#capitol state forest

[pnw-forest-side]

Murky drive in the Capitol Forest

[rabbitcruiser]

Colorado was admitted as the 38th U.S. state on August 1, 1876.

Colorado Day

Colorado Day is celebrated annually on August 1. The holiday commemorates the admittance of Colorado as a state of the Union on August 1, 1876, thanks to an Act of Congress signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. Before the Spanish started settling in Colorado as far back as 1598, Native American tribes had inhabited the area for about 14,000 years. In March 1907, the state legislature officially passed a law designating August 1 as Colorado Day; thus, the holiday started holding on August 1, 1907.

History of Colorado Day

About 14,000 years ago, several Native American tribes, including the Ancestral Puebloans, Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Shoshone, and Ute nations, inhabited Colorado. The first European contact was by the Spanish conquistadors, one of whom — Juan de Onate — founded the Spanish province of ‘Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico’ on July 11, 1598. Eventually, Colorado became a part of this province, and the regular trade between the Spaniards and Native Americans who lived there became known as ‘Comercio Comanchero,’ meaning ‘Comanche Trade.’

In 1803, the United States made a territorial claim to the eastern part of the Rocky Mountains, which the Spanish, who claimed sovereignty over the territory, contested. In 1846, the U.S. went to war with Mexico, winning and claiming the Southern Rocky Mountains for American settlement. However, it wasn’t until a few years later that settlement began in earnest due to the ‘Pikes Peak Gold Rush.’ On June 22, 1850, a man called Lewis Ralston discovered gold in a stream flowing into Clear Creek; he immediately named the stream ‘Ralston’s Creek.’ In 1857, gold seekers began flooding the territory to search for gold — this led to the beginning of the “Pikes Peak Gold Rush.” Three years later, an estimated 100,000 people had come in search of gold, which caused a population boom. However, they settled for silver, hard rock gold, and other minerals when the gold eventually got exhausted.

On February 28, 1861, Colorado became a U.S. territory by an Act of Congress signed by President James Buchanan  — this happened during the infamous secession of the Southern States that led to the American Civil War. On August 1, 1876, President Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th State, 28 days after the Centennial Celebration of the United States, earning it the moniker “Centennial State.” ‘Colorado Day’ was first celebrated in 1907.

Colorado Day timeline

1598 Entry of the Spanish

The Spanish conquistadors begin the first European settlement in Colorado.

1850 Ralston Discovers Gold

Lewis Ralston discovers gold in Clear Creek.

1858 Gold Rush Begins

The ‘Pike’s Peak Gold Rush’ begins.

1861 Colorado Becomes a U.S. Territory

Colorado is a U.S. territory after President James Buchanan signs an Act of Congress.

1876 Colorado Becomes a State

Colorado gets admitted as the 38th State of the Union by a signed proclamation of President Ulysses S. Grant.

Colorado Day FAQs

Who’s the current leader of Colorado's government?

The current governor of Colorado is Jared Polis, who has been in office since 2019.

What is the population of Colorado?

Colorado is home to approximately 5.8 million people.

What is Colorado known for?

Colorado is well known for its beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and various outdoor activities the state offers, such as mountain biking, horse riding, and skiing.

Colorado Day Activities

Say “Happy Colorado Day!”

Study the U.S map

Learn more about Colorado

Celebrate by wishing all Coloradans a ‘Happy Colorado Day!’ Send a goodwill message to all Coloradans you know or post a kind message online.

Study the map of the United States and try to locate Colorado. If you don’t have a physical map, tons are available online.

There’s so much rich and fascinating information about the state of Colorado. Conduct some research and even plan a future visit. Begin from our “facts” section and explore further!

5 Random Facts About Colorado

Colorado was ahead on women’s rights

Four states meet in Colorado

Colorado holds a world record

Another world record!

Home to America’s highest suspension bridge

On November 7, 1893, women won the right to vote in Colorado, becoming the first Union state to achieve this.

Colorado borders Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, making it possible to be in all four states simultaneously!

At 1,002 feet deep, the Mother Spring aquifer is the world’s deepest hot spring.

Spanning several 100 square miles, the Grand Mesa in Colorado is the world’s largest flattop mountain.

At 1,053 feet, the Royal Gorge Bridge is the country’s highest suspension bridge.

Why We Love Colorado Day

Colorado Day commemorates the state’s history

Colorado Day is for celebration

Promotion of tourism

Colorado Day commemorates and reflects on the state’s history. It’s also an opportunity to educate those who know little about Colorado’s origins.

This day also allows Coloradans to celebrate their state — whether native Coloradans or foreign residents. Embracing our roots is vital!

State days promote tourism, which boosts the local economy. Publicizing the beautiful attractions and natural sights in Colorado encourages more people to visit.

Source

[reasonsforhope]

Holy crap, I didn't think Biden would be able to get the Climate Corps established without Congress. This is SUCH fantastic news.

--

"After being thwarted by Congress, President Joe Biden will use his executive authority to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps that will serve as a major green jobs training program.

In an announcement Wednesday, the White House said the program will employ more than 20,000 young adults who will build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent catastrophic wildfires.

The climate corps had been proposed in early versions of the sweeping climate law approved last year but was jettisoned amid strong opposition from Republicans and concerns about cost.

Democrats and environmental advocacy groups never gave up on the plan and pushed Biden in recent weeks to issue an executive order authorizing what the White House now calls the American Climate Corps.

“After years of demonstrating and fighting for a Climate Corps, we turned a generational rallying cry into a real jobs program that will put a new generation to work stopping the climate crisis,” said Varshini Prakash, executive director of the Sunrise Movement, an environmental group that has led the push for a climate corps.

With the new corps “and the historic climate investments won by our broader movement, the path towards a Green New Deal is beginning to become visible,” Prakash said...

...Environmental activists hailed the new jobs program, which is modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps, created in the 1930s by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, as part of the New Deal...

Lawmakers Weigh In

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, had also encouraged Biden to create a climate corps, saying in a letter on Monday that “the climate crisis demands a whole-of-government response at an unprecedented scale.”

The lawmakers cited deadly heat waves in the Southwest and across the nation, as well as dangerous floods in New England and devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, among recent examples of climate-related disasters.

Democrats called creation of the climate corps “historic” and the first step toward fulfilling the vision of the Green New Deal.

“Today President Biden listened to the (environmental) movement, and he delivered with an American Climate Corps,” a beaming Markey said at a celebratory news conference outside the Capitol.

“We are starting to turn the green dream into a green reality,” added Ocasio-Cortez, who co-sponsored the Green New Deal legislation with Markey four years ago.

“You all are changing the world,” she told young activists.

Program Details and Grant Deadlines

The initiative will provide job training and service opportunities to work on a wide range of projects, including restoring coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges and flooding; clean energy projects such as wind and solar power; managing forests to prevent catastrophic wildfires; and energy efficient solutions to cut energy bills for consumers, the White House said.

Creation of the climate corps comes as the Environmental Protection Agency launches a $4.6 billion grant competition for states, municipalities and tribes to cut climate pollution and advance environmental justice. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants are funded by the 2022 climate law and are intended to drive community-driven solutions to slow climate change.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the grants will help “communities so they can chart their own paths toward the clean energy future.”

The deadline for states and municipalities to apply is April 1, with grants expected in late 2024. Tribes and territories must apply by May 1, with grants expected by early 2025."

-via Boston.com, September 21, 2023

[writersblockiskillingme]

Jabberjays | Johanna Mason

Pairing: Johanna Mason x fem!reader (District4!Finnick's sister!reader)

Summary: During the attack of the Jabberjays Katniss is introduced to a whole different Johanna.

Warning/s: a bit of angst, a bit of fluff, the quarter quell, jabberjays, panic, screaming, weapons, you know typical hunger games stuff, also this is more like a short blurb but yeah, possible grammar and spelling mistakes

Author's note: I always wanted to write something about the Jabberjay attack so I absolutely loved the request! Also I made the reader Finnick's sister, I hope that's okay. Hope you enjoy!!

Request -> hi! i have a request for johanna!! could u do one where fem!reader and her are in a relationship that’s not secret just private (like only finnick knows) but something happens in the arena where johanna gets worried about r & finnick and katniss have a talk like johanna and katniss did in the movie abt annie? sry if that was too long or didn’t make sense! ty <33

Johanna just went into the thick forest to get some water with the spile that Haymitch send them so that they don't die of dehydration. She was regretting it now.

Katniss, Peeta, Beetee, your brother Finnick and you were on the beach. You were sitting with Katniss on the dry sand as you anxiously waited for Johanna to return from the forest as you stated at the hole in the sand that Johanna's ax made.

Thankfully, you thought to yourself, she took it with her.

Everything was relatively peaceful, too peaceful even. You didn't like it one bit. Something was coming. The game makers wouldn't allow the things to be so peaceful for so long. You were soon proven right as you heard the ear piercing scream that only seemed to shake through you.

"Johanna!" Your voice screamed back, every bit of common sense leaving you as you bolted towards the sound of Johanna's bloody-like screams.

You left your knives on the beach, along with the rest of your team that were screaming your name, confused from your actions as they tried to keep up with you. You were in a vulnerable place as you waved your hands around, trying to keep the thick leaves, that were swang down blocking your vision, away from your face as you ran still screaming Johanna's name as much as she screamed yours.

"Johanna!" You shouted as you reached the center of the forest where Johanna's screams were.

You were moving around in the circle, trying to determine where exactly her voice was coming from. After a while it hit you as you realized that her screams were coming from above. High in the trees. Then you saw the jabberjays flopping their little wings in the air, swaying the leaves of the trees and you knew that you fell right in the Capitol's trap.

"Y/N!" Finnick's muffled voice came towards you and you quickly turned towards him. Katniss, Beetee and Peeta were there with him, looking extremely concerned.

But why were they not coming closer?

The painful sounds of Johanna's screaming was messing with your head, panick gripping onto each and every fragment of your mind and body.

Why were they not coming over? Why aren't they helping? Why are they just standing there?!

Your felt your arms moving up, your hands gripping your head to try and kill the ever racing thoughts and the continuous mocking of the jabberjays. Then, as your eyes frantically searched the area, you spotted Johanna. Her eyes full of concern only reserved for her close friends and her love.

Then, the next thing that happened just confused you even more. Finnick grabbed her arm quickly, stopping her as she moved forward towards you, ax in her hand. She twisted her arm, releasing her arm from Finnick's grip as she yelled at him while he talked to her about something that you didn't hear. Her expression changed from concerned to utterly horrified.

"Y/N!" You heard Johanna's muffled, concerned voice mixing with the imitation of the screaming that the jabberjays provided.

You didn't think, the constant screaming was too much. You ran towards her, but came to a stop when your body hit something invisible. The force field. You started banging your hands against the force field trying to ignore the looks of pity and concern from your lover, brother and allies. You didn't want to except this.

The screaming intensified as the birds got closer to you, and you found yourself sliding onto the ground, screaming bloody murder just so you could tone down the sound of Johanna's and Finnick's torturous screams. Johanna was taping on the force field shouting at you something that you didn't understand.

That's how Johanna found herself banging her ax forcefully against the force field, trying to break it. Finnick next to her, hitting the force field with his trident, his eyes full of concern as he watched his baby sister's torture.

The new hour began and Katniss watched the scene in front of her not believing the state that Johanna was in. The hurried movements with her ax, the horrified expression on her face, her eyes full of concern. She cared about someone here. She actually, genuinely, cared about someone here.

°

"Y/N!" Johanna's voice reached your ears, tearing through the ringing in them as you swayed back and forth on the ground. "The hour is up! You okay! It's over! I'm here!"

After you finally came to your senses enough to look at her, you immediately wrapped your arms around her as tightly as you possibly could, not letting go.

"Johanna," You gasped through neverending sobs as your body shook against hers. "You're all right."

"We're both alright." She answered you with the softest voice Katniss ever heard.

Later on you all gathered at the beach once again. Peeta and Beetee went of a bit further away on the beach, looking for some food. Johanna and you settled down on the edge of the beach away from the rest of the team, but still in their eyesight, and finally Katniss and Finnick sat down, learning against the trees.

"Are they together?" Katniss asked Finnick, breaking the silence. "Johanna and Y/N?"

"Yes." Finnick answered immediately, his sea-green eyes snapped to look at her gray ones. "They didn't really keep it a secret, it was private. Only Mags, Annie, Haymitch and I knew really. They wanted to keep it in the close circle of friends."

"I've never seen Johanna act like that before," Katniss quietly murmured as she processed this new information that Finnick told her. "It was quite terrifying."

"Yeah, well," Finnick couldn't help himself as he chuckled playfully at her confession. "Johanna loves her so much. It is terrifying, honestly." He, however, continued on a more serious note. "Y/N won her games a year before Johanna. She helped her when she was going through tough times after she went out of the arena. Johanna lost her family. Y/N is the only thing that she lives for, now. She said it herself when I gave her, correction," Finnick held his finger up in the air, noting that he expressed himself wrongly. "Tried, key word tried, to give her I'm-her-older-protective-brother-so-you-better-not-hurt-her speach."

"And how did that turn out?" Katniss couldn't help but to ask, given how Johanna was she knew that his answer was going to be good.

"Oh, she smacked me across the head." Finnick smiled and Katniss found herself laughing at his answer just like she expected to.

Finnick and Katniss gazed to the couple that was still knee deep in the water, arms wrapped around each other as you sat in between Johanna's legs, your back leaning against her front.

"I'm glad that they have each other," Katniss spoke her thoughts out loud. "Even though they are so different they just seem to fit so well with one another."

"Definitely."

"What the hell are you two gossiping about?" Johanna called out causing you to giggle softly as you spoke.

"Yeah! And why the hell didn't you invite us?!"

->

->

->

TAGLIST:

@caroline-books @thecrowdedstreetin1944

[veilishvixen]

Sorry…just imagining the Inquisitor standing in the great hall of the Archon’s palace as Dorian makes his ascension; watching the north celebrate its narrow victory while the south is but a smoldering ruin. And to watch it all as a DALISH ELF…the slave Capitol winning once again while you mourn your incalculable losses…I know Minrathous is more than it’s sins and Dorian’s rule will bring about a great deal of change, but there is no undoing the harm that has already been inflicted.

Idk maybe I’m just a bitter loser, but it was actually stunning to me that joining Solas in the fade was locked behind his romance. It would truly make more sense for an unromanced inquisitor to join him out of doubt that he would succeed alone. Their home, their beloved forests and babbling brooks and farmlands and cities and cultures have already begun to fade from memory in the clutch of this dark power…and they’re just supposed to sit back and take Solas at his word? The man whose mistakes saw to the erasure of his own world? I do love him, but when has Solas ever successfully achieved anything good on his own?

It can very well be read as a sappy ending, too good to be true for a solavellan Inky, but for the others? Tragedy…just tragedy. They would see the blight peeled back from their home. They would see the animals and crops return. After fighting the corruption so hard and for so long…idk, I would certainly have a hard time just letting go of the south. This is part of why I believe the writers flopped massively by trying to spin similarities between Solas and Rook’s characters when Solas and the Inquisitor already shared the same reflection.

We saw how little of a difference their politicking made as the south was falling. The Inquisitor’s name still holds some influence, but evidently not as much as it once did, not enough to shine light back on the south again. Going with Solas and making sure that he gets the job done and in record time was truly the only ending I felt my Inquisitor would accept, even though she had fallen in love with him.

Joining Solas in the regret prison would be hell for any inky, but I doubt going back to the current state of Thedas would be heaven either…not after you’ve spent over a decade fighting just to lose. This is also why I feel like we should have gotten to see Inky and Elgar’nan clash at least once. He lost…but not before taking everything (except maybe your romance) from you.

Romanced, befriended, or foe…I like to think that Solas and Inky could have found some peace in this final journey together…what is it a befriended Inquisitor says to him at the end? “We saved the world together once. Can’t we do it one last time?”…and who’s to say the Inquisitor would have to stay with him forever? A romanced Inquisitor may swear to accompany him always, but the others? After seeing the effects of the blight start to recede…maybe they could choose to retire at last…to see to the world’s physical healing in their mortal skin, age finally catching up to them, while Solas toils ever on in the fade…his life force sustaining the veil for all eternity and his spirit self singing softly to the mad titan minds he’d severed all those long years ago.

Me outside the boarded up writers room 50 years from now:

[ellieslaces]

CAN’T CATCH ME NOW. (prologue)

presenting: Umbrella’s Hunger Games

featuring: leon kennedy x fem!reader

synopsis: the Hunger Games, an annual show of brutal control the Capitol has over each of the twelve Districts. the Games’ number one sponsor: Umbrella Corporation, the creator of the Games’ most horrific torture strategies and nightmare inducing deaths. these games have always been cautionary, always a far away but constant threat — until you find yourself Reaped and thrown into an area full of your worst fears with 23 other Tributes, all out for blood.

content warnings (future): harsh language; heavy violence; gore; torture; heavy themes of murder; infanticide; social injustice; class discrimination; brief mention of suicidal thoughts; angst; character death; eventual smut; enemies to lovers

notes: this is inspired by the Hunger Games (no 1) and takes place in the universe; if topics such as violence murder infanticide etc trigger you, skip this series; the reader is said to be a Career Tribute

Chloe talks: posting a my prologue for my new Leon Hunger Games series before the next strike tomorrow! please enjoy, I’m convinced this will be my magnum opus :)

word count: 768 (it’s a prologue, so it’s short)

now playing: can’t catch me now ; olivia rodrigo

how you can help Palestine! 🇵🇸

Images of dark alleys, of scorching hot deserts, of raging icy tundras, of sickly beautiful yet dangerous forests haunted each child’s dreams. Not for any reason in particular other than the fact that the images were fed to them since birth. Spoon fed into their heads — the showings of each years annual Hunger Games.

Decades upon decades ago, the ocean swallowed nearly half the continent in a devastating and unprecedented tsunami. States and even smaller countries were lost to the depths of the sea, leaving the remaining forty percent of the country overflowed with a surplus of population.

Women, men, and children with nowhere to go, now crowded the north part of what once was the United States. Now twenty of the fifty states remained, thousands upon thousands of casualties, leaving too many for the forty percent of the country to support.

The government handled it with the worst of ideas, their support was lost, their lack of understanding and empathy led to an inevitable uprising. People stormed the gates of the White House, threatened to kill — and did kill — senators, and representatives, and judges, and even their families.

This uprising nearly destroyed the country as a whole. Thousands were slaughtered, bloodlines were destroyed, families killed by the rebels. Until a group of unknown power that had been hiding behind the scenes for decades stepped forward, taking control of the people. This led to a bloodbath of violence, political control, and the people finally were forced to accept their defeat.

From then, the country was divided into thirteen Districts, each with its own purpose of serving the new country’s Capitol. This new country — Panem — was run with a ruthless government, a controlling President with no mercy and a clever mind. He was cruel, and heartless, and as dangerous as he was calm.

No one dared to object him, no one dared to take his power for fear of the consequences. So, for decades, President Ozwell E. Spencer ran the country. His company — one he started long before he was elected as President — Umbrella was the sole sponsor and creator of the annual Hunger Games.

Where each spring, twenty four children between the ages of twelve and nineteen were picked at random by pairs to represent their District in a fight to the death.

One boy, one girl from each District, chosen by random to be plucked, and bathed, and painted, and paraded, and eventually murdered for the sake of entertainment. Once, these Games were a reminder of what revolution could do, how it could crumble a nation. But that notion was long gone, all that now remained was the entertainment value of their deaths. Deaths none of them deserved. Deaths you never imagined you’d actually witness, much less cause yourself.

The intricacies of these Games were lost upon you, all you knew was to survive. Despite being a so called ‘Career’ and had as close to luxury as you could for someone from one of the Districts, you hardly had the stomach to commit things such as murder. Much less upon other children, people your age.

District One, luxury items, riches, and favor of the Capitol itself. Careers, the title of the Tributes that were put into the Games each year. These Tributes were raised with advantage, raised with early training available to them. Available to you.

For the majority of your life, since you were able to understand what the Games meant, you’d been trained by Victors, the Redfield siblings. Chris and his sister, Claire, were once Tributes themselves, in consecutive years.

Chris Redfield won at nineteen with pure brutality, physical strength and power, partaking in the bloodbath and taking out a good majority of the other Tributes in the beginning. Chris’s Games lasted a mere week.

While Claire Redfield managed to outsmart each and every other Tribute in her arena, successfully becoming the Victor by simply waiting for them all to die by natural causes, or killing themselves with their own stupidity. Her Games lasted three, the ending of said Games pushed quickly to be brought to a conclusion. Leading the girl to become Victor at a mere thirteen.

So, despite the fact that you weren’t technically supposed to be trained by Mentors unless Reaped, the Redfield siblings trained you behind the curtain. They prepared you for the possibility of you being Reaped, of being subjected to the horrors they’d seen. To the murder they had to commit to stay alive. They wanted you to win, to have a chance of survival.

But, maybe they should have just let you die. Maybe they shouldn’t have taken you under their wing when they found you shivering in the rain after a school bully had taken your pack and shoes and jacket.

Maybe they should have just let you be killed. Then you wouldn’t have to live with the memory of him.

[breedable-heath]

Half-Elf Pregnant with Magic

[Part one] PART TWO ⬇️

Heath is a trans male half-elf who is currently working for the Elf King by letting the Elf-wizard Glen store raw magic power in his womb. Being a half-elf, Heath's human blood disables him from using the magic in his body, so it is forced to stay confined in his womb.

The Elf-King pushes Glen to take Heath throughout his domain to collect the bicentennial magic tax. Every two hundred years the elf-king collects a tax on magic. Usually the magic is stored in swords, gems, wands, staffs, or crystals. Using a half-elf to store the magic was like having the ultimate anti-magic vault. In previous tax years, the donated magic items have not reacted well to being together, resulting in the magic escaping and fighting. Another collection year, the collector never made it back to the capitol and the magic items were never found again. But magic seeps through all that it can to return to its natural state.

Everything, that is, except for human blood.

Glen and Heath approach the elf city of Monteciil, a city central in the elflands. The city itself was built over a large sinkhole that revealed an underground lake. Heath heard the legends humankind tell about the underground lake water. Yet, he feared how it would be for him to climb the stairs on his way out.

Heath places his hands on his swollen ball belly, akin to the size of a 38 week pregnancy. He and Glen both watched the forest pass them by through the windows of a carriage.

The feeling of pressure had finally subsided inside Heath’s belly. The last 2 times that Glen transferred magic inside him he noticed a rising feeling of pressure and weight. Like his body was starting to buckle from carrying so much magic.

The carriage strikes a root and the half elf and the elf bounce inside; the swollen one grips his stomach. The wizard asks with concerned eyebrows, “are you sure about this?”

“What other choice do I have?” Heath asks.

“I could write to him again.”

For a moment, Heath considers this. “It’s not painful. I’m uncomfortable, sure. But I don’t want to fail the elf-king on the basis of discomfort. That’s a generous offer.”

“Of course,” Glen smiles warmly and rests a hand on Heath’s knee.

Thankfully, there was an elevator that led down to Monteciil.

“We’re staying with the governor,” Glen informs Heath. This would be their third governor they met on this trip.

“So that’s why you bought me that new tunic,” Heath thinks to himself. Glen had paid to have the arms and hem adjusted, since the tunic was designed for a man far taller and larger than Heath.

The governor’s estate is grand and crafted masterfully. A young elf maiden wearing a blue veil led Heath to his room. She uses magic to carry his trunk into the room. Heath waddles around the room, noticing how sacred the high-ceiling bedroom feels with ancient carvings driven into the limestone. The first elf, Polinia, sitting under the first oak tree. There was incredible detail, down to the flowering tall grasses and the first butterfly and the first rabbit. All of them have names unknown to Heath.

Heath notices a peace of parchment on the table with elven script. “Excuse me, I can’t read this,” Heath holds up the note.

The elf maid in blue ignores him at first, and then takes a the parchment. She returns later with another one, this one written in man-tongue words with elf letters.

Welcome to Monteciil, Vault of the Elf-King, Heath son of Linda.

His lips breaks into a half smile as he read his human mother’s name. He misses his mother. Gods, if she could see him now pregnant with raw magic. He keeps reading the note:

Tomorrow at midday the silent sister will bring you and the Wizard Glen to the underground lake. After this you are permitted to stay as long as you need at his majesty the King’s discretion.

Heath had some time alone in his own chambers. He found the bath was still hot and he stepped inside the bath.

He hears the knock and the voice of the wizard. “I got some dinner for you from the chef. They really are feeding you the same dishes elves serve their expecting mothers.” Their voice echoes in the chamber. “Heath?”

“I’m in the bath!”

Glen walked through the guest chambers and into the bathing room. They set the plate down on Heath’s belly which would not stay underwater.

Heath blushed. “I’m bathing!”

“And I’ve seen you naked before.” Glen pulled up a chair, they grabbed a face cloth, and started on Heath’s back. “Heath, I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine, really. I’m uncomfortable and my back hurts and I have to go to the bathroom more often, but I can serve my king.” Heath’s tone was even and cold.

Glen gathered hot water in the face cloth and squeezed it out to let it run down his back. “I know you’re willing to continue but that wasn’t what I meant.” Glen was glad Heath couldn’t see their blush. “I mean that when elves store magic like you are it’s so that they can conceive a child.”

“I know that.”

“So when your body stores up this much magic, it would only be natural for … your libido to increase.” Gods, why was it so hard to talk to him?

Heath was silent for a time. “I can take care of my own needs, as of now.”

Glen’s face turned bright red. “OH. Uh, I mean like when elves have this much magic inside their womb they crave to be inseminated. And You can’t get pregnant or else the king will kill us both.”

“No creampies for me, then.” Heath leaned back in the tub and tilted his head for an upside down view of Glen. He passed his empty plate to the elf and stroked his bulbous belly. If he were pregnant, Glen would estimate that he was ready to birth twins.

Glen kissed Heath. They kissed him tenderly, savoring every point of contact. Glen’s soft hands framed Heath’s face. They glanced at his enormous belly, his out-ward pointing belly button, and the line forming down his torso. Heath did such a good job letting them fill him up with magic, pumping that wand inside him and only once being able to cum. Heath noticed Glen’s eyes wandering to his pussy. Slowly, he brought a hand to his clitoris and began to play with himself. He rose an eyebrow at Glen.

Glen moved next to the bathtub and rolled up their sleeve, dipping their arm into the water to touch Heath’s clitoris. He gasped suddenly. Glen quickly learned what maneuvers made the big bellied half-elf whimper and what made him moan. Their fingers increased with speed and intensity and Heath was moving in the tub quickly making the water lop over the edge. Heath’s head jerked from left to right. Glen, getting scared he would smack his head, grabbed Heath’s jaw with their free hand.

Glen watched Heath’s eyes widen, his mouth gape, and his sounds change into a series of moans. His belly bobbed when Heath tried to grind himself on their fingers.

Glen whispered “good boy,” despite their best judgement.

And Heath, laying exhausted in the bath tub, smiled.

[lullydoesstuff]

76th Edition of the Hunger Games - Arena concept

"SATIA TE SANGUINE QUEM SITISTI"

Sooo I posted this arena concept for a 76th Hunger Games edition and I wanted to make another one. The first one I made is all about divine punishment but with a darker theme (yes, I've really said that). So TRIGGER WARNING, THIS WILL CONTAIN CANNIBALISM!

As we all know, cannibalism, is deeply censored in the Hunger Games, in the 66th edition a tribute (Titus) was literally killed by peacekeepers because he started eating other tributes since the arena was a vast ice desert where food was hard to find. Capitol City definitely didn't want a cannibal to win but the reason why cannibalism is censored in the HG is the fact Capitol citizens had to eat their dead during the Dark Days, so they don't want to feel as beastly as the tributes. This is the whole point of these games, proving they never stopped being feral beasts.

But what does the sentence in Latin up there? The translation is "Satiate yourself of the blood you longed for", Capitol City wanted bloodshed, now they'll watch their sons and daughters die in that bloodshed. This wouldn't make the district any better than the Capitol of course, they just change roles (and that's exactly what I pictured thinking about Alma Coin becoming the next president).

Let's talk about the arena, it would be a dark forest where the sun never rises, with dead trees and a graveyard with a tomb for each one of the tributes died in the Hunger Games, there isn't any hybrid creature and the "cornucopia" is a little house full of (TRIGGER WARNING DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN) butcher instruments.

There wouldn't be ANY way to get food, the sponsor could just send water to the tributes and nothing else, the fact that the sun never rises would soon make the tributes lose their orientation and sanity, and paranoia mixed with their only goal to leave would absolutely lead them to attack each other and eat the other tributes, hunger and thirst can make humans lose their minds, and since we're talking about Capitol citizens they'd probably be in a denial state when they entered the arena, they grew up seeing tributes fighting for their lives, they always thought they were superior, but now they're locked there for entratainement.

I think this would be literally too much even for Alma Coin, but maybe if the Capitol didn't censor cannibalism this wouldn't be this much for Snow.

[agaywithlotsofbooks]

one of my favorite narrative choices of TBoSaS is that we never actually see Lucy Gray in the forest by the lake once she leaves to go dig up some katniss. The rest of the that scene is just Snow’s interpretation of his environment—was the orange scarf discarded on purpose, or was it an accident? Was the snake happenstance? We don’t know for sure, and I think Snow turns into an unreliable narrator in this scene. He thinks the venom is getting to him, and he panics. He thinks he’s going to die, and he blames Lucy Gray. Despite her outward admittance that she trusts him, he never trusted her as far as he could throw her.

So then he spirals, and in the book it’s just “a faint cry” he hears as he shoots in her direction. Did he actually shoot her dead? there was no body, so we don’t know. But she never resurfaces again, and she lives up to her namesake.

In my opinion, that scene is a huge turning point for Snow. He’s already killed three people, one in self defense, one to shut them up, one in loyalty to the Capitol. It’s not as hard for him anymore, and he sees no alternative in his panicked state. That is the scene where we finally get to see him for what he truly is, laid bare. No manners, no expensive clothes, no honeyed words. Snow believes everyone is inherently monstrous because he is inherently monstrous. And the scene where he hunts Lucy Gray is a brilliant example of his nature.

[stopdoopyphotos]

[martian-astro10]

Nosferatu spent 2 hours trying to explain how count orlock is not someone who should be romanticised because he is a creepy ass pervert who does not understand consent. Now people are out there making hear me out posts for him, media literacy go brrrr

Attack on titan spent FOUR seasons trying to convey the message that there is no right or wrong in war, and that innocent lives are lost on both the sides and that you support the one whose side of the story was more accessible to you. Then aot fans made thousands of posts on how gabi was bad and eren was good, and vice versa. Media literacy again go brrr

The author of hunger games literally word to word explained how the people of Capitol were selfish pieces of shit who were consumed by superficial things and that led them to ignore the atrocities that were being committed in the name of "games". Then people made thrist traps of snow, saying they would join him in all the things he did since he was so hot. Media literacy AGAIN going brrrr

The author of Lolita literally saying that a young girl shouldn't be on the cover and that it's a story about pedophilia. The people romanticising the Lolita aesthetic and calling it a romance book. I'LL BANG MY HEAD ON A WALL

It's so incredibly heartbreaking when a piece of media does it's best to make a point and it completely goes over people's heads. We were just having a debate about this in the class and the opposition team made such dumb points like 😭 "let people enjoy things in the way they want to" NO, if a person reads a book from back to the front we call him dumb, because it's MEANT to be read from front to the back. The creator is explicitly stating their intention to make that piece and then people go, " well, actually.." IT'S SO ANNOYING

What's the point of reading and watching and studying if you MISS THE GODDAMN POINT. Every revolution In this world was caused by people reading and UNDERSTANDING, authors wrote stories in such a way that it didn't directly insult the monarchy but the message was there, a story about animals working together to drive away hunters from the forest, subconsciously the message was received by the people. If you don't understand and take the message seriously, then you're not even reading or watching anything, you're just looking, HUGE DIFFERENCE. You're looking at the words, but you're not understanding anything cuz BRAIN NO WORK 😭

So annoying Bhai so annoying, our team was so pissed with the opposition like what the fuck are you saying bro, it's not even...... IT'S INSANE. We need a better education system because this is simply not it. Do they even teach anything in schools anymore or what?

Or leave everything else, the comment section of a basic astrology post makes me want to cry, asking the same questions again and again, like bro, the person literally clarified what they meant in their post, JUST READ. They're so used to being spoon fed all the time, you have to direct people, "do this, do that, see that post", or when people are not able to connect dots, there is information available to you, combine that information, take points that match with your circumstances and create a new point that is applicable for YOU. "I don't resonate with this" OKAY, IT'S ONE FUCKING POSITION GOD 😭😭. I have seen such negative observations about my placements and THAT'S FINE, maybe they met people with those placements who exhibited such traits. Not every mars In 1st is going to be athletic, not every moon in 6th will have a weak immunity, you may have other placements to balance it out. The worst part is that they'll list down their placements and be like "what does this mean" LIKE I DON'T KNOW BRO, YOU SHOULD PUT SOME EFFORT AS WELL 😭 atleast TRY to reach a conclusion.

[someoneelsepx]

TERAPHOBIA LORE DUMP

Hell yeah

In Teraphobia, each island is sorta like its own country, and while each island/country's culture varies, a few things are largely the same across most, if not all, islands. Those things include:

- Skyships are used as public transportation.

- Random eyes are pretty commonly found around the landscape and architecture of most islands, and nobody except Cameron questions this.

- City/town/villiage designs and architecture are intentionally built to properly accommodate for all native monsters varying anatomy and differing abilities/disabilities.

- During seasonal events, most monsters travel to the island the event is hosted on, making tourism very common {Like, people visit Plant Island for Spooktacle, Fire Haven for Feast Ember, Water Island for Eggs-travaganza, ect ect}. Since seasonal events last for around a week, monster tourists often stay in hotels overnight to celebrate.

- Clothes are optional. Neither nudity or modesty is seen as weird. And, socks with sandals is considered fashionable {this is canon in MSM}

- Breeding isn't seen as anything sacred, romantic, sexual, or anything like that. It's just something done casually between friends to keep the population up, plain and simple. Because of this, monsterlings are not raised by any one by-blood "family" {stuff with monster genetics/biology means those don't exist} and are raised by the community as a whole, finding their own family in the process.

- Most monsters are at least somewhat religious, and the closer you get to the Celestial Sanctuary, the more religious monsters you get. Atheists are seen as weird because the Celestials and Colossals are literally right there {this is not me making fun of atheists, I am atheist lmao}. They only have one religion {with different ways to practice it}, only the odd few follow human religions. The religion itself will be elaborated upon later gkszglsglzglzog

- Monsters can choose to buy their own home to live in, or live in castles {which are more apartment-like than castle-like} for free. Castles offer the same quality of life as owning your own home, albeit you might have to deal with the occasional annoying neighbor.

- This should be a given but music is VERY important to them. Not being musically inclined, even slightly, as a monster is seen as a disability.

- And more I haven't thought of yet HA-

Individual island cultures under the cut, because it's gonna be a lot. Note that I'm not gonna do all of them because I don't have lore for all of them.

PLANT ISLAND

Plant Island is the second largest largest island in size {being about the size of the continental United States of America} and the largest in terms of population and diversity. The island landscape itself is a blend of peaceful, quiet forests and loud villiages and cities, both bursting with color and life.

Similarly to the USA, Plant Island is a bit of a cultural melting pot. Because of its diverse population, you can find a little bit of everything depending on where you go; though, one thing that stays consistent is a deep connection with nature and a love for all things spooky.

{The main character, Handler-Helper Cameron, lives in the currently unnamed capitol city of this island.}

COLD ISLAND

Cold Island, despite being the largest island in terms of land, has a relatively small population because most of the land is just not habitable for monsters {although the populationis still decently large}. Kinda like Canada or Russia. I haven't thought much about the culture other than they value found family and generosity, and that the towns there are very similar to Snowdin from Undertale.

AIR ISLAND

Air Island is a stereotypical steampunk paradise, comprised mostly of floating islands and large cities, with very little walkable ground. Most citizens are avian monsters and the monsters that aren't have to travel by skyship to get anywhere.

This island's culture values love {whether it be familial or otherwise} and romance, making it a very popular vacation spot for anniversaries.

They also have a lot of fancy restaurants.

EARTH ISLAND

Florida

Literally just fucking Florida

They have natural disasters galore, namely earthquakes, so their buildings are sturdy and built especially to handle things like that. They also have a large Wubbox population because they have frequent power outages {self-explanatory} and therefore need backup generators.

Even when they're not having a random earthquake, the place is still absolute chaos. Just think of any Florida Man™️ story and I can garuntee you it's happened there /hj

{Despite this, the monsters there are still surprisingly kind and have a strong sense of community, always helping out those affected by natural disasters even outside the island when they can.}

SHUGABUSH ISLAND

Shugabush Island is the one of the smallest islands by far, only being the size of a small rural town in the South; it has a population of less than 100 monsters, and is the home of the Shugafam {who are individual monsters in this AU instead of a species family}. Life there is pretty simple, and almost everyone knows each other. Overall just a chill place for the most part.

More often than not, the island is quiet; however, every one in a while, the Shugafam hold concerts there and the island lights up with life and country fans from all over the Taurus visiting to see.

AMBER ISLAND

Amber Island is like a blend of Native American and black culture, with a focus on community and healing. Very small, like Shugabush Island. Not gonna elaborate more because I'm white and haven't done enough research to represent this accurately.

PSYCHIC ISLAND

{My descriptions ger slightly shittier from here as I have less developed for them, sorry}

Psychic Island is a bit weird. They're very spiritual, with an emphasis on holistic medicine and other hippie shit that I don't know how to word. However, they also highly value education and have some of the best schools and most exapnsive libraries in the monster world. It's also fairly large, and is mostly comprised of big cities.

FAERIE ISLAND

Faerie Island is like something straight out of a Faerie tale book, and no I don't mean the weird and fucked up original versions. More like, idk, Shrek? Yeah, Shrek. That sounds right. Idk how to elaborate more than that.

BONE ISLAND

Bone Island is less of an island and more of an elaborate underground cave system full of water that may-or-may-not be safe to consume and beautiful crystal formations that connect all other underground islands together {like Haven, Wublin, Water I think, ect.}. Despite the cave system being massive, the area where monsters actually live in is comparatively small. Culturally, they're very similar to Hispanic cultures on Earth and have a notably strong connection to the Beat Hereafter {mostly because it's where Clavaveras are native to, who can literally speak to the dead}.

ETHEREAL ISLAND

Ethereal Island is the embodiment of surrealism; because it's located in the pocket dimension, they're very isolated and most things in there are almost impossible for any outsider to understand. Quite a few areas are incorporeal, landscapes are constantly shifting, twisting, and turning making it almost impossible to navigate without help from a native, their technology is leaps and bounds more advanced than we could ever dream of, and the atmosphere is toxic to boot.

It's absolutely gorgeous there tho, if you don't end up with a debilitating migraine from trying to process everything.

MAGICAL SANCTUM

Similar to Ethereal, just more tribal.

CELESTIAL SANCTUARY

Celestial Sanctuary...

...Will get its own dedicated post because I am obsessed with the Celestials and ended up giving them too much lore for my own good. Just note, it is a lot different from the rest of the islands.

[blessphemy]

Thinking about the social and legal construct of Wilderness (USA edition)

Motorized vehicles cannot be used in Wilderness backcountry — trail-building in Wilderness uses human muscle and livestock to carry supplies.

“Untouched” or “Unspoiled” wilderness. The (false) idea that human hands have never affected parts of Nature. The notion that human influence fundamentally takes away from the Naturalness.

Contrast these Touches for a moment: the Hetch-Hetchy dam, which provides water to the 39 million-population human city of San Francisco, whose creation was fought bitterly by conservationists. The desert razed into half-empty speculative rows of suburbs around Las Vegas, sprawl in an area inhospitable to human life. Food forests and Native American agriculture that supports a higher load of animal and plant life/diversity a century after it was left unattended. Invasive species control. Wildlife rehabilitation. Farming. Ranching. Ecosystems tended and bent by human hands.

Leave No Trace

Controlled burns. Firefighting.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 states that namelessness is an aspect of wilderness. Basically this means the namelessness of things must be preserved, and you can’t just go naming mountain peaks and rivers and stuff in places that are designated Wilderness.

Zion National Park has a valley which the native Americans who lived there called “Mukuntuweap.” Some still do call it Mukuntuweap. “Zion” is a name Mormons gave it. It is an oasis in the desert, a place where humans performed agriculture on the river and hunted animals. Today the valley is subject to millions of human visitors from all over the world. There is no farming or hunting, though native Americans are Permitted to harvest some for personal use. The land is, in the NPS fashion, preserved in a ‘natural’ a state as possible.

In Capitol Reef National Park, another Utah oasis, there is an orchard of fruit trees fed by the water. You can camp there today. The orchard was created by Mormon settlers, and there are historical installations about it.

I’m not against conservation, Leave No Trace, or the works that National Parks or forest service has done in the USA, but, listen. This too is a form of deliberate design. It’s an expression of human ideas of how the Ecosystem should be. Wilderness is to an extent a concept and ideal of human imagination. We have the power and responsibility to shape our shared environment.

I think. There exists among some people a squeamishness and embarrassment about existing as humans. How dare we take up space. Look at all the destruction our indiscriminate self-centeredness has wrought on the natural world: suburbs, strip-mining, fallow fields. But these industrial-scale extractive endeavors are recent.

And we are also part of the world. To live and die is to consume and rot. We are part of the wild. We take of it and we tend it.

[saddogs-blog]

Finnick x reader

WARNING: Sad might cry. Death.

me and finnick had been drafted for the quarter quell. I am extremely close after meeting him in a victor party a few months ago, I had promised to ally with him, but it was complicated.

We had lost each other as soon as the games started. He sat on the beach beside Johanna.When he heard my screams. He had watched the sky each night for your name,praying you were alive.

he ran into the jungle, just to be greeted by the jabberjays mimicking your voice. He fell to the ground, sobbing

After he calmed down with the help from johanna, he got up and was just praying over and over again that you wouldn't be on the sky that night

Johanna watched as he tried to compose himself. The entire day, she knew he had been listening for your voice. The jabberjays mimicked your screams, making him shake uncontrollably

A few hours later I come running to the beach but someone tackles me to the forest ground, It was Brutus, He tackled me to the ground and tried to stab me with his weapon and was getting really close and his blade cutting the side of my stomach and the side of my head

Finnick heard the commotion in the jungle. He and Johanna shared a worried look before rushing to the sound. Finnick was horrified when he saw me and Brutus fighting

He was about to stab me in the abdomen and he did, the pain soared through me and I screamed. But just then I flipped him over and put the blade straight through his heart.

Johanna gasped, her eyes wide as I killed Brutus. Finnick stood there, his heart breaking as he saw the state I was in. He rushed over to me, immediately falling to his knees beside you

I sit there in shock, almost crying as the realization hit me. Every game I found a way to win that didn't involve killing. This was the first time I killed. My eyes wide and my mouth open. "I-i-i just killed someone" I say silently

Finnick placed his hands on my shoulders, his grip firm yet gentle. He didn't know what to say, seeing me in such shock and pain. He looked at my wounds, his heart clenching in his chest

"It's okay," he whispered, trying to soothe me. "You did what you had to do."

As the blood was pouring out my abdomen I felt dizzy and fell to the ground on my back

Finnick's eyes widened in panic as I collapsed. He quickly moved to my side, gently lifting my head onto his lap. He looked at Johanna, who was still in shock.

"Help me," he said urgently, his voice cracking. "We need to stop the bleeding."

Johanna immediately went to find something to stop the bleeding

Finnick held me close, trying to keep me conscious. He spoke to me in a gentle tone, trying to keep me focused on him

"Hey, stay with me," he said, his voice shaky. "You're gonna be okay. Just keep looking at me."

"Please, just let me go" I say just wanting it to be over

Finnick's heart sank at my words. He shook his head vehemently, his eyes filled with tears.

"No," he said firmly, his voice cracking. "You're not going anywhere. I'm not letting you go. Not like this."

I never had a childhood never even really a life. I started the games when I was four and played every game sense. I never had a chance to live and if this is what I have to live with I don't want to

Finnick's grip on me tightened as he listened to my words. He knew I were speaking the truth. The Capitol had taken everything from me, including the chance to live a normal life.

"You deserve so much more than this," he said, his voice filled with anger and sadness. "You're so much more than just a pawn in their games."

I started throwing up blood a puddle forming at my side where I threw it up

Finnick's heart dropped as he saw the blood. He looked at Johanna, panic etched on his face.

"Johanna, hurry!" he yelled, his voice filled with desperation.

Johanna dosent know what to do, the suits are made specifically so you cant do that, she ends up coming back with nothing. "Finnick" she says "Maybe you should just let her go" Said Johanna tears in her eyes too, but she knows you would want peace instead of this

Finnick looked at Johanna, his eyes pleading. He knew she was right, but he couldn't bring himself to accept it.

"No," he said, shaking his head firmly. "I can't lose her. I won't."

"Finnick, promise me something?" I say

Finnick nodded, his eyes locked on mine. He swallowed hard, his heart heavy.

"Anything," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Continue to live your life without me" I say

Finnick's heart shattered at my words. Tears streamed down his face as he clutched my hand tighter.

"No, I can't," he choked out. "I can't live without you. You're everything to me."

My eyes are pooling with tears and I let my eyes roll to the back of my head, feeling peace and comfort, no pain, but paradise, freedom.

Finnick watched as my eyes rolled back, his heart sinking even further. He gently shook me, desperately trying to keep me with him.

"No, no, no," he whispered, his voice filled with anguish. "Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me."

Johanna stands there with tears in her eyes as well

Finnick pulls me closer, holding me tightly against him. He buried his face in my hair, his body shaking with sobs. He refused to accept that you were gone.

"I love you," he whispered brokenly, his voice muffled against my hair. "I love you so much."

That night Finnicks worst fear came true. He saw your face in the sky that night.

[yvetteheiser]

Yvette Heiser - Discovering Texas Through the Lens of a Travel Photographer

Texas, the second-largest state in the United States, is renowned for its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. For travel photographers, Texas offers a treasure trove of breathtaking scenes waiting to be captured. Yvette Heiser – Essential Qualities Every Travel Photographer Must Have highlights the skills needed to make the most of these stunning locations. From sprawling deserts and lush forests to bustling cities and serene coastlines, this state presents endless opportunities for stunning photography. In this article, we will explore some of the most captivating locations and tips for discovering Texas through the lens of a travel photographer.

The Allure of Texas Landscapes

One of the most appealing aspects of photographing Texas is its remarkable variety of landscapes. The state's geography ranges from arid deserts in the west to lush forests in the east, providing photographers with unique backdrops for their shots.

West Texas: The Desert Beauty

In West Texas, locations like Big Bend National Park offer dramatic desert vistas, rugged mountains, and the picturesque Rio Grande. Photographers can capture the stunning colors of sunrise and sunset against the backdrop of the Chisos Mountains. The park’s remote location also provides opportunities for astrophotography, with clear night skies perfectly showcasing the Milky Way.

Central Texas: Hill Country Charm

Central Texas is home to the famous Hill Country, characterized by rolling hills, wildflower fields, and charming small towns. Locations like Fredericksburg and Wimberley are perfect for capturing the essence of Texan culture and hospitality. The bluebonnet season in spring transforms the landscape into a vibrant tapestry of color, making it an ideal time for photographers to explore and shoot.

East Texas: Lush Forests and Lakes

As you move eastward, the scenery shifts to dense forests and picturesque lakes. The Angelina National Forest and Caddo Lake provide excellent opportunities for nature photography. The serene waters of Caddo Lake, with their cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, create a mystical atmosphere that can yield enchanting photographs.

Coastal Texas: Beaches and Sunsets

Texas also boasts a long coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Places like South Padre Island and Galveston offer stunning beach scenes and vibrant sunsets. The sandy shores provide ample opportunities for capturing beach life, water sports, and wildlife. A travel photographer can experiment with different angles and compositions to create dynamic coastal images.

Urban Photography in Texas

Texas is not just about its natural beauty; its cities are vibrant hubs of culture and creativity. Major cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston offer unique architectural styles and lively street scenes that can be incredibly photogenic.

Austin: The Live Music Capital

Austin, known as the "Live Music Capital of the World," is a must-visit for travel photographers. Capture the energy of the city at iconic locations like the Texas State Capitol or the colorful murals scattered throughout downtown. Events like South by Southwest (SXSW) present opportunities for street photography, showcasing live performances and creative expressions.

Dallas: A Blend of Modern and Historic

Dallas offers a striking blend of modern skyscrapers and historic buildings. The Dallas Arts District is home to stunning architecture, including the AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Nasher Sculpture Center. Photographers can capture the juxtaposition of old and new while exploring the city’s diverse neighborhoods.

Houston: Cultural Melting Pot

Houston's diverse culture is reflected in its culinary scene, festivals, and art installations. Visit places like the Houston Museum District or take a stroll through the vibrant street art in neighborhoods like Heights. Capturing candid moments at local festivals can provide a glimpse into the city’s rich cultural tapestry.

Tips for Travel Photography in Texas

To make the most of your photographic journey through Texas, consider these helpful tips:

Plan Your Route: Texas is vast, so planning your route will help you cover a wide range of landscapes and urban scenes without feeling rushed.

Golden Hours: The best lighting for photography typically occurs during sunrise and sunset. Take advantage of these golden hours to capture stunning images with warm tones.

Experiment with Perspectives: Don’t hesitate to try different angles and perspectives. Climb higher or get low to the ground; unique viewpoints can lead to captivating shots.

Engage with Locals: Interacting with locals can provide insights into hidden gems that may not be on your radar. Their stories can also add depth to your photographic narrative.

Be Patient: Great photography often requires patience. Wait for the right moment to capture that perfect shot, whether it’s a fleeting expression or a breathtaking view.

Conclusion

Discovering Texas through the lens of a travel photographer is an adventure filled with diverse landscapes, vibrant cultures, and endless photographic opportunities. Yvette Heiser’s – Shutter and Spice: Guide to Mastering Photography in Texas provides invaluable insights into capturing the true essence of this remarkable state. By exploring both natural wonders and urban scenes, photographers can create compelling visual stories. With careful planning and an open mind, your photographic journey through Texas will undoubtedly yield unforgettable memories and stunning images that tell a story all their own. So grab your camera, hit the road, and immerse yourself in the beauty that Texas has to offer!

[and-claudias-world]

Against All Odds pt. 2 (Joel Miller x fem! Reader)

Word Count: 2154

Warnings: mentions of suicide/self harm, PLEASE do not read if these are triggering for you

General Warnings for later on: The main story will have an age gap between Joel and the reader (Reader will be 25 once we get to the main storyline), this will also be your warning that it will eventually be an x pregnant reader (if that's not your jam, I'm sorry) there is also going to be more graphic/trigger parts later on so please always to be sure to read the warnings BEFORE reading. This story will also be 18+ and TO BE ON THE TAGLIST YOU CAN NOT BE AN AGELESS BLOG (i do actually check that) also there first hand full of parts are all prologue so Joel won't actually be in it for a bit

A/n after this there is going to be a few year time jump to get into the good stuff

Taglist Sign-Up (read my rules carefully before filling it out)

“This is insane, Joel.” I said after we climbed out of the window of the museum. 

The only way to go from here is some sketchy-looking scaffolding. It went over the breezeway of the two buildings. 

“It’s fine. Tess and I have crossed it dozens of times.” 

I looked at it again, still unsure. 

“I mean you can always head back, sweetheart.” He teased slightly, knowing there was no way in hell I’d walk back to the QZ alone. 

“Fine… you go first.” I said. 

I watched as he went across and then turned to watch me. 

“Just keep your eyes on me, okay?” 

I nodded and stepped up onto the plank of wood. My legs were a little shaky but I took one step, and then another, and another. Eventually, I made it across. 

“Alright now, come here.” he nodded for me to follow him. 

He brought me to the edge of the building. From there I could see all of what used to be the whole city of Boston. It was bigger than what I could remember it being when we first came here. 

“See that building with the dome?” He asked. 

“Yeah.” 

“That would have been Massachusetts State House.” 

“Because Boston was the capital of Massachusetts, right?” I asked. 

Since I had never really gotten the opportunity to go to a real school, and school after the breakout consisted more of basic knowledge and how to survive, I never got the chance to learn things like the state capitols.  

“Yup, every state had a building like that too. If you ask me, Texas had the best, it was beautiful. But I may be a bit biased.” 

I laughed along with him. 

“We need to get going.” Tess said from where she stood. 

Joel nodded then gestured to an old, rusty, slightly mangled ladder in front of us, “After you.” 

I sighed, of course, there were more sketchy routes to take to our destination. Regardless I walked over and swung my leg out onto the rungs and began climbing down as Joel and then Tess followed behind me. 

When we got back down to the ground Tess led the way down the streets. We turned onto another one and the capitol building was straight ahead of us. As we got closer and passed more buildings and abandoned cars Joel watched me as I looked all around me taking it all in. When we finally made it to the building Joel let go of my hand that he had been holding since we got off the ladder and grabbed his gun. I took that as my cue to grab my knife as well and undo the top of my gun holster to have it ready. 

Tess once again led the way into the building, luckily there was no welcome party for us there. Once we made it through there we crossed a bit more land until we made it into a wooded area, and then into forested land. As we got closer to the trees though, I froze dead in my tracks. Memories began flooding my mind again. 

“Hey,” Joel said gently as he stepped in front of me, “You’re going to be okay. I am not going to let anything happen to you. Alright? I’ve got you.” He squeezed my hands as if to confirm what he had just said. 

“What’s the issue? We need to keep moving before it gets too dark.” Tess said from about 10 yards ahead of us. 

“Give us just a second.” Joel said back before turning to me, “You gonna be okay?” 

I slowly nodded, “Don’t let go of my hand.” 

“I won’t.” 

We continued walking. I wasn’t too sure how far we had gone but it had gotten dark so we found a place to rest for the night. Then the next morning we continued traveling. Then we finally saw it. 

“Holy shit! He built all of that?!” I said. 

Joel laughed at my reaction as we got closer and closer to the fence. When we got right up to it, I let go of Joel’s hand as he went to the keypad and opened it. We walked in, it didn’t take us long to be greeted by who I could only assume was Bill and Frank. 

Soon enough we were all sitting at a table eating together. It was some of the best food I had ever had. Then Frank brought out a bottle of wine. Real wine. The cork was still in it and everything. I had only had the homemade stuff. 

He poured some for Tess and Joel before stopping at me. 

"How old are you?" 

"21…" 

"21? Damn you're just baby aren't ya!" Bill chimed in. 

I laughed off his comment, “I mean age just how long you've been here, doesn't really mean much more than that." 

Truthfully, I was insecure about my age sometimes. Joel and I had met right after I had turned 20. He told me how old he was but that didn’t bother me at the time… but then again I wasn’t really planning on falling in love with him. 

"Oh come on, you probably don't even remember the breakout. You were what, four?" Tess asked. 

I stiffened up in my chair, "Five actually-" 

"Still no one remembers life that early. You've only ever known the QZs." 

"I was wearing a pink dress." I mumbled. 

"What?" Joel asked. 

"I said, I was wearing a pink dress. My knees were scraped up from falling off my bike earlier that week, I still have the faint scar from picking at the one on my left knee..." I began to recite the details of September 26th, 2003, "We had a creek on the back of our property that my 6 older brothers played at. I was never allowed down there because the current was too strong. But it had been a dry summer and the water level was low. My youngest brother, Alan, who was still 8 years old than me had asked if I could go to the creek and play with them. Just until Ma got home. Pa gave in and allowed me to go. We spent the whole afternoon playing hide and seek, splashing in the water, climbing trees and just having fun.”

“As the sun set we headed back for the house. We ate dinner. I took my bath and went to bed. I wasn't sure how long I was asleep but the next thing I knew my oldest brother, Scott was scooping me up out of bed, grabbing my teddy for me, and running us out to the van. I remembered crying. Scott was holding me in his lap as our dad sped out of the driveway and down the street. I just remember crying and panicking. I didn’t see Ma with us.” 

“For the longest time, I pressed the memory down. Refusing to let it resurface. But eventually, as I got older I realized what I had seen before we were out of the house. At first, I thought maybe it just looked like Ma, there was no way it could be her... but I know now that it was her... what was left of her anyways. She was hunched over my brother Alan…”  

I stopped and took a deep breath and wiped my eyes. The image was too much for me to explain.  

"Beside her laid Roy and Marc lifeless... and that was just the first day of the outbreak. In 2008 I watched Chris take his last breaths as I scrambled to try and cut him down from the noose he made himself. Up until his last days, my father blamed me for that. If only I had been quicker to cut him down then maybe he would still be here. Seven years ago Zeak got offed… he missed a deadline or something. Got shoved off a building. You remember that story of the poor country boy who got too big for his britches? Yesh that was my brother.” 

“Shit 4 years ago I was holding Scott as he bled to death in my arms after getting shot by Fire Flies. A year ago I helped Joel throw my father into the burn pits… so yeah, Tess, I may be young, but that doesn't mean that I haven't seen some shit. My age doesn't discredit what I've been through. I may not have lost a husband or a wife or a child, but I still lost family, just like you. I don't discredit you, so don't you dare do it to me!" 

I stood abruptly as I finished speaking, causing the chair I was sitting in the fall over. 

"Excuse me." I snapped before storming off. 

3rd person PoV 

"I'm not trying to discredit her experiences, I'm just saying she's young and inexperienced in some things. Her little outburst and storming off proves that." Tess said. 

"Tess. Stop it." Joel said sternly. 

"Seriously? You're gonna defend her?" 

"You have been kinda harsh on her." Frank said. 

"I'm going to go check on her." Joel said, wiping his mouth before standing up.

He found her sitting with her back against the back of the house, wiping the tears from her eyes still. 

"Hey, you okay?" He asked gently. 

"I'm sorry. I know crying like a baby back here probably isn't helping my case right now. Don't worry I won't come back out here with y'all ever again. Not until I'm older and more experienced." She said bitterly. 

Joel took a seat beside her. 

"There's nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart. Tess laid into you for no reason... I had no idea you went through all that..." 

"I haven't talked about it for a reason. It hurts. Like I know everybody lost something when the outbreak happened. And everyone knows that there are people who have lost everything. But knowing that those people are out there and actually being the one that it happened to are two completely different things. You know?" 

Joel nodded and took a deep breath before letting it out. When he exhaled it was clearly shaky. 

"I had a daughter..." 

Yn turned to him with wide eyes and he nodded, not looking at her as he continued. 

"Her name was Sarah... I lost her the day of the outbreak..." 

It made sense now. Yn knew that Joel's birthday was the same day as the outbreak. She figured that that was the reason why he never wanted to celebrate. But now she understood it was more than that. 

"She wasn't even infected. Or killed by an infected... she had hurt her ankle... I was carrying her. We were trying to get to safety, we were stopped, by a military man. I tried to tell him that we weren't sick... he fired at us... she died in my arms..." 

"Joel... I had no idea..." she was at a loss for words. 

"How could you of known? I don't talk about it for the same reason you don't talk about your brothers. It hurts. I lost my baby girl... I tried to join her... that's how I got this." He point to the scar on his temple, "I flinched when I pulled the trigger." 

He looked down at his lap as if he were ashamed of his admission. 

"Hey, it's okay..." she grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, "I've tried to join my brothers more than once. I got close. Passed out a few times. Every time I woke up, bandaged up. My brothers or father always kept me here... I was planning to do it one last time, get it over with the day my dad got tossed into the burn pit... but I met you..." 

“Maybe it was the universe or some shit keeping us here because we were supposed to meet.” He said only half joking. 

“You don’t believe in that bullshit.” She laughed. 

“No, I don’t.” He admitted, “But I am glad you stuck around.” 

“You too.” 

1st Person PoV

Later that day Frank was showing me around his garden and allowing me to take back a few things with us. 

“So you and Joel?” He asked out of the blue. 

“So me and Joel, what?” 

“How long have you been together?” 

I laughed at his question, “We’re not together.” 

“Oh really?” 

“Well, not technically… I honestly don’t know what we are…” 

“You care for him, do you not?” 

I nodded. 

“I thought so… and boy the way he looks at you… he’s got it bad.” He said smiling to himself. 

I looked over my shoulder to see Joel talking the Bill by the side of the house. And for the first time ever I allowed myself to truly think about a future with him. I wasn’t too sure what it would look like, but I knew I loved him and I wanted to be with him. 

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