arlert in the eyes.

A wide grin broke across his wrinkled face.

“That’s what I like to hear! Mikasa, make sure they don’t get in trouble. Oh, and that’s a beautiful dress. Red really is your color.”

“Of course, thank you,” Mikasa smiled, glancing down at her low cut dress.

A knocking at the door drew the attention of those in the now crowded bedroom. Everyone looked to see Levi dressed in a suit with a pristine white shirt and black tie in the hall.

“Mikasa, your date is here,” he informed her.

“Thanks, uncle,” Mikasa smiled. “Can you tell him I’ll be down in a few minutes?”

“Sure, I can do that,” Levi returned an uncharacteristic smile.

As Levi turned to go down the stairs, Eren and Armin both jumped to their feet to see who Mikasa would ask as a date to Homecoming.

Carla wasn’t too far behind since she knew there’d be another guest to attend to as well. She descended the stairs in time to see her son’s jaw drop and Armin go wide-eyed. Walking past the two boys she went to greet her two guests.

“Welcome to our home,” Carla spoke, her voice warm.

Eren barely kept his voice down as he vocalized his shock.

“K-K-Kirschtein?!” Eren gawked at the boy and his mother.

Jean wore a scowl, along with a crimson button down and black tie.

“Good to see you too, Jaeger,” Jean replied.

Eren’s shoulders slumped as he hung his head. “Mikasa asked you? You weren’t even on the list…”

“List? What list?” Jean narrowed his eyes, unsure how to process that statement.

Armin giggled, taking a seat on one of the sofas in the room. He explained, “We had a bet going to try and figure out who was Mikasa’s date. You never crossed anyone’s radar.”

Jean rolled his eyes, going to take a seat by Armin. “Just cause the entire grade hates me doesn’t mean I can’t get a date to Homecoming.”

“They don’t hate you, they fear you. There’s a difference,” Eren grinned. He joined the other two on the couch. “No one’s ever crossed you since you pulled that stunt last year. Mina, Thomas, and Franz never knew what hit them.”

Jean’s scowl faded into a smirk at the memory. “They deserved it. Trying to make fun of you for your dad was bullshit and I told them that. I don’t regret fucking them over.”

“Jean, language!” Celine snapped at him, causing him to straighten up in his seat.

“Yes, maman!”

Celine shook her head, turning to face Carla so only her friend could see her wide grin.

“Boys,” Carla whispered.

“Yes, yes, but I have to at least try,” Celine stifled her laughter. Her eyes bounced around the room as she took in the details. Plenty of seating, lots of pictures of Carla and her kids, a few decorations, and of course the remnants of the luxurious furniture of her previous house. “This place looks a lot more like home than the last time I came here.”

“A lot can change over a year. You really should visit more often, you live just a block away!” Carla said, placing her hands on her hips. “Just because you’re my boss doesn’t change the fact we were friends well before that.”

“True, professionalism and social life blur together so much these days anyways,” Celine sighed. “I’m glad you’ve adapted so well.”

“Thanks again, truly. I wouldn’t be this well-adjusted without your help. Or theirs,” Carla gestured to Levi and Armin’s grandpa who were lost in their own conversation.

“It’s what friends are for,” Celine stated, placing a hand on Carla’s shoulder.

“So,” Eren spoke. “I thought you did that because they posted all that stuff about you in the halls.”

Shaking his head, Jean explained, “Nah that was just the final nail in the coffin. I don’t care what people say about me. I tormented enough people in the school that no one really likes me anyways.”

“Oi, Kirschtein,” Levi called out, grabbing the attention of the boys on the couch. “All that shit you said about those brats, was it all true? I’ve always wondered.”

Celine and Carla paused their conversation as their curiosity got the better of them.

Smirking again, Jean shrugged.

“Some of it sure but adding a little exaggeration to the truth can do a whole lotta damage.”

“Wait, so did Thomas actually screw his teddy bear?” Eren asked, leaning into Jean’s personal space.

Jean snorted.

“Hell no, but now everyone thinks he did.”

Levi laughed loudly at that.

Despite being over a year later, Celine was still impressed with her son’s brash behavior that day. His revenge was brief, public, and cut deep. She almost felt pity for those three kids if they she didn’t know what they were like.

Walking over to the couch, Levi positioned himself over Jean and placed his foot on the leather cushion between Jean’s legs. He rested his elbow on his elevated knee and glared down at him.

“While I do like your spirit I will warn you. If you ruin my niece’s night I will come for you like a hawk. I know where you live and where your locker is. You better have the best intentions,” Levi threatened, his glower draining the blood from Jean’s face.

“Y-y-yes, sir!”

“Good,” Levi smiled again before dropping his leg and walking back over to Mr. Arlert, who nodded in approval.

Celine hid her giggling behind her hand. Although Levi was barely over five feet she respected how he always managed to make his presence intimidating.

As if on cue, the clack of heels drew the boys’ attention to the stairs.

Mikasa descended while holding her long, red dress just above her feet so she didn’t trip. She wore her usual stoic expression but the light blush added some color to her usual pale skin.

Jean’s eyes widened, swallowing at the sight in front of him. His hands started trembling so he shoved them under her his thigh.

“Hey, Jean,” Mikasa greeted cooly.

“H-hi,” Jean stumbled over his reply, infinitely thankful his voice didn’t jump an octave.

Celine’s heart skipped a beat at her son’s display. Bittersweet memories crept into a smile on her face, expressions that she hadn’t seen in almost two decades now danced across her son’s as he took in Mikasa’s beauty.

“You are your father’s son,” Celine mumbled, not noticing Carla’s eyes glance at her for a second.

“Okay, picture time!” Carla announced. “Jean and Mikasa, please stand right in front of the mantle.”

Nodding, Mikasa strolled over to the fireplace.

Jean almost tripped while standing up but Armin quickly caught him.

“Thanks,” Jean whispered to him, earning a nod from his friend.

The pair stood side by side in front of the mantle, inches apart. Jean wore a nervous smile while Mikasa kept her usual stoic expression.

“Get closer and put your arm around her, Jeanbo. This isn’t a family picture,” Celine waved a hand at them.

A deep blush colored Jean’s face red.

“Mom!”

“What? Get a move on, your ride will be here soon.”

Taking a deep breath to calm the butterflies in his stomach, Jean looped an arm behind Mikasa’s back and rested his hand on her hip. He gently pulled her closer. To his shock and joy, Mikasa closed the distance between them and leaned into his shoulder.

“Perfect,” Celine exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. She pulled out her phone and started taking pictures next to Carla. The pair took their sweet time trying to find the perfect angles.

Meanwhile, Levi glared daggers at Jean who did his best to ignore the icy stare of death.

Armin laughed at the display going on around him but his eyes fell to his date, who he found also gazing at Jean. He followed Eren’s eyes to Jean’s outfit. Despite the loose fitting jacket and pants, Jean really did clean up well.

“I thought I was your date,” Armin whispered to Eren, nudging his side.

Eren jumped in his seat, pink tinting his cheeks lightly.

“Y-you are!” Eren defended himself.

“Jealous of Mikasa?” Armin teased his best friend. Rarely was Eren ever flustered and Armin intended to milk the moment.

“Of horseface? As if,” Eren shook his head, vehemently denying the thought.

“I can hear you,” Jean snapped at the pair.

Before the situation could escalate, a knocking at the door drew the high schoolers’ attention.

“I think your ride is here,” Carla announced, finally done picture taking.

“Our ride? Isn’t your mom driving?” Jean asked Mikasa.

“Nope, there’s a reason my uncle is dressed up,” Mikasa informed Jean as she walked over to the door.

The door opened to reveal Erwin Smith dressed in a light blue button down shirt with a black tie, all underneath a sweater vest. Behind him the kids could see a minivan parked in the driveway.

“Hello, Ms. Ackerman,” their principal greeted. “I’m here to take my date to Homecoming.”

“One thing first,” Mikasa spoke, her voice low. “What are your intentions with my uncle?”

To Be Continued

[lovetnaomi]

Secrets of the Dusk Chapter 12

Chapter 12

                 Todoroki glanced a crossed the table towards his older sister quietly attempting to make idle chatter amongst them.  He was waiting for it; she had likely invited their father in an attempt to make peace in their family. She was trying her hardest in her own way, and he couldn’t quite blame her for it. She was trying to heal in her own way.  But right now, he was almost positive after that rugged interaction in the hall that he wouldn’t come. Todoroki’s eyes lingered towards Uraraka unlikely keeping up with Fuyumi’s bombardment of questions.

               “So, how’d you two meet?” Fuyumi’s eyes glowed with the enticement of that of one of the school children she taught.

               Uraraka swirled the food in her hand likely thinking about the story of how Persephone wound up stuck in hell, considering if she should or shouldn’t eat the food. It almost made him laugh, just moments ago she had offered him her whole soul without a second thought. He had let Katsuki do the cooking most nights.

 But also, would she have realized that each of his siblings was half-human? That she likely didn’t have to worry about eating the food? Or was it the bombardment of questions coming from Fuyumi?

               “You don’t have to eat, I think Shouto would be the only one who would try to keep you forever.” Natsuo laughed, glancing down towards Uraraka’s food. “You’ve probably already had some of his cooking already anyway.”

               “Katuski cooks mostly.”

               Natsuo and Fuyumi glanced at each other, “Well, I guess that makes sense.” Fuyumi shrugged, “Next time you come over I’ll teach him.”

               “I can cook just fine.” Todoroki muttered glancing down towards the food in front of him. Honestly, he wasn’t too sure. Growing up they had fired most of the maids do to their amount of gossip and their mother not wanting the neighborhood to know about their dire familial situation, afterward Fuyumi had taken over most of the family matters in an attempt to fill the void that their mother left behind.  His voice dropped to a whisper, “Fuyumi, I’m sorry.”

               “So, are you going to tell us about how you two met?” Natsuo laughed, glancing towards him, his face the calm of being in the room with him, but also his hands the façade of almost being worried about being with a stranger. He was distant, but distant in a way that he didn’t quite know him, but wanted to.

               Uraraka glanced towards him, a hand running over her neck, “How do I explain it? I was out with a friend one night and there was a person following me….I kind of found his house in the middle of the night, and he helped me.”

               Natsuo glanced at her, “That tends to happen to witches that are adopted and don’t know much about their powers.”

               Uraraka glanced towards him, “I’m not adopted, and I look too much like my mother for that.”

               Natsuo nodded, “Oh, so which coven do you come from?”

               Uraraka tilted her head, “I’m a human.”  She glanced between Natsuo choking on his food and Fuyumi coughing as she moved a dish to the table. Todoroki glanced towards the table, maybe he should’ve told them. He thought they knew. Natsuo acted as though he knew, he had spent the most time interacting with the human world, after all. He had expected that Natsuo had already picked up on it. Besides, they were each half-human. What was the problem?

               Todoroki set down his utensils, “Is there a pro-“

               “No, no, we were just surprised. Honestly, this isn’t really an environment for a human to be in.” Natsuo paused, glancing at the table as his voice lowered from defending panic to a whisper of shame, “And, well, humans don’t tend to fare well in this kind of environment.”

               Todoroki expected the table conversation to fall to silence as he scrambled in his brain for something to say, but it was Uraraka who spoke almost immediately, she carefully set her bowl on the table, “I appreciate your concern. But I trust both Todoroki and Katsuki, and I’m doing my best to find ways they are able to rely on me.”

               Warmth bubbled through his chest, he knew that he didn’t have to rely on her for anything, yet….yet there was a feeling that was bubbling through his chest. It didn’t feel similar to the intense emotions he had felt previously, yet it felt just as strong. If anyone or anything dared to try to harm her, he was sure he would remove him from the surface of the Earth they so desperately clung to, only to find themselves placed inside the dirt they called earth.

               Fuyumi moved, collecting the dishes, he glanced towards Natsuo sending a slight nod, before following her to the kitchen. Natsuo continuing conversation with Uraraka, “So, I heard you chose to go to college? I actually did that too, I’m on the university’s soccer team…what are your plans?”

               Todoroki glanced over his shoulder, struggling not to follow Natsuo’s voice back to where they were eating, he wanted to know her. He wanted to ask her all those questions. Ask her about why she wanted to see the universe just a bit closer. Ask her about her hobbies and how she saw the world. What led her to decide to stay with a half-demon and a vampire, and see them as friends. Her favorite color, but also why it was her favorite color. The more he could hear Natsuo’s voice asking her questions and the friendly banter between the two, the more jealous he had grown.

               Fuyumi took the dishes from his hands, setting them on the counter next to the sink, “You know, you don’t have to help me. If you want to go back to them, you can.”

               He shook his head, “It’s just when I think about her, my entire being feels warm. I want to know each of those answers she tells Natsuo.” He paused, bringing out a couple rags from the cabinets to dry the dishes for Fuyumi, “I want her laughter to stay in my house, but also I know that I need to give her space.” He took a dish from Fuyumi, his free hand moving to his chest, “I don’t know what this is.”

               Fuyumi’s smile was soft, glancing into the distance the way she did when she was thinking about the human she had dated previously. Only saying that humans were frail, and never mentioning him verbally again. Likely carefully thinking over which words to say to him. Her hands stopped moving on the dishes, “Listen, there’s also a thing humans believe. There are different kinds of love. There are so many important kinds of love, and there are things that we’re not able to teach you….and with how we were raised it might be hard to recognize even platonic love. Then there’s something else, a kind of romantic love.”

               Todoroki scoffed, stuffing a dish back, “Like our parents?”

               Fuyumi shook her head, her voice a whisper, “No, not like our parents. It’s a kind of love you have to teach yourself. It’s kind of like teaching yourself to love yourself, it takes time. And patience, but you’ll get it.”

               He glanced towards her, there was something she was trying to say, but she was struggling with it. He set another dish away, reaching for the next one, “Is there something wrong?”

               Fuyumi shook her head, “Not really, I’ve just been thinking about abstract things for a while,” Fuyumi shut the water off, “Actually next time you come here, I think there’s something I might want to talk about.”

               Todoroki nodded, walking back towards the living room as the phone rang, he reached picking it up.

               A masculine voice beginning to talk, “Hey, Fuyumi, are you free today? I have a surprise planned for us.”

               He glanced over his shoulder, towards his beat red older sister, “Or I could talk about it now. It’s fine.” Fuyumi fumbled for the phone, speaking quickly before she hung up. “My new boyfriend? I think, we’re actually in a really gray area right now.” Her face heated faster than his flames could light up the room, “Before you ask, no he’s not a human. He’s actual a tengu, so I’d appreciate he’s not burnt to a crisp if he enters our territory. His name is Hawks, he left a gang a while ago so he’s not quite sure he wants to use his real name quite yet. But I promise he’s an actual sweetheart.”

               “Dude’s an absolute dork!” Natsuo shouted from the next room.

               “Mind your business!” A piece of ice hit the wall, causing Fuyumi to light up further.

               Todoroki glanced towards Fuyumi in the middle of her flustering, at her age it wouldn’t have been unusual to at least seek out a romance or two. Seeing her on the phone talking to Hawks in a gentle voice with a soft smile on her face was something he hadn’t seen in a while; it contrasted the distant look she usually casted out the window.  He glanced towards her, understanding a little bit better what she meant about different kinds of love. He glanced towards the mirror. He would take his time. He would learn to be patient with himself on top of love for others. He glanced towards Fuyumi; she looked a little brighter than she had previously. She was fighting her own battle. He glanced down towards the table than towards Natsuo.

               “Have you met him?”

               “No, not yet, but what I hear about him from her being on the phone with him. Major dork.”

               “Hey!”

               “It’s true!”

               Fuyumi’s face heated, “We have a guest!”

               Uraraka waved her hands, “It’s okay. I think it’s cute. Besides they’re just worried about it. It’s important for a family to take care of each other.”

               Fuyumi’s face began returning to its original color, “I guess I shouldn’t mind too much. We moved pretty fast even though we just met.”

               Todoroki moved himself back to the table, settling next to Uraraka, “Would it be okay, if I asked to meet him?” He glanced towards Uraraka, he would have to take her home. It probably wouldn’t be any time soon. But he was also concerned about leaving her home with the rate that other supernatural beings were beginning to push the boundaries of his territory containing the active bloodlust with her as their target.

               Fuyumi glanced towards the table, “Oh good, actually, I told him you were here and he’s coming over to introduce himself.”

               Todoroki nodded, glancing towards her.

               “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked you first.”

               “No, it’s okay, I wanted to meet him.” He glanced towards Uraraka, “Is it okay if we stay a little longer?”

               Uraraka nodded, “Who knows, he could be part of the family one day-“

               Fuyumi choked on her drink, pushing her hand to the table as she began getting up to remove herself from the room. “We’re-we’re not that far into the discussions yet.” She coughed, attempting to set her drink back onto the table.

               “So, how long have you known this guy, sis?”

               Fuyumi glanced towards Natsuo, “About two weeks? Or a month? Time has been passing so quickly since we met.”

               Todoroki glanced towards Fuyumi, beginning to open his mouth. He wanted to know. He wanted to take his time and ask her how they had met, friendly banter that he knew had existed in other families. In the way he had seen on the television. Todoroki closed his mouth, glancing down towards the table.

               Natsuo nodded, stuffing food into his mouth, “How’d you two meet?”

               Fuyumi fiddled with the object on the table set in an attempt to make the décor a little friendlier, “Actually, it was after my teaching job. I was wandering home and had decided to take a moment wandering around the park, when someone stole my purse. He darted and grabbed it. After that we had met by accident a couple more times than we started hanging out.”

               Uraraka nodded, her hands relaxing around the mug on the table, “Oh, like a meet-cute.”

               Fuyumi glanced towards Uraraka.

               “You know like in a movie or a book? Where something dramatic happens and then suddenly the two love interests finally meet each other? It’s cute and wildly popular.”

               A small laugh escaped Fuyumi, Fuyumi’s voice dropped to a whisper as she glanced towards Uraraka, signaling that the information was intended for the girl’s only, “I guess it would be like that, actually he kind of calls me princess ever since.”

“That’s so cute!” Uraraka smiled, nodding in approval.

Natsuo stood grabbing the dirty dishes, asking if anyone else wanted any snacks, and making it clear that he was going to get more snacks for the table.  

“Oh, shoot, I forgot to ask him what he goes to college for.”

Fuyumi smiled, “I’m sure he’ll be more than willing to answer when he gets back.”

               The doorbell rang, “Shouto! The man attempting to court our sister is at the door!” Natsuo shouted.

               Fuyumi moved to her feet, moving to the front door before escorting her new boyfriend into the room, “Shouto, Uraraka, this is my boyfriend Hawks. Hawks, this is my little brother Shouto, and his gi-friend Uraraka.”

               Hawks shot them both a smile before placing himself in front of them, his wings unfurling after Fuyumi sat next to him, “Pleasure to meet you, sorry to intrude.”

               Todoroki nodded, lowering his head, “I actually had just requested to meet you. I’m sure you’ll understand, Fuyumi is my sister. And her last relation didn’t end well. I apologize for the high standards that are going to be expected out of you from now on. I also thank you for taking care of my sister.

               Hawks let out a whistle, “I know we just met, but you don’t have to be so formal with me. I promise to take care of your sister.” Hawks paused, sending a smirk towards Fuyumi, “I was stopping by today because I was going to invite Fuyumi out on a date, did you want to join us?”

               “I appreciate the offer, but I need to bring my friend home.”

               “Todoroki, it’s fine. I mean, if you’re worried, it’s important to get to know him a little better.”

               He glanced towards her, “Are you sure? That’s staying an extra day.” He could picture Katsuki’s rampage when they finally got back. Katsuki was probably beginning to suspect that they had finally collapsed from forgetting to eat. Todoroki could almost picture him going through everything he could find in the house in an attempt to go outside, glancing occasionally at the currents with the wonder if he cut them into clothes if he’d be able to go outside, but not risking the ability to not go into a certain room until they returned.

               Hawks pulled some tickets from his pocket, “In truth, it’s actually a night carnival,” His eyes slid over to Uraraka, “But it is run by our kind”

               Todoroki felt a frown escape, even if that was the case, he didn’t want to trap her to begin next to him the whole time. Especially, since it was a new world to explore, Uraraka had a need to explore that she kept under wraps most of the time, but he could feel it radiating from her presence. He didn’t want to worry about her getting eaten as a “carnival snack” if she indulged in that impulse. He could feel Hawks gaze on him, likely thinking it over. Todoroki’s eyes slid down towards the bracelet on Uraraka’s wrist, still glowing and still there. Then back towards Hawks, then his sister, “Did you tell him?”

               Fuyumi titled her head, clearly unsure of what he meant.

               Hawks raised his hands, “I didn’t know it was a secret. She’s so clearly human that it took seconds for me to recognize.”

               Uraraka glanced towards the floor, “Sorry about that.”

               “No, I didn’t know it’s a secret. Jewels like that typically keep the weaker ones that have a harder time controlling their impulses and interests away, but the demons and creatures that are stronger typically recognize that as a sign that another strong demon is around and likely to retaliate if you hurt them. It’s a warning sign just as much as a protection charm.”

               Uraraka nodded, glancing towards Todoroki, before back towards Hawks, “I actually use it to keep my powers under control.”

               Hawks nodded, “Is that how you two met?”

               A hand went to Uraraka’s neck, “Not really, sort of, maybe? I was being chased by-well,” her eyes darted towards him of embarrassment.

               “There was a stalker and I dealt with them, properly.” The last words came off with the atonement of a growl, a sinister edge to it that he knew Hawks would know exactly what he had done to the one who chased Uraraka through the woods. That there would be no second chance for that one. And any who tried after.

               “And my powers, they started to develop after.”

               Hawks nodded, “That happens sometimes. It sounds like you already had strong psychic powers in the first place, but they decided to manifest due to being around supernatural beings as a form of protection.”

               Uraraka nodded, “Why do they make me sick then?”

               “Your body probably just isn’t used to them,” Hawks leaned in as though he had gone through teaching several people about how to use their powers before and had been through the drill of the onslaught of questions. “It’s sort of like when someone tries to become a track star and they push themselves too much, too early, too soon. It’s something that has to be regulated. And since it’s psychic powers, those are coming right from your brain, you’ve got to be more delicate with that kind.”  

               “That makes sense.” Uraraka nodded, “But why in the beginning did I get sick before I developed my powers?”

               Hawks eyes slid towards Todoroki, “Well, this one here, his psychic energy leaks out all over the place, a weaker being would likely suffocate in the room with him.”

               “So, Katsuki’s also got a really strong psychic energy?”

               Hawks raised an eyebrow.

               “He’s a vampire that lives with us. He’s been living with me for two years.”

               Hawks nodded, “Actually, there was research done saying that majority of vampires use most of their psychic powers to ward off the sun so they can go out at night, if that were the case he wouldn’t even be able to go out at night since he’d be using so much of it to ward you off. But at the same time vampires typically don’t register to have much psychic energy in the first place.”

               Todoroki felt his heart skip a beat. He had been what was trapping Katsuki all along? He remembered coming home one day and then Katsuki was there. He had been there ever since. Todoroki glanced towards the floor, he was what was trapping Katsuki. “I need to be excused for a moment.” He found himself sliding towards the phone, mindlessly spinning the rotary.

The phone began to ring. The phone on the other end sounded as though it had been ripped off the wall, “He ain’t here. Try looking elsewhere. And for the last time, stop calling this residence. Even if he was here, I wouldn’t tell ya. I’ve got better things to do than babysit.”  

               A soft-guilty smile escaped him before returning to his frown, “It’s me”

               “What the heck are you doing at that jail cell?” Katsuki grumbled. Todoroki could hear the sizzle of the frying pan, Katsuki was attempting to entertain himself once again.

               “I need you to open the window.”

               “Huh? Are you crazy? Are you at your house cuz you hit your head or something? Don’t leave there, just send Uraraka home, I’ll be over on the next new moon.”

               “I’m complete serious.”

               “If I lose my hand over some dumb stunt I’m taking yours,” Katsuki shuffled the curtains, Todoroki could feel his heart beat against his chest. He had come to consider Katsuki a friend. But he didn’t know what it would mean if he was the one who was keeping him a hostage the entire time, “Nah, it’s sizzling.”

               He let a breath escape.

               “Are you going to explain that?”

               “Nope, I’ll-“

               “Also, what are you doing at that house?”

               “I hear Fuyumi calling, I’ve got to go”

               “No, she is not-“

               Todoroki hung up the phone. He was going to get the full force of questions when he got home. He felt guilty and relieved. He wasn’t what had made Katsuki a prisoner. But he was still not further in finding Katsuki a way out. ­­­ He walked back towards the table where the remaining participants were gathering their supplies to leave for the carnival such as coats, purses, and other loose change. Uraraka’s eyes slid to him, looking at him as if waiting for an answer. Todoroki shook his head, “He still sizzled.”

               Hawks leaned back glancing towards him, “He might not have a good control of it then, but it’s very rare for vampires to get such a thing under control. I’m assuming he’s turned and not born, so that enlists the concept of psychic powers being almost entirely foreign to him.” Hawks stood up, brushing himself off, “Going to the carnival might not be a bad thing for you, if you can find a coven you might be able to make a valuable connection that might be able to help him.” Hawks shrugged, “If not at least you two would have a fun date.”

               Todoroki felt his face warm as his sister nudged Hawks on the arm.

               “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize that you two weren’t like that, I must’ve misunderstood when-“ Fuyumi bumped into his arm again, receiving soft awkward laughter from Hawks as he ran a hand through his hair, “Oh, right, we don’t want to wait too late into the night. The carnival closes when the sunrises.”

               Fuyumi moved towards the next room where Natsuo had left too, likely beginning to pack his things to return to the college. He typically lived on campus or near it, it was very rare for Natsuo to return home. And usually, it took a lot more effort. He felt careless. Natsuo had run back home for him. Fuyumi moved to the door opening it, revealing their ride, as Fuyumi, Hawks, and Uraraka moved to the car. Todoroki glanced over his shoulder towards Natsuo, a soccer bag already slung over his shoulder.

               “What are you waiting for? They’re going to leave you behind if you don’t hurry up.”

               “I’m sorry.”

               Natsuo sighed, patting his head awkwardly, “You’re my little brother. There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’ll come running next time. No matter how minuscule it may be.”

               Todoroki nodded, pushing his hand off his head and beginning to fix his hair, Fuyumi calling from the car.

               “Next time you should probably also ask Fuyumi to fix your hair, it’s getting a little long for the human realm.”

               “It’s not as much as a problem nowadays. Also, I’m not sure there’s much that can be done to keep me from standing out.”  

               Natsuo feigned a smile before messing up his hair again, “Alright, you win this time.”

               Todoroki glanced towards Fuyumi calling them in order to make them hurry up, “Are you coming?”

               Natsuo scoffed, “You ever seen a unicycle with a fifth wheel?”

               “No, what does that mean?”

               “You’ll understand later, I’m going to head back to the college I have an exam in the morning. Text me how you’re feeling tomorrow.”

               Todoroki nodded, before spinning on his heel following the trio to the car. He slid in the back seat next to Uraraka, careful to keep his eyes from lingering down towards where Hawks’ hand rested on top of Fuyumi’s near the cupholders. It had been a while since Fuyumi had chosen to date anyone, he wanted to be happy for her. But he also didn’t want her to follow their mother’s footsteps and marry someone else due to their influence and power. He didn’t want to see her unhappy, or the distant gaze in her eyes as she stared out the window, wondering what she had done wrong simply because of what she was. She had never said that her last partner discovered the truth of what they were and darted. But she didn’t need to. The truth was like a mirror, clear. He knew what the truth contained, but pretended he couldn’t see to let her save face. And give her time. When she was ready, she would talk about it. His eyes slid towards Hawks laughing from the driver’s seat, gently talking about what seemed to be mundane nonsense.

               Todoroki glanced towards Uraraka staring out the window. Her hand looked the same as Fuyumi, maybe smaller, softer. But he knew if he reached too quickly or didn’t remember quite right the amount of strength to use with a human, he could accidentally shatter her hand.

               Uraraka turned to him, “You’re giving me that look again. I told you I’m not made of porcelain.”

               “It’s hard to remember that when I’m beholding someone just as beautiful.” Todoroki bit his tongue, these were not words that he wanted anyone else to hear but her. But also, how would she react? Would she take him into her embrace? Or would she react with undeteriorated disgust at such advances?

               “My apologies, I did not mean to.”

               Uraraka took his hands, “Look.” She smiled, placing her hands right against his, “They’re not so different.”

               Hawks coughed, causing them to scramble away from each other, “Sorry to interrupt, but we’re here.” He paused, handing out tickets to each of them. Todoroki slid out the side door, turning to assist Uraraka, but she was already by his side, admiring the view. Night Carnival was not quite the proper definition for the place. By his standards, he would expect that this was a castle celebration for the next king, nothing less. The environment stretched for miles, lighting up the sky in an array of colors that bounced off of Uraraka’s face as she whispered to herself that they were there to have fun. Fuyumi and Hawks had already wandered off into the carnival without any instructions on a meeting place or when to return, the only guess at a time being when the carnival began packing up at sunrise. Todoroki swallowed glancing towards Uraraka, it might not hurt to try it, he turned reaching out his hand, “Care to join me, princess?”

[the2amrevolution]

This red-shouldered hawk's family has nested in our yard for around 15 years now.

We have finches, sparrows, cardinals, wrens, chickadees, blue birds, robins, grackles, phoebes, tufted titmice, yellow-throated vireos, brown headed cowbirds, mourning doves, and mocking birds galore. Sharing space with the hawk family is a great horned owl, and theres a kestrel family a few houses down. We have green tree frogs, grey tree frogs, squirrel tree frogs, leopard frogs, southern toads, spadefoot toads, narrowmouth toads, and marbled salamanders. We have green anoles, five lined skinks, broadhead skinks, rat snakes, common watersnakes, and black racers. We have innumerable bugs including unique butterflies, moths, native bees, beetles, dragonflies, and spiders. We have mice, wood rats, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, armadillos, and sometimes larger mammals like deer and foxes. I've not seen any skunks in our yard or the neighborhood, but they're probably around too.

What makes our yard so attractive to wildlife? We don't do any yard spraying and we only use targeted insecticides for fire ants (invasive species) and mosquitos (dunks that only kill larvae, mostly we just avoid having standing water). My mom and I have finally convinced my dad to mow more minimally, and we try to id volunteer plants and protect them if they're native species. Our purposefully planted native and non-spreading ornamental plants get watered, but thats it. Volunteers get water if they're close to the other stuff, but they usually don't need it unless there's a serious hot and dry spell. We want ground cover, but we don't care about grass, so we don't mind the Carolina ponysfoot and vigina buttonweed over the backyard.

Wildlife likes our yard because we are lazy! We only mow as needed (we have dogs so needs to low enough to not totally hide snakes or be attractive to ticks), leave leaves, and don't spray poison everywhere (also because we have dogs and lawn chemicals increase canine cancer risk). We don't leave lights on outside on purpose and our dogs and cats are primarily indoors. Our next door neighbors also have primarily indoor pets, but they do leave lights on that aren't needed. Theres only one cat that is ever roaming, she's spayed, and she's kept inside most of the year. We've seen her less often in general since she's gotten older, and now allowing cats to roam is illegal in my county.

One of our next door neighbors mows excessively. One across the street has a full, obnoxious service that comes, poisons their yard, partially blocks the road, and makes a bunch of noise. The neighborhood our yard backs up at least at one point did mosquito spraying, which kills way more than just mosquitos.

We don't have an HoA, which helps, and we live outside city limits, but the city has no rules against leaving leaves anyway. Our yard never looks messy either. We put decorative stakes to mark volunteers we don't want mowed so it looks purposeful, and the dandelions and henbit and such honestly look prettier in the spring than a golf course lawn ever does.

The wildlife will find the pockets of refuge if we make them, and its pretty easy to make them if you have a yard while also campaigning for more ecologically friendly city planning, commercial development, and infrastructure. If you have time, you can also loiter in local/neighborhood groups on Facebook or nextdoor and leave comments that are anti-lawn, pro-wildlife, and anti-outdoor only/free roaming dogs and cats on any relevant posts. You can harass lawn and pest companies about how much the "services" they offer suck too if you want, but generally telling some one a fan for their patio will keep mosquitos off them just as well as expensive lawn spray without killing off butterflies works better.

"There's no wildlife here. The land is barren and stripped from farming chemicals"

I just saw two blue herons fly super low over our house, which means they've been fishing in the creek behind us, which means there's fish there. Which means there's bugs to feed the fish and algae to feed the bugs, which means the water and soil is worth something damnit.

Yes, I'm sorry the suburb isn't the grand, sweeping swath of uninhabited land that you so desperately crave but would learn to loathe, but saying that the land here is barren and that there's no wildlife here and that there's nothing to salvage- that's a You problem. Nature might be struggling, but against all odds it is at least trying.

[francisrosenfeld]

The Blessing of Animals and Nature

Everybody loved the Blessing of Animals and Nature, especially the children, of course, who had waited all year to bring their pets to the Hearth so that the Twins could utter a benediction over them.

At the beginning of October, all families climbed the stairs up to the Market Square, bringing a basket, a birdcage or a fish bowl, happy to show off their beloved pets, which had been specially groomed for this particular occasion, even though they looked a little grumpy in their carriers, appalled by the indignity of being dragged around town.

At the top of the stairs that led to the Market Square, merchants were handing out ribbons of every color, for people who wanted to make a last minute decision to beautify their furry or feathery friends for the happy occasion.

Most of her friends had a dog or a kitty cat, Aifa had a singing crow. It had come in from the fields one morning, through her open window, and perched itself on the window sill, cawing delicately, as if not to scare her. It was large, almost the size of a hawk, and had lustrous black feathers, on which the morning sunshine cast green and blue highlights.

Aifa’s family tried to convince her that the crow was a wild bird, which just happened to land upon her window sill at the moment when it needed to rest, but the bird returned the next morning, and the morning after that, and its singing became a feature in the neighborhood, so much so that when, for some reason, it didn’t show up, people worried and asked Aifa what happened to it. 

It occasionally made cawing sounds, but most of the time it sang, with the sweet warbles of a nightingale. 

So now, every morning, regardless of the weather, Aifa opened the window, waiting for the crow to stop by and rest, and placed little treats on the sill, gifts of grain or fruit, which her visitor sampled on occasion, just to be polite.

Aifa was a little sad that she wouldn’t be able to bring her feathered companion to the Hearth, since it was, after all, a creature of the wilderness, but to everyone’s surprise, the bird showed up right on cue, minutes before the family was planning to walk to the Hearth, perched itself on Aifa’s shoulder and refused to leave.

“I see your friend decided to show up,” grandmother smiled mysteriously. “They are very smart birds, you know.”

Aifa climbed the stairs to the Market Square, proudly, with the giant black bird on her shoulder, an image that nobody questioned in the large sea of pigeons, canaries and parakeets, all perched up on people’s shoulders just the same, the only difference being that their legs were loosely tied to their owners’ wrists so they wouldn’t fly away. 

When they reached the top of the stairs, the crow flew to one of the merchants’ baskets and picked a ribbon for itself, and then flew over to the stone railing at the look out and waited patiently for Aifa to fashion it into a bow and tie it around one if its legs. It then resumed its place on Aifa’s shoulder, as the latter approached the Hearth.

The Market Square was filled to the brim with people and their pets, who had come to receive the Twins’ blessing, and also to witness the yearly miracle of the birds.

The Twins got out into the square, and looked up at the sun, and it shone brighter; they looked out at the sea and it gleamed, happy; they looked around at the animals, and they all made little sounds, according to their species; they looked at the people and the people were filled with joy. 

All of the sudden, as if out of nowhere, all the birds of the land arrived, in large flocks, birds of the sea and birds of the fields alike, and their collective singing drowned every other sound in the square. They landed and made themselves comfortable everywhere they could find room. They had resigned themselves to share this space with people for the occasion, and covered the stone caps of the railing and the flagstones of the plaza, but most of all, people’s heads and shoulders and the outstretched arms of the Twins.

The two just stood, smiling and covered in birds, and in the crude sunlight of the morning, they almost looked like they had wings themselves, as the feathery visitors flopped and fretted on their arms, trying to keep their balance while they packed tightly together.

The seagulls had arrived last, when there was no more room for them to land, so they all perched on top of the roofs all around the square, and especially on the roof of the Hearth, which had suddenly turned white and bluish gray for the occasion.

“Why are all the birds flocking here today, doyenne?” Aifa whispered to her grandmother, although she already knew the answer, only because she wanted to hear the story one more time.

“They come to talk to the Twins,” grandmother obliged.

“The Twins can talk to the birds?” Aifa asked.

“The Twins can talk to all nature: to the birds, and to the animals, and to the sun, and the moon, and the rivers, and the wind,” grandmother replied. “They are their protectors.”

“Do you think my friend knows that?” Aifa turned her head to look at the crow, who rested on her shoulder in silence, mesmerized by the Twins’ gaze.

“That is a mystery, granddaughter. One for the crow and for the Twins to shed light on, but I’m going to guess that neither of them are going to.”

“What do you think the Twins are telling them?” Aifa burst with curiosity. What did one say to a bird to make it fly, enchanted, at one’s feet?

“They are calling them sisters and brothers. Nature is powerful and kind, and filled with the love that binds us all. Maybe the birds can’t understand the Twins’ words, but they can feel their hearts, and that’s why they come.”

Aifa looked up at her crow, and the bird turned its head, as if to point out that it didn’t want to be disturbed during the ceremony.

“Great!” Aifa thought. “I am being disciplined by a bird. If that’s not humility, I don’t know what is!”

“We put ourselves above all things,” grandmother responded, as if she’d heard, “but we are only stewards of the world we live in. We are here for a while, just like our ancestors before us, and we need to leave the world thriving and pristine to our descendants. If you put yourself above a tiny bird, or an unassuming weed, you will never feel the love of the spirit, which fills all beings and keeps life in balance.” 

The Twins must have finished their silent conversation with the creatures of the sky, because the birds had started taking off, group by group, leaving room for the four legged pets to approach the Twins. The crow picked at the bow around its leg until it untied it, then dropped the ribbon on Aifa’s shoulder and left. “It must have other commitments,” grandmother teased.

After the ceremony ended, it was customary for people to take a walk outside of town, so they could enjoy the beauty of the turning leaves one more time, before the weather became unpleasant. The Twins led the way, as they did when they were children, and just as excited by every sprout, insect or creature they encountered on their path. 

“How are they never bored with all of this?” Aifa asked grandmother. “It’s like they have seen a butterfly for the first time, every time.”

“That is exactly how we all should approach life, with childlike wonder. We become accustomed to the miracle around us and we forget to appreciate it, but it is all a miracle, life is. When you start really looking at the world around you, you start to understand that everything springs forth effortlessly out of nothing, and realize how much of your energy, and the energy of everything around you, you pilfer by fighting life as if it were a battle. The essence of life doesn’t fret, it is not brash or boastful, it doesn’t envy, it doesn’t hate. Life is very modest in its splendor, and its miracles happen in silence.”

The sun came out of the clouds, and when it hit the orange, yellow and red foliage of the trees, it made the hills and valleys look like they were on fire. The sky was just as periwinkle blue as it had been in spring, as if nature didn’t care whether it looked at an end or a beginning.

“That’s because there is no such thing. Life is round, it doesn’t have a beginning or an end, just discernible, repeatable patterns.”

“Doesn’t that make you sad, doyenne? That there is nothing new under the sun?” Aifa asked.

“Sometimes,” grandmother admitted. “But if the universe itself runs in circles, who am I to want things to be otherwise? Don’t worry, granddaughter! Just because the yearly cycle is so short that you can see its repetitions, that doesn’t mean all of the cycles of existence are the same. Some span lifetimes, some span eons. You’ll have plenty of experiences throughout your life to keep you always learning something new.”

“Is that what life is about? Learning?”

“If I had an answer to that question, I would be the first human in existence to do so. Maybe we are all looking at answers in search of questions, and in our fervent desire to give life meaning we miss its meaning altogether. Nobody ever asked me what is the meaning of me loving you, and yet this love is more important to me than the tasks and functions I usually ascribe meaning to. Maybe only the lesser things send you, anxious and intense, in search of their meaning. The things of real value, you just know. We live our whole lives in repeating cycles, on purpose, so that we notice the repetitions, and in that, learn to look beyond them, beyond the surface of our daily existence, for life’s more profound lessons.”

“But then you can’t enjoy things anymore! How can you enjoy things when you see them as unimportant?” Aifa protested, upset as if grandmother had ruined Bonfire Day for her.

“Everything has its time, Aifa. When you are a child, you enjoy childish things, but then you grow up, and you lay those things aside. You wouldn’t want to perceive your entire life through the lens of your five year old self, would you?” “But you just said that I should keep my childlike wonder,” Aifa protested the logical contradiction.

“See, that is one of the aspects of mystery, it often seems to contradict itself within the boundaries of human logic, but its message is always consistent and self-reinforcing, even when looked at through opposing ends.”

“If the logic of the divine and human logic have nothing in common, then what is the point of human logic at all?” Aifa mumbled, mostly to herself. “Might as well throw it to the wayside and live like the birds.” She paused to realize that was exactly what the Twins did. 

“Maybe your crow can offer an opinion on this tomorrow morning,” grandmother said, half joking.

“If we can’t figure this out, why do you think the crow would know?” Aifa replied. “What makes you think we’re smarter?” grandmother smiled at her, and then started to collect colorful leaves and stems to take home for decorating. 

All that walking up and down the hills and valleys, combined with the discussions about the meaning of life, had given Aifa quite an appetite, and she was looking forward to a warm meal. She knew her mother had started making her favorite soup, rich and creamy and flavored by the fruits of the fall, and she figured the soup must be ready by now. She enjoyed its hearty flavor in advance, and planned to pair it with the fresh goat cheese she and her grandmother had purchased the day before. All of this planning lifted her spirits and she picked up the pace to get home faster. She remembered the shortcut she had discovered the previous week and was glad they could get home much sooner than usual and then it dawned on her that, even in the light of universal truths, and despite a meager understanding of the divine laws, maybe there still was some redeeming value in the workings of human logic after all.

(Excerpt from the novel A Year and A Day by Francis Rosenfeld)

[dismalzelenka]

I had this crazy idea the other day while talking to @becauseanders​ and finally decided to follow through on it. This is the first chapter of a Hawke/Anders modern Thedas road trip fic entirely inspired by the album Feel.Love.Thinking.Of. by Faunts. Click on the AO3 link above and comment me some love if you feel so inclined! xoxoxo

“Marian, are you sure about this?”

Hawke swallowed through the lump in her throat. “Yes, love,” she said softly, pressing the cold metal of her wedding band against his face. “I’m with you. I said that a long time ago, remember?” She ran her fingers lightly against the stubble on his cheeks. “I still mean it. I’m with you to the end.”

He threw his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder. She felt her shirt dampen as he shuddered with quiet sobs, tears streaming through the dust and dirt on his face. She could hear sirens in the distance, mixed with shouting and gunfire. The violence hadn’t quite reached her gated Hightown neighborhood yet, but the sounds were getting louder, and she knew they were now living on borrowed time. “Thank you,” she heard him whisper, so faintly she only caught it because of the way his lips moved against her shoulder. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Anders.” She squeezed him tightly one more time and untangled herself from his arms, gesturing to her beat up Jeep Wrangler parked on the street behind them. “Now buckle up. We have a long drive ahead of us.”

“Are you sure you can get through the blockades?” He looked at her worriedly, puffy eyes full of concern.

“Varric’s going to send me directions through that secure messaging app he made me download. We’re going to be fine, love.”

He paused for a moment, then nodded and stepped up into her Jeep, gripping the bars as he swung himself into the seat. “I wish we had time to buy new doors.”

Hawke grimaced. “Me too,” she grumbled. She stepped on the clutch and turned the keys in the ignition, and the vehicle rumbled to life. Music played faintly from the speaker bar ahead of them, and she saw Anders smile when he heard the song. It was one of his favorite bands.

 We stood around the fire and sat all night on the roof. And you that I can’t leave and I will disagree with you.

She caught herself humming along as she threw the car into gear and started driving down the street, narrowed almost to a single car’s width due to the cars parked along the neat row of townhomes. It was both strange and amusing just how little she was going to miss this place, she realized. Catty neighbors, the local Homeowner’s Association breathing down her neck every time she forgot to mow her lawn and the grass grew a meager inch past what they deemed “acceptable,” the sour-faced woman next door whose yappy little chihuahua always managed to somehow burrow under the fence and leave piles of shit in her yard…no, there were some things she would miss about this grimy port city in Sarasota County, Florida, but the fancy neighborhood home she’d inherited from her mother would certainly not be one of them.

The left blinker clicked rhythmically as she shifted again and turned onto the main highway, and her thumb accidentally brushed against the “source” button on her steering wheel. “The death toll rises as more bodies are pulled from the rubble, and first responders are working tirelessly to find survivors,” the news blared. “Police are scouring the area for suspected terrorist Anders Hawke. We ask that anyone who sees the man in this photo dial our toll-free line at-”

Hawke pressed the button again, cycling through the modes until she reached the bluetooth mode connected to her phone’s Spotify playlist. Anders had gone even paler, and he was hugging his legs drawn up on the seat in front of him, his shoulders shaking with renewed sobs. She released the accelerator and eased down on the brake at the red light in front of them and gently tugged the hood of his sweatshirt over his hair. “You did what you had to, love,” she said, rubbing gentle circles on his back and sending soothing pulses of healing energy into his muscles. “There can be no peace. Not until people like us are free.”

“I know, but.” His voice was ragged. “I knew there would be collateral damage, but I didn’t think it would feel like this.”

The light turned green, and she shifted again and sped through the intersection. Her phone chimed.

Varric (sent 9:37pm): coming up on leary dr, pass it and turn left on broadway

“You’re a doctor, Anders. You took an oath when you got your license because you’re a compassionate person. Of course you would feel like this. That’s what makes you even braver for doing what you did. The sacrifices you made … mages will remember you for the rest of history.” She slowed at the stop sign and glanced at the street sign above it. Leary Drive. Satisfied that no one was coming through the intersection, she sped forward again, flicking her blinker before making a quick left turn. Her phone chimed again.

Varric (sent 9:39pm): right on 41, follow north

“Besides,” she added, “they were all devout Andrastians if they were in the Chantry this late without a service as an excuse. For all we know, they’re suckling at the Maker’s bosom as we speak. Really, you probably did them a favor.” She glanced at him again and saw him smile weakly in gratitude.

“Only you could make a two digit death toll sound like a good thing,” he said with a light laugh.

“You were right, love,” she reminded him again. “There can be no peace. Definitely not with the way things were headed. If you had waited any longer, we could have ended up in the Gallows ourselves. Merrill too. Isabela would have ended up in prison for harboring apostates and smuggling them out of the city. Aveline would have been found out for turning a blind eye eventually, she’d lose her job and also probably end up in prison. Fenris would have been arrested and killed for helping Isabela probably. You know he asked her to marry him?”

Anders cracked a genuine smile at that. “It’s about time,” he laughed. “They’ve been all over each other for years now. Maker knows he’ll be happier on her ship than stuck here squatting in this city.”

Her phone chimed again, six times in succession.

Varric (sent 9:42pm): right on stickney pt, get on I-75 north Varric (sent 9:42pm): no more blockades past osprey yet Varric (sent 9:43pm): hurry tho Varric (sent 9:43pm): theyre fanning out Varric (sent 9:43pm): looking for you too now Varric (sent 9:43pm): pls be careful they have your plate #

Anders picked up her phone and raised his eyebrows. “It must be killing him to type in shorthand like that.” She saw his expression turn into a frown as he read the last message. “Shit,” he whispered. “We need to get our plates changed somewhere.”

“Already on it,” Hawke said. “Varric has a friend in Georgia, outside of Quitman.” She swerved into a right turn onto Stickney Point and winced as their emergency bags slid across the floor behind her. “Sorry. Almost missed that one.” She shifted and sped up, hope fluttering in her chest when she saw the interstate signs unaccompanied by flashing blue lights. Anders put his hand on hers over the gear shift and squeezed gently.

“I love you.”

She smiled, lifting his hand to her lips and kissing each of his knuckles. “I love you too.”

They looked up at the sound bar when they both realized the song had been stuck on single repeat. She leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the forehead, and they started singing along.

 And this is how I feel now for my love and I can’t let go what I’m thinking of, and this is how I feel now for my love and I can’t let go what I’m thinking of.

The I-75 on ramp was visible now. Hawke took a deep breath. “Alright, love. Let’s do this,” she said softly. The jeep rumbled as she downshifted to turn, and as they swerved onto the highway she felt herself fill with a strange sort of anxious exhilaration. They didn’t even know their destination past “we have to get the fuck out of Kirkwall” but she was with her love, they were still free, and they had just sparked what could potentially turn into a country-wide revolution. A revolution for mages. For people like them.

She took the phone back from his hands as soon as they settled into a comfortable cruise on the interstate and opened her messages again.

Hawke (sent 10:01pm): made it to 75. thx for everything. Varric  (sent 10:01pm): anytime chuckles Varric  (sent 10:02pm): be careful Varric  (sent 10:02pm): love you

Hawke smiled as her thumb swiped a response.

Hawke (sent 10:02pm): love you too

[ourplanetary-blog]

How Beauty Drives Evolution

New Post has been published on http://ourplanetary.com/how-beauty-drives-evolution/

How Beauty Drives Evolution

“Survival of the Fittest.” Although Darwin failed to come up with that word, it has come to define his principle of evolution: that traits that improve a species’ odds of staying alive are particularly favored to be handed on. (Consider the Galápagos finches, whose beaks have changed over time to crack open one of a kind types of seeds.) But in The Evolution of Beauty, ornithologist Richard O. Prum argues that superficial dreams play a role as properly.

Beauty Drives 

Take, as an example, the male membership-winged manakin, a hen whose ornate feathers have developed to supply a “song” at the same time as they fly (thanks to a sequence of bumps that vibrate inside the wind) that draws women. Far from making them more fit, those feathers — and the bigger bones required to help them — surely gradual the manakins down, suggesting that, as Prum concludes, animal splendor standards “may be as irrational, unpredictable and dynamic” as our own.

Hello From Ontario – A Driving Tour Along the Niagara Escarpment Although I love the metropolis the summer usually makes me itch to get out into the USA. So I knew as up my friend Karel with whom I had helped organize a convention a few years ago and requested him if he could mind getting together in his neck of the woods close to Burlington for a country using a tour of the Niagara Escarpment. Since we had now not seen every other for more than one years it turned into an extremely good opportunity to trap up and enjoy a stunning power on the same time.

So we met this morning on a car parking zone just off Guelph Line within the north give up of Burlington. I parked my car and off we drove in Karel’s convertible. We drove north into the green nation-state and up a slope to get to our first destination: a nature vicinity called the Mount Nemo Conservation Area. We parked the automobile and walked about 15 minutes eastwards through a woodland till we reached a steep cliff and a lookout factor that supplied a lovely a hundred and eighty diploma view over the rolling farm u. S . That became sprawling some distance beneath us.

The Niagara Escarpment is a geological formation that extends from western New York State through Ontario to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It originated due to unequal erosion wherein a top layer of harder and more resistant dolomitic limestone overlays more without difficulty eroded shale. The slow erosion of the shale leaves at the back of cliffs of resistant cap rock. The limestone itself stems from a historical tropical sea and includes a number of the most amazing fossils of the Ordovician-Silurian geological technology.

Beauty Tips

In Ontario, the Niagara Escarpment functions the Bruce Trail: Canada’s oldest and longest footpath that extends over 800 km (with aspect trails) from Niagara Falls within the South to Tobermory inside the north. The whole vicinity has been unique a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve due to its particular fauna and plant life. The Bruce Trail itself is marked by way of white blazes (white markings about 8 cm excessive and 3 cm wide) and is maintained by the Bruce Trail Association whilst aspect trails are marked with blue blazes.

One of the Niagara Escarpments distinguishing capabilities are the many lookout factors at the rocky outcroppings over an otherwise as an alternative flat location. In addition, the Niagara Escarpment has dozens of waterfalls wherein streams and rivers tumble over the limestone cliffs. The most well-known of those waterfalls is of route Niagara Falls which is also accessible on a facet trail from the Bruce Trail.

The Niagara Escarpment’s particular natural environment consists of many bird species (some of them endangered) along with the Bald Eagle, the Red-Shouldered Hawk, the Black Tern and the Hooded Warbler. Rare reptiles and amphibians also stay in the region, for instance, the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and the North Dusky Salamander. 37 species of orchids have been observed within the northern components of the Escarpment, along with the Calypso Orchid, the Ram’s-head Lady Slipper and Alaska Rein Orchid. Considering that approximately 7 million people live within close proximity the organic range on this specific location is remarkable.

We started out walking on a trail right at the threshold of a cliff and Karel knowledgeable me that the Niagara Escarpment is extraordinarily popular with rock climbers. I wanted to take a good photo of the cliffs and crevices, however, my fear of heights and the shear vertical drop avoided me from exploring the very edge of the cliff. The many caves also are famous with spelunkers. We walked about 20 minutes northwards and had a beautiful view toward Rattlesnake Point, every other rocky outcrop along the Niagara Escarpment. Then we took an aspect path returned via the forest to the automobile parking space and continued our drive.

About ten mins further north we stopped at the village of Lowville to have a take a look at Lowville Park. The Sixteen Mile Creek slowly meanders via the park and nature trails department off from the parking lot vicinity. Right subsequent to the park is the Lowville Bistro, a lately renovated restaurant that gives upscale informal eating, a licensed out of doors patio, an ice cream parlor and take-out. The city itself dates back to the early 1800s and was advanced after the Mississauga Land Purchase. The descendants of a number of those early settlers nonetheless live in the village today. 36 historical buildings and a Pioneer Cemetery still undergo witness to this as soon as a thriving rural community.

Leaving Lowville behind we headed directly north to any other conservation region inside the Halton Region Conservation System: Crawford Lake features a so-called meromictic lake, a deep frame of water where distinct layers of water do no longer intermix. This creates an oxygen-poor surroundings that aren’t conducive to dwelling organisms. As an end result, archeologists are capable of drill center samples of soil from the lake mattress that date again several centuries. One of those drillings caused the invention of corn pollen and the realization that there has been as soon as an Indian village within the region. Subsequent archeological digs showed the presence of a native settlement.

A fifteenth century pre-touch Iroquoian Village has been reconstructed on its original website and capabilities timber longhouses that comprise sound asleep quarters, a fire pit and garage areas for equipment, animal hides, and meals. Guides offer motives of the lifestyle of the Iroquois tribes that inhabited this area. This conservation vicinity is a famous vacation spot for faculty children and summer season camps and throughout our go to numerous groups of young people have been taking part in themselves inside the grassy regions in front of the lengthy homes.

Evolution vs Creation

The Niagara Escarpment is simply complete of blanketed nature areas, and just 10 mins north of the village of Campbellville is any other nature place: the Hilton Falls Conservation Area features first-rate trekking, mountain cycling, and move-u. S . A . Ski trails in the place. More than 30 km of forest trails weave their manner around the Hilton Falls Reservoir and a 10-metre high waterfall cascade over the Niagara Escarpment. Across the road from Hilton Falls is the Kelso / Glen Eden Conservation Area whose highlights consist of a sandy seashore in addition to 22 kilometers of trails for mountain bikers and 12 slopes for downhill skiers.

We persevered our pressure south to the Town of Milton, which consistent with the 2006 Census, is the quickest growing network in Canada. The population of Milton has grown by means of more than 70% between 2001 and 2006 and stands approximately 56,000 humans now. Milton dates lower back to the 1820s when English settlers Jasper Martin and his spouse Sarah had been granted 100 acres of land from the Crown.

Martin built a grist mill alongside Sixteen Mile Creek and also created a pond, Mill Pond, which continues to be in lifestyles nowadays and has to emerge as a popular pastime place for nearby citizens with its taking walks trails and the gazebo that overlooks the water.

Main Street in downtown Milton still speaks of its Victorian historical past, vintage City Hall, the Post Office Building and numerous other church buildings and secular homes date lower back to the mid to late 1800s. Many restaurants and cafés have sprung up in the downtown center which beckons traffic to sit down and loosen up on a number of their outside patios.

From the quaint town of Milton, we headed northwest in the direction of a small village called Aberfoyle, north of Highway 401. Karel cautioned that we’ve launched at the neighborhood Aberfoyle Mill, an actual mill that becomes converted into a restaurant in 1966. Aberfoyle itself became first settled within the 1840s and is famous for its Aberfoyle Spring Water.

The Aberfoyle Mill itself become constructed with the aid of a Scottish immigrant by means of the call of George McLean in 1859 and even won a gold medal for its oatmeal at the 1867 World’s Fair in Pairs. After stopping operations within the late Twenties the mill became bought with the aid of the Owens own family in 1960 who then spent six years renovating it and turning it into one of the most particular country restaurants in Canada.

Australia’s Great Ocean Road lies in Victoria and changed into constructed among 1919 and 1932. The road is dedicated to the Australian squaddies who died inside the First World War. The development of the 285 km lengthy road gave employment to the squaddies who returned from the war and to the those who have become unemployed during the Great Depression that accompanied.

Stunning perspectives In spite of the closely forested and mountainous place, the Great Ocean Road has been manually dug up alongside the curved coastline between Torquay and Warrnambool, leaving steep cliffs to one side one the street and really slender parts. Fortunately, there are masses of spots where you may stop to experience the beautiful perspectives.

Endless Coastline It’s a beautiful force, particularly wherein the street follows the shoreline through the forests of the Otway National Park, the coastal fringe of Angahook-Lorne State Park and the entire length of Port Campbell National Park. Don’t pass over out on Lake Corangamite and the Princess Margaret Rose Caves.

The Shipwreck Coast The Great Ocean Road runs alongside the coastline for quite a protracted stretch. Port Campbell National Park is a part of this impressive stretch and also referred to as Shipwreck Coast, named after the at least eighty ships which crashed alongside the rugged shoreline.

Twelve Apostles Near Port Campbell, twelve famous sea stacks get up from the ocean: the Twelve Apostles. These dramatic rock formations wherein fashioned via high winds and large waves as a result of violent storms. The Twelve Apostles were once part of the limestone cliffs alongside the coastline. Through millennia of erosion, they now stand proudly on my own in the ocean.