#and so did my grandmother

[mmmmuffins]

went to watch shakespeare in the park and GODDDDD why am i not doing literature in uni i hate this stem oriented society so much i shd be doing lit

[banmitbandit]

Pots 'N' Picks Week 2024: Day 5: Cuddling/Kiss

"Oh, Oskarr..!" Aringale sighed, cupping his large hand in both of hers, "I love you with all of my heart, but… You can't just turn your back on your clan and your family..! They're so important to you!" "Forget about my family and clan," Oskarr told her seriously, and tucked a lock of her blond hair behind her ear. Never before had the man looked at her like this, without reservation, without an ounce of hesitation. It was devotion, plain and simple, unguarded and honest. He'd never looked so happy. "If they cannot accept you, Arin, if they want us to be apart… Then they're no family of mine." (Finally, Chilchuck thinks, exasperated, It only took two hundred and seventy six pages.) "And your father?" She asked, nerves frayed. Instead of speaking, he leaned in to kiss her. Time slowed to a crawl, and enthusiastically, emboldened by her love's resolve, she returned it. One by one, all of her worries and doubts slipped away. She knew that whatever life would throw at them, Oskarr would be there with her. ("I don't think that half-foots have a very clear understanding of how clans work," Senshi hums, mildly amused, "Keep reading, will ye?")

You guys should go and read The Reluctant Romantic by my friend Attila ( @mirroredgiraffe ) if you haven't already. This isn't based on any particular scene from it, but the idea of Chilchuck being a fan of trashy romance novels about blond half-foots and their accidentally femme dwarf love interests is too funny for me to not indulge in.

[greenbergsays]

My great aunt came down to spend the night with us so she could go to the Teenager's graduation party tomorrow and I don't know if you've argued with a Boomer lately about pronouns, gender identity/expression, or gender vs sex but it really is like talking to a toddler throwing a tantrum

"what about me? what about what I want, what about what I think? Why do THEY get what they want and I don't??? Why do they have more rights than I do??"

And honestly, I can't even make an eloquent argument because for me it's instinctive that, like.

It costs me nothing, it's not hurting anyone, so who cares if I agree or disagree? There are tons of neo-pronouns that I don't "get" but any time I come across something like that, I just shrug and say, "you do you, boo boo" and then go about my day

I've never understood why the older generation can't do the same. That dude with his nails painted pink is not a problem unless he's actively trying to harm you and at that point, the nails has nothing to do with it

[bonefall]

what’s up with BB! Puddleshine? been having thoughts about him recently lol. i find it funny that rowanstar grabbed this random child from the nursery and was like ‘bam here’s our brand new doctor and spiritual leader everyone’

(*shaking twelve year old in the background*)

You know what's pretty cool about AVoS, buried underneath the slog of it all? The thing I keep going back to about this arc, in spite of how annoying it is to be forced to say in ThunderClan as everything interesting happens off-screen?

The way that so, so many young warriors are horrifically traumatized by both the structure of the Clans, and the Kin that they turn to.

It's a shame that the Erins were so committed to the idea of the Clan social structure NOT being the problem, because this whole arc is a perfect time to show how flawed it structurally is. LET these kids have a point, that maybe they were rebelling against something broken, but Darktail was a malicious actor who exploited their naivety to serve HIS ends.

A recap of what's happening in BB!AvoS before I explain my intentions with the Puddy Boy;

The big problem that I want Rowanstar to display is a problem that ALL the leaders of this time period also have. Commitment to Clan rivalry.

After Firestar was killed in AVoS by Dark Forest warriors, Bramblestar considers diplomacy secondary as a tactic. "ThunderClan will not be bullied any longer. We have been too soft with the other Clans for too long; and they have humiliated us by taking advantage of our kindness." (Note: Harespring and Breezepelt being part of the assassination patrol is not revealed until TBC. For MAXIMUM drama reveal.)

He escalated a border dispute that Firestar had worked closely and intimately with ShadowClan to resolve; a fight for a knoutberry patch on their border, just before Winter.

After Russetfur died in this painful battle, Blackstar backslid hard from his redemption arc. This caused the Thunder/Shadow alliance to dissolve towards the end of OotS, ending a friendship between the two Clans that had lasted through all of Po3.

He was open to Sol's manipulation, and while Tawnypelt was trying to fight the Dark Forest trainees who took over ShadowClan in the meantime... Rowanclaw became deputy by organizing a patrol of cats to remind Blackstar how much he means to them.

So Rowanstar inherits the Clan with this in mind. ShadowClan solves SHADOWCLAN'S problems. "ThunderClan had a quarrel with WindClan, but decided that we were their enemy. Leaving ourselves open for betrayal was a mistake; if we cannot handle our own problems, we will inevitably succumb to them when our so-called 'allies' don't come to help." (Note: he isn't completely wrong. His words are borderline prophetic for what's about to happen.)

Onestar has a smug chuckle at this. Since taking leadership, he's been appealing to the strongest, hardest members of his Clan. Those who once tried to kill him for his "weakness" in the Civil War. The "lesson" ShadowClan learned is one that he's known since the day Onewhisker died and Onestar was born, on the night of that sabotaged muirburn. "That so-called peace was always a farce. We are warriors of the four Clans; it was always going to come down to honor, and putting ourselves first. My WindClan isn't foolish enough to pretend like ThunderClan ever acted in anything but their own, hidden self-interest."

And Mistystar respects the direction Bramblestar has taken his Clan in, and approves of the "honesty" that the Clans are now showing. "As the branches of the honeysuckle fight and win the light for themselves, sometimes there are beautiful flowers that die in the shade. We can mourn the end of an era, and prepare for a future that will be made all the sweeter for our shared struggle. This is the way of the Clans, and StarClan's solemn light shines upon us all." (Note: god I love writing Misty's speeches)

In the family tree reworkings, Rowanstar is now the brother of Littlecloud. Sons of Brokenstar, honor-sired for Newtspeck.

Littlecloud... is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's.

He didn't want to choose an apprentice after Flametail's horrible death, heartbroken and stressed out, especially when he couldn't reach his nephew through contact with StarClan.

He can't remember, anymore, that Flametail was freed. He keeps forgetting this, over and over

He keeps ending up in different times of his life, where he's best friends with Cinderpelt and still calling Leafpool by her pre-Honor Title name, where he's inventing a mobility device for Wildfur, where he's still escaping the plague and before he knew his mentor caused it, where he's on the Great Journey...

Rowanstar is in a lot of pain, watching his brother forget so many things, scared and confused half the time. He doesn't want to believe that this is really the end, or that... many of these cats are now so young they can't recognize the various eras that Littlecloud is finding himself in.

Puddleshine and Slatefur are going to remain in Pinenose's litter. Either Lion or Birch MIGHT get shuffled to another one; and ALSO the shuffler might survive the Kin. (SO voice which one you want to survive, if you have a preference!)

SO, Violetshine has either two or three adopted siblings... plus another.

Pinenose's oldest surviving child is Happypaw. Happy is the half-sibling of Puddle/Slate-- the death of Weaselkit in the Great Battle caused his parents (Pinenose and Owlclaw) to break up.

(this is why I'm thinking about just reducing the litter to Puddle/Slate, so Violet has three major adoption-siblings to remember instead of four.)

And now we're ready to talk about Puddleshine.

He isn't the first young cat to be shoved into an extremely high-pressure position because of a Cleric becoming incapacitated. Kestrelflight was also forced to become the holy speaker of his people when he was far, far too young, after Barkface died in TNP. He dealt with this obediently, with only Jayfeather ever really being able to get him to think about it in a different light.

Unlike Kestrel, Puddlekit did voice that he was interested in becoming a Cleric, in BB. But he was too young to be properly making that choice, to know what he was getting into. He mentioned it practically offhandedly, and BOOM Rowanstar had rolled him into the position.

But Puddlepaw has a deep sense of responsibility. "Wise beyond his years"-- likely because of how tumultuous his home life was.

His mother's oldest child, Happypaw, was openly a bully of his half-siblings. Pinenose distanced herself from him as a result, causing Happy to be closer to Owlclaw, who was still not over Weaselkit's death.

But Puddle's Ba Spikefur is not a cat who handles his kit's emotions well. Instead, he encourages ambition, tells him to get back at his half-sibling by being more influential than that twerp could ever be.

Puddle will often go to Violet, the new POV, to vent about these things.

And one thing he mentions to her is how amazing Kestrelflight is, when he gets to meet him at the half-moon conferences. He learns SO MUCH from him, it's like he GETS what he's going through...

Puddle doesn't even feel sure that Littlecloud knows what he's doing anymore. If he's learning the right information at all.

But Rowanstar won't DO anything about Littlecloud-- and he CERTAINLY isn't about to let Puddlepaw go train under someone else's Cleric.

As a result of this, Puddlepaw becomes a VERY important member of Sleekpaw's little group. He wasn't one of their friends to begin with, buuuuut...

When he sits to chat with Sleekpaw and Needlepaw, with Happypaw good and far out of earshot, she makes a lot of sense.

A LOT of it.

ShadowClan is run by old men who don't know what they're doing. Rowanstar is too emotional to make good choices. Puddlepaw, barely even old enough to begin apprenticeship, is running all the medicine for an entire Clan.

And, sure, he doesn't have much in the way of a connection to StarClan, no, just a little more spiritual than the average cat...

But who can point this out? If Littlecloud is slowly losing his mind anyway?

"It's not right, how much pressure's on you," Sleekpaw growls, "And it wouldn't be this way if we could challenge Rowanstar. You should be training with Kestrelflight right now."

"But we're dealing with the shells StarClan dealt, and the Clan is looking to you now," Needlepaw points out on behalf of her friend, "You have much more sway than you know."

This time around for BB, Sleekpaw starts as a young hero. She's right. Rowanstar should be challenged, his emotions are affecting the ENTIRE Clan, and Puddlepaw is in a bad position because of it. Needlepaw is like her best diplomat, surely to become her deputy someday.

They would have made an excellent set of leaders for ShadowClan. But they trusted the wrong person, and were exploited. When Darktail and The Kin came to the lake, they were swept up by it, and WindClan began an embargo.

Puddlepaw eventually oversees the Yellowcough Outbreak, and at first just thinks it's Greencough. He has no idea about strains, or the special types of Color Cough that Clan cats have historically dealt with. Even when he finally does learn it's not JUST Greencough, he's powerless to do anything about it. A lot of cats die because of the lack of mullein.

After that, with ShadowClan so weak and the Kin so strong... he's one of the cats who calls for the merge. The most important one, in fact, leveraging his position to say that this is StarClan's will.

Sleekwhisker and Needletail were right all along, and he's happy to stick it right into everyone's faces. Onestar's tantrum of an embargo killed his Clanmates, Rowanstar stopped him from properly training, he's been under pressure from the time he was small with Littlecloud not fit to be a mentor, and he's ready to welcome in ShadowClan's new era as something that is not a Clan.

...unfortunately, it turned out to be the wrong choice. Not because his thought process was wrong. But because Darktail had other plans in-mind.

[thelastspeecher]

I have a bunch of vintage cookbooks given to me by family members, and I've been testing them out. I've been documenting the recipes and results (mostly good, but there have been a couple flops) on an Instagram I made for this purpose.

and even tho this is a personal project of mine and it doesn't need people to be viewing it, the big reason I started up this account is to share these recipes. my grandmother that passed away earlier this year gave me the oldest cookbooks I have, the ones that are certainly out of print and impossible to find. my grandmother believed in sharing love via food, and there is no better way to honor her memory than to share recipes so that they don't disappear.

so. to see if I can get a bit of a bigger audience for my little pet project, to further my goal of spreading these recipes so they don't fade into obscurity, here is the link for the Instagram! if you like vintage recipes, classic Midwestern recipes, or even just want to see what the hell are in these old cookbooks, please, give me a follow there.

:)

[antisocialxconstruct]

hehehe..... dogs

[piningpercussionist]

(ooc)

Fellas. I may go Insane.

[phayz]

would love to know why or why not

[killerchickadee]

My grandmother passed away over the weekend, and I want everyone to see her art.

[mrgaretcarter]

It's so tempting to think you've missed your window on making close friends, that it's not worth it to still try, that if you haven't established life long bonds with people you went to middle school, or high school or college with you're doomed to a life of loneliness because what can anyone offer that compares to twenty years of knowing someone, but then i remember my mom met her best friend (my godmother) when she was 30 and then met her other best friend when she was 43 and im like oh yeah, there's time, there's time all the time

[cerealmonster15]

haikaveh... save me haikaveh...

i KNOW it's been talked about to death but. the haikaveh research project. it literally haunts my mind. i cannot get over the implications. alhaitham going through his school life as someone that most people dont even really know about because he keeps to himself and doesn't socialize, with kaveh being the one exception to that, finding his way into his life as his Best Friend, and then leading to alhaithams one and only time he participated in a research topic. his bio says he only ever did ONE joint project!!! one!!! the one with kaveh his best friend and i think also his only friend at the time!!!! and then it ended in not only the project falling apart but also alhaithams only friendship. kavehs best friendship. they were each others closest person. they had no family around - alhaithams parents having died when he was young and his grandmother dying before he joined the akademiya, and kaveh's dad dying when he was young and his mom having moved to fontaine. like even if you dont look at it through a romantic lens it's still undeniable how important they were [and are] to each other..........

i'm getting off track but my point is very specifically for alhaitham, the one time he got close to someone, made a friend, even agreed to join one(1) group project ever, it ended in disaster. it led him into a fight so bad that his one and only friend said he regretted that friendship!!!! it was so bad alhaitham left the project and he and kaveh didnt speak for ages until they just happened to run into each other again at the tavern!!!!! like obviously it has to be incredibly awful for both of them but i just think how this probably had alhaitham in the cynical mindset that friendships and collaborations like that might just never work out for him because the one time he let someone into his life, it blew up on him and he was all alone again. even though alhaitham never seems to care much if people dont like him, that clearly cant still apply to someone he was exceptionally close to. like if he didnt care he woudlnt have been the one to take his name off the project and mutually not speak to kaveh...... kavehs words are the ones that hit the most significantly to alhaitham.......... kaveh is said/implied to have had at least some other friends while at school / people knew who he was, but not so much alhaitham. people didnt know him and the ones that did just knew he didnt socialize/he was not easy to get along with. he only had kaveh and then, for a while, he lost him too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ante--meridiem]

Former Roommate's chess friend now accidentally bearding for me.

[pergaminaa]

Fuck I can’t sleep because I keep thinking of what happened in Empire of Storms

The part where the Blackbeak Matron revealed who and what Manon is…

“You are a Crochan.”

“And you’re going to die like one of them by the time I’m finished with you.”

I mean, she knew all along what Manon was and she kept that to herself for a hundred and seventeen years. Just… molding Manon into a monster that would do her bidding. But this is all she saw her as- she never cared for her or loved her. And Manon has lived her whole life trying to impress this woman who never saw her more than a mere tool. Probably satisfied with how she turned her against her own blood, her own people without her realizing it.

I mean, Manon killed Rhiannon without asking any questions. She does what her grandmother wants, no questions asked. And that woman never acknowledged it, she never let on that Manon has done the right thing or anything like it.

Honestly, her grandmother never loved her while she spent her whole life trying to gain her approval. The Matron only saw her as a Crochan that she can use for her own sick enjoyment.

[happyvalkyrieofdoom]

tankies on here will act like they’re the most oppressed group on earth but the moment someone says that hey, maybe we shouldn’t worship stalin/lenin/mao etc. they literally start sending death threats to people istg

[milkyplier]

I got those sketch request from your grandkids LOL! You'll be happy to know that Legend appears to be their favorite, too! I have one request for Legend+Time+a cat/remlit, and one with Legend drawing while Wind watches

Thanks Mama Plink! ❤️❤️❤️

Cue Legend launching into a wild and exciting story about the time he slayed a dragon as big as Hyrule Castle (Wind knows it might be exaggerated but he believes every word anyway)

There they are!!!! I hope they like them, tell my grandbabies I said Happy Birthday!!! 💕💕💕💕 XD hehehehehehehee

[st4rstudent]

Btw sorry for not getting to asks and drawing lately, I've been busy for almost the whole past week. hangs my head low