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messinwitheddie · 8 months ago

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There hasn’t been any attempted raids on the Hymenopteracian Queen's homeworld since Cini died, right?

How’s Gir doing after Zim finally pass away?

I have been waiting for so long for someone to let me info dump about about my ETF space bee head canons! :D (brace yourself)

First off, the Hymenopteracians, aka Space bees, would highly appreciate the fact you referred to them by their race's proper name. (To them, "bee" is a derogatory slurr that Irkens call them). Expect a meteorite at your doorstep filled with jars of honey, a bottle of mead, a small batch of honey buns, a book of pressed exotic flowers from their homeworld and a seemingly endless scroll of hand written thank you notes in an unreadable and misspelled language from billions of pupas (school-aged Hymenopteracian children) in the near future. (Princess, worker and male drone Hymenopteracians)

1. To answer your first question, no. The Hymenopteracian homeworld, which consists of the planet itself and its' seven moons when translated into English is called, "All-Hive", has not been raided by the armada since loooong before Cini's death--

*lots of head canons ahead. You can skip over it if you like. The asterisks will signal when my bs is through.

***

Because All-Hive was colonized and forced to ally with the Irken Armada CENTURIES before Cini was ever born. Cini was only there to renew a longstanding treaty between the two races.

The Hymenopteracians were the second race of sentient beings the Irkens came into contact with since the beginning of the Control Brain takeover (the first being the Vortian).

When the Irkens first landed on All-Hive, they were awestruck.

All-Hive was a paradise absolutely overflowing with natural resources, including sugar cane, molasses, wheat, rice and dozens of other staples in the Irken diet. Of course, Irkens were introduced to the miracle that is honey (and The Hymenopteracians were introduced to the miracle that is natural Irken silk).

All-Hive, pre Irken contact, made the garden of Eden look like a dumpster covered in bird shit, the planet was SO beautiful and fertile.

The seven hives populating the planet, until Irken contact, existed in near perfect harmony (most conflict that occurred only occurred within each of the 7 hives themselves and set conflicts consisted of petty royal family drama. The seven queens of All-Hive rarely conflict without reaching a peaceful resolution) Such conflicts paled in comparison to the bloody wars waged between the hives of old Irk.

Their culture puts cooperation as the highest priority... Unlike Irkens, who only resemble insects at a glance, Hymenopteracians ARE a race of hive-mind insects, though sentient. (No, Irkens and Hymenopteracians cannot successfully crossbreed with one another.

The Hymenopteracians had developed little tech in terms of weapons, defensive or offensive. The Irkens took advantage of this/ their traditionally peaceful nature and easily claimed All-Hive and the entire solar system it orbited in for themselves and began developing the first "snacking system", Producia (the main source of nearly all raw materials/ ingredients harvested and distributed to the other Irken snacking systems to this day.)

The Hymenopteracians were forced to relocate their hives to their planet's moons, which the Irkens had taraformed into MASSIVE commercial farms, while their home planet was developed into restaurants, shopping cities and other such atrocities. Their workers were forced to quadruple their productivity during harvests, straining the planet/moons environmentally and compromised the health of the worker populations to the point of societal collapse. An outrageous percentage of their harvest was taken by the Irken empire. Many Hymenopteracians starved and the Queens of that era birthed meager swarms.

The Irkens even toyed with the idea of eliminating the queen system altogether and just slapping a smeetery on All-Hive designed to produce only worker bees. The Hymenopteracians feared extinction for the first time in their history.

Riots and sniper stinging operations were launched in protests. Smear campaigns were streamed throughout the empire to villainize the Hymenopteracians in retaliation. (Now you know why Zim dislike bees! A stretch, I know, but hey, everyone has their fan theories...)

Eventually, the Irkens noticed that the quality of their the snacks, which was sinfully DELICIOUS at the beginning of the Hymenopteracian takeover, started to decline. Everything tasted AWFUL. Discourse erupted throughout the empire.

Tallest Greezee, who was determined to build the snacking system, Foodcourtia, first made sincere attempts to negotiate with the Hymenopteracian queens. He invested shmillions of monies, countless hours of in-person meetings and several armies of drone power into restoring All-Hive to it's formal glory.

Well... close to it. The Hymenopteracian race is still in full service to the Irken Empire. All-Hive is still the capital planet of the snacking system, Producia, and an obscene amount of All-Hive's harvest goes to making snacks for the empire.

But All-Hive's environment has been restored to near-perfect condition in modern times. The planet is 88% reclaimed by the Hymenopteracians and they have full sovereignty over their involuntarily taraformed moons.

Classified Irken history dictates that Tallest Greezee had actually fallen in love with one of the seven Hymenopteracian queens (well, smeets are told Greezee fell in love with Hymenopteracian cuisine, which is true, but he fell deeply in love with one of the queens first.) Tallest Greezee wrote the peace treaty between the Irkens and Hymenopteracians himself in an attempt to ask for her hand, which she accepted, only because he kept his word and drastically changed the policies that were oppressing her people.

[Late Tallest Greezee "negotiating" with one of the 7 queens of All-Hive.]

The treaty states that All-Hive is permanently under the Irken Armada's protection. In addition, every ruling tallest has to visit All-Hive at least 3 times every century, discuss important matters with the queens and renew the treaty. The renewal of set treaty involves accepting at least one of the seven Hymenopteracian queens as a permanent ally (life partner, politically speaking, though participating in the Hymenopteracian Queen's repopulation rituals is required to a certain extent. Some tallests are more receptiveto this tradition than others.) It's a very complicated and messy treaty. It could and probably SHOULD be revised to promote policies that better favor the indigenous people of All-Hive, but it was a step in the right direction and all too necessary to keep the empire running. *

***

In the present.

Since the ETF incident, All-Hive and several of its' moons were severely damaged. So, you know, crop failure, rising snack prices, limited supplies, ect. ect. The empire's economy almost instantly takes a nasty blow. Huge headache for the tallests in command.

Tallest Red and Purple had to visit All-Hive and their chosen Hymenopteracian queens almost immediately after the Massive was recovered from the Florpis Hole to keep the peace and make plans for repairs.

(Red with his chosen Queen)

Now that Red has passed, Purple is handling the situation alone. As the control brains have advised him, Purple is not shirking his duties on this one. The only thing that will definitely inspire the average drone to riot/ rebell is a lack of snacks, after all.

He swiftly sent a taraformation task force to repair the damage Zim did to All-Hive. Purple's chosen queen, Cerana, of whom he affectionately refers to as "Queenie", and her fellow queens were outraged by the damage initially and skeptical of Purple's intentions to fix anything at first, but she is satisfied with his progress thus far.

Purple and Queenie develope a close, genuine friendship outside of their obligated alliance, especially since Red's passing. Purple occasionally makes casual visits to All-Hive to chat with, snack with and dance with his chosen queen in between mandatory visits to All-Hive. (It's purely a platonic friendship; both Purple and Cerana lead very lonely lives.

2. Gir is... very devastated when Zim passes. It hits him so hard, he goes numb for a while.

There is a long lapse between when Zim dies and when Gir manages to recognize his grief. Many of his close friends and family worry for him, because he seems so accepting of Zim's death for a while and just operates on auto pilot. He carries on his frylord duties. He smiles and laughs and goofs like usual, but once the emotions finally process...

It all flows out in tidalwaves. Luckily he has Yeet and Minimoose to carry him through the worst of it.

#invader zim #etf #space bees #head canon #irken #empire #history

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holisticalameda · 2 months ago

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Ayurveda and Autumn

This Sunday, September 22, autumn begins in the northern hemisphere, from an astronomical phenomenon called autumnal equinox, giving way to the period in which the Earth begins to move away from the sun in its orbit, giving way to shorter and colder days. Climate change may be adjusting this timetable, but it remains impossible to stop gravitational forces

This season is characterized by the change of color and the fall in the leaves of the trees. The word equinox has as etymology the Latin words: 'aequus', which means 'equal', and 'nox', which means 'night' and indicates that on this day, the sun shines directly over the equator, which makes the day and night have the same duration.

Historically, the autumnal equinox has as its main symbolism the abundance of the harvest, and it is also an important time to express gratitude for what’s been 'sown' throughout the year. These types of moments in the firmament, either the equinoxes or the solstices, when the longest day or night of the year alternate, are also considered as turning points in the natural processes of the year and therefore many ancient cultures used them to implement deeper changes in people's lives. Fall is a time of transition. Many trees and shrubs are quietly undressing in preparation for winter.

Ayurveda, a 5000 year medical system originating in India, similarly considers a seasonal routine to be an important cornerstone of health year-round. Balancing the nature of your local climate with lifestyle choices that offset the potential for seasonally-induced imbalances is one of the simplest ways that you can protect your well-being.

Autumn brings with it a predominance of air element, and prana is abundant. This season harbors a certain emptiness that can leave us feeling raw, but it is also a time when we can also strip down to a quiet essence of being.

Vata is one of the three doshas in Ayurveda, which believes in the balance of five elements. Vata is associated with air and space and is characterized by cold, light, dry, rough, and spacious qualities. Which is why autumn is the classic vata season. If we consider the Ayurvedic principle that opposites balance, vata season is less aggravating if you fill it with warmth, oiliness, deep nourishment, loving relationships, and a sense of stability, routine, and groundedness.

Your diet is a powerful way to soothe vata this fall. You may find yourself naturally wanting to increase your intake of food, but be careful to follow the lead of your appetite and digestion. Substantive, oily, nourishing foods that are high in protein, high in fat, brought to life with warming, stimulating spices, and served hot, will go a long way toward maintaining your internal reserves of moisture and keeping you grounded through the vata season.

Breakfasts of cooked grains—like oatmeal, tapioca, cream of rice, and cream of wheat—are perfect at this time of year. Lunches and dinners that include steamed vegetables, hearty grains, soups, and stews are grounding and moisturizing. If you eat meat and eggs, this is one of the best times of year to enjoy them. Dairy products and all nuts and seeds are also beneficial. In general, you'll want to reduce your consumption of raw vegetables, cold and frozen foods, as well as the bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes.

Practice a daily routine. One of the most effective ways to support vata is by establishing a daily routine. Try to do the same things (wake up, exercise, eat meals, go to bed, etc.) at the same times each day. Set the tone for your day by rising early, taking full advantage of the silence, stillness, and peace that are intrinsic to the early morning hours. Avoid broken sleep!

Massage yourself. Then, you can calm your nervous system, awaken your tissues, and ground your energy by massaging your skin with warm, organic Sesame Oil or with an herbal oil. Meditate! Use warming aromas. If you enjoy a little fragrance, vetiver, geranium, and citrus essential oils are very appropriate this time of year.

Vata is very easily aggravated by fast, mobile activities, so consider slow, gentle, strengthening forms of exercise. If you practice pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) is very balancing this time of year.

In your asana practice, favor vata-pacifying yoga. Warm up slowly and include some joint rotations. Move with intention and fluidity—grounding the hands and the feet on the mat whenever possible—and avoid jumping between postures. Gentle flows like a relaxed Sun Salutation are perfect for vata. Connect with the earth beneath you in poses such as Thunderbolt, Cat-Cow, Cobra, and Child's Pose, and quiet the mind with forward bends such as Intense Westward Stretch. Gentle inversions and restorative poses such as Legs Up the Wall are also very good for vata.

Ayurveda offers a number of herbs that balance vata that can be especially beneficial during the autumn season. Taking Chyavanprash in the morning can help reinforce immunity, strength, and energy during the autumn season. Ashwagandha is stabilizing to the mind and nervous system, and can promote sound sleep, strong digestion, proper elimination, and appropriate strength. Similarly, herbal teas — especially those made from ginger, licorice, cumin, coriander, and fennel, can promote proper digestion and warmth.

Have a warming Ayurvedic Autumn/Vata Season!

#health #ayurvedicmedicine #vataseason #autumn

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globalempowermentleadership · 1 year ago

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storiesfromthefarm · 3 years ago

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STORIES FROM THE FARM ✿ chapter 4

╰a Poly!SVT kpop au

╰ feat. SVT, original female character

╰ mentions of zombie apocalypse, implied character death, slice of life

╰ index: - Haraboji: 할아버지, trans. grandfather - Halbi: 할비, trans. nickname, short for 할아버지 - Gongjunim: 공주님, trans. princess - Chuseok: 추석, a mid-autumn festival; major Korean holiday, equivalent to Thanksgiving

╰a/n: HAVE YOU ALL HEARD DARLING? THIS IS A DARLING STAN ACCOUNT NOW ! STREAM DARLING, DARLING ~ kiss me, baby ( ˘ ³˘)♥

Ari laid out the last mat, lining it up neatly with the others.

Six would stay in this room on the mats, the others would take the mini masters. Two to each bed and one additional mat on the floor of the room. They couldn’t have their own room or their own bed, but at least it’s better than the grass they might have been sleeping on before.

She paused as she laid a cover on top of the mat, twisting the fabric between her fingers. How long had it been, since they had really felt any sort of comfort? Living outside, sleeping on the ground, scavenging for scraps. She knew that the latter must have been particularly hard the closer they came to the farm; she’d gathered everything edible within a nearly five mile radius and brought it all back to the storeroom ages ago.

When did they lose Wonwoo? Was it right before they left the city? If it was, then they left in bad spirits, with no plan, nowhere to go. It must have been so hard, she thought. Still, as much as she felt for them, as strange and wonderful as it was to have the members of Seventeen around, they couldn’t stay. “A few days,” she muttered to herself. “They can only stay a few days. Finish helping Halbi and then they have to go.” And no matter what, she thought to herself, do not get attached.

- - -

“We got sesame and soybeans, rice, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, green onion, garlic, peppers. Over there’s cabbage and lettuce; we got wheat and a bit of squash and cucumber, corn, carrots. Didn’t use to grow quite so much but after everything happened and we weren’t selling harvest anymore, didn’t make much sense for us to have pounds of soybeans go to waste when we could grow us something else to eat.”

“Haraboji, you take care of all these fields yourself?” Jun asked in awe. “That’s amazing.”

“Well, it ain’t easy, but I been farming my whole life. I do enough to get us by.” Halbi sighed. “Truth is, I’d like to do more. We do what we can, but crops still go to rot if I can’t get to ‘em in time. Even after that, with just the two of us here, we save more’n we can eat fresh. More’n half of it’s frozen down in the basement. It’s damn waste and a shame.”

The members all exchanged quiet looks amongst themselves.

“Well, anyway! Here are the girls!” They approached a chicken coop, several dark and tawny chickens plucking away at the ground lazily.

“That’s how you have eggs,” Soonyoung commented to himself.

“Exactly so. Important to stay healthy at times like this, so we keep good eggs, got the soybeans to make some tofu. Gongjunim keeps the beef locked down with an iron fist unless it’s for special occasions, so we get us our protein in other ways.”

“Sorry?”

“Beef?”

“The what?”

“You have meat?”

Halbi laughed at their eyes, wide with awe. “Don’t tell her I told ‘ya or she’ll throw herself into a fit. Truth is, this ain’t the only farm Gongjunim took care of. Old bastard I knew from way back had a cattle farm, not but the other side the mountains over there.” He pointed off to the edge of the farm where a small crest of mountains surrounded the property line. “Well, ‘bout a year after she got here, he had some trouble with equipment, woulda shut him down for a while without replacing it, but he didn’t have the money. Everyone fell on hard times ‘round then. Gongjunim offered quick as a flash to fix it up for him. I introduced them right after she moved here. Girl loves beef more than anything; think it’s cause it’s one of the only things she can eat.” He laughed. “Well, anyway. She bought his farm from him, too. When things started happening, he killed just as many cows as he could, processed ‘em right, packed ‘em up, and brought it all here. Stayed with us till he passed on, too. Not all that long ago, actually. Just about a few months, when it was still snowin’ hard.”

“And, and you still have the meat?” Jihoon asked.

“Too much,” Halbi said, shaking his head. “She’s determined to make it last as long as possible. Says she wants to have some in case of an emergency, but she always lets us have some on our birthdays, and we still make a point to cook a good meal for Chuseok.”

The members swallowed thickly at the thought of meat. Whatever they had left in their freezers had run out quickly after the outbreak, and it’s a meal they haven’t had since.

Halbi laughed. “Well you just help an old man finish his chores later. We’ll get you some meat before you get on your way!”

“Really?!”

“Thank you, Haraboji!”

“But…will Ari-ssi be okay with it?”

“Ack, don’t worry about her! You do right by the farm, she’ll do right by you. She might not be too happy about it at first, but I told ‘ya, she’ll want it, too. She won’t say no.”

- - -

“What else is there? Dishes are done,” Ari counted on her fingers, “laundry’s been rerun, showers wiped down, beds are set up. I can’t clean their shoes right now since they’re wearing them.”

As she wandered down the hallway, she lingered by the door. The one that stayed closed, locked behind a passcode. It was the only room in the house to have a separate smart lock. She was surprised none of the boys had asked about it yet, but then again, they had other things on their mind. She glanced toward the front door. It didn’t sound like they were coming back from their tour any time soon, so she quickly entered the passcode and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

The sight that greeted her was the same as it always was: the plush, oversized couch, her favorite iridescent coffee table, the multiple, oversized stuffed dolls, and the shelves, filled to the brink with her favorite albums.

Her eyes landed on one shelf in particular, and she smiled softly, moving toward it easily. The Caratbong which she’d decorate herself shined in the light, and she pulled a random album off the shelf. She flipped through the photobook slowly. “They all look so different now.”

They were still the same boys she saw in the photos, but aged, more tired, slightly thinner from lack of food, and if she were being honest, they could all use a decent haircut. She laughed to herself, flipping another page before pursing her lips tight.

Wonwoo stared back at her, leaning casually against an old counter. His all black leather suit matched his sleek black hair. Gently, Ari settled a shaking hand on top of the page. Did it hurt? Did he suffer? She hoped not. She hoped it was quick. Hoped there was no lengthy infection, hoped he’d gotten a bullet through the brain before he could become one of those things.

“Sorry,” she choked out in a whisper. “So sorry, Wonwoo. If I had known you all were still alive,” Ari sniffed, “if I had known, I would have saved you all.”

She took a deep breath, throwing her head back to stop the tears from falling. She slammed the album shut and shoved it back into the shelf. She turned sharply and left the room, wiping at her face angrily.

- - -

“A week?” Ari yelped. “You want them to stay a whole week?”

“Keep your voice down, now. Those boys are trying to sleep.”

“Halbi, a week, are you insane?! That’s longer than we’ve let anyone stay!”

“That’s long enough for ‘em to help me with the fence and the fields.”

“And long enough for them to get comfortable!” Ari hissed in return. “What if they just expect to stay longer after everything is finished?”

“How can they expect to stay any longer,” Halbi groused, gesturing toward her, “when you keep reminding ‘em they ain’t welcome?”

Ari huffed. “They have to know they aren’t.”

“And why not?” Halbi asked in return. “If those boys turn out to be good with the work, why not let ‘em stay?”

“Why not?” Ari repeated disbelievingly. “Because we don’t know them? Because that’s too many people? Because,” she continued meaningfully, “you know they’d never…no one can…understand. They can’t know.” She hung her head momentarily, pain beginning to tingle behind her eyes. She smacked the rag down onto the counter suddenly. “Besides, you think they’re nice now - what about when it comes time for them to leave? You think they won’t show their true colors? Try and force us to let them stay? And the house can’t handle all of us, anyway. We’d be packed.”

“Not a single person in this world able to threaten this farm and you know that,” Halbi gave her a stern look. “We’ll do what we have to if it comes to having to do it, like we always have. And if they stay, you can get to know ‘em. Handsomest group of boys I’ve seen come across our farm since the start. I’m surprised you’re not fallin’ all over yourself, them being some of those idol singers and all.” He reprimanded her with a shaking finger. “And what’s all this ‘bout the house? House’ll last longer than any of us will, them solar powers and our well is more’n enough.”

When she didn’t respond, Halbi sighed. “Come sit, brat.”

Ari sniffed, frowning as she shuffled over and plopped down beside him on the sofa. “More’n anything,” he started, placing a hand on her head, “an old man ain’t gonna be around forever. You’re stubborn as a damn mule, but even you can’t handle the whole farm and the house on your own. Now that it’s just us two, I need someone here that’s gonna look after ya’ once I’m gone.”

“Don’t,” Ari whispered softly through tight teeth. “Don’t even talk about that.”

“You may not like it, Gongjunim, but death is a part of this life, too. I’ll be damned if I leave you alone to fend for ya’self. Now, those boys seem like good, decent kids. If I can teach ‘em the farm, once I’m gone, they can take care of ya’. You might even get yourself a lover if you’d be a little nicer.”

“What?!” she squawked.

Halbi laughed. “Ah, all you youngsters these days are so sensitive about sex. You’re a pretty young lady, and they’re a bunch of handsome men. Now I’ve told ‘em to mind their manners around ya’, but they’re still men, after all. Probably not seen a girl pretty as you in a while. At least one of em’s gotta have eyes on ya’. You just make sure they don’t go puttin’ hands on ya’ without your say so.”

“Halbi, I’m very uncomfortable right now,” Ari said stoically, shaking her head.

The old man laughed, throwing his head back. “You just think about it.” He gave her head another pat. “Bound to happen sooner or later, finding someone we want to stay with us. I’m just sayin’. They might be the best we’ll get.” He groaned as he stood, pushing himself up from his knees. “I’m turnin’ in. You don’t stay up too late.”

“Night night, Halbi,” she said as she stood, too, offering a small bow.

“How many times I gotta tell you to quit bowin’ to an old man?”

Ari smiled in return as he made his way up the stairs. “I’ll always bow to my Halbi.”

“Ack!” He waved her off again before disappearing out of sight, and Ari stared after him, trying to push everything he had just said from her mind.

☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ taglist: @hyuckscult13 | @woozarts | @imnotreadytolove

#seventeen story #seventeen imagine #seventeen scenario #svt #seventeen #seventeen series

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st-just · 4 years ago

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Semi-coherent Thoughts on Against the Grain

Okay, so trying to add a bit of non-fiction and a bit of proper High Culture to my literature diet this year, and to start that off I figured I’d at long last get around to reading some James C. Scott. And, well, honestly my local library doesn’t have a copy of Seeing Like A State handy, so Against the Grain it is (which is an excellent name, by the by).

So, like, first of all this book does an excellent job of generally enforcing my already firmly held belief of Holy shit everyone, the past was awful! But, like, generally speaking I feel like he made a fairly good case, though I kind of have the suspicion he’s overstating his somewhat – or generalizing when he shouldn’t, maybe? I don’t know, not at all like I’m an expert here.

Though I suppose it’s fair to say that my natural inclination is to dislike his thesis and want to pick at it. The grand, unifying historical narrative of humanity using increasingly sophisticated and complex technology to liberate itself from the tyranny of nature is an immensely appealing one, after all. Which is a decent chunk of the reason for the book’s existence, of course – I joke about Scott wanting to turn his readers into anprims, but while he’s quite forthright about mainly writing to relay the knowledge of domain experts his dim opinion of bureaucracy, centralized administration, hierarchy and, well, civilization come through pretty clearly.

But, okay, the book’s main theses are that primordial states as we conceive of them – priests and kings, cities and stone walls, specialization of labour and codes of laws, etc – could only have ever emerged under very strict and specific conditions, are were also basically parasitic impositions, all the monumental architecture and cuneiform tablets so prized by historians and mythmakers only made possibly by imposing novel and ever-more-extreme varieties of oppression and misery on their subject populations. Moreover, he argues that many of what we call ‘dark ages’ in history – while they might technically earn the name in the sense of not leaving texts or monuments for later scholars – were in fact probably a net benefit to human well being, not any sort of horrific loss or tragedy. Finally, he talks about how what their contemporaries called ‘barbarians’ were really more symbiotic to their settled neighbours than predatory, growing in social complexity and material abundance through raiding and trade with them to the point where much of early civilization was really a better deal for the savages than it was for the peasantry.

The argument that sedentary agriculture and then the state were a) both mistakes and b) not nearly so tightly connected as the popular history goes is honestly fairly convincing. Or at least, it all makes sense – that agriculture is far more labor-intensive and regimented that hunting and gathering in an environment below its carrying capacity, that relying so heavily on just a few staples rather than broad spectrum foraging could make survival much more precarious if just a couple things went wrong, and especially that the concentration of population (not just humans, but livestock and pests as well, and from a different angle crops) made early agricultural settlements an absolute wonderland for diseases and parasites that otherwise would have burnt out and died without sufficiently large numbers of hosts.

In terms of an impression that’s going to haunt me for a while, just the idea that there are literal millennia where the calories produced and the human birthrate exploded but overall population basically remained static because infant mortality and regular lethal epidemics were just that bad is..bleak. You really start to appreciate, like, public hygiene and medicine over previous strategies of ‘enough people die over a long enough time that the good god Darwin gives most of us some level of immunity, and also everyone rich or important enough flees to the countryside every flu season’.

It’s entirely possible I misread something, but the general impression I got is that, contra the usual story, Scott doesn’t thing people were forced into sedentary agriculture by any real population pressures or declining ability to survive off the land – agriculture developing in exactly the most fertile and abundant places to begin with – and also that it predates states or elaborate social hierarchies by a significant period. Leaving him with absolutely zero idea what motivated the development, given what a strict downgrade it seemed to be in terms of quality of life.

But the book’s main thrust is in the title – about the absolute vital role of grain agriculture in allowing complex states to develop. I’m not sure if Scott ever puts it in quite so many words, but there’s the distinct impression throughout the book that he views pristine states as essentially parasites – extracting labour and grain from a toiling majority of peasants and various forms of slaves to support a tiny aristocracy through coercion and force, without providing anything at all of much worth in exchange (village-based agriculture being practiced for centuries and millennia before the formation of the first pristine states, after all). That’s where grain comes in – grain grows according to a predictable schedule, it has to be harvested all at once in a concentrated time period, it’s relatively easy to transport once harvested, and best of all, it’s basically impossible to hide from the tax collectors. It is, to use Scott’s favourite word, an extremely legible crop to the scribes and tax collectors in the palace, easy to access and easy to collect. He states in very strong terms that no pristine state could possibly form or extract enough value from its subjects to sustain itself except in areas of preexisting grain agriculture (overwhelmingly wheat, barley, millet, rice, and later maize. Is maize technically a grain, actually?)– though grain agriculture can happily exist for tens of generations in areas without a state.

He goes into some detail on the idea that, if not slavery, some variety of unfree labour was the lifeblood of every state. Basically, a great many of the wars fought by early city-states or kingdoms weren’t really for territory, so much as loot – and the most valuable loot of all was slaves and prisoners of war to drag back with your so you could exploit their skills and labour yourself. This ties into the

earlier point about epidemics – early cities were constantly hemorrhaging people, both through disease and flight back to pastoral or foraging existences beyond the state’s reach (often no more than a day or two’s travel form the centre). The key symbol here is the grand, monumental walls that early states were so found of – Scott argues that they weren’t so much for keeping nomads and invaders out (though that too), but for keeping the peasants and slaves in.

And on an empirical level I feel like I need to nitpick there. I’m not even close to an expert, but I do listen to a lot of podcasts, and basically by coincidence Patrick Wyman’s Tides of History had an episode on the development of agriculture in the Americas that came out like a day after I finished the book, and Paul Cooper’s Fall of Civilizations had an episode of the Inca come out a couple days earlier. So not exactly academic sources in either case, but they both seem to quite strongly agree that the development of Andean civilization didn’t look like that at all? A vertical economy that required exchange between maritime, agricultural and pastoral producers at different levels of elevation (growing cotton at higher levels to make nets to allow fishers to be more productive, for example) seems extremely distinct from the picture of simple alluvial plain agriculture that Scott’s very exact on being the only possible birthplace for a nascent civilization, and tubers seem to have been at least as important as grains. It’s not exactly an argument against his thesis as it applies to Mesopotamia or other places he looks at in detail, but I guess it does make me more suspicious of his wider conclusions?

His argument about what ‘collapses’ and ‘dark ages’ is interesting. Essentially, there are certainly occasions where states collapse because of invasion or epidemic or ecological collapse. But a lot of the time, states just collapse because people get sick of their shit, and they lack the force or authority to get their subjects back in line. In cases like this, there is kind of a ‘dark age’, in the sense that there’s no longer a central palace interested in creating monuments and paying scribes to extol their glory or keep track of their riches, but it’s really only dark from the perspective of the future historian and archaeologist. For contemporaries, it might actually be a blessing – an end to conscription and taxation, a dramatic jump in health as people disperse back to village life, no more army-sized slave raids on the periphery, and so on.

His last chapter is devoted to the ‘barbarians’, the unsettled and stateless people beyond the reach of history who populated the vast majority of the world for the vast majority of human history. I do kind of feel like he gets sloppy with his terms here, in terms of just how vast a category he lumps under ‘barbarian’. Like, he initially uses the category to describe the nonstate, unorganized peoples beyond the taxman’s reach, but then latter lumps in the Huns, Mongols, and all the other of what he calls ‘shadow empires’ (that is, nomadic empires that grow up in the shadow of civilization). Again, I’m not even close to a specialist, but what specialists I have read tended to take a fair amount of offense to the tendency to dismiss social complexity and organization among the inhabitants of the Eurasian steppe and, like, especially in the case of the Mongols saying that nomadic peoples and cultures were protean and generally formed in the image of state designations really almost seems insulting (though I suppose Scott probably doesn’t see it that way). I’m reminded here of John Darwin’s characterization of the post-Tamerlane ruling class in Samarkand as being in a certain sense more civilized – having access to more sophisticated and effective political and military technologies – than the settled agriculturalists in northern India they eventually conquered.

....All that said, the idea that the concentrated wealth of early states, and the resulting opportunities for both trade and plunder, was actually a much greater improvement in the quality of life for the nomads for could exploit them than the vast majority of the, like, actually settled peoples is pretty compelling (well, the ones that aren’t captured in slave raids by their rivals and sold to said states for finished goods, anyway). Though I do find it vaguely ironic how Scott basically arrives at the idea that powerful nomad groups had essentially the same dominant and exploitative relationship with farming populations as their own state elites, but approximately none of his evident distaste for the latter transfers to how he talks about the former.

But anyway, good book, probably overstates its arguments, but doesn’t everyone with anything interesting to say? I’ve still got too much of a bureaucrat's soul to fully buy in to what Scott’s selling, though

#books #against the grain #james c. scott #in this essay I will #this is theoretically a writing blog #history #book review #or book 'writing an essay to satisfy myself that I understood it' anyway #though going by the names that cames to mind in relation to this I really need to read some histories not written by white dudes

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bxthharmon · 4 years ago

Text

Never Go Home Again, Pt. VIII || JJ Maybank x Reader

Words: 4102 (jeez, making up for a short last episode??)

Series Warnings: violence / talking about abuse / toxic relationships / talking about nudes sex tapes and sex tapes / drugs / underage drinking

Pt. Warnings: Breaking and entering? / underage drinking

Series Summary: A new girl, a shoebox of old memories, a past she’s trying to forget coincide with a hotheaded, but selfless, boy. teenagers getting in way over their heads

Pt. Summary: Midsummers takes place as the pogues make headway in the hunt, Y/N struggles with her two friends’ enmity.

A/N: okay so longgg chapter. hope it’s not too bad, and i only hv one chapter left in my drafts so im gonna have to start writing instead of just editing... hopefully updates will stay just as frequent tho. lemme know abt tags and feedback, and pleaseeeeeee send requests!!! lockdowns giving way too much time.

Chapters linked in my masterlist.

“masterlist”

You borrowed your dad’s car, and dressed in the simplistic, elegant dress intended for your prom back in LA, you arrived at the party.

You found yourself surrounded in summery cocktail dresses and flower crowns, tuxedos that ranged from elegant dark blue to pastel pinks, a couple of floral patterns spicing up the mix. Soft lights hung loosely over the patio, lights hardly noticeable in the soft, bright hue of the evening, the sun yet to fall into the glittering sea stretched out from the view in the hotel. You worked your way through the silks, chiffons and satins. Drinks were pushed into your hand, tapas offered and awkward smiles shared. By the time you found Kie, you were armed with a glass of champagne and the feeling of not belonging. She laughed at your already exhausted smile, and had dragged you to find Pope. Once you were with Kie, it took twice as long to get anywhere, because everyone seemed to stop her and ask about her parents, the restaurant, or to offer criticism on her choice of friends, giving you side-eye. You were the one who spotted Pope, pointing him out and letting her drag you over to him.

“Excuse me, sir,” Kie mocked a British accent, “do we have to shuck these ourselves? ‘Cause it might mess up my costume.”

You all laughed, hugging him in greeting. “We wouldn’t want that now, would we?” Pope returned the joke, doing your pogue handshake.

“That accent was bad.” You shook your head.

“Yeah, it was. I was gonna let it go.” She laughed, “Y/N’s is way better.”

“Oh stop it!” you joked, in your British accent, pretending to blush, “You’re making me blush.”

“You ever seen this many kooks in one place?” Kie asked.

“Yeah, last year.” Pope grinned.

“We’re in the lion’s den.” You sighed. “Hey, have either of you heard from JJ?”

They looked at you sympathetically, shaking their heads.

“He’ll be alright.” Kie soothed. “He’s got the survival instincts of a cockroach.”

“In the month I’ve known him, this is the longest I’ve gone without hearing from him.” You sighed, and Pope looked down guiltily.

“This is my fault.”

“You didn’t do this, Pope.” you assured him, “Topper almost killed you, remember? JJ chose to, you know him, always putting others first. You can’t carry the blame, that’s not fair on you.”

You turned to the noise of an applaud, seeing Sarah and her family entering. You held back a snigger at the sight of Rose’s crown, but smiled at Sarah, who smiled back.

“Here come Lord Capital and the exploiters.” Kie sighed.

“She’s definitely gonna poke someone’s eye out with that.” Pope commented, and you looked back at Rose’s headdress, this time unable to contain the giggle.

You chatted for a while longer, finishing the lavish champagne and wanting to have some fun. You had practically dragged Kie to the dance floor, making her dance with you as a steady flow of drinks passed both your systems. Eventually, she was summoned to talk with her parents, leaving you alone on the dance floor. Before long, you found yourself dancing with Sarah, spinning her round, and exaggerating the both of your moves, mocking the way the adults were dancing. You went to get a drink after a few songs, and walked straight into JJ.

He was just as surprised as you, but you reacted quickly, pulling him down into a soft kiss by his collar. You looked over your shoulder, blushing at the sight of Pope and Kie clapping and giving you thumbs up. You turned your attention to him, tracing your thumb over his split lip and the bruises on the left side of his face. The dark cut contrasted the pink of his lips, and the bruises looked a painful, mottled purple that spread over his jaw and up to his cheek bone.

“JJ,” you murmured, “Did your dad do this?”

“My dad, got a nice right jab, ya know?” he tried to joke, seeing the worry in your eyes. The light he hoped would return to your eyes stayed gone, as anger took over your features.

“JJ, I’m gonna fucking kill him.” you seethed, “He had no fucking-”

“Y/N,” he said, cupping your face, “leave it, okay? It’s nothing that hasn’t happened before.”

“JJ that’s not making me feel any bet-”

He kissed you again, taking you off guard, and you smiled softly when he pulled away. “I gotta go,” he mumbled, “I’ll see you in a bit, I promise, babygirl.”

You nodded dumbly as he walked away, turning back to Sarah, and seeing her wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at you. You rolled your eyes at her, making an excuse to leave, and walked over to Kie, who started pestering you for details, which you supplied. Your discussion with Kie was cut short by the sight of JJ being hauled out of the house and into the garden.

“Hey, Mr Dunleavy, I see you got your drink. Good, that’s really nice of you. I’m actually gonna down that.” he took the drink, and, well, downed it. “It’s okay everybody!” he yelled, “Do not panic. Leave it to the men and women in uniform! Let’s hear it for them!” he shouted, making you and Kie smirk, trying to hide your giggles. “Rose! You look like lady liberty. Good to see you again. Hey, buddy, can I have one of those?”

“Let go of him!” You called, working your way towards him.

“You can’t just boot him!” Kie backed you, ignoring the warning looks you were both getting from her parents. He looked up at you, a tiny smile on his face. “I invited him here! I’m a member of this club.” she continued through her parent’s protests. JJ turned and pushed the guard into the crowd, stumbling in the opposite direction.

“Sorry about that! Hey,” he pointed at you and Kie, “mandatory power hour at Rixon’s, Kie, Y/N. Pope, you as well, alright? Rixon’s cove, let’s roll! A’ight Y/N, come on!” You grinned, he turned to Kie, “Workers of the world unite, throw off your chains!”

Kie and Pope ran ahead, both hugging John B, and you ran straight into JJ’s arms, letting him swing you around and kiss you, for once, not caring that everyone was staring.

“Hey, guys, so like, my dad’s already gonna kill me.” Pope said as you all settled around the campfire. “So what’s this mandatory meeting about?”

John B shot finger guns to JJ, who looked up, “Might as well tell him, man, before we’re all gaffed.”

“You ready for this? John B replied.

You and Kie looked at each other, “Yeah.” you said, in unison.

“So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant.” John B started.

“Here we go again.” You muttered, settling into JJ’s side.

��No, alright? Wait. Hear him out, alright?” JJ backed John B, and you frowned, shrugging and gesturing for him to continue.

“It’s been here the whole time. It’s on the island.”

“Are you serious?” Kie asked. “Oh my God.”

“I’d like to voice my skepticism.” Pope spoke.

“I’m sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence, Sir?”

“Proceed.” Pope mocked.

“Alright, so, in my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny.”

“Who the fuck’s that?” You questioned.

“Denmark Tanny was a slave who survived the Royal merchant wreck. Check this out.” he handed Kie some paper, “So slaves weren’t mentioned as crew members on the ship, but my dad, he found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery. So Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom.” Kie passed you the paper. “After that, he bought his farm. Drumroll please,” you drumrolled on your thighs, “because that farm is… Tannyhill Plantation.”

“Tannyhill?” Kie affirmed. You passed Pope the paper.

“Yeah.” John B continued, “so after that, he used his money to free even more slaves. And then he sold a shit ton of rice, which pisses off all the white planters, and then they decide to lynch him. So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes a letter to his son as a farewell, and in the last line of that letter, he leaves a coded message about where to find the gold.”

“Where?” You whisper excitedly.

“Harvest the wheat, in parcel nine, near the water. Except, there’s no wheat. You see, wheat is code for gold. Check this out.” he shows you another piece of paper, and a map. “The gold is in parcel nine, near the water.” you and Kie squeal, laughing excitedly, “All we need is an original survey map of the property, and we’ve found the gold!”

“Okay, so, this might have a small chance of actually being true.” Pope said, and JJ got up from beside you.

“Dude,” you laughed, “this is like, King Tut!”

JJ pulled John B into a hug, lifting him up. “Hello, fire! You’re near the fire. You’re gonna burn.” John B warned, and JJ put him down. “I’m so proud of you right now.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s really sweet of you.” JJ looked at you, “And jeez, Y/N, what is it with you and Tutankhamun?”

“4th Grade history?” You guessed.

“Okay, so, guys,” Pope brought the attention back. “What’s the plan?”

“Good question.” John B agreed.

“How long does this go on for?” you moaned, “Wrap it up, JB.”

“Sarah Cameron’s coming tonight.” he simplified. “And she’ll bring the original survey.”

“Hold on.” Kie stopped him, “Sarah? Wh-why Sarah?”

“This is gonna be good.” JJ muttered, and you raised your eyebrows at him.

“Sarah, um, she - she helped me into the archives at Chapel Hill yesterday, and that’s where I got the letter.”

“You were in Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?” Kie frowned, anger contorting her features.

“Are you guys macking?” you asked, a disbelieving smirk on your lips.

“He was mackin’ on her.” JJ confirmed, interrupting John B’s pitiful attempts at an explanation, and earning him a giggle from you.

“For real?” you asked John B.

“I wasn’t macking.” John B defended.

“You were totally macking Sarah Cameron.” JJ repeated.

“I wasn’t macking on her, okay? I was using her for access.”

“There was access, alright.” JJ mumbled, earning another giggle.

“Okay,” you piped up, “JB you should have consulted first, Kie, she obviously did something shitty, but JB, using her is pure shitty, so you better just be covering for yourself right now.”

He looked at you defeated, and you groaned. “Did you tell her about the treasure?” Kie asked.

“I was just trying to get into the archives!”

“Is that a yes?”

“I left out key details!”

“Yo, what? You let a kook in on our secret? What about Pogue Lyfe? What about the t-shirt company, bro?”

“I was just using her for information.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“I’m tryna make us filthy rich here! Okay, so that we can pay off a boat, or - or, uh, send you to autopsy school to study dead bodies! Look, you guys know me! Do I look like the kind of person who would fall for Sarah Cameron?”

You and JJ made eye contact, “well..” you started.

“Um.” he chuckled.

“Do you want us to answer that, or-”

“Just - just stop.” John B looked at the pair of you, defeated.

“Look, you don’t know her yet, I do! You can’t trust her!”

“Her brother did hit me in the back with a golf club.” Pope pointed out.

“Rafe and Sarah are different human beings.” John B countered.

“What did she do to you, exactly?” you asked Kie, wandering how she could hate your friend so much.

“She’s like a - a spitting cobra. First she - first she blinds you and then she-”

“This is a bad analogy.” you mumbled.

“Listen to me!” Kie demanded, “Whatever we get, she’s gonna try to take.”

You and JJ were lying on your bed, not having bothered to get changed before getting under the covers. You interlocked your fingers with his, snuggling closer, your eyes barely open. “What do you think Sarah did?”

JJ turned his head to look at you, he could tell it was tearing you up. “I… don’t know.” JJ sighed, defeated. “I’ve known Kie for years, and she’s never talked about it.”

“Sarah was super kind to me, I don’t understand why Kie is so against her. It’s so shitty, ‘cause they’re both my friends, and I want them to get on, but they obviously won’t.”

“They might?” JJ muttered, thinking.

“C’mon, Jay, you know it’s impossible. And I don’t even know what happened between them, so I can’t fix it.”

“You know it’s not up to you to fix it, right?”

“So why do I feel like I have to?”

“Because you’re an empathetic, kind, brilliant person?”

“Jay,” you groaned, as he kissed you, “Be serious!”

“I am.” he mumbled, kissing you again.

“You’re infuriating,” you giggled, “you know that?”

“It’s all part of my brand.”

“Your brand?”

“Oh yeah, super-hot surfer pogue, insanely funny, get’s the best weed on the island, you know, the usual.”

“You’re full of shit.”

“Hey! At least I have a brand!”

“Is that a comment aimed at me?” you mocked offence.

“I mean, your brand is ‘mysterious new girl’.”

“You think I’m mysterious?”

“I mean, yeah, none of us know, like, why you moved or anything about you.”

Your heart twinged, but you covered for yourself, mocking him, “It’s all part of my brand.”

“I’m sorry, you’re staying where?” Kie passed John B to get to the bar, the group having gathered in the Wreck.

“Tannyhill.” John B repeated, and you shook your head, disbelieving.

“So you’re living with Sarah Cameron?”

“Okay, look, the only reason I’m living there is because her dad bailed me out, right?”

“I still can’t believe you got pushed off that wooden frame thing.” You muttered, and he smirked, fighting down a laugh as you and Kie went to the group’s table.

“And it’s way better than foster care,” he continued, “which, by the way, where I was about to go if Ward didn’t-”

“Hey, so do you have membership to the clubs now?” Pope asked.

“I don’t know, Pope.”

“What about those little golf carts that they drive around?” JJ added, “You get one of them?”

“Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one of those on your own?” You add.

“Look, you promised.” Kie brought the focus back, like always. “You said you weren’t with her.”

“Bro, just own it.” JJ backed, “She got you.”

“Look if you wanna hang out with her, that’s fine.” Kie sighed, “I mean, Y/N sometimes hangs out with her. But I’m letting you know right now that I’m not doing anything with Sarah.”

“Do you guys see her here?” John B pointed out, “No, right. Okay. A little focus would be fantastic. We’ve got the map, right?”

“It’s all out of whack ‘cause the guy was ganja’d when he drew it.” JJ commented.

“No,” you corrected, “the coastline changed, dummy.”

“So we just have to look for landmarks that haven’t changed.” Pope clarified.

“What about the old forts?” John B suggested.

“You know, the more you guys talk, the more I realise that I know nothing about this island.” You observed, treasuring the feeling of JJ running a hand through your hair.

“Battery Jasper.” Kie pointed.

“Let’s go.” you stood up, leading the group out to the VW.

John B drove, none of you really paying attention until you reached the landmark.

The five of you looked out over the island, expansive green leading to expansive blue, you were at a high point. “We’re in battery, right here.” Pope points on the map. “So if this is parcel nine, then it’s somewhere northeast of here.”

“Somewhere over there.” Kie points, and you take JJ’s juul off him, taking a puff, then handing it back.

“Over there?” JJ followed the point. “Guys, that’s not Tannyhill, that’s a subdivision.”

“Tannyhill Plantation used to be the entire island.” reminded John B. “It got sold into smaller pieces over time.”

Pope inspected the map again, “So we’re just looking for an old stone wall.”

You ventured back to the Twinkie, following Pope’d instructions, again. John B took a sharp left, pulling up next to an overgrown stone wall.

“That looks like a stone wall to me.” JJ said, almost proud.

“This is it.” Pope confirmed. Your car doors clattered open as you hopped out of the car.

“Not the Crain House.” John B sighed.

“Are you kidding me?” Kie repeated the sentiment.

“Worst case scenario.” JJ confirmed.

“Why’d it have to be here of all places?” Pope asked.

“Hang on a second.” You turned to your friends, your lack of apprehension standing out in the group. “It’s just a house. What’s the big deal?”

“I heard Mrs Crain buried her husband’s head on the property.” JJ told you. You all looked at him, the other’s in fear, you in skepticism.

“Well that’s bullshit.” you shrugged, taking a hold of the top of the wall and pulling yourself up, throwing your legs over and landing in the overgrown thicket. You pricked yourself in the brambles, and swore. The pogues on the other side of the wall immediately started asking if you were okay, making you giggle. “Just be careful of the brambles.”

Once they were all on the inside, you began to venture inwards. “Look, Y/N, you know whose house this is, right?”

“Some old lady’s?” you guessed, and were greeted with four unimpressed stares.

“Honestly, I don’t really believe the stories of this place.” John B joined your skepticism, but was shushed by Pope.

“Which stories did you hear?” JJ asked Kie.

“The one where she killed her husband with an axe and that she’s been holed up ever since.” said Kie, making you snort. “On certain nights, when the moon is full…”

You saw where it was going, and joined in with Kie’s mockingly spooky hand movements as she finished, “... you can see her in the window!” the pair of you giggled.

“No, girls, it’s not funny, ‘cause it’s all true.” JJ shook his head, as you and Kie made ‘Waah’ noises. “I swear to God guys, this is all real. I knew Hollis. Jeez!”

You smirked, “Yeah, jeez. Who knew you were superstitious? And who’s Hollis?”

“Wait, you knew Hollis Crain?” asked Pope.

“Who’s Hollis?” you repeated, ignored again.

“Yeah, dude.” JJ confirmed.

“Dude, how do you know Hollis Crain?”

“Dude, who is Hollis Crain?” you mocked Pope’s anxious movements.

“She was my babysitter, man. She told me all about it.” He looked around the group, “She told me the truth… about her mother and what happened in this house.”

“And what would that be?” You asked, still skeptical as you looked up to the unkempt house.

“So as a kid, she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father, and she was a murderer and all. Hollis didn’t believe it. Until that night.”

“What night?”

“It all came back to her.” JJ turned to look at the house, “When Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs. So she goes downstairs to see her mom washing her hands in the sink full of blood. Her mother just says that she cut her finger. The next morning, she says her father and her split up. But then, Hollis noticed something. Her mother going into the parlour constantly, in and out and in and out with plastic bags. Weeks pass, and Hollis decides to use the outhouse. And as she’s using it, she looks down, and there, in the outhouse, is her father’s head, looking straight back at her.”

“God, you are so full of shit.” you and John B outburst in unison.

“Dude, I swear to God, man.” JJ shook his head.

“Did she call the police?” Pope asked.

“She didn’t have time.” you and John B started to walk on, only to be grabbed and pulled back by JJ.

“What?” you asked, confused. He turned to John B.

“You sure you wanna do this? She’s an axe murderer. You got a cast on.”

“I don’t give a shit if she’s an axe murderer, okay? I got nothing to lose, right? You comin’, or what?”

You follow John B through the garden, and he gathers you in a semicircle. “So here’s the plan. We need to look for the wheat near the water like it said in Denmark’s letter.”

“Okay, like, what kind of water?” asked Pope, “Like, pond water?”

JJ chuckled, “Bong water?” you slapped his arm lightly.

“It just said look for water, okay?”

“That’s the shittiest secret message ever.” Kie moved past John B.

“You wanna complain a little more, Kie? Nobody said it was gonna be easy.”

“I’ll search the northeast quadrant,” Pope started, addressing you and JJ, “you two search the northwest.”

“The decapitation quadrant?” JJ objected, and you took his arm, pulling him with you.

You scanned your area, coming up empty, then followed John B into the basement. You went in before JJ, who started singing a song about how Mrs Crain was going to kill you all.

You and Pope turned, shining your torches in his face.

“Can you stop?” You hissed, and he shut up.

You swung the torch light over the room, the broken and discarded furniture giving the room a horror-movie vibe. You’d never admit it, but you were beginning to feel creeped.

“This is the part of the movie where we get attacked by the old, half-dead blind lady.” You muttered, and JJ nodded, gesturing to you as if you had predicted the future, the others rolling their eyes.

“See any water?” Kie asked, five torches sweeping around the place. You felt a tickle on your arm and slapped, your palm coming away with the brown stain of squished insect. “Another dead end?”

JJ ran his hand on the pipes, “There’s not even water on the pipes.”

“There’s no water here.” Pope confirmed as you slapped another bug, noticing that it was a mosquito.

“Not a dropamino.” JJ continued.

“Know why we didn’t find it?” Kie piped up, “Bad karma.”

“Oh, God, here we go.” John B muttered.

“You know, we had a good thing going. And then you decide to rope in Barbie, and now the trail’s gone dry.”

“Literally,” smirked, “there’s no water.”

“Coincidence?” Kie continued as Pope and JJ sniggered, “Probably not.”

“This is exactly why I didn’t wanna tell you about Sarah.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“What the hell’s the deal? What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Is it because I kissed you? Is that the problem?”

Your eyes widened, your mouth forming a little ‘o’ as Kiara slapped him, JJ and Pope both calling out in surprise.

“Stop treating me like I’m some girl that’s obsessed with you instead of your best friend who’s actually trying to look out for you.”

The pair of them started bickering, slapping each other, using skeeters as excuses. You slapped your leg, seeing the brown stain of a mosquito, again.

“Why the fuck are there so many mosquitoes?” you fumed, slapping yourself again.

“Dude, I know, seriously. Tiny little vampire bats, just leave me alone.” JJ added, the pair of you slapping again, and again, and again. “Oh my gosh, can we leave? ‘Cause I’m already itchin’ to leave. Haha, punny.”

You looked at Pope, who was staring at the floor, his torch shining over it. You both stomped on the ground hearing the hollow sound as JJ tried to show you ‘Mrs Crain’s voodoo doll’. You picked up a stone, dropping it through the crack in the floorboards, and hearing the ‘plop’ as it landed in water. You and Pope scrambled, pushing the loose bits of wood out of the way to lift the board, opening up the well. Pope shone his torch down.

“Well, well, well.” he joked.

“Water great discovery.” You added.

“Great dad jokes, guys.” John B sighed.

“They built this part of the house right over it.”said Kie.

“This is where she hid the bodies.” JJ nodded.

“JJ, just stop.” You shook your head.

“No, I’m dead serious.”

“Yeah, you will be, because I’m seriously considering pushing you down that well.”

“It was never an outhouse.” JJ continued.

“She probably doesn’t even know it’s here.” Kie shrugged.

“So, we found water.” Pope looked to John B.

“We’re gonna need a really big rope.”

Tags: @tangledinsparkles @jellyfishbeansontoast @lolitstiana @ilikealotofpeople-younotsomuch @teamnick @thoughtsofthestars @obxmxybxnk @jjmaybankswife @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @sxcretinhuman @alexa-playafricabytoto @angvelics @badwolf00593 @coloradogirl07 @mendesmaybank @jiaraendgame

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minsyal · 5 years ago

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Headcanons for the boys s/o appearing to be a delicate lil flower but actually being filled with knives

Request: How would the boys feel about an s/o who’s some royal’s personal servant and looks delicate, but can actually take on monster camps with ease?

Revali

Revali will completely lowkey expect it

It happened as you were assisting the Princess as she made royal arrangements with the elder in the village. You trailed behind her, hands folded politely over your abdomen, staring blankly forward at the back of Link’s shoes. Honestly, you were excited. Until recently, your relationship with the Rito Champion had been kept a secret. One slip up and Zelda had caught you two sneaking around the grounds.

The elder was politely speaking in hushed tones to the princess as Link stood to the rear of the room beside you. Revali had positioned himself near the princess but was paying them no mind. He was focused on you. His entertainment was not coming from the conversation, but instead the pink tinge that slowly crept its way to your cheeks.

“You’re different around the Princess, you know?” Revali would comment once the Princess had retired for the night and was safely guarded in the Inn.

It wasn’t rare for you to meet with him after dark. After all, that’s how the two of you met.

Revali particularly took enjoyment in the different side of you he saw when you partook in your nightly “workout.” At first it worried him, he didn’t quite believe that you could handle the camp yourself. Once he realized your abilities, he was absolutely starstruck. It was love at first sight (but he wouldn’t admit that.)

“I knew you were far more than you seem.” He’d comment as you strolled back to the village.

“No you didn’t.” You scoffed, throwing your knife back into its holster before strapping it back in place. “You thought I was ‘delicate.”

“Hmm.” He pondered for a moment. “No, I knew.”

“Whatever, bird boy.” Your servants dress easily slipped over your head as the smooth fabric cascaded from your shoulders to your hips.

Revali smirked, he was most certainly sure that he knew all along.

Sidon

Sidon could absolutely not believe it

It was absolutely baffling when Sidon found out his father had hired a Hylian to act as a Zora royal servant. He initially found you to be so incredibly adorable. He loved the way you followed him around always ensuring he had what he needed and retrieving things when he asked.

What he didn’t expect was your ability to completely eradicate a camp of monsters that had decided the Zora River was a great place to set up shop.

The two of you were making rounds on one of the nicer days. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the rushing water was providing a calming ambiance to your stroll. You liked Sidon, more so than many at the Domain believed. Surely there were people who saw through your ruse. Questioning eyes and harsh glares became a normal thing from the “Sidon Fan Club” that stood 20 feet away from him at all times, giggling insanely when he’d so much as glance in their direction.

The two of you interlaced your fingers as he trudged forward.

A horn sounded, interrupting your tranquil moment. Three lizalfos stood upon newly-constructed scaffolding near an old abandoned camp. The electricity emanating from their arrows was apparent and the quiver in Sidon’s touch didn’t go unnoticed.

Without question, you sprung into action. Within minutes, the camp had been destroyed. Sidon stood there, wielding his rapier.

“Oh.” The small word escaped his lips as he slashed it twice and put it away. “That was... unexpected.”

“In a good way?” You wiped your hand down your face.

“In a very good way!” A squeak escaped your lips as you were hoisted into the air. Sidon’s hands were placed firmly upon your hips as he swung you around. “That was astounding! Truly phenomenal!”

“But dear, please never do that again.”

Link

Link is like “wow that made me really nervous but I’m so happy to have this information now!”

Traveling outside of Hateno was practically unheard of for those who had lived there forever. Travelers often brought what the village needed and what they didn’t bring was grown. So for you, a Hateno native, to be coming and going from the village was truly a feat to behold. People were cautious here, they didn’t step out of any lines and always stuck to the path. It was rather boring after a whole lifetime.

When Link arrived in the village he completely stirred everything up. The shop was seeing great profits, Bolson and Co was making bank, and the village children were telling tales that the mysterious knight brought along with him. That’s one of the things that drew you to him.

He had partially expected it. He knew you weren’t one to stay at home selling the latest harvest of rice or wheat. You wanted to see Hyrule for everything it had to offer. You wanted to meet the Gerudo women, the Zoras, the Rito, and Gorons. Link was your ticket out, and you gladly took it.

The first time you came across a monster camp with Link, he had instinctively crouched behind a boulder and pulled you down with him. A single finger pressed up against his lips as he motioned for you to stay quiet. Another pointed at your current position, telling you to stay put. You, though, had different plans.

With a smirk on your face, you nodded innocently. As Link crept away, sword drawn, you did also. As he neared the first scaffolding where a particularly ugly bokoblin stood guard, you sprung into action. Within minutes, the entire camp was deserted; there wasn’t a single evil soul left in sight.

You smiled at Link who had remained where he was, dumbfounded.

After that, Link never asked you to stay back. After all, even if he did, he knew you wouldn’t listen.

Teba

Omg he has a wife wtf ya’ll

Hitting on a married man?

You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Kass

He’s also a married man

You want to split up his marriage?

Shameful!

Daruk

He’s honestly so proud and also so worried

Because you’re so small compared to him! and he could have easily done it himself! But he’s so proud that you’re super strong and independent!

Death Mountain was particularly hot today. The lava wasn’t quite spilling over, but it sure felt like it was. There was an odd feeling in the air. It had grown considerably thicker overnight as if something amiss was brewing.

Daruk was up to his usual business. He had messed around the city all morning and was now rolling around the mountain searching for any straggling monsters left over from yesterday’s attack. You had perched yourself atop a peak, vaguely able to make out the smoke cloud as he disrupted the dirt below. You were, as he said, “My eyes in the skies.” He had insisted you had more in common with the Rito, who could swiftly fly to the highest points in Hyrule, than the Gorons who spent all of their time on the ground.

Your eyes trailed him as he traveled to the east, but there was a clear disturbance to the west. A large dust cloud was collecting near one of the hot springs, the sight of nearly fifteen monsters as they marched toward the city was apparent.

Without a second of doubt, you drew your glider and headed off. The land turned to open air as you drifted downward toward the crowd of foes. They stood no chance! There was no way Daruk would make it to the crowd in time, so alerting him would have to be put on the back burner.

The bokoblins stood absolutely no chance to your archery skills. Several arrows later, the entire gang was gone - diminished to ash.

Another puff of dust had you spinning on your toes only to come face to face with a worried and wide-eyed Daruk.

“What’re ya doing?” He said slowly, eyes darting from the beasts to you. “I saw ya flying down here and... well... figured ya we’r in trouble.” An, uncharacteristic, small laugh escaped his lips as he knelt down. “But I guess ya handled it yerself’ pretty well! I didn’t know you were so handy with a bow!”

“Ta’ think! You’ve got a lot of strength in that tiny body of yours!”

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stygiantarot · 5 years ago

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🌾Lughnasadh/Lammas Ritual🌾

(Originally created and hosted for The Alexandria Archives on 8/1/19)

Instrumental/Nature music for this ritual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiveDidzPyw

Supplies:

a small handful oats/rice/grain (or paper scraps to symbolize the grain) to scatter on the ground or table

a simple grain-based snack (cracker, popcorn, ricecake, slice of bread, bagel, cookie, etc.) berries or grapes or a pear/peach. Enough to be split- half for yourself and half as an offering.

A candle

Candle dressings with holiday associations (oil/tincture/tea of rose, sandalwood, or citrus; gold or yellow colored flower petals (dandelions count!); amber, citrine, peridot, carnelian crystals; gold, orange, yellow, green, or light brown ribbon/thread/fabric)

a pen/pencil and paper

a divination tool

Today we give thanks for the first harvest. This no longer means literally for most people but it doesn’t we can’t do it symbolically! Also a harvest, in witchcraft, can mean many things beyond agricultural hauls. We are through the first half of the year and are reaping what we’ve sown for those first six months. Observing the changes in your community, your local wildlife and foliage. This greater connection is all a part of the harvest of life.

Get settled somewhere safe and comfortable; your supplies nearby. Collect the oats/rice/paper scraps in your hand. Feel their texture and the way they connect to the earth. How they hold the very foundation of a harvest in a tiny compact little vessel; waiting to be planted and tended to. Cup your hands in front of your face and gently blow on the grains. Think of the sun, the rain, the warmth needed to turn a seed into a crop. You are lending your energy to them. Tonight they are going to help guide us along this ritual. I like to take a breath and blow on the grains three times, but you can do it as many times as you need until it feels like the grains are bathing in your energy.

Gently scatter the grains/scraps on the floor (or a table surface- that’s okay). We are asking for the Harvest’s Blessing tonight and give this grain in trade. Close your eyes. Envision that you are now in a field and the grains you’ve scattered are already sprouting, growing, until there is a field of grain at least waist high around you. Run your hands gently through the soft shoots. Hear the wind blow through them; birdsong joins in joyously- it almost sounds like music. Wander through this field at your leisure; reflect on what this year has brought you. The good and bad. Think about how you can weed the bad out of future harvests and how to multiply the good for the next harvest. At some point, you will stumble across a small curved knife or pair of scissors in the field. Pick them up. They feel warm and familiar in your hand. The earth offers you some of her harvest willingly. Cut a small sheaf of the grain, the size of a small bouquet.

As you come back to yourself in your physical space imagine the sheaf of wheat came back with you and was transformed into energy that infused your candle dressing. Take a moment to hold the dressing and visualize that- the energy of the Harvest filling that oil/ribbon/petals/stones/etc. Take your candle and dress it with the Harvest imbued dressing; thinking of those wheat fields and the music they made. Charge the candle with the energy of the sabbat (charging methods: visualizing, rubbing, singing/humming, tapping, blowing, etc.).

Light your candle.

Take your pen and paper and think back to that walk in the field. Think about those personal harvests this year has brought you so far. On the top of the paper write down the good harvests you’ve been brought. On the bottom write down the bad. Tear the paper in half.

Feed the “bad harvests” to the candle- the Light of Lugh consuming it and cleansing it. Take the other half and place it under your offering you have. Focus on the good of those harvests and how they made you feel filling that snack and lighting the way for the rest of this year. Take a portion and eat it. The warm glow of prosperity and luck of the holiday fills you all the way to your toes as you eat this offering. Declare the other portion for the earth and deities/spirits of this Harvest. Leave your paper underneath until you dispose of the offering (in whatever manner you are comfortable with).

Lastly, time for some sabbath divination! You can do this at your leisure and share the results if you’re comfortable! I also have a specific holiday cartomancy spread below if you happen to be using those tools and feel so inclined! Once you’ve performed and recorded your holiday divination, take a moment to ground yourself and be gentle in returning to a more solid frame of thought. Please share any impressions, observations, feelings that you’d like to!   Harvest Blessings to you all!

Baking Bread Spread The Knead: What you must surrender in order to develop your next harvest/goal  The Dough: The central goal/idea of your next harvest The Oven: What you need to perfect your next harvest/goal(edited)

#lughnasadh #Lammas #Sabbat ritual #witchcraft ritual #witchy #Tarot spread #Harvest ritual #Harvest holiday #TAA #stygian original #wheel of the year #harvest magic #witchblr

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ellocentipede · 5 years ago

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Arcana Wildcraft Layering Notes Review

Arcana has been making layering note perfumes for yeeears, and steadily keeps adding new and exciting options. They’re designed to be layered with each other or with your favorite blended fragrances so that you can customize your olfactory experience! It’s also perfectly fine to wear them on their own, which is what I usually do. They’re currently on sale on the Arcana Wildcraft site, so it’s a great opportunity to try them out!

Aged Patchouli

Scent description: Earthy, spicy iron-distilled patchouli essential oil in dilution. The very finest quality. Aging since early 2018.

I love patchouli in theory, but it’s very hard for me to find one that I really vibe with. This one is gorgeous. It’s super earthy, deep, woody, and musky without being sharp or overly pungent. It’s very, very smooth and slinky. Gorgeous!

Black Tea

Scent description: A smoky, rich, sexy black tea.

Oh wow. This smells like an expensive cup of steaming, rich black tea, as described. It’s very fragrant—like chai spice, or chai tea without milk. It’s so rich and luxurious that it almost smells like a fine sandalwood. Tea scents sometimes go awry on my skin (with something like anise creeping around the edges), but this is wonderful.

Candy Cane

Scent description: Wild-harvested sweet peppermint with French vanilla extract and a hint of bright white musk.

Like most of Julia’s mint blends, this scent is a stunner! The wild-harvested peppermint is cold and bracing and nose-clearing, but natural and not chemical. It’s invigorating and beautiful. The mint is sweetened by the vanilla and made sparkling and shiny by the white musk. This is the perfect candy cane—sparkling and clean and delicious. A wonderful, happy scent!

Fresh Coconut

Scent description: A pure, beachy, almost underripe coconut with a light dusting of sugar.

This is absolutely true to the description! It’s a freshly cracked coconut sprinkled with sugar. It manages to be both fresh and a little creamy, and is utterly natural. This is not a fake coconut/suntan lotion scent. I’m a big fan of coconut, and this one is a beauty. It layers very, very well with Aged Patchouli!

Golden Musk

Scent description: A clean, strong, voluptuous golden musk.

This is a pretty and classy musk that is of the “my skin, but better” variety. It’s hazy, like a light golden cloud hovering above my wrist. It elegant and addictive—I keep sniffing my wrist!

Hot Cocoa

Scent description: Passionately chocolate. A rich cocoa CO2 infusion melds with the finest dark chocolate and a mug full of fluffy white marshmallows.

Oh good gravy. This is the richest, creamiest (made with whole milk), dreamiest, steaming cup of artisanal hot chocolate with melting marshmallows bobbing in the mug. Seriously, this is the best hot chocolate scent that I’ve come across. If I close my eyes, it’s like I’m smelling the real thing. It’s perfection.

Marshmallow

Scent description: The scent of a soft, fluffy, vanilla-infused marshmallow.

This smells more like true, actual Jet-Puffed brand marshmallows than most marshmallow notes that I’ve tried. To be precise, this smells like Jet-Puffed marshmallows melting in the saucepan—in the process of becoming the base for my homemade rice crispy treats. This one applied like a skin scent, but then bloomed with the warmth of my skin. It’s warm, creamy, rich marshmallow goodness!

PB&J

Scent description: Rich peanut butter, grape jelly, and a hint of toast.

We have the lovely Shannon to thank for this creation! ❤️ This opens with a bright burst of sugary, sticky grape jelly. I haven’t eaten grape jelly since childhood, and this takes me back to my lunchbox in the cacophonous elementary school cafeteria. Warming up the cool jelly is a touch of peanut butter, which is ultra smooth and creamy. There is the tiniest pinch of toasted whole wheat crust that rounds out the experience. If you’re a fan of peanut butter sammies, grape jelly, and some serious nostalgia, do yourself a favor and try out this fantastically fun blend.

Peach

Scent description: The sunny essence of a softly sweet, perfectly ripe peach.

Errrr am I smelling a fragrance oil or an actual, juicy, ripe peach? This peach is indeed perfectly ripe-- it’s dripping with sweet juices and the skin is thin and gently fuzzy. What wizardry makes this smell fuzzy? This is a gorgeous, perfect peach scent. If you’re a peach fan it’s a must-have in your collection! I’ll happily wear this beauty on its own!

Pistachio Ice Cream

Scent description: Sweet, nutty pistachios blended with cold ice cream.

This scent gives me a serious craving for pistachio ice cream! This blend is perfect. It smells cold, but not frigid, like it’s beginning to drip down the sides of the cone. The pistachio is perfect--it’s nutty and smooth and gorgeous! I do get a pop of bright cherry-like fruitiness with this one, but real life pistachio ice cream smells/tastes that way to me as well. It’s almost like the way a fine almond extract has some cherry-ness to it—the nut accord is so rich and potent that it reads that way. I can confirm that Pistachio Ice Cream smells exactly like Ben & Jerry’s Pistachio Pistachio!

Pollution

Scent description: Plumes of black smoke rising from coal fires, burnt vetiver, and a slick of motor oil.

Wow--this is a lot like the gorgeous, dark smoke note that I love so much in Witches Wear Big Black Stompy Boots. It’s surprisingly wearable. It’s the scent of the charred remnants of a campfire, with a generous pool of motor oil nearby. It develops a hint of sweetness with wear--like a smooth, worn weather jacket. It’s oddly comforting, if a little dangerous. If I were still going out on the town, I would wear this for a bit of confidence.

Pumpkin

Scent description: A golden gourd sugared with maple and dusted with pie spices.

I get lots of sweet, syrupy maple and a gentle sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg over fresh pumpkin. The cinnamon is not overwhelming for me, but is definitely present. This starts out smelling a bit moist, like pumpkin pie mix before being baked, but becomes drier with wear. It’s lovely.

Pumpkin Milkshake

Scent description: Cold vanilla ice cream blended with fresh pumpkin, milk, sugar, and Korintje cinnamon.

Hoo boy this is pretty. This scent has perfectly captured my idea of autumnal comfort--snuggled up in a blanket with something yummy to nibble and sip on while the weather howls outside. It’s a sweet vanilla pumpkin ice cream with a tiny hint of spice. It’s not overly sweet, overly milky, or overly spicy. It’s perfect. I can’t imagine anyone not loving this one.

Red Lipstick

Scent description: The glamorous scent of classic red lipstick in a vintage gold-plated case.

This does smell like high-end lipstick—and it’s beautiful. It’s classy and elegant, a bit powdery like violets (dry violets and fresh, velvety, deep purple violets). The musk and maybe a hint of rose round and smooth out the violets, which can sometimes overwhelm scents for me and smell fake, but these are realistic and tame and beautiful.

Rich Vanilla

Scent description: A deep, rich gourmand scent laced with French creme and dark Madagascar vanilla extract.

This is truthfully the richest of the rich vanillas. It’s thick, ultra gourmand, and syrupy sweet. It smells like there’s a hint of alcohol--evoking a very fine, expensive vanilla extract.

Seaweed

Scent description: Our proprietary dilution of seaweed absolute, this is briny, oceanic, pungent, and kelp-like.

Wow. I’m pretty sure that Julia distilled this from actual seaweed. It smells so, so incredibly realistic, and there are little flecks of briny, dark green matter floating around the bottle. At first, I’m reminded of the scent of the dried seaweed used for rolling sushi. This sounds odd, and it kind of is to be honest, but it’s also strangely addictive. There’s a touch of brine, but it’s not super salty. It’s exactly like sitting at the edge of the ocean and taking a deep breath of gorgeous, oceanic goodness. It’s the most realistic oceanic scent that I’ve come across, and it will be treasured. If you’re yearning for the scent of the sea, give this a try.

Smoked Vanilla

Scent description: A sweet, subtly smoky, non-gourmand vanilla.

This vanilla is much more dry and less sweet than Rich Vanilla. There’s a ghost of smoke--it doesn’t smell overtly smoky, but there’s a hint of subtle smoky sophistication. I much prefer this elegant, subtle vanilla to Rich Vanilla.

Trees

Scent description: Deep and grounded, yet infused with air and sunlight. Jammy fir absolute with sugared pine, earthy black spruce, Canadian fir needle, and a touch of Atlas cedarwood.

This is a beautiful evergreen forest scent. It’s like walking through a Christmas tree farm in the sunshine. I love the jammy fir absolute that Julia uses—it’s rich and alive, not dry and brittle. All of the notes are well-blended. I do smell a bit of the cedar wood, but it’s behaving itself and smells more like living bark than a strongly scented cedar chest. Overall this is very wearable and beautiful. Another winner in Julia’s great collection of beautiful forest scents.

Truffle

Scent description: A dark chocolate ganache center is dipped in thick, generous layers of milk chocolate and white chocolate.

Sweet white and creamy milk chocolate! This smells like the real thing! With wear I get a hint of the smooth, dry dark chocolate. I avoid chocolate scents, but I find myself really liking this one! It’s rich and sweet, but not overly so. A chocolate lover’s dream scent!

Ultraviolet

Scent description: A candied violet accord. Piquant white tea, tender violets, sweet vanilla, bubble gum, and cotton candy.

Violet bubble gum! This is a lovely candied violet scent, but it is very sweet. The sweetness does tame pretty significantly with wear.

Whipped Cream

Scent description: Chilled heavy cream is deeply infused with Tahitian vanilla and then whipped into soft white peaks.

Soft, fluffy, gourmand, vanilla-flavored whipped cream with a wee hint of fresh vanilla bean and maybe a kick of Grand Marnier! This does smell chilled--it’s somewhere between ice cream and warm fresh cream. This is absolutely heavenly. It’s neither too sweet nor too gourmand.

Yellow Cake

Scent description: The scent of a sweet, golden bakery cake.

I’ve had this bottle for years and it’s one of my favorite scents to wear when my spirits are flagging. I also wear it every year in my birthday! The scent is true to its description: it’s a moist, sweet, homemade yellow batter cake. Exactly the type that my grandmother used to make for all of our birthdays in the 1980s. It’s not too sweet—it’s warm and moist and fluffy. It’s a beautiful scent that should be a staple in every perfume collection. Years ago there was a sugar scrub make in this scent, and it was heaven. I wish that it would make a reappearance!

Arcana Wildcraft’s beautiful and unique perfumes may be perused and purchased at https://arcanawildcraft.com/

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ufeelhigh7posts-blog · 5 years ago

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Rice Suppliers

Forbidden Rice 3. Locate The Rice Providers Never spend money in any form of rice importation without understanding that the rice importation laws and first finding out. Take time to find out the legislation which revolve round importing rice within that nation if you're planning to buy rice in bulk and then research into a country. Some countries don't permit the importation of rice species or brands while countries put a lien on rice importation. No matter the situation, make sure that you and your own rice providers can stick to the set criteria. India Medium Grain Rice China 4. Set a Safe Payment Method Basmati rice is a long-grain rice found in Pakistan and India. It has a slightly nutty taste when cooked. Because it releases its carbohydrate content basmati is popular among rice consumers. Some Truth About Rice You Should Know Conclusion 6. Establish A Storage System Rice in bulk to resell is a company with yields as high as 50%. On the other hand, this million dollar industry's success is solely based on an rice buyer understands the rice import marketplace. With these tips, you should begin importing rice without difficulty. 5. Order For Samples First Best 10 Rice Producing Countries On Earth The best form mechanism for buy rice in bulk profitably and successfully is having a marketplace. The quicker a rice purchaser is able to sell rice in bulk off, the more effective they will be at their rice importation enterprise. As previously mentionedpreviously, focusing on a market in the rice industry will help you identify sellers and retailers in buying your preferred specie of rice. Gone are the days when buying rice in bulk needed to be completed face to face. Nowadays, people use established and trusted platforms where they can meet up with rice providers from around the world and make purchases with as you can. Take your time to research the providers of rice on your platform of choice, if you're new to purchasing rice in bulk. However, you should know that you can only locate the top providers on a stage that protects buyers' attention . Rice Planting And Harvest This rice specie is also referred to as rice also has a subtle nutty taste. It is often used in Thai and Chinese dishes. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the top 10 rice producing nations in the world are: Types Of Rice Long grain rice has grains that are about three to four times the length of its own width. Its wheat composition makes it mild, separate and fluffy when cooked. This is grown in the East and Southeast Asia also is popularly known as sweet rice. It is employed in a variety of Asian dishes. As its name implies, it is particularly tacky is suitable for making rice flour and when cooked. Keep an eye out for past customer testimonials of every provider you are considering. You also need to watch out for the score on the stage of the supplier. Go4worldbusiness for instance, rates reputable suppliers using the"gold member" status. This enables you to know that the supplier has a fantastic history of dealing with clients. Make sure to get in touch with your provider to examine their terms and conditions prior to purchasing rice in bulk form them. Make sure you confirm the promises of your rice supplier that is planning by conducting background checks in company location and their business record. You can save lots of time by checking out these high rice supply companies from all over the world. Rice grains are rice species. It is packed with protein and is popular for its flavor. 2. Determine The Sort Of Rice To Publish Among the businesses that's benefiting from the boom is that the rice market. A huge bulk of the world consumes rice daily and generally, local rice production is not able to meet up to the need for rice in many nations. However, without the ideal information rice importation can be more expensive than necessary. Many entrepreneurs sink thousands of dollars in to rice importation only to incur massive losses. A good deal of these losses might have been prevented with the perfect information.

Within this article, we are going to be sharing some very important information you should be aware of before buying rice in bulk from any place on earth. These types of rice grains are significantly less than double their width. Since it has a texture when cooked this rice is broadly used for a variety of sushi recipes. Jasmine rice is a lengthy kernel which has a sticky texture when cooked. The grain rice is wider and shorter when compared to the long grain rice. This rice has a greater tendency of sticking together when cooked. Without determining that species of rice you want to import if you are looking to buy rice in bulk, then do not just delve in the market. Types of rice serve niches that are various. For instance, the Basmati rice or brown rice is a favorite among people who have diabetes or are currently looking to control their intake. Take time to study your market and determine which sort of rice holds the most promise in terms of yields on investment. Having once it arrives a warehouse to keep your bulk rice is not foolproof enough to ensure it does not go bad. There are four key factors to think about in regards to saving rice and they are temperature, moisture content, container air and storage container. The best temperature for shop grains like rice efficiently is 5°C (40°F) or under; nonetheless, rice can be kept for up to a decade at a continuous 21° C (70° F) in dry ice which consists of oxygen substituted with CO2. It's also advisable to ensure that your storage area is free of pests such as mitts, weevils and rodents which could damage rice. A storage system that is fantastic is applicable to successful bulk rice purchasing and company. Vietnam Brazil Basmati Rice Below Are Some Common Types You Can Import: This goes without saying if you're trying to purchase rice in bulk safely. When doing business on line, like doing business offline, you ought to be cautious. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars purchasing bags of rice to find out you've been scammed. There are. Parboiled Rice There are more than 40,000 varieties of rice. However, some are consumed around the globe. Rice types are classified based on texture, length, odor and colour. Knowing the types of rice available create your rice importation company more successful and will enable you carve a niche for yourself. Rice is an annual grain plant that is harvested once annually. Rice cultivation is best suited for states that have high rain and very low labor costs. Rice planting starts out with small rice seedlings that are hand planted into paddies filled with water. It requires the rice to reach maturity. Rice plants can reach up to three feet in stature and grow fast. An acre yields more than 8,000 pounds of rice. Rice is harvested with mechanical or manual methods. Thailand Short Grain Rice Bangladesh Among the mistakes individuals who wish to buy rice in bulk make is that they purchase without buying or asking for a sample. Make sure you purchase one or two bags to be sure the rice adheres to the standards in your organization place, Prior to buying a huge number of rice. You also need to check different things which are critical to selling it and the rice quality concerning cooking time. Rice samples are vital for verifying the claims of your rice provider and ensuring that that rice can be sold by you easily. 7 Important Tips For Purchasing Rice In Bulk From Rice Suppliers Around The World Wild Rice This rough textured rice is before milling causing the starch in the grain to 24, really a rice grain that goes. Parboiled rice grains are pre-cooked reducing its time. When cooked like the grain rice that is long, it's light and fluffy. Jasmine Rice These countries have to depend on imported rice to satisfy their needs.

Most entrepreneurs are tapping into this million dollar market by purchasing rice in bulk by leading rice producing countries and reselling in different nations to get a profit. Philippines The very first step to successful buy of rice in bulk is to realize that this common grain. Here are some facts about rice every rice importer should understand: Myanmar 7. Have A Ready Market Polished Rice Polished rice is only rice grains which have had their outer coating comprising bran and germ removed. It's also commonly called milled rice. Because they believe it's low in fiber and other nutritional supplements, health conscious individuals around the world are tired of rice. Long Grain Rice 1. Find Out The Rice Import Laws In Where You Are Possessing a ready marketplace will inevitably influence your bottom-line by saving you price of storage and logistical costs. The best way is by utilizing your merchandise samples as an indicator to assess the acceptability of your own rice product on the marketplace and carrying out market study. This specie of rice is quite common in the area of weight reduction. It's a rice grain that sheds its husk but has its bran and germ layers. These layers provide its common colour to it. Brown rice is full of minerals and vitamins however, takes.

Rice Supplier

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scifigeneration · 6 years ago

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Reclaiming lost calories: Tweaking photosynthesis boosts crop yields

by Amanda Cavanagh

A farmer shows smaller-than-usual soybeans harvested due to drought conditions in Tallapoosa, Georgia. AP Photo/David Goldman

What if your ability to feed yourself was dependent on a process that made a mistake 20 percent of the time?

We face this situation every day. That’s because the plants that produce the food we eat evolved to solve a chemistry problem that arose billions of years ago. Plants evolved to use carbon dioxide to make our food and the oxygen we breathe – a process called photosynthesis. But they grew so well and produced so much oxygen that this gas began to dominate the atmosphere. To plants, carbon dioxide and oxygen look very similar, and sometimes, plants use an oxygen instead of carbon dioxide. When this happens, toxic compounds are created, which lowers crop yields and costs us 148 trillion calories per year in unrealized wheat and soybean yield – or enough calories to feed an additional 200 million people for a whole year.

Improving crop yields to grow more food on less land is not a new challenge. But as the global population grows and diets change, the issue is becoming more urgent. It seems likely that we will have to increase food production by between 25 and 70 percent by 2050 to have an adequate supply of food.

As a plant biochemist, I have been fascinated by photosynthesis for my whole career, because we owe our entire existence to this single process. My own interest in agricultural research was spurred by this challenge: Plants feed people, and we need to quickly develop solutions to feed more people.

Amanda Cavanagh tests modified tobacco plants in a specialized greenhouse to select ones with genetic designs that boost the yield of key food crops. Claire Benjamin/RIPE Project, CC BY-ND

Supercharging photosynthesis to grow more food

It can take decades for agricultural innovations such as improved seeds to reach growers’ fields, whether they are created via genetic approaches or traditional breeding. The high-yielding crop varieties that were bred during the first green revolution helped prevent food shortages in the 1960s by increasing the proportion of grain-to-plant biomass. It’s the grain that contains most of the plant’s consumable calories, so having more grain instead of straw means more food. But most crops are now so improved that they are close to their theoretical limit.

I work on an international project called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), which takes another approach. We are boosting harvests by increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis – the solar-powered process that plants use to turn carbon dioxide and water into greater crop yields. In our most recent publication, we show one way to increase crop yield by up to 40 percent by rerouting a series of chemical reactions common to most of our staple food crops.

Photorespiration costs a lot of energy

In the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water are transformed into sugars and oxygen. Sunlight powers this chemical reaction. BlueRingMedia/Shutterstock.com

Two-thirds of the calories we consume across the globe come directly or indirectly from just four crops: rice, wheat, soybean and maize. Of these, the first three are hindered by a photosynthetic glitch. Typically the enzyme that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, called Rubisco, converts carbon dioxide into sugar and energy. But in one out of every five chemical reactions, Rubisco makes a mistake. The enzyme grabs an oxygen molecule instead. Rather than producing sugars and energy, the chemical reaction yields glycolate and ammonia, which are toxic to plants. To deal with this problem, plants have evolved an energy-expensive process called photorespiration that recycles these toxic compounds. But toxin recycling requires so much energy that the plant produces less food.

Photorespiration uses so much energy that some plants, like maize, as well as photosynthetic bacteria and algae, have evolved mechanisms to prevent Rubisco’s exposure to oxygen. Other organisms, like bacteria, have evolved more efficient ways to remove these toxins.

These natural solutions have inspired many researchers to try to tweak photorespiration to improve crop yields. Some of the more efficient naturally occurring recycling pathways have been genetically engineered in other plants to improve growth and photosynthesis in greenhouse and laboratory conditions. Another strategy has been to modify natural photorespiration and speed up the recycling.

Chemical detour improves crop yield

The red car represents unmodified plants who use a circuitous and energy-expensive process called photorespiration that costs yield potential. The blue car represents plants engineered with an alternate route to shortcut photorespiration, enabling these plants to save fuel and reinvest their energy to boost productivity by as much as 40 percent. RIPE, CC BY-SA

These direct manipulations of photorespiration are crucial targets for future crop improvement. Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption boosts photosynthesis, allowing the plant to use more carbon. You might assume that that this will solve the oxygen-grabbing mistake. But, higher temperatures promote the formation of toxic compounds through photorespiration. Even if carbon dioxide levels more than double, we expect harvest yield losses of 18 percent because of the almost 4 degrees Celsius temperature increase that will accompany them. We cannot rely on increasing levels of carbon dioxide to grow all the food we will need by 2050.

I worked with Paul South, a research molecular biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service and professor Don Ort, who is a biologist specializing in crop science at the University of Illinois, to explore whether modifying the chemical reactions of photorespiration might boost crop yields. One element that makes recycling the toxin glycolate so inefficient is that it moves through three compartments inside the plant cell. That’s like taking an aluminum can into three separate recycling plants. We engineered three new shortcuts that could recycle the compound in one location. We also stopped the natural process from occurring.

Four unmodified plants (left) grow beside four plants (right) engineered with alternate routes to shortcut photorespiration. The modified plants are able to reinvest their energy and resources to boost productivity by 40 percent. Claire Benjamin/RIPE Project, CC BY-ND

Designed in silico; tested in soil

Agricultural research innovations can be rapidly tested in a model species. Tobacco is well-suited for this since it is easy to genetically engineer and grow in the field. The other advantage of tobacco is that it has a short life cycle, produces a lot of seed and develops a leafy canopy similar to other field crops so we can measure the impact of our genetic alterations in a short time span. We can then determine whether these modifications in tobacco can be translated into our desired food crops.

We engineered and tested 1,200 tobacco plants with unique sets of genes to find the genetic combination that recycled glycolate most efficiently. Then we starved these modified plants of carbon dioxide. This triggered the formation of the toxin glycolate. Then we identified which plants grew best – these have the combination of genes that recycled the toxin most efficiently. Over the next two years, we further tested these plants in real-world agricultural conditions. Plants with the best combination of genes flowered about a week earlier, grew taller and were about 40 percent larger than unmodified plants.

Over two years of field trials, scientists Donald Ort (right), Paul South (center) and Amanda Cavanagh (left) found tobacco plants engineered to modify photorespiration are more productive in real-world field conditions. Now they are translating this technology hoping to boost the yield of key food crops, including soybeans, rice, cowpeas and cassava. Claire Benjamin/RIPE Project, CC BY-ND

Having shown proof of concept in tobacco, we are beginning to test these designs in food crops: soybean, cowpea, rice, potato, tomato and eggplant. Soon, we will have a better idea of how much we can increase the yield of these crops with our modifications.

Once we demonstrate that our discovery can be translated into food crops, the Food and Drug Administration and the USDA will rigorously test these modified plants to make sure they are safe for human consumption and pose no risk to the environment. Such testing can cost as much as US$150 million and take more than 10 years.

Since the process of photorespiration is common across plant species, we are optimistic that our strategy will increase crop yields by close to 40 percent and help find a way to grow more food on less land to be able to feed a hungry global population by 2050.

About The Author:

Amanda Cavanagh is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

#science #technology #agriculture #climate science #GMO #global warming #GMO crops

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fooddelivery11-blog · 6 years ago

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Meal Delivery Service

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wholesalerice · 2 years ago

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In order to have a stressful and continuous business in agriculture

In order to have a stressful and continuous business in agriculture, there are two main ingredients that one entrepreneur should take note first. The money that can be used for the farm can be sourced through a loan. A portion of the approved loan can be used for construction expenses. The other important consideration in planning for an agriculture-based business is getting the right agricultural vehicles. This can be used to harvest wheat, oats, and barley among others. The loans can be used to cover and pay for the initial costs and other aspects of the agricultural business. If these two concerns are addressed, the business based on poultry farms will most likely to rice combine harvester succeed. Another important consideration in an agriculture-based business is the presence of the best and related agricultural vehicles. The most common agricultural vehicle is the tractor.

First thing to consider is the financing for the business. Another portion can be used for the purchase of the livestock, for the purchase of livestock feeds and the remaining amount in the loan can be used for operational expenses that might be needed to be covered immediately.China Farm Wheel Tractor Suppliers and these can be used for specialized farm activities like for harvesting of crops.Did you know that there;s money in poultry farms? Given the right focus or choice of livestock and if equipped with the latest technologies and machineries, making money out of these farms is easy.

For example, the financing can be used to cover the start-up costs of the farm. Of course this should be ordered only if the farm is large enough and wheat or barley is grown. But as they say, getting started with any type of business is generally difficult. Applying for a loan is easy, and does not require the filing of too many papers and documents. It will be highly profitable and smooth sailing if you are solidly backed with funds and at the same time you have the right and appropriate agricultural vehicles and equipments working for you on the site. These vehicles are primed for the work at hand thus these are important for the poultry farms.

The requirements will be dependent on the loan provider, and the terms and conditions can be customized as well depending on your needs and circumstances. Consider the financing as the oil for the machine, without this the business will not simply take off. These are especially needed for large-scale poultry farms. If this is the kind of business that you want to be in, prepare yourself for these two basic requirements. There are specialized agricultural vehicles that are available as well,

#Wholesale Rice Planting Machine

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drlaurynlax · 6 years ago

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How to Heal IBS Naturally for Good

Can you heal IBS naturally? Well, Natural IBS healing IS possible…here’s what you need to know

IBS 101

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a collection of unspecific signs and symptoms also known as a “disease of exclusion” when other gut problems that have a structural component (like IBD, GERD or diverticulitis) have been ruled out. I will discuss how you can heal IBS properly.

IBS Symptoms

Ideally, IBS symptoms must have been present at least 3 months before a diagnosis is given. The most common symptoms include reoccurring abdominal pain with two or more of the following:

Chronic diarrhea or loose, watery stools

Chronic Constipation

Interchanging constipation and loose stools (never consistent)

Improvement with defecation

Onset associated with a change in frequency or consistency of the form of stool.

Causes of IBS

There is no one single cause of IBS. Some potential triggers of the onset of IBS include:

Food poisoning

Gut infections (like parasites)

Antibiotic use

Low stomach acid

Heavy metal and toxin exposure

Suppressed immune system

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)

Leaky gut

Gut dysbiosis (unhealthy balance of gut bacteria)

Gluten and food intolerances

Regardless of what started your IBS symptoms, there is no doubt that it is UNCOMFORTABLE, and can keep many enchained to always needing to know where the nearest bathroom is (diarrhea), or praying every time they are on the toilet “please help me go #2!” (constipation).

What to do about it?!

There’s a wide variety of both pharmacological (drugs, like laxatives, stool softeners and steroids) and non-pharmacological (non drug, natural) treatments for IBS.

However, in BOTH clinical practice and the scientific literature, the non-drug treatments are not only safer and have LESS side effects, but they are also MORE effective in many cases.

Here is a 4-step natural healing protocol for IBS—both IBS-C (constipation) and IBS-D (diarrhea).

Heal IBS Naturally

Step 1: Identify Underlying Food Intolerances

Testing for sensitivity to gluten and dairy can be game changing if you are sensitive to these foods. In addition, other foods (particularly FODMAPS, like apples and high fructose fruits, Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies) can trigger symptoms.

People with IBS are often but not always FODMAP intolerant. The Low-FODMAP diet is one of the most, if not the most, effective treatments according to research studies (1). This is an important step to heal IBS.

The top recommended ways to “test,” include either:

An elimination & customized diet (see Step 3) to test and experience how certain foods make you feel or don’t feel (first hand)

Cyrex Food Intolerance Testing

Array 3 (gluten and gluten derivatives, if you are currently eating gluten)

Array 4 (gluten cross contaminating foods)

Also, Array 10 (list of 100+ foods, like FODMAPs)

Step 2: Identify Additional Gut Dysfunction (if any)

In addition to assessing for food intolerances, testing and assessing for other gut conditions that may be behind your IBS is crucial. Work with a functional medicine practitioner or nutritionist to determine if any further testing is necessary to find out what may be driving your IBS condition, such as:

SIBO Breath Testing (SIBO)

Comprehensive Stool Testing (Parasites, Bacterial or Gut Infections)

Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (Thyroid Testing, Iron Deficiency/Overload, Nutrient Deficiencies)

DUTCH Hormone Testing (HPA-Axis Dysregulation and cortisol imbalances)

Organic Acids Testing (gut imbalances)

Toxic Burden Testing (urine, hair, serum)

By assessing and addressing the “root” causes of health imbalances, you may find the real reason IBS is prevalent in the first place. This is a great start to heal IBS for good.

Step 3: Integrate a Real, Foods Diet

It sounds simple, but simplifying your nutrition can get you far.

After all, if you have a “dirty windshield” and keep getting more dirt on it, you won’t notice if it’s still dirty. BUT if you have a clean windshield, and then put more dirt on it, you certainly will notice. The same thing goes for our diet and when you try to heal IBS.

Real whole foods should comprise the base of a diet to heal IBS in order to give yourself the best possible chance to allow your IBS healing supplement protocol can also work for you (below).

In addition, I find that an anti-inflammatory Gut Reset dietary approach or AIP style (autoimmune protocol) diet can be tremendously impact early to heal IBS—especially during times of a “flare.”

Foods to Include

Sustainable Proteins (wild caught fish, pastured poultry, grass-fed beef, etc.)

Leafy Greens

Colorful Starchy Tubers (sweet potatoes, winter squashes, carrots, beets)

Fibrous Veggies

Healthy Fats (avocado, coconut, olives/olive oil, grass-fed butter, ghee, animal fats)

Clean Filtered Water & Herbal Teas

Foods to Avoid

Eggs (pastured egg yolks ok in moderation)

Nuts

Nightshade Veggies & Spices (peppers, tomatoes, chilis, chili powder, paprika, eggplant, white potatoes)

Grains

Dairy (except for fermented full fat kefir or yogurt)

Alcohol (no more than 2-4 glasses/week)

Instant Coffee (even Starbucks; opt for 1 cup organic black roast if you drink)

Sweeteners & Sugars

Additives

Next Level

Already “eat clean” or eat real food, but don’t feel any differently?

Some people find a short-term (30-90 days) “therapeutic” Low FODMAP diet. This helps them take their diet to the next level to heal IBS. Also, this allows inflammation to cool down. FODMAPS are ___ . They include dozens of foods with these sugars that trigger IBS symptoms in some.

No, NOT ALL FODMAPS have to be avoided.

A low-FODMAP diet can provide short-term relief and it can be used partially. For example, you can remove YOUR biggest triggers from the low-FODMAP diet. This includes broccoli, apples and onions but continue eating other FODMAPs that don’t necessarily trigger you.

Check out this complete list of FODMAPS

Low FODMAP Diet

Eat Freely: Low FODMAP Foods

Veggies

Bamboo shoots

Beet

Bok choy

Carrot

Cucumber (including pickles made without sugar)

Dandelion greens Eggplant Endive

Fermented vegetables (raw sauerkraut, or lacto- fermented vegetables)

Green beans

Kale

Lettuce

Olives

Parsnip

Sea vegetables

Spinach

Spring onion (green partonly)

Sprouts and microgreens (including alfalfa and sunflower)

Summer squash (zucchini, pattypan and yellow squash)

Swiss chard

Tomatoes (including cherry tomatoes)

Winter squash (acorn, butternut, pumpkin and spaghetti squash)

Fruits

Banana

Blueberries

Grapefruit

Kiwi

Lemon

Lime

Melons (including cantaloupe and honeydew)

Orange

Papaya

Mandarin

Passionfruit

Pineapple

Raspberries

Rhubarb

Strawberries

Proteins

Muscle meats

Organ meats

Homemade bone broth

Fish and Seafood

Poultry

Eggs

Bacon (made without sugar)

Fats

Avocado oil

Coconut oil

Cod liver oil

Ghee

Grass-fed butter

Lard from pastured animals

Olives and EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Macadamia oil

Homemade mayonnaise

Sprouted nuts and seeds minimal quantities

Starches

Cassava / Yuca

Plantain

Rutabaga

Taro

Turnip

White potato

Sweet potato

White rice

Best Avoided: High FODMAP Foods

Veggies

Asparagus (fructose)

Broccoli (fructans)

Cabbage (fructans)

Cauliflower (polyol)

Garlic (fructans)

Jerusalem artichoke (fructans)

Leeks (fructans)

Okra (fructans)

Artichoke (fructose)

Onion (fructans) Shallots (fructans)

Snow peas (fructans, polyols)

Sugar snap peas (fructose)

Raddichio (fructans)

Tomato sauces and tomato paste (fructose, fructans)

Avocado (polyol)

Brussels sprouts (fructans)

Celery (polyol)

Fennel bulb (fructans)

Green peas (fructans)

Mushrooms (polyol)

Fruits

Apple (fructose and polyol)

Apricot (polyol)

Cherries (fructose and polyol)

Mango (fructose)

Nectarine (polyol)

Peach (polyol)

Pear (fructose and polyol)

Persimmon (polyol) Plum (polyol)

Watermelon (fructose and polyol)

Proteins

Legumes (lentils, beans, and peanuts)

Soy (including edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soy milk)

Fats

Vegetable oils and high pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats (canola, sunflower, safflower, grape seed, soybean, cottonseed and peanut oils)

Processed mayonnaise and salad dressings

Pistachios (fructans)

Almonds

Hazelnuts

Most nut and seed butters (unless raw, sprouted nuts)

Starches

Wheat

Gluten

Gluten-cross contaminating grains (oats, quinoa, barley)

Dairy

Cheese

All commercial dairy products made from non- pastured, grain-fed cows, such as commercial yogurt, whey and pasteurized milk.

Additives & Seasonings

Sugar-, grain-, soy- or gluten-containing seasonings or condiments (ketchup, soy sauce, some tamari sauces, balsamic glaze, commercial mayonnaise and salad dressings)

Chicory (fructans)

Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, etc.)

Gums, carrageenan, soy lecithin

MSG and colorings Agave syrup (fructose)

Artificial sweeteners (Splenda, aspartame, etc.)

High-fructose corn syrup (fructose)

Honey (fructose)

Refined sugars

Beverages

Beer (most contain gluten and/or mannitol)

Fruit juice Soda

Wine (ports, late harvest, ice wine)

Bonus: Low FODMAP Optimization

Consume organ meat. For example, liver from pastured animals one to two times weekly will help to replenish your vitamin B12, iron, and other nutrients IBS commonly depletes you of. This will help heal IBS.

Sip homemade bone broth between meals or with meals

Slow cook, stew, braise and poach meats for best digestion at low cooking temperatures. You can take this step to heal IBS effectively.

Vegetables should be well-cooked with any seeds removed to improve digestibility; minimize

intake of raw, fibrous fruits and vegetables.

WHAT IF LOW FODMAP DOESN’T WORK?!: THE GAPS DIET

Beyond an anti-inflammatory (real foods) diet, and the Low FODMAP approach, one more short term dietary approach the works for some is the GAPS Diet—specifically a diet developed to heal gut dysfunction and bacterial imbalance.

It’s a subset of the real foods, anti-inflammatory diet with the main distinction of forbidding starchy plants. This means avoiding or significantly restricting potatoes, sweet potatoes, plantains, yuca, taro, and all grains, such as white rice, oats and quinoa.

GAPS DIET BASICS

The GAPS diet is similar to the customized anti-inflammatory diet, with the following distinctions:

• It eliminates all starch sources (e.g., sweet potatoes, potatoes, plantains, etc.).

• It emphasizes the use of fermented foods and bone broths to restore healthy gut

microbiota and gut barrier integrity

• It allows dairy that contains little or no lactose, like grass-fed butter, ghee, homemade

kefir and yogurt, hard cheeses, and fermented cream. Milk, soft cheeses, and unfermented

cream are NOT allowed.

• GAPS begins with an “introductory phase” that allows only meat, fish, bone broth, ginger tea, and small amounts of fermented foods and progresses through several stages, concluding with the “full GAPS diet,” which is much less restrictive.

You can find out all the details at the website.

Step 4: Lifestyle Gamechangers

Once a baseline of “real foods” is established, a few lifestyle game changers can make a difference in how you feel.

Sleep Enough. Get 7-9 hours of sleep (shortened sleep shortens the elimination process)

Drink Half Your Bodyweight in Ounces of Water. Essential for healthy bowels

Stress Management. Stress is the #1 driver of all disease—IBS included. In addition, stress is NOT just mental either, it involves physiological and sociological stress too, such as circadian rhythm dysfunction. For example, staring at screens all day, shift work, eating late or working out late at night, nature and fresh air deprivation, lack of social connection, working long hours without breaks. Eliminate one habit stressing your body out and integrate a balance of work and play to heal IBS.

Increase Soluble Fiber (prebiotics). These foods help you go #2 and form healthy bulk in stools (i.e. partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) supplements, and prebiotic foods, like cooked and cooled sweet potatoes/potatoes, carrots, and squashes, green tipped bananas and plantains, and cooked and cooled white rice).

Step 5: Supplement Smart

Last but not least, some supplemental supports can help your body rewire healthy bowel function. Keep in mind though, you CANNOT supplement your way out of a stressful lifestyle or unhealthy diet.

IBS-C (Constipation) Natural Supplement Protocol

Antimicrobial Herbal Supplements. Kill off bad gut bacteria. (Recommendation: Dysbiocide + FC Cidal)

Bitter Herbs: Take under tongue to stimulate bile (waste) production. (Recommendation: Iberogast)

GI Revive (Designs for Health). A blend or herbals to support elimination.

Magnesium

Magnesium Glycinate (200-600 mg/day) *don’t use high doses over long term

Also, Magnesium Citrate (like Natural Calm, 1-2 tsp. before bed)

Ox Bile. Liver Support to encourage detoxification and proper waste production (Recommendation: Beta Plus).

Peppermint. Natural stimulant and soother for constipation. (Recommendation: IB Gard)

Soil Based Probiotics, Promote healthy gut bacteria in the microbiome. (Recommendation: Primal Probiotics)

Prebiotics. Help form healthy stools and support healthy gut bacteria. (Recommendation: Sunfiber)

Prokinetic: Helps move bowels through. (Recommendation: MotilPro)

Vitamin-Electrolyte Blends Vitamin C stimulates digestion and elimination. (Recommendation: Ageless Hydro-C)

IBS-D (Diarrhea) Natural Supplement Protocol

Antimicrobial Herbal Supplements. Kill off bad gut bacteria. (Recommendation: Dysbiocide + FC Cidal)

Bitter Herbs. Calm stomach aggravation or abdominal upset. (Recommendation: Iberogast)

Butyrate Supplement* (sodium/potassium form + pre-biotic powder in water, like this one)

Peppermint. Natural stimulant and soother for constipation. (Recommendation: IB Gard)

Soil Based Probiotics, Promote healthy gut bacteria in the microbiome. (Recommendation: Primal Probiotics)

Prebiotics. Help form healthy stools and support healthy gut bacteria. (Recommendation: Sunfiber)

Saccharomyces boulardii (Recommendation: Floramyces)

BONUS

For bloating symptoms: Atrantil (2 capsules with meals, diminishes bloating as well)

Resources

1. Hill, P., Muir, J. G., & Gibson, P. R. (2017). Controversies and Recent Developments of the Low-FODMAP Diet. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 13(1), 36–45.

The post How to Heal IBS Naturally for Good appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/how-to-heal-ibs-naturally-for-good/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

#Holistic #Nutrition #Therapy #Recovery #Functional #Medicine #Dr. Lauryn Lax #Dr.Lauryn

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argentdandelion · 7 years ago

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Crops of the Underground: Known Types of Plants

(Images derived from CrasherGale's sprite resource.)

Introduction

Monster food is “made of magic”. Yet, monsters are capable of eating human food. It is unclear when monster food was invented, or how it is manufactured. For the sake of this post, I will presume monster food is manufactured synthetically rather than by conversion of physical matter, and that it is a relatively recent invention. With that in mind, prior to the invention of purely magical food monsters needed a reliable food supply underground.

For the purpose of this analysis, I'll only be analyzing raw foods, not processed ones made from unknown ingredients. This is because some processed foods (e.g., Undyne’s spaghetti) could theoretically be made from unconventional sources and still referred to by the base name without specifying the ingredients. (i.e., noodles are generally made from wheat flour, but in countries where noodles of rice flour are common, they're likely not commonly called "rice noodles")

(There are many more plants of the Underground, but they are plants of unclear type whose edibility or use isn't mentioned)

Typha

Uses

Conveniently, one plant of the Underground has a known genus: Typha. The plant, often called a "water sausage" in-game, is both edible and versatile in a culinary sense. Their starchy rhizomes (like roots) are nutritious, with a protein content comparable to American corn (or “maize”) or rice.

Typha can also be used for chair seating, building material, livestock feed, flotation vests, thermal insulation, paper, fibers for clothing, biofuel, pillow stuffing, and candles.1

Since the "hot dogs" Sans serves in his illegal hot dog stand is specified to be made from Typha, at the very least, knowledge Typha is edible isn't obscure in the Underground. With its variety of uses, it could very well be a major crop of the Underground.

Plausibility as a Crop

Typha are so well-adapted to colonize newly opened habitats, grow in abundance, and exclude the competition that they're ecologically weed-like. Typha are generally not shade tolerant2, but according to Missouri Botanical Garden3, Typha latifola (common cattail) can deal with part shade. Assuming it’s Typha latifolia or a physiologically very similar species, its ability to grow in slightly brackish waters may mean it can grow in the same habitat as brackish-adapted seaweed/seagrass/"grooty” (see next post). Potentially, the crops could be alternated on farms.

From what’s known of the game’s habitats, Waterfall seems the closest to its natural habitat of marshes. However, unless Waterfall has a day/night cycle and the protagonist happens to visit during the “night”, it’s likely too dark for Typha. (Short of magic, intensive breeding, technological intervention, etc.) It may be that Typha doesn’t grow in Waterfall, but in some unseen area (like “the Bay” Undyne mentions in a Papyrus call) or an unseen part of the Ruins/Home area. (After all, Toriel would have to get those potted Typha from somewhere)

Conifers/Pines

(Some of the smaller conifers. They resemble the Christmas, or rather Gyftmas, tree in Snowdin)

(Assumed pine trees by default, though at this resolution it's hard to tell whether they're pines, spruces, or firs)

Beyond pine nuts, some pine trees can be used as a food source. The cambium, the inner layer of bark between the hard wood and outer bark, is edible. According to Atlas Obscura, the cambium of most trees are edible and nutrient-rich. The cambium can be fried in oil and butter to make “bark chips” or “bark jerky”, or dry-roasted to make an almost crouton-like salad topping. It's most commonly (and historically) repurposed as a flour, and added to other flours.

However, one cannot survive for long on just cambium, and eating too much of it will upset one's bowels---for humans, at least. There are also limits on how much cambium can be harvested: stripping an entire ring of cambium off a tree will kill the tree.

Pine trees have some edible parts other than cambium and nuts. Spruce tips, tender young needles, are edible, though only available in spring. They could, however, be available year-round in the Underground. Pine needle tea is a good source of Vitamin C. In contrast to female pine cones, the young, male cones are small, soft and edible.

Plausibility as a Crop:

Using pine trees for food is pretty common, so it's likely monsters would know of their usefulness as a food source early in their history. That some of the pine trees are absolutely enormous may suggest they've had some use to monsters for a very long time: if they weren't useful, monsters may have replaced them with something else on account of limited space and resources.

Of course, it's also possible that, as monsters' food options diversified/were replaced by food synthesization, conifers simply switched to being more useful for lumber.

Buttercups

(Images of actual buttercups are lacking; both Flowey and the flowers of the throne room are "golden flowers", not buttercups)

Uses

Buttercups are very poisonous. However, its toxin is inactivated when the plant is dried4 or heated5, so buttercup is not a problem as hay. Some sources claim some species of buttercups are edible, which means they might have some food value to monsters if the plants are first dried or heated. The particular species of buttercups baked into a a pie isn't mentioned, so it could very well be an edible species. Even if they are not processed for monster consumption, they could still be useful to monsters as livestock feed (e.g., for snails).

It’s possible the “buttercups” mentioned are not, in fact, buttercups: that is, plants of the Ranunculus genus. They could very well be another kind of plant with the common name “buttercup”, such as the “Bermuda buttercup”, Oxalis pes-caprae.6 Like true buttercups, Bermuda buttercups are both edible (in the right conditions) and toxic, though likely not so severely toxic as true buttercups when eaten raw. Their leaves, stems,7 flowers and roots are edible, and the petals can be made into a yellow dye.

Plausibility as a Crop

According to Missouri Botanical Garden, Ranunculus repens (creeping buttercup, a common, weedy variety of buttercup) is easy to grow in part shade, and tolerates full shade. That it can tolerate full shade would make it very appealing in low-light conditions or before sun-mimicking artificial light sources were invented. As creeping buttercup is a weed, it may very well be hardy enough to survive in the Underground, at least when pampered by the gardener Asgore. If the buttercup species is indeed Ranunculus repens, the low level of its toxin (0.27%) on a dry-weight basis may be fortunate: since it's relatively low, one would have to eat a lot of raw buttercups to die from it.

Information on the shade tolerance of Oxalis pes-caprae is lacking. One source claims Oxalis pes-caprae grows primarily in semi-shade, while another claims they grow in heavy shade.8 Bermuda buttercup is a weed, which might help it grow in the sub-par conditions of the Underground.

According to Wikipedia, Bermuda buttercup is nutritious, but too acidic to be good fodder. Still, this statement was probably meant to apply to mammal livestock; it could be different for snails. Bermuda buttercup is palatable, and in small amounts reasonably harmless to humans (and presumably monsters) and livestock.

Tomatoes

(What is either a large yellow pepper or a banana and what is probably a carrot is also shown in the above image, but they are not named in-game and thus won't be covered in the post)

Uses

Unless one presumes it’s a fake tomato (a la imitation crab legs made from surimi, but as a vegetable) tomatoes are apparently grown Underground. (The reader is presumably familiar with the versatility of tomatoes, so it won’t be mentioned here.)

Plausibility as a Crop

Other than being a moderately good source of Vitamin C, tomatoes aren't especially nutritious. They also have high sunlight and soil fertility requirements. Assuming low fertility in the soil of the Underground (those areas that have soil, anyway) and very limited to nonexistent full-sun areas, tomatoes would not be worth large-scale cultivation---at least, not at first. By the time of the game itself, it's possible technological and horticultural inventions (e.g., greenhouses and perfected composting) have made tomatoes a viable crop.

However, the tomatoes of the Underground may very well be not, strictly speaking, tomatoes----Solanum lycopersicum. They could very well be one or more relatives of S. lycopersicum that's more tolerant of shade and lower fertility. Indeed, several edible relatives of S. lycopersicum grow well in high shade, and several African nightshade species are cultivated, commercially grown crops. It may be that these relatives of S. lycopersicum have been bred in such a way as to resemble S. lycopersicum itself. The possible species selection is expanded even further when one realizes that what is edible to monsters may be a different (or bigger) selection of plants than what is edible to humans.

It's possible the “tomatoes” aren't even related to real tomatoes. It's certainly believable monsters would refer to something superficially similar but unrelated to tomatoes as a “tomato”. After all, in many countries the word “yam” is used to refer to the edible tubers or roots of plants other than those in the yam genus Dioscorea.9

(For more information on crops of the Underground, see "Crops of the Underground: Ambiguous Cases")

Data on the uses of Typha was derived from Wikipedia. ↩︎

http://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/natural%20areas/wr_T/Typha.pdf ↩︎

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a407 ↩︎

https://extension.umd.edu/learn/controlling-buttercup-pastures ↩︎

http://www.eattheweeds.com/buttercups/ ↩︎

See this post, on the discovery made between the Tumblr users Rainy-Poppy (Rainy) and Locaven. ↩︎

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/plants/Oxalidaceae/Oxalis%20pes-caprae.htm (see also: https://books.google.com/books?id=6jRsF1nOmqgC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q&f=false) ↩︎

The first source is primarily about California and the second is about south Australia, so it could very well have different shade tolerances in different ecosystems. But who knows where Mt. Ebott is supposed to be? ↩︎

See Wikipedia's etymology section on yams. ↩︎

#Undertale #Undertale Science #Undertale Analysis

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