#Yellow pimpernel

[vandaliatraveler]

Update on the native wildflower shade garden . . .

Since my last post about the sharp-lobed hepatica several weeks ago, the wildflowers in the shade garden have made a significant push. All of the live plants I put in the ground last fall have made it through the winter, and many of the seeds I planted have germinated and sprouted. Quick survey:

Top: the spreading Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans) is mounding beautifully and positively dripping with violet-blue, bell-shaped flowers. The plant lures many pollinators, including bees, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles. And that foliage is so lush and green . . .

Next one: woodland stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) has established itself in the nooks and crannies of one of my rock features and is getting ready to bloom.

Next two: although the sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) has nearly finished blooming, the real joy starts for me when the leathery, thrice-lobed leaves with their often deeply-variegated patterns begin to unfold. This is flat-out one of the most unique and gorgeous wildflowers of North America.

Next one: creeping woodland phlox (Phlox stolonifera) makes for an enchanting ground cover and will spread quite rapidly in the right conditions. I have strong feelings for all the native phlox species, but this one has stolen my heart. It's native to a narrow strip of the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Pennsylvania. In the spring around here, it absolutely lights up streambanks with its dainty pink to rose-colored flowers.

Next one: dwarf-crested iris (Iris cristata) is another lovely groundcover but beware - it spreads like wildfire. The lavender and yellow to orange-crested flowers are a treasure to behold from late April to early May. And its arrow-like foliage provides much-needed contrast in the garden.

Next: among the seeds I planted, the yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima) is making the strongest push. The plant produces yellow-flowered umbels similar to golden Alexanders and is a high-value nectar source for many pollinators. It's also the host plant for the black swallowtail and Ozark swallowtail butterflies.

Next two: anyone who visits this Tumblr regularly needs no introduction to heartleaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), my unofficial poster child for Appalachian spring. I simply would not have a native wildflower garden without it. One of my foamflowers is a hybrid (sugar and spice) cultivated for its deeply dissected leaves and intense variegation.

Last (but not least): my eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) pretty much takes cares of itself - it's one of the best starter wildflowers for beginner gardeners, hardy and undemanding. But man, does it produce loads of beautiful red and yellow, bell-shaped flowers.

[dansnaturepictures]

Five of my favourite flora and fauna photos I took in May 2024, five of my favourite landscape photos I took in May 2024 and month summary

The photos are of; Red Grouse at Lochindorb, Red Squirrel at Dell Woods, Marsh Fritillary at Magdalen Hill, Azure Damselfly and sorrel at Lakeside Country Park, views at Strathdearn and Cairn Gorm, sunset at home and views at Magdalen Hill and Pig Bush in the New Forest.

May was another epic, packed and brilliant wildlife watching and photo month for me. Beginning in the midst of our sensational Scotland adventure many of the bird highlights of the holiday were about to unfold in May's early days seeing Black Grouse, precious Dipper, wonderful Golden Eagle, exquisite summer plumage Slavonian Grebe and Ring Ouzel with stars of the trip first seen inside April on the trip and before that enjoyed again such as White-tailed Eagle, Osprey, smashing views of stunning summer plumage Black-throated Diver, Pink-footed Geese, Red Grouse, Common Sandpiper, Goldeneye, Redstart and Willow Warbler. It was very busy for birds when we returned home to Hampshire this month with Swifts at a few locations, Garganey, Reed Warbler, Whimbrel, Garden Warbler, Hobby, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Roseate Tern and valuable chances to see Stone Curlew again on a guided walk added to my year list mixing migratory species I needed to see and stardust birds; another epitomising this the amazing times I saw Cuckoos this month in Hampshire a bird I heard so much throughout the Scotland trip it's always a privilege to see them and I had some breathtaking experiences with them. Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Sedge Warbler, Great Crested Grebes, Moorhen including chicks seen well with Greylag and Canada Goose goslings enjoyed a lot on patch at Lakeside Country Park and Red Kite were other stars across the month in what was a fantastic month of birds.

May is one of my busiest months of the year as I've still got plenty of bird species to look for and the butterfly season really gets going. It was an incredible butterfly month for me with dynamic and colourful species seen including Large White, Dingy Skipper, Duke of Burgundy, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Grizzled Skipper, Painted Lady, Small Heath, Brown Argus, Green Hairstreak, Marsh Fritillary, Small Blue, Common Blue, Adonis Blue, quite early Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood getting my butterfly year into a great place. It was a great moth month too with loads of species seen including The Streamer, Garden Carpet, Mint moth, Burnet Companion, Brown Silver-line, Common Heath, Common Carpet, Pale Prominent, Yellow Shells, Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer, elegant Mother Shiptons, Speckled Yellow, Silver Y and Five-spot Burnet seen.

It was a top dragonfly and damselfly month with some super species seen to get me started including Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle, Hairy Dragonfly and Broad-bodied Chaser and thrilling moments seeing my first ever Downy Emerald at Bentley Wood. It was a real awakening of beetles for me this month with Violet Oil beetle, Green Tiger beetle and Dor beetle seen in Scotland and at Bentley Wood for the green tiger and many Swollen-thighed beetles and Red-headed Cardinal beetles, Oedemera lurida, Cantharis rustica, Cryptocephalus aureolus, Common Malachite, Woodland Dor beetle, Black-striped Longhorn beetle and Garden Chafer enjoyed once home. It was a really good mammal month with Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Brown Hare (seen in Hampshire too) and Stoat seen in Scotland, Roe Deers seen nicely across the month, Fallow Deer and New Forest Pony foals and cattle at Lakeside charming seasonal sights.

It was a wonderful month of plants again with special flower species seen as they took over meadows and other areas including wood sorrel, coltsfoot, oxeye daisies, yellow rattle, buttercups, greater celandine, spurge, early purple orchid, common twayblade, white helloborine, common spotted orchid, burnt-tip orchids, speedwell, forget-me-not, yellow iris, eyebright, lousewort, wood avens, meadow crane's-bill, grass vetchling, foxgloves, crimson clover, red clover, white clover, black and spotted medick, comfrey, cuckooflower, tormentil, bugle, yellow pimpernel, silverweed cinquefoil, sainfoin, fox-and-cubs, mignonette, common rock-rose, hemlock water-dropwort and bird's-foot trefoil. I took in some mesmerising views and sky scenes this month. Have a good June all.

[ladykailitha]

Never Hold Back Your Step... Part 13

This really is getting down to the end here. I'm already at the Mind Flayer in the spot where I'm at in the story so...yeah. Then it would just one chapter after that. Maybe. I don't know. But it's sad to see this one go, too.

Of course as with "Can Anybody See Me?" once this is done, I will begin work on the final story which will take us all the way to the end of the fourth season. Which I hope to get done before season 5. Ideally.

It will have a line from a song in a musical just like the last two (1776 and The Scarlet Pimpernel respectively) so you have any songs you think will fit the theme of the third book (which will be Steve and Eddie clashing over nerds vs sports until that fateful day in March) let me know in the comments or tags or even a DM or ask. It took me months to come up with the title for this one, so any help would be great.

Here we have the dipshit detectives trying to figure out the message and the "secret tunnel".

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

~

Once they explained everything to Robin, she told them about what the message said. And no given the context of the message coming from the mall it suddenly made too sense.

“The clock tower, the shoe shop and the Chinese place,” she crowed. “It’s got to be.”

“You sure you translated it correctly?” Steve asked. “Because what the fuck does blue meeting yellow have anything to do with the clock tower?”

Robin rolled her eyes and huffed out a deep sigh. “The hour and minute hands are blue and yellow and meeting in the west would be 9:45!”

Eddie tilted his head to the side. “AM or PM?”

Robin stared at him for a moment in shock. “Oh. I don’t know. Could be either I guess.”

Eddie looked at his watch and cursed. “As thrilling as all this has been, I have to get to band practice.” He gave Steve’s shoulder a squeeze. “Be careful, Stevie. Okay?”

Steve nodded and squeezed Eddie’s shoulder back. God, he just want to kiss him goodbye, because it might be his last opportunity to do so. But Dustin and Robin were watching and probably half of the mall too. “As careful as I can be.”

“How can you be so super chill about this?” Robin asked after he left. “Like Russians are running around our mall and Eddie acts like this is a normal Tuesday for you?”

Dustin and Steve shared a glance.

But Steve just scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Like I’ve had the worst year. My girlfriend broke up with me, I got my head bashed in by Hargrove, I got harassed by the basketball team, I nearly got water dumped on my head because I won the part fair and square, then the same asshole tried to scramble my brains further, I didn’t get into the right colleges and was forced to work here instead of the rec center pool like have for the last three years, and a fuck ton of other things. Now Russians have set up shop in my home town? This is just the cherry on top of a very shit filled cake.”

Robin and Dustin winced. Dustin knew that Steve’s year was actually way worse than the truncated version he gave Robin, but they couldn’t tell her about the tunnels, El, monsters, and secret labs. Hence, fuck ton of things.

“Okay,” Robin conceded, “it does sound like your average Tuesday.” She looked up at the clock. “You’re supposed to be off, anyway. So shoo and take the genius child with you.”

Dustin beamed up Steve smugly, but Steve just knocked his hat off on his way to clock out.

“Hey!” Dustin shouted after him. He turned to Robin. “Can you believe this guy?”

Robin just shrugged. “You’re the one who’s friends with him, not me.”

Steve walked out moments later, twirling the hat on his finger. He walked past Dustin to the mall food court. He stopped and turned around.

“Are you coming or are you going to keep harassing workers?” he huffed, putting a hand on his hip.

Robin burst out laughing as Dustin hurried to catch up, scooping his hat off the floor in haste.

Steve shook his head as they walked through the mall. “Hey if we grab my binoculars, I bet we could stake out the mall and look for Russians.”

Steve looked at his watch and sighed. Eddie wouldn’t get done with band practice until much later tonight and he didn’t want to go back to his large empty house, because of course his parents fucked off to the Caribbean for the summer. His father had forced him to give up a job he loved for the most humiliating retail job imaginable and then fucked off to some place pleasant, leaving him to rot.

“Yeah, okay.”

Dustin let out a whoop and jumped up and down. “You won’t regret this!”

Steve buried his head in his hands. “I already do.”

~

Steve and Dustin were hiding behind a large potted plant with Dustin’s binoculars watching people go by.

“What are we supposed to looking for, anyway?” Steve asked, scanning the crowds.

“Russians.”

Steve tore himself away from the binoculars to glare at him. “Thank you for that unhelpful assessment. I know I’m supposed to be looking for Russians, but what do Russians look like?”

“I don’t know,” Dustin huffed. “Tall, blond, scary looking dudes, I guess.”

Steve rolled his eyes and kept looking. He spotted Anna Jacobi flirting with Mark Lewinsky and huffed out a a noise of disgust.

“You have got to be kidding me,” he said with a sigh. “Anna can do way better than swamp ass Lewinsky.”

Dustin smacked his shoulder. “Can you please take this seriously? You’re supposed to be looking for Russians, not your next date. Besides you already have the perfect girl right there!”

Steve rolled his eyes and went back to looking through the binoculars. “Don’t say Robin.”

“Robin.” Was the immediate response.

“No, man,” Steve said as Dustin grabbed the binoculars from him, “she’s not my type. She’s not even in the ballpark of my type.” Considering that she had boobies and not a dick, pretty much sealed the box on any chances of that romantic relationship going anywhere.

Dustin looked over at him and sneered. “And what’s your type again? Not awesome?”

Fuck you. But Steve sneered and stuck his tongue out. “Thank you.”

Dustin grinned back at him with a little hum.

“Look,” Steve said, “for your information, she’s still in school. And she’s weird. But not like Eddie weird. Weird, weird. And she’s hyper. Like worse than Eddie. At least if you put a book in his hand, he’ll settle down. She’ll tap her fingers and twirl her gum. She was also one of those kids in drama who didn’t think I deserved the role of Thomson. That’s a bad look. And she’s in band? But not a rock band like Eddie, a fucking trumpet.” He twisted his lips in disgust. “No.”

Dustin turned to face him. “Now that you’re out of school, that means you’re an adult. And don’t you think you should move past primitive social constructs like popularity?”

Steve looked at him as if he was joking. “Popularity? Are you fucking with me right now? Did you forget I wasn’t popular for the last four months of high school? Primitive constructs, I tell you. Where the hell did you learn that shit? Camp Know Nothing?”

“Camp Know Where, actually,” Dustin huffed, “And no, it’s shit I learned from life. Instead of dating someone you think will make you cool again, why not date someone you enjoy being around for a change? Like me and Suzie.” He smiled broadly. He turned back to watching the through the binoculars.

Steve was soo close to just telling the little shit that he was dating someone he enjoyed being around, someone who did make him look cooler, someone who loved him for him and not in spite of him. But instead he took a deep breath and said, “Oh Suzie. Yeah, you mean hotter than Phoebe Cates. That Suzie. And let’s think about how exactly you scored a girlfriend?”

He scratched his head, appearing to think about it, then he snapped his fingers. “Oh yeah, with my advice. Because that’s how this works, Henderson. I give the advice and you follow through. Not the other way around, all right?”

Dustin sighed. “I just think you could really benefit from being with someone like her, you know?”

Steve rubbed the top of the kid’s head. “I’m doing better than you think I am. Better then everyone thinks I am.”

Dustin stared at him skeptically, but left it alone. Steve knew that there was no way he was going to leave it alone. He just knew that it was going to come back and bite him in the ass in the worst way and at the worst time. He could feel it.

~

“There is a secret room under the mall,” Steve said slowly, not quite wanting to believe this. “And we can get there through the air vents in the break room?”

Robin nodded emphatically. “Yeah, isn’t that cool?”

He had no idea how to tell her how uncool that actually was, because Jesus fuck, the deeper they got into this, the more over his head he felt.

“Let’s go see your secret tunnel,” he said with a sigh, rubbing his face, just suddenly exhausted by the whole thing.

He followed them to the back and looked up at the vent in utter despair. Sighing, he got a ladder and set it up, then hunted around for a screwdriver. Once he found one, he tucked it between his teeth and started climbing. He reached the vent and unscrewed the screws holding the vent in place.

“Oi!” he called out to Dustin. “Hold these!” He held out the screws for him to take. “Don’t lose them, otherwise people are going to ask why there is a great big gaping hole in the wall.”

Dustin rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. Steve put the screwdriver back between his teeth and took off the vent cover.

“It’s a tight space,” he murmured. “Hey, Robin you think you could fit? You’re pretty thin.”

Robin put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “While I appreciate you thinking I’m skinny enough to fit, I question your sanity if you think I’m going down the creepy tunnel.”

“Vent!” Dustin huffed. “You’ve both called it a tunnel. It’s not a tunnel, it’s a vent. And none of us are small enough to fit.”

DING! DING! “Hey!” someone called out from the front of the store. “Is anyone here?”

Steve who had been climbing down the ladder, stopped and shared a look with Dustin. A slow smile took over their faces.

“Erica!” they said together with glee.

They ran out to the front with Robin fast on their heels. They skidded to a stop and their smiles grew to actual grins when they saw that she was alone and not with her many friends.

“Erica...hey,” Steve said smoothly, leaning against the counter. “What can I get you?”

She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. “Why are you suddenly being so nice?”

Just then Dustin and Robin burst out of the back room and stumbled into front and Erica was even more suspicious than she was before.

So Steve bundled her over to one of the booths and tried plying her with all the ice cream a little girl could conceivably eat, while Dustin filled both Robin and Erica about the messages and all their clues and how they put it all together. It was a hard but impressive sell.

“So will you do it for America?” Dustin asked.

“Well, you can’t spell America without Erica,” she said smugly. “A life time supply of Scoops Ice Cream and you’ve got a deal.”

Robin and Steve shared a glance. Then Steve reached across the table to shake Erica’s hand.

“Deal.”

~

Part 14 Part 15 Part 16

And if you remember something else there from WIP Wednesday... yeah. It wasn't fitting with the rest of the story and had to be cut. Sadness.

Tag List: FIVE SLOTS REMAINING

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2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @kultiras

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @blondie1006

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

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7- @mugloversonly @y4r3luv @greeniebean911 @birbsauce @acingthecounts

8- @cryptid-system @counting-dollars-counting-stars @ravenfrog @dreamercec @sadisticaltarts

9- @clockworkballerina @bluelightsinthevoid @blcksh33p1987 @i-go-pink-in-the-night @mamafaithful

[the-mortuary-witch]

FREYJA

WHO IS SHE?

Freyja is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and war in Norse mythology. She is often portrayed as a beautiful and powerful goddess who rides a chariot pulled by cats. She is known for her immense love, warmth, and affection, especially towards her close friends and loved ones. She is also known for her fierce and protective nature, which she uses to defend her loved ones and those who are innocent and vulnerable. She is one of the main goddesses, and is associated with several domains of life, and also plays a role in war and wisdom.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: Freyja is described as a beautiful and ethereal goddess, with blonde hair and a slender body. She is often portrayed as a symbol of fertility and femininity, and she is often depicted as wearing a thin scarf or veil called a völva cloak. Sometimes she is described as having red hair and a bright, youthful face. In other depictions, she is described as having long, wavy hair and a delicate, feminine physique.

Personality: she is described as being a very loving, kind, and caring figure, who is associated with fertility and femininity. She is seen as a deity of love and passion, and is often likened to a mother figure. She is also seen as being a very compassionate and generous goddess, who is willing to help and support others.

Symbols: her chariot pulled by cats, brisingamen necklace, the boar Hildisvíni, and cloak of feathers

Goddess of: love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, battle, gold, and sorcery

Culture: Norse

Plants and trees: daisy, linden, snowdrops, lily of the valley, cowslip, columbine, pimpernel, strawberries, elderflower, thyme, and zinnias

Crystals: amethyst, amazonite, lavender quartz, rose quartz, moonstone, and clear quartz

Animals: horse, cat, falcon, hawk, rabbit, oxen, ladybug, swallow, and boar

Incense: dragons blood, frankincense, lavender, rose, jasmine, and other sweet and/or floral-scents

Colours: gold, yellow, white, green, red, pink, and light blue

Numbers: 9 and 12

Zodiac: Taurus

Tarot: The High Priestess, The Empress, The Lovers, The Chariot, Death, and Suit of Swords

Planets: Venus and Mars

Days: Friday, Tuesday, Lupercalia, full moon, new moon, Ostara, Litha, and Beltane

Parents: Njörðr and unnamed mother

Siblings: Freyr

Partner: Odin

Children: Hnoss and Gersemi

MISC:

• The moon is a symbol of Freyja's divinity.

• The Vanir Queen is a common title given to Freya.

• The völva cloak is a symbol of Freyja's power and authority.

• Heifer's milk was traditionally offered to Freyja during rituals or spells.

• Freyja was associated with the day of Friday.

• Many people have the belief that Freyja is a Goddess of nature, but this is not necessarily accurate in Norse mythology.

FACTS ABOUT FREYJA:

• In some sources, she is known as the leader of the völva, which are the female seers and mystics of Norse mythology.

• Freyja is said to be the creator of the Vanir tribe of gods.

• She has given the gift of fertility to the Vanir.

• In Norse mythology, it is said that Freyja received the golden ring Brisingamen from the Dwarves in exchange for her favor, which leads to the story of her affair with Odin.

• Freyja is said to have gifted Skádi a necklace called Érfárátr which gives eternal youthful beauty.

• She had a magical feathered cloak which she could use to transform into a falcon. The cape made it possible for her to astral travel, to see beyond the limits of the physical world. She loaned it to Loki at some point.

HOW TO INVOKE FREYJA:

Working with of Freyja involves taking time to set up a sacred space, cleaning and dedicating this space, offering prayers of reverence and gratitude, showing care and thought with offerings, asking for guidance and wisdom with your prayers, being open to messages she may send, and being mindful and attentive throughout the devotion.

PRAYER FOR FREYJA:

"Mother Freyja, Queen of the Vanir and holder of golden Brisingamen, I come to you seeking your guidance and protection.

I respectfully ask for your blessing and your help in whatever I undertake. I offer you our prayers and our devotion, with respect and reverence. Please look upon us with your gentle mercy and your grace. I give myself to you, for I trust you will use me as you see fit. I ask this in your name and I pay this tribute in your honour.”

"Thank you, Mother Freyja, for your wisdom and generosity. I have received your blessings and your guidance, and I ask for your continued protection and support. As you see fit, I humbly beg your favor and your grace. I give ourselves to you, and I worship you with devotion and respect. So be it. Hail Mother Freyja.”

SIGNS THAT FREYJA IS CALLING YOU:

• Finding yourself drawn to her energy and feeling a strong connection.

• You feel a strong sense of devotion and reverence towards her.

• You experience synchronicity or signs that seem to indicate her presence.

• You have an urge to work with her, and you feel an overwhelming need to reach out to her.

• Freyja comes to you in a dream

• She comes to you in meditation or journeying

• Cats follow you or seem to be everywhere you go

• A ladybug lands on you

• You see ladybugs or cats constantly – on TV, online, etc.

• You hear her name in random conversations or on the radio

• Open a book and her name pops up

• Another witch or psychic tells you Freyja is calling you

• She sends you these 3 runes repetitively: Fehu, Berkano, and Sowilo

OFFERINGS:

• Foods and drinks: ale, apples, barley, honey, mead, pork, chocolate, and sweet liquors

• Lavish jewelry

• Perfume

• Feeding stray cats

• Amber

• Roses

• Cinnamon

• Flowers: primrose, mugwort, bird berry, bedstraw, and flax

• Love songs

• Dancing

• Divination

•Weaponry

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

• Pray or meditate in her name on a daily basis.

• Keep a journal, record your thoughts and feelings about her.

• Create an altar or sacred space for her.

• Do not declaw her for being a Goddess of love and beauty. Recognize her for the god of war that she is, Queen of the Valkyries, and god of the Vanir.

• Decorate your home or altar with cats, honey combs, horns, or bones.

• Practice self love in it’s totally, look at where you need to grow but recognize and appreciate your strengths.

• Carry the crystals (or keep in your home): amber, rose quartz, snow quartz, gold sheen obsidian, labradorite, orange calcite, tangerine quartz, and peridot.

• Dedicate a piece of jewelry to her in honour of her Brisingamen.

• Drink floral teas like lavender, chamomile, rose, or jasmine with honey.

• Read the stories that mention her: Völuspá, Lokasenna, Oddrúnargrátr, Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, Egils saga, Njáls saga, Hyndluljóð, Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka, Grímnismál, Sörla þáttr, and Þrymskviða.

• Use the runes Fehu, Kaunaz, Jera, and Uruz in your craft or altar.

• Plant alder, apple, birch, bramble, elder, vervain, rose, tansy, lavender, yarrow, or belladona.

• Dedicate a leg shaking orgasm to her.

• Take a bath in salts, roses, and lavender. Decorate accordingly.

• Enchant your make up to make you feel beautiful, confident, and strong.

• Learn self defense or kick boxing; or just do something to help you stay active and strong in her honour.

• Light incense or candles of rose, honey, jasmine, amber, strawberry, dragon’s blood, or musk.

• Learn about or listen to kulning and Norwegian throat-singing.

• Pray to her for your loved ones in battles whether it’s oversees, a disease, or an abusive relationship.

• Leave her offerings of mead, weed, wine, red velvet, roasted nuts, honey, pork, bread, or chocolate.

• Explore yourself and your body.

• Watch movies/tv shows with strong female leads (preferably with none problematic actors) like Wonder Woman, How To Get Away With Murder, Mowana, Queen of Katwe, etc.

• Spend time in nature, as she is often associated with the natural world.

• Talk to her openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings, and concerns.

• Read or study books on Norse mythology and the Goddess, Freyja.

• Consider growing some of Freyja’s holy plants: primrose, mugwort, holly, hemp, or flax

• By adopting a cat (if you don’t already have one), you uplift Freyja’s sacred animal. And if you can’t adopt a cat, consider donating cat food, toys, etc. to a local rescue or shelter. OR volunteer. Doing these things in Freya’s name brings her great joy.

[outofangband]

Geography of Tol Eressëa: Updated version

Flora, fauna, environment and geography of Arda 

I want to do a world building post to go with the board I made but in the meantime, I thought I would do an updated version of my geography post just to give some more context 

Note: some of the information here is not considered canon by all as some is from the Book of Lost Tales. I will do my best to clarify

Tol Eressëa is an island off of the coast of Aman. It translates to “Lonely Island” and its position was moved several times by Ulmo during the great journey. For a period it was inhbabited by the Teleri elves and now lies in the Bay of Eldamar off the Eastern shore of Aman. It was later inhabited by Teleri and Noldorin exiles after the first age. This is considered canon information. In earlier versions, Uin the Primeval Whale and possible Maia of Ulmo was part of the moving of the island. 

Realms: 

These realms are from The Book of Lost Tales and are not considered part of The Silmarillion canon. However most of the geographic information is not contradicted in detail or theme so I feel comfortable using it in reference to Silmarillion related world building

Avallonë or the Haven of the Eldar was built during the early Second Age and was located at the Eastern side of the island. Its most prominent point was the Tower of Avallónë 

Another region was Alalminórë or the Land of Elms. It was located in the center of the island.  A story by Tolkien, The Cottage of Lost Play, is set in this land in the titular cottage.

In the center of Alalminórë upon a hill was Kôrtirion,  another major city of the island, located nearer to Aman. 

Tavrobel is a smaller city or town in the Northwest of the Island. It was founded after Tol Eressëa was brought to its final location. Two features were noted of the town, a gray bridge over the rivers Afros and Gruir. There was another tower here, the tower of Tavrobel where a palantír was once housed. 

Canonical Flora: 

This flora is generally considered canon as it comes from information about the second age in later drafts of the official Silmarillion Elanor is a flower created by JRR Tolkien and inspired by real life anagallis (pimpernel flowers). Elanor was yellow and star like. 

The Fragrant Trees of Tol Eressëa. These were inspired by members of the laurel family. -Lairelossë or summer snow was a  fragrant tree grown originally in Aman and Tol Eressëa but brought later to Númeanor. Its name meant Summer snow though there was no other description. The Fragrant trees are a group of various species given from the elves to humans of Númeanor. 

-Nessamelda was another fragrant tree of Númeanor, originating in Tol Eressëa. No description is given but the name meant Beloved of Nessa, in reference to the Valar. This species never came to Middle Earth.

-Taniquelassë was another fragrant tree. Its name meant white high leaf though no other description was given. 

-Oiolairë or Ever Summer was a sweet scented evergreen tree. Elves would tie boughs of it to ships to represent friendship with the Maia of Ulmo. These were another fragrant tree grown originally in Tol Eressëa but brought later to Númeanor.

-Vardarianna was yet another Fragrant Tree. It had no description but its name meant Crown gift in reference to the Vala Varda.

-Yavannamírë was also a Fragrant Tree meaning jewel of Yavanna. It had round, bright red, sweet fruits.

[ribbonsaikeaux]

The Doll, The Moth, and The Mirror

Brilliant amber wings flutter about the lush green garden. Eight eyes adorn them, a deterant for would be predators. Drifting on the breeze, the moth comes to a rest on the white petals of a frisia. It gently beats its wings as it clings to the plant; its yellow wings refecting the sun and making its faux eyes much more striking.

The brilliant sun kissed wings catch the eye of a nearby doll. Apparently, the moth had found itself in a witchs garden. This doll gasped in excitement, quickly scurrying over to the lounging moth with a happy "awawa;" the hem of its baby blue sundress flowing about its knees. It leaned down, its gardening hat shading the moth from the sun as it got a closer look.

The moth, its peace disturbed, once again to took the air with its wings beating furiously. It started to fly back to the forest it had come from, only this time the doll followed it. Poor thing far too enamored by the moths beauty to remember its tasks, it passed through the garden gate and giggles; its hands outstretched attempting to capture the moth.

The sun was starting to set as the pair arrived at the edge of the forest, a landscape of orange and blues painted over the horizon. Little sun passed through the branches of the pine trees as the moth danced between them, leading the doll further and further into the forest. For its part, the dolls simple mind, while aware of its changing surroundings, was singularly focused on the moth whirling above its head.

The sun had set now, the forest dark except for the weak light of the waning moon. The doll, having lost sight of the moth, grew scares and trembled. Looking around in a panic, it found it had no clue where it was. Rubbing its hands together nervously, it looked around the inky blackness covering the forest and attempted to get its bearings. There, some distance of, it spotted a feignt glow. Having finally found a dirwction to travel in, it wiggled excitedly and moved as fast as it could toward the light. Unfortunately, its path was not clear, so with an "oof!" and an "ouchie!" and an "awawawa!", it bumped into a number of trees before reaching a clearing which contained the shimmering light.

The source of the illumination was there before it. It tilted its head, confused. Its guiding light had been emanating from a mirror. A large mirror at that, standing roughly half the height of the surrounding trees. Its frame was comprised of roots and vines with scarlet pimpernel blooming inexplicably from the wood. Moss had crept over the edges of its reflective surface, obsuring only its outer most edges.

The doll, scared as it was and realizing it had no other options at present, approached the mirror. As it took its first tentative steps towards it, the doll realized the moth it had been chasing was perched at the very top. Seeing this, it rushed closer, jumping up excitedly. It had found its friend! Only, the doll realized - having caught a quick glimpse of the mirror, its reflection didnt mirror her movements.

It stopped, backing a few steps away from the mirror nervously. Its reflection simply gave a reassuring smile and waved. This seemed to calm the doll and it smiled and waved back. Its clockwork brain not being very precise, it was easily disarmed by the appearance of kindness.

The dolls reflection giggled and stepped forward, sending a ripple of vibrant colors through the surface as it stepped through.

"Hi!" The doppleganger exlaimed an excited greeting.

"Hi this one!" The doll giggled at its own joke.

"Are you lost?" The other doll inquired, elliciting a pout from the original.

"Yeah... it was following this really pretty moth that had been its witchs garden! But then the sun went down and it got dark and this one didnt know where it was!" It frowns. "And it still doesnt!"

"Aw! Poor thing! The forest does get very dark and scary at night." The copy nodded and stepped close to the doll, patting its back. "But i have good news! I can help you get out of here and find your way back home!"

The dolls eyes brightened. "Really?!" It exclaimed exuberantly"

"Yes really! You just have to do everything i tell you and ill get you home. Deal?" The clone asked, the doll not noticing the mischievous undertones.

"Deal!" Came the elated response.

The faux doll grinned a wicked grin.

"Good doll. Now, give me your name.

"Sure! Its -" the doll grew confused when nothing came out. Thinking as hard as it could, it just couldnt remember what it was called.

"Shear! Oh what a lovely name." The newly dubbed Shears grin grew wider. "Now, give me your memories"

The nameless doll simply nodded and said "okay." Every memory ir had vanishing. It looked around, confused. "Wh-where is this one? Who-who are you?"

The new Shear simply smiled and patted the dolls head. "Dont you worry about that dear."

The doll found its confusion and concern lifting. Wasnt it very worried a moment ago?

"Okay, be a good doll and wait over by that mirror for me till i come to get you."

The doll nodded and walked over by the mirror, leaning against its wooden frame.

"Dont worry, ill get you home!" Shear smiled evily, adding softly "eventually"

Shear did indeed find its way home by morning. All of its fellow dolls overjoyed to see it, each hugging it in turn. Expressing how much they were worried.

The witch stepped down the stairs into the garden, a sren but relieved look on her face. She calmly walked over and gave Shear a gentle hug.

"You stupid horrible thing! Dont you ever frighten me like that again! What happened to you?" She asked in a mix of anger and jubilance.

"This one saw a moth and it was so pretty so it followed it and ended up in a spooky forest and it was lost and scared cause it was dark and this one couldnt see andand and..." the doll started sobbing and gripped its witchs grimson dress, pressing its tear stained face into it. "Its so sorry it made everyone worry Miss!"

The witch looked down, stroking its head, smiling lovingly. "Its okay sweetie. Just dont ever do that again, okay?"

"Yes, Miss!"

"Good. Okay, now that Shear has returned and all the excitement is over, its time all of you returned to your duties. Come now, dont dawdle!"

All of the dolls giggled and dispersed to resume their chores. The witch returned to her studies. Unseen by any of them was the wicked look on Shears face as it plotted to grow its doll collection.

[fanficwriting1]

Secrets of a Pimpernel

Chapter One: How it Begins

France - November 12, 1793

-Thorin-

Outside, a deafening cheer rose from a crowd who stood crowded around a wooden platform, the crush of bodies making it near impossible to get through the group, everyone pressed as close as they could to get a better view of the entertainment. The only thing that prevented the group from going up the platform were the two lines of guards that stood from the base of the guillotine to the entrance where the cart of aristos would clatter in, carrying those destined to meet Madame Guillotine that day. 

As the cart would rattle through, those within would be pelted with rotten food and stones. The mothers would curl over their children, covering their ears, trying to spare them the jeers and cries, while fathers would strain to protect their wives the best they could with their hands tied to the posts of the cart. 

Upon reaching the stairs, the cart would be opened and the women pulled out first, to be dragged up to the platform and forced onto their knees as the executioners lifted the lunette and laid the aristo down upon the bascule. Many of the aristos shed tears - some loud tears accompanied by prayers to God, others silent and resigned. The blade would be lifted to the crossbar, and the audience would hold their breath as it stopped momentarily at the crossbar, before it was released, severing the head from the body, which in turn would fall into the prepared basket. The head would then be lifted victoriously and the crowd would burst into cheers, cries of ‘down with the aristos’ and ‘justice for the people’ ringing through the air. 

All these calls would float through the air and the small windows of the nearby prisons, forcing the captives to listen to those who cheered and called for their deaths. Within the prison air was rancid, the smell of urine and sick mingling together with the cold that snaked in through the window. Those who were inside were consumed with anxiety and desperation, men pacing the room, women comforting their children  

One man could be separated from the others within the room. He sat against a far wall, head tilted upwards towards the light that came through a narrow window at the top of the room. His arms rested on his knees, thick and corded with muscle, but chained and connected to the wall. If he stood, he would’ve been much taller than those within the room, and none would be able to doubt he was an aristo. Tall and proud, regal and firm, his gaze would sweep through those in the room, scrutinizing the guards and those who came to drag away those destined to meet Madame Guillotine that day. But that was a week ago. Now he sat, despondent against the wall, and wished for his time to come, his time to meet Madame Guillotine and have this hell over with. 

The others within the room would look at him cautiously, remembering the day they came in and took away his sister and his two nephews. Two of the men that had come in had been killed by the man and the others were in critical condition, limbs broken, heads bashed. It took nearly ten men to wrestle him to the ground as he roared and fought to get to his feet, watching as his sister and nephews were dragged away. His brother and brother-in-law had been executed nearly three months ago, near the beginning of the Reign of Terror. 

He’d been kept chained to the wall after that incident and was subject to whatever beatings and humiliation of the guards the guards saw fit. His skin was painted in yellows, purples, and blues, face swelling and lip split. Amidst the beatings, he remained stoic, silent, and unresponsive. All life had left him the day the cheers had been screamed the day his sister and nephews were executed. 

The squeak of the door opening announced the arrival of French soldiers. The one in charge turned to the jailer. 

“You’ve been ordered to hand the commander to us.” He sneered at Thorin. “Citizen Smaug wishes to make an example of him to help squash any thought of rebelling against the Republic and to dissuade the Scarlet Pimpernel.”

“Does ‘e now?” Thorin glared as the man gave him a cruel smile, revealing his few teeth. He did not doubt that what Citizen Smaug had planned for him was unpleasant and that the man before him took pleasure in that thought. “‘Eery well.” The jailer approached Thorin, keys rattling as he undid the cuffs around his wrists, and heaved him upwards. 

He was shoved forward and he stumbled, gritting his teeth. If he had had proper sustenance he would have been easily able to overcome these men. They were not soldiers who’d seen battle, but cowardly men who could only hope to weaken their enemy with starvation.

His fingers twitched as the men took either side of him. If he was headed to his death, he might as well send a few to their maker before him. He lunged towards the group. He slammed his hands into the gut of one, and slammed his foot down into the knee of another, grimly satisfied at the shot that came. His hands met another one’s face, a gush of blood spurting as the man cursed. 

These were the men who had killed his family - the ones who had carved apart his heart and delighted in his anguish. He felt no remorse for his actions as he fought, painting his fists in blood.  But his lack of nourishment and movement had weakened him significantly, and he couldn't defend against all the guards. 

Hands shoved his face into the ground, and sharp pain exploded from his nose, tasting the tang of hot blood on his tongue. Feet met his ribs and back as the guards began stomping on him before wrestling him up. 

"It'll be a pleasure to see you dead." One of them hissed.

Strength gone, Thorin's head rolled to the side as he was dragged from the prison. He should have waited until he was out to attack - he would've had a better chance of escaping them then. But he'd chosen not to. He didn't have much to live for. 

As he prepared to be pulled out into the air and a wagon or thrown into some torture chamber, he was mildly surprised when he was dragged somewhere else and out another door, the hard grip upon his arms loosening and releasing. 

“I apologize for the injuries we inflicted." One of the guards said. "Come, we do not have much time.”

Not much time? He was going to be executed, of course he didn’t have much time left. His eyes drew downwards when he was nudged.

“Your sister and nephews are currently awaiting you in England.”

He looked at the man in alarm, what kind of trick did they hope to - A small paper, containing the emblem of a flower, rested in the guard's hand. A Scarlet Pimpernel.

His heart dropped. They were still alive? Hope stirred in his chest. “Impossible.” he croaked. “I heard nothing of their rescue.”

“Smaug seems to have a particular dislike of you, Lord Durin. I have little doubt he wished for you to suffer mental anguish, to believe your family was dead. The Scarlet Pimpernel saved them just as he is doing for you. Now, we really must hurry lest we be caught. Come quickly.”

Slightly confused, but hopeful, Thorin followed the men, ducking when they said to do so and followed them through the winding streets, and turned into an empty alley where he was met with the sight of a wagon, a box, and a driver. 

The man fit in with the poor of Paris. Grime covered his skin, his clothes were torn and worn through (better to be considered rags than clothes), smelling of the gutters - the same smell that had lingered in the room Thorin had been kept. 

A crooked nose, hunched back, and swollen cheeks, his dark, matted hair stringing in clumps down his face. Yes, the man would be right at home in the slums of Paris - his eyes were shifty, darting from side to side, and his blistered hands fiddled with each other. He stood next to the wagon, hat pulled low. 

"Ge' 'im in the cof'in." he rasped. 

The guards nodded and Thorin found himself being directed into a narrow pine box that was stained inside with what was most likely dried blood. With one last look at the men surrounding him, Thorin clambered into the pine box and watched as the lid was placed over him, enclosing him in darkness, save the faint light that seeped through the cracks where the lid met the box. Nails were hammered in, and he started slightly as the box was suddenly lifted and pushed onto a higher platform - the wagon, no doubt, and it shifted into movement, and the faint noise of crying became clear. 

The noise grew louder and louder until they emerged and the screams were deafening. 

The execution square. 

Thorin was disgusted at the cheers as they rolled into the square. But what made him sick, were the sobs. 

As the wagon slowed, Thorin heard a muttered prayer. 

"Lord, please, protect my children, let them be saved or their deaths be quick. Let them not suffer. Don't let -"

A sharp shinnk, and the prayer was cut off. 

His chest tightened. 

"You already have a coff'n!"

"Need more to mee' 'a quo'a." The driver rumbled. 

A harsh sigh. "Fine." To someone else, "Two more o'er here!" 

Sharp scrapes and something were settled to the side and on top of his box. 

Clicking at the horses, the wagon set into motion again. 

The cheers of the square quieted, and another shout came. 

"Papers! Need to see your papers and the conten's of these 'ere coffins!"

The driver groaned. "Here ya go, offic'r. Papers. But, the boxes? You don' wanna do tha' offic'r. She was real pretty, bu' af'er the Madame?" The driver chuckled. 

A harsh breath came from Thorin, and a thump came on his coffin - telling him to stay quiet. 

"I need to see 'em regardless. Open it up!"

"Ay, ay, all righ'. Open one, won' ya. Show the good offic'r 'ere our bodies."

The cracking of the top coffin was all Thorin heard before there was a thud and the officer shouted.

"She was a beau'y!" Cackled the old wagon driver. 

"Put it back! Back!"

Thudding sounded again, the securing of the top coffin's lid.

"Open the gate, send 'em through!"

The wagon lurched into movement again and he released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. The wagon rumbled over the road outside the gates, Thorin sliding back and forth in the pine box with each bump and jolt. It lurched again and he bit back a curse. 

He wasn't sure how long he'd been in the box when the wagon slowed and came to a stop. 

There was a scrape of the top coffin being removed, and then the thud and squeaking of the nails in his coffin being removed, and he covered his eyes, wincing at the brightness of the sky.

He breathed deeply as he clambered from the coffin, relishing the clean air, the air out of the city, out of the prison, and out of the coffin. He met the driver's gaze as he rose.

“Ya’ arm.” The man said thickly, pointing to Thorin’s arm. When he hesitated, the man spoke again. “Me don’ bite. Ya hur’. Need some bandages while ‘e ‘ait.”

Thorin gave him his arm gingerly and was surprised at the strength in the man’s grip. The man made short work of the dressing, dabbing the blood away and wrapping it quickly, tight enough to hold, but not to cut off the circulation. With a tap, the man finished and pushed Thorin's arm away, tucking his tools away. 

"Do you know the Scarlet Pimpernel?" Thorin asked. 

The man eyed him.

"I wish to make his acquaintance. To help him in his efforts."

The man shook his head. "The Pimpernel doesn' see any aris'oca's."

"Aristocrats?" Thorin clarified. "The one's he saves?"

The man nodded. 

"Why not?" 

The man was silent, and Thorin found himself intrigued by the green in the old man's eyes. They seemed to shine with an energy that the man shouldn't have at his age. Unconsciously leaning closer, he startled away as a sharp whine sounded and a group of French soldiers on horseback burst through the trees. 

The soldiers surrounded them, and he raised his fists. The old man in the cart leaned back, relaxed, and Thorin realized he'd been betrayed - given a fleeting feeling of hope and freedom before he was dragged back and executed. 

"'Ay won' hur' ya." The old man called. 

He kept his fists raised but lowered them slightly as the soldiers dismounted and began undressing, revealing well-put-together men. His hands lowered to his sides. The guards and soldiers of France weren't this refined - they had blemished skin, and scars, and their way of holding themselves gave away their previous stations, such as the man on the cart. But the men who'd dismounted held themselves with elegance, of all things. 

"Thorin!" 

A heavy embrace took him off guard. "Dwalin?" 

The man drew back and smiled at him. "It's good to see you again, Commander." 

Thorin had believed that Dwalin - one of his closest comrades had perished. Dwalin wasn't an aristocrat, but his loyalty to Thorin was perceived as a threat by Smaug and was ordered to be killed. He'd been told that Dwalin had met his end at the guillotine the same day his father and brother did.  

"How?" he croaked. 

"Later." Dwalin clapped his shoulder. "We have to get you further away from here. The Pimpernel has set accommodations up for you." He gestured towards a riderless horse. "They're waiting for you, Thorin."

He needed no more direction and hastened to the horse, Dwalin close behind.  

-Bilbo-

Bilbo watched as Commander Durin was ushered onto the horse prepared. His eyes followed the man’s movements carefully. He’d rescued his sister and nephews, but at this point, he was unsure if Commander Durin still believed it to be a trick - he’d seen Nori nursing a split lip and hurt arm, Dori a black eye, and Gloin was now limping which meant that Bilbo was now down three men. He would not send out injured men, especially when their wounds could make them more recognizable. They played with fire when they entered Paris, so going in now would be akin to drenching them in oil. 

Thankfully there were still men who hadn’t been caught in the fray; Andrew was still in good condition, as was Bofur and the others. 

The number of those who knew who he was and helped him was small. It had to be. He could not risk betrayal. Their work was far too important. He knew his men well, they were brothers in arms and purpose. A loss amongst them was felt keenly, and an oath had been taken - abandonment of their purpose or each other was never considered. 

He leaned forward onto his knees as Commander Durin mounted. The Commander turned, and Bilbo was caught in the storm of his eyes. He could feel the pressure as the man’s eyes drifted over him, lingering on his face. Remaining hunched over, Bilbo looked away. It would be no good to pique the man’s interest - none who he saved would be privy to his true identity. Anonymity was a gift that shielded him and his men, and those he saved. 

He waited until his men began leading Commander Durin away before beginning to remove the putty he’d placed over his face to disfigure himself. Oin was a great help in making such things realistic, being a healer meant he had much experience with disease and could make someone appear infected. 

“Do you wish to head back into Paris?” Nori was pinching the bridge of his nose, accepting the cotton offered by Dori to shove up his nose to staunch the bleeding. 

Pulling the cotton he'd stuffed in his mouth out, he shook his head. “I’m afraid not,” Bilbo relished the air that brushed across his freed skin. “I must get back to London. The Prince of Wales is hosting an event that I’m expected to attend.” As much as he wished he could stay, it was vital for him to make appearances to continue his facade of being an ostentatious, feckless young lord. 

Such a character provided him accessibility. The French thought him to be far too vapid to be the Scarlet Pimpernel. Nobody thought much of a fool. The French expected a member of English nobility, but they expected one who carried themselves with a natural grace and charm, pleasant to be around, and engaging to speak to. Someone who was to be strong in their morals and cared for the plights of those around them. A man who was a fop? Never did they entertain such an idea. And Bilbo wished for it to remain that way. Without the scrutiny of suspicion, it was much easier to do what he needed to; so a fop, fool, brainless noble, he would remain. 

He mounted his horse, urging it forward. He had a party to attend. 

Hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you thought!

[sunnie-angel]

hi sunnie!!! it’s august 16 for me and i was wondering, what is going on in the jay-sun household!! what are the vibes?

also a question for sunford: what are a few images that you feel capture your selfship’s vibes?

love u!!

Ro darling, I’m always so excited to see you in my inbox 💕

The birthday boy is getting a nice, lazy lie in. I’ve called in a few favours so the other bats will cover his patrol and we’ll have all day and night to celebrate ;) I’m making French toast for brunch and I can’t keep Jason out of the kitchen long enough to stop him from trying to prep toppings. He keeps trying to take the knife from me because he thinks I’ll cut myself instead of the fruit again (it’s only happened once!) and I let him just so I can concentrate on flipping the bread back into the pan instead of onto the countertop. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’ve got two tickets to the movies in my purse for the afternoon showing at the little indie theatre, the kind where the ticket counter is the same as concession stand and there’s only one screen. We’ll get popcorn and M&Ms to share. After the credits roll, we’ll stop at the ice cream parlour on the way home and I’ll get some on his nose when I try to share a bite with him. He’ll joke about ruining our dinners and I’ll pinky promise not to tell. Today is just for the two of us, sunshine yellow and sweet. Dinner with his family later will be a little more complicated, but Alfred’s got my recipe for lemon pie to serve as dessert. My annotated copy of the Scarlet Pimpernel and a new whetstone sit wrapped at the back of our closet. I’ve saved his presents for later tonight, something to look forward to if the weight of his family becomes difficult to handle. And if I got a little something for me for his birthday, well he’ll enjoy unwrapping that gift all night.

This is my little Sunford mood board I’ve been working on:

It’s the kind of love that makes you ask each other if you had met before, in another life or dream perhaps. Trembling hands of a first love and the gentle ache of a last love.

Thank you so much for the questions 💋 💋 💋

[delightingintragedy]

Jupiter Correspondences

From Christian Astrology by William Lilly

(It is mostly word for word. I tried to format it to fit into a nice correspondence list, but the information itself is untouched.)

Zodiac: Sagittarius is his Day-house, and Pisces is his Night-house. Detriment in Gemini and Virgo, Exalted in Cancer, Fall in Capricorn.

Nature: He is a Diurnal, Masculine Planet, Temperately Hot and Moist, Airy, Sanguine, the greater Fortune, author of Temperance, Modesty, Sobriety, Justice.

Profession: Judges, Senators, Councillors, Ecclesiastical men, Bishops, Priests, Ministers, Cardinals, Chancellors, Doctors of the Civil Law, young Scholars and Students in a University or College, Lawyers, Clothiers, Woolen-Drapers.

Diseases: Pleurisy, all Infirmities of the Liver, left Ear, Apoplexies, Inflammation of the Lungs, Palpitations and Trembling of the Heart, Cramps, pain in the Backbone, all Diseases lying in the Veins or Ribs, and proceeding from corruption of Blood, Squinzies. Windiness, all Putrefaction in the Blood, or Fevers proceeding from too great abundance thereof.

Savours: Sweet and well scented Odors; or that Odor which in smell is no way extreme or offensive.

Colours: Sea-green or Blue, Purple, Ash-colour, a mixed Yellow and Green

Herbs: Cloves and Clove-Sugar, Mace, Nutmeg, Gillyflower, the Strawberry, the herb Balsam, Betony, Centaury, Flax, Arsesmart, Fumitory, Lungwort, Pimpernel, Wallwort, Oregano or Wild Marjoram, Rhubarb, Self-heal, Borage, Bugloss, Wheat, Willow-herb, Thorough-leaf, Violets, Lackwort, Liverwort, Basil, Pomegranates, Peony, Liquorice, Mint, Mastic, the Daisy, Feversend, Saffron.

Plants & Trees: Cherry-tree, Birch-tree, Mulberry-tree, Coral-tree, the Oak, Bayberries, Olive, Gooseberries, Almond tree, the Ivy, Manna, Mace, the Vine, the Fig tree, the Ash, the Pear tree, the Hazel, the Beech tree, the Pine, Raisins.

Beasts: The Sheep, the Hart or Stag, the Doe, the Ox, Elephant, Dragon, Tiger, Unicorn, those Beasts which are Mild and Gentle, and yet of great benefit to Mankind, are appropriate to him.

Birds, etc: The Stork, the Snipe, the Lark, the Eagle, the Stockdove, the Partridge, Bees, Pheasant, Peacock, the Hen.

Fishes: The Dolphin, the Whale, Serpent, Sheath-fish or River Whale.

Places: In or near Altars of Churches, in public Conventions, Synods, Convocations, in Places neat, sweet, in Wardrobes, Courts of Justice, Oratories.

Mineral: Tin.

Stones: Amethyst, the Sapphire, the Smarage or Emerald, Hyacinth, Topaz, Crystal, Bezoar, Marble, and that which in England we all Freestone.

Weather: He usually produces serenity, pleasant and healthful North Winds, and by his gentle Beams allays the ill weather of any former Malignant Planet.

Winds: Northern Winds

Element: Air

Number: 3

Angel: Zadkiel

Planetary Alliances: Friends with all planets except Mars.

Week Day: Thursday

Correspondence posts for the other planets: [Sun] [Moon] [Mercury] [Venus] [Mars] [Saturn]

[gentlemanthiefshowdown]

Round 1, Match 7

[Image description: a versus graphic of A. J. Raffles and Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel. Raffles is depicted as blond and wearing a dark coat over a suit. He’s holding a very small bottle of liquid in one hand. Blakeney is depicted with dark brown hair and wearing a red suit jacket over a blue shirt striped with yellow, with matching yellow pants. /End description]

[cuppajj]

one of my ocs, (Windup) is a fun-loving dude always open to new friends :)

(He has a green, yellow and white color scheme, and his alt mode is a Rubicon jeep wrangler)

(I'll change things up a bit and use Pimpernel for this one ^^)

She's a fellow Autobot, but unlike Windup, she's not a heavy hardcore fighter like him, as a wrecker. She'd be interested in talking about wrecker things like missions and fellow members (Springer is someone she's heard of but doesn't know much about), and if Windup is interested, she would share nerd things with him like her job as a ship mechanic and/or her stargazing hobby. Also, they could talk about Bumblebee! Pimpernel met him once, and she became a fan of him for how kind he was. If she learned Windup was a close friend, she'd ask all about him.

Windup might notice how she uses a lot of organic terminology and/or doesn't understand things that a cybertronian normally would, but if that would go unnoticed is another question. If Scotta were to accidentally reveal herself, though, at least Windup's fondness of humans might transfer over to Nebulans...

[vandaliatraveler]

This past January, I made a resolution to get my garden beds to 70 - 75% native plants. My, oh my, that was an ambitious goal. I probably need another year or two to reach that level of coverage. On the other hand, the native wildflower seeds I purchased in January have germinated and produced healthy, vigorous shoots (above). Today, I planted the spreading Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans) in four different beds. I have spots prepared for the rest also, including hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus), blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia), yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima), and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). The project is at least moving ahead; this coming September, I’ll buy or collect more seeds to plant before the first frost.

[dansnaturepictures]

14/05/2023-Bentley Wood 

Pictures taken here today are of: 1, 2, 8 and 9. Beautiful views on a really sunny part of another fine day including a glorious bluebell carpet in the woods and bright emerald hues. 3. A pretty tormentil. 4. A purple looking wood anemone, I’d never seen them that colour before so this was interesting to learn. 5 and 10. My first Tree Pipit of the year. It was an honour to be alerted by some of a few great people we met today of them singing then see possibly two of these birds evocative of exotic climes I always think, amazing birds to witness. I felt so very lucky to see one at Bentley Wood for a second year running and it’s a special bird as my 199th species of the year and it makes 2023 only the second year I’ve ever seen four pipit species after 2018. This feels fantastic. 6. A leaf beetle. 7. One of my first Broad-bodied Chasers of the year, with two or three females of this species seen it marked a brilliant spring moment as my first dragonfly seen this year. It always excites me to see these they are one of my favourite dragonflies and this area by the ponds is a good spot for them.

In the fabled eastern clearing where we saw the Tree Pipits we also chased across the grass several orange gems, our main target today, Pearl-bordered Fritillaries a very welcome sixteenth butterfly species of the year so far for me. Seeing them further up in the woods too it was a thrill, always a warm butterfly moment in my spring. The stage was shared with another dazzling orangey insect, several beautiful Speckled Yellow moths which I thoroughly enjoyed seeing. Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Grizzled Skipper were other highlights in a very healthy number of butterflies seen today, and another top exotic feeling bird was a delight to hear and see well, a Willow Warbler. Hearing a loud Cuckoo and seeing Chiffchaff, Jay, Large Red Damselflies, spiders, bees including at a hive in a tree, my first Swollen-thighed beetle of the spring and snipe fly again were other highlights here. It was also good to see my first yellow pimpernel of the year one I saw here last year, greater stitchwort, bugle, bright spurge, herb-Robert, wild strawberry, speedwell, yellow iris and garlic mustard in the way flowers on a lovely walk.

[shivunin]

💐🍼☁️✂️💚 for everyone! (Unless that's too much which fair please feel free to pick and choose)

basjkfbi hahahaa Thanks for the ask, Lilou! <3

I'm going to answer this under the cut because I'm doing all five of them (leaving Adahlena and Ilriane out of this, as usual; all seven would have been too many).

(OC Emoji Asks List)

💐 BOUQUET - create a bouqet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite?

Arianwen Tabris: Wild tansy, bay leaf, aconite (wolfsbane), dragonwort, and blue pimpernel. What a delight to finally make a bouquet for someone who wants everyone else to choke and die! In order: I declare war against you, I change but in death, misanthropy (and again i say: what a move to send someone literal poison so they know you don't like them), horror, and change. As a city girl, I think Wen is a bit suspicious of flowers and plants in general, so idk that she has a favorite (other than loving the dandelions that grow in the cracks of the road).

Maria: Arbor vitae, red chrysanthemums, red poppies, honeysuckle, and white larkspur. Unchanging friendship, love, consolation, generous and devoted affection, and lightness/levity. Going for the classic scarlet/white combo with hers. Her favorite used to be honeysuckle (her father showed her how to eat the center as a treat and she's never forgotten), but later she's very partial to poppies (for, you know. no particular reason c:).

Elowen: Canary grass, celandine, swamp magnolia, purple pansies, christmas rose, and a sprig of weeping willow. Perseverance, joys to come, perseverance again, thoughts, relief of anxiety, and mourning. Oh, Elowen my overthinking beloved. She loves willow trees most (willows are her Thing), and I think she would enjoy the blossoms too (they look really fluffy).

Emmaera: Lavender (of course!), vervain, elfroot, forget-me-nots, rosemary, lupines, and goat's rue. (starting from vervain) Enchantment, healing, true love, remembrance, voraciousness/imagination, and reason. Lavender is her favorite, hands down, but I contest the Victorian flower language meaning (distrust) and exchange it for respite.

Salshira: Sorrel, holly (herb), cranberries, orange and yellow daisies, spanish jasmine, orange ranunculus, and fallen maple leaves. Affection, enchantment, cure for heartache, beauty, sensuality, radiant charm, and reserve. Going for the deep red/white/orange/brown combo here, since she's very fall-themed. Salshira really likes daisies, actually, and would be most charmed by a kind of loosely arranged handful of them instead of an elegant bouquet.

🍼 BABY BOTTLE - what are their thoughts on children?

Arianwen: Loves children, has no interest in making any of her own. Would kill anyone who hurt a child without question or hesitation. Vigil's Keep acquires a variety of orphans during her tenure as Warden Commander and they're sort of collectively raised by the Wardens (though of course she locates an actual tutor to educate them). For the first of them, Amethyne (the little girl you find in the alienage whose mom dies during the Cousland origin), Wen acts as a kind of close aunt (though Zev winds up regarding her as his kid, more or less).

Maria: Loves kids, wants a million of her own. She thinks the wonder of discovery that children still have is a way of feeling young again and has always wanted a huge family.

Elowen: Likes kids in theory, but struggles in practice. The idea of having children is generally foreign to her (though I do have one AU where it happens, for cultural reasons rather than personal preference).

Emmaera: Likes kids, but not very familiar with them because she didn't spend much time with kids her age when she was growing up. Winds up having two children of her own, both of them unplanned, and loves them to pieces.

Salshira: Likes kids, because they're pretty much always asking odd questions that having nothing to do with you or them. Basically the ideal for Salshira, who does not want to talk about herself. Never thought about having a family of her own until she fell in love, ends up wanting to give her children the kind of love and acceptance she never received as a kid. I haven't settled on how many she has, but at least one (Hauen).

☁️ CLOUD - a soft headcanon

Arianwen: Sings to all her animals when they are upset or sick; has a pretty good singing voice, actually.

Maria: Extremely ticklish. Fenris finds this out on accident and the squeal she makes is so surprising that he falls off the bed trying to dodge.

Elowen: Bull said he was into the way dawnstone looks, so she chiseled every little piece she could find out of the hillsides and set the scouts to looking for deposits just so she could custom-order a set of pink armor for him.

Emmaera: It's not a new headcanon, but she hides little notes for Cullen all over his quarters (and later, the manor). Some are simple "I love you"s and others are more specific or practical. She loves surprises and likes giving him simple, sweet surprises as part of his day.

Salshira: Remembers all her friends' favorite foods, colors, songs, etc. and arranges for them to be on hand when they're down or when there's something to celebrate.

✂️ SCISSORS - what is the "last straw" for them to cut someone out of their life? how easily do they let go of people?

Arianwen: So easily. It doesn't take much for Wen to pull the plug, except for a very small group of people she's collected as hers. It would take something monumental for her to cut off someone in her inner circle (Zev, Alistair, and Morrigan would have to do something extremely out of character to make it happen, for example--though I do think Morrigan telling Wen she ought to kill the alienage dwellers for a power boost might have done it. Luckily, she didn't come along for that mission). For everyone else, she is all too happy to cut them off (sometimes, you know, literally).

Maria: Maria has a really hard time letting go, so something really drastic would have to happen for her to be done with someone she considered a close friend. Um. Blowing up most of a city would just about do it, I think.

Elowen: I answered this for her here c:

Emmaera: Emma is extremely logical about her interpersonal relationships. I don't think she'd jump to cut someone off, but her trust is hard to earn and easier to lose. She wouldn't cut someone off entirely unless she thought the negative sides outweighed the positives (she never really forgave Blackwall, for example, but let him stay with the Inquisition until they didn't need him anymore). If someone showed a repeated willingness to hurt innocents or others she cares for, that would do it.

Salshira: Likewise, Salshira has a really hard time letting anyone in, so anyone close to her would have to wade through several layers of obfuscation before they could actually know the real her. This is a defense mechanism, but it also means that she has lots of time to push people away if she's wary of them. Anyone she's really close with is someone she wouldn't let go of easily; she cherishes her found family. Again, it would have to be something pretty heinous or out of character to cut someone off.

💚 GREEN HEART - what things make your oc feel comforted? hugs, kisses, food?

Arianwen: Food is at the top of the list, for sure. Especially something unusual or made especially for her, but she's not very picky. She also likes loose physical contact (leaning against someone, for example) which she can easily get out of if she wants.

Maria: Being held is number one. Maria is always reaching out for other people, and those people reaching back makes her feel fulfilled and safe. She is also a very textural person, so soft, fluffy things bring her comfort, too. Lying on a soft bed in her silk robe while someone (cough cough) holds her is her ideal situation.

Elowen: Quiet company and hot tea. Elowen needs to process before she can talk when she's upset, but she really doesn't want to be alone. When she's ready, someone who will listen to her without judgment is crucial. Being somewhere high in the air with a decent overlook also helps.

Emmaera: Putting things in order makes her feel more comforted. She doesn't want help, but she does want company. When she's thinking or upset, Emma will clean and organize, and by extension her surroundings being reasonably neat is comforting to her. She also finds sunlight and a concrete task to complete comforting, so she gardens in the spring/summer and rakes or shovels snow in the fall and winter. Someone talking things through with her and weighing the pros and cons is comforting.

Salshira: Physical touch for sure. It's the first and easiest way she has to express herself and it's the first thing she looks for when she's upset. Being warm and wrapped in a blanket is second. Also soup---soup is her big comfort food (me too tbh).

[jaybug-jabbers]

Flowering 'Weeds' in my Neighborhood

Hello and welcome to my informal tour of some of the flowers in my California neighborhood. I just wanted to identify them when I got home so I made this post. We tend to take these plants for granted but I wanted to learn more about them. Forgive the photo quality, my phone is a potato but I am upgrading it soon. (Also I was being kind of lazy with these photos, since it was just for IDing and not for looks)

1.) Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta or ​Oxalis corniculata)

These itty bitty yellow flowers (and clover-like leaves) often found in lawns are apparently woodsorrels, in the genus Oxalis. The flowers are around the same size as Scarlet Pimpernell (Anagallis arvensis), another little flower often found growing in lawns around here. Plants in this genus are edible, apparently, and have a nice sour tanginess to them. All parts are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked, and are nice in salads, I'm told.

It seems the plants in this genus have a wide range of flower sizes, because this genus also includes Oxalis pes-caprae, which has the same clover-like leaves, but it has yellow flowers that are ~1 - 1.5 inches large, which grow on long stalks. This species is known colloquially as Sourgrass where I'm from, and as a kid I often picked the flowers to chew on the sour stems. Plants of this genus are often invasive here, but there are also lots that are native to California.

2.) Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) - Invasive

Often used for erosion control (even though it out-competes other plants, including natives), for feeding livestock, or as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. The seeds, sprouts and flowers are edible for humans, too. The red flowers are very beautiful and bees love them.

3.) Long-beaked Storks Bill (Erodium botrys) - Invasive

Another common sight in California yards is the Storks Bill, named after the long, pointy seed pods that look like little spears. My mother passed on the suburban lore to me and my little brother when we were kids, explaining how you can push one of these pointy seed-pods into another one and create a pair of scissors with them. Therefore we referred to these as "scissors plants." However, the plant's seed pods are most interesting when they break open explosively. The seeds that immerge look like sharp little corkscrews that bury themselves in the earth. This plant is reportedly edible, and typically the leaves are eaten when the plant is young. The plant has pretty little pink/purple stripey flowers in the spring.

4.) Blue Dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus) - Native

A beautiful California native wildflower. It has a history of being an important food source for Native Americans. The part eaten was the 'corm,' which is similar to a tuber and also starchy. There is a similar-looking native flower called Forktooth Ookow (Dichelostemma congestum) but this site shares how to tell them apart.

5 - 6.) Common Fiddlenecks (Amsinckia menziesii) - Native

These pretty yellow flowers grow in clusters that gradually unfurl like the neck of a fiddle. Goldfinches love the seeds and it's an important host plant for some insects; its flowers are also valued by pollinators.

They are unpalatable plants to livestock (they have itchy hairs), which is good because they are toxic to livestock if eaten in large amounts. (This typically will not happen unless their feed becomes contaminated with it, since as I mentioned, they dislike eating the plants!) It's probably best that humans don't try to eat this plant, as a result. It's also best to not grab these plants like I did in the photo, haha, because the hairs can irritate skin. (Didn't bother me, but ymmv)

7.) Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) - Invasive

This plant is in the mustard family (Brassicacea). As you may know, the mustard family is very important to humans, and includes a bunch of cultivated crops (cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips, radishes, etc). As such, all parts of this plant are very edible, and it has a reportedly peppery taste. It's invasive here in California so you don't need to feel bad about harvesting it. They also hybridize readily with cultivated radish. It's a very hardy plant that has spread all over. You see these guys everywhere, in ditches on the side of the road, etc.

8 - 9.) Lupines/Blue Bonnets [possibly Coulter's lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus)?]

This genus, the Lupins, is a very large genus and many of the varieties have been cultivated by humans for both food and for looks. However, some varieites are native to California, such as Coulter's lupine. They are very pretty flowers that look similar to pea plants, because it is in the same family (Fabaceae). Lupin beans are edible but need to be processed correctly first, or else they can poison you (the same is true of many popular legumes). The ones that have been bred for eating require less processing.

10.) Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) - Naturalized

Another wildflower in the same Fabaceae family, Vetch also has gorgeous little purple flowers and produces little pea pods too. It's valued as livestock fodder and as green manure/rotation crop, and like the Lupins, its seeds need to be processed properly before humans eat it. The plant is very 'grabby' and will use plants nearby to help prop it up as it grows. So, if you have something else in your garden, you might need to pull out vetch if it's grabbing your plants.

11.) Miner’s Lettuce/Spring Beauties/Winter Purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) - Native

This native plant has big, cronchy leaves that I'm told taste excellent in salads. They tend to grow after a good rain, during winter or early spring, in damp, shady areas. The plant had been used as food by Native Americans for a long time, and when white people arrived in droves in California for the gold rush, they ate it too; thus the name 'Miner's Lettuce.' Their leaves kind of look almost like lily pads, and little white flowers grow in the center. They're quite recognizable once you notice them, and they're very nutritious, apparently.

12.) Burr Clover/Burr Medic (Medicago polymorpha) - Naturalized

Considered useful for livestock fodder, erosion control and soil improvement. It has little yellow flowers and its seed pod is a pokey little burr. It grows very low on the ground, often found in lawns. It's edible, especially the young leaves. The seeds are apparently edible too but there's only one seed per burr and it's rather demanding to gather and process, as you might imagine.

13.) Red Maids (Calandrinia menziesii) - Native

I found this lone little flower among all the other wildflowers around here after the rains. Apparently it's a Red Maid, which used to be considered a type of purselane, but has recently switched families, according to Wiki at least. The greens can be cooked and the seeds toasted.

[enderbunnytime]

📸 Some Fanart from years ago

🍫 Chocolate :)

✨Angel, Harlotte, Peepaw

🎵 When I Look At You by The Scarlet Pimpernel

✏️ No, I don’t believe so. I’m an avid reader of it though >_>

😏Yes, I am.

💛 I have my ears pierced!

🐰More or less how they move their body in day to day life. Body Language, I suppose.

🍪 Rainbow >_>

🐶 Uh…. Yes. Although I guess I prefer cats…

🎧 Headphones. Earbuds drive me insane.

🌻 Some teasing remark.

🙃 Well… pineapples try to eat you as you are eating it! And the amatoxins from mushrooms such as the Destroying Angel kill you by causing you to be unable to make RNA as it hinders your RNA polymerase II and III!

🦉Most certainly a night owl. I hate mornings.

🧸My bed while it’s raining in the fall with a cat on me in my comfort hoodie.

🏳️‍🌈 Yes. I am a gay enby.

🦋Sassy, Tired, Dumb (in social ways :p)

👖Jeans, strangely enough.

🥤I don’t have one.

🧡 Yellow, more or less.

💎 Good question…. I really cannot say. Not right now, at least.

☕️ Neither.

🦖 The dodo bird.

🌙 A week, at most…

🌴 …what does this mean?

🐸 I WANT to dress all gothic as well as dark academia, but I lack the funds to do so for a decent bit…

🔮 An actor.

💙 Single ;-;.

🌿Sort of a gothic steampunk outfit… with a lot of frills!

🎤 When I look At You, or just simply name a musical and I’ll be able to belt something out from heart.

🤎 A dark brown.

💌 Often.

💄Yes!

🌸 I’d like to keep it to myself, as it’s quite personal.

💞 I don’t really have one yet…

~ 💖 ASK GAME 💖 ~

📷 What’s set as your phone’s lockscreen?

🍫 Cheese or chocolate?

✨ Do you have any nicknames?

🎵 Last song you listened to?

✏️ Have you ever written fanfiction?

😏 Are you on discord?

 💛 Do you have any piercings?

🐰 What do you think says the most about a person?

🍪 If you were a cookie, what kind would you be?

🐶 Are you more of a dog person or a cat person?

🎧 Headphones or earbuds?

🌼 What’s the last thing you said out loud?

🙃 What’s a weird fact that you know?

🦉 Are you a morning person or a night owl?

🧸 Favorite place to nap?

🏳️‍🌈 Are you a member of the LGBTQIA+ community?

🦋 Describe yourself in three words.

👖 Jeans or sweatpants?

🥤 What’s your go-to Starbucks order?

🧡 A color you can’t stand?

💎 What’s your most prized possession?

☕ Coffee or tea?

🦖 Favorite extinct animal?

🌙 How long have you been on tumblr?

🌴 Desert island item?

🐸 Describe your aesthetic.

🔮 What’s your dream job?

💙 Relationship status?

🌿 Describe your favorite outfit.

🎤 Is there a song you know all the lyrics to?

🤎 What color is your hair?

💌 Do you talk to yourself?

💄 Do you wear makeup?

🌸 Best compliment you ever received?

💞 @ your favorite blog.

Reblogs are appreciated!