#cheap mulch

[anipgarden]

Supporting Your Plants for Cheap

This is my fifth post in a series I'll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert--just an enthusiast--but I hope something you find here helps! 

Once you start gardening, you’ll find a lot of things go into it, and it can be a bit daunting to think about--especially if you’re trying to keep things low-cost. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be as hard--or as expensive--as it initially appears.

Composting

There’s several different ways to compost, any of which are helpful indirecting food waste and nutrients out of landfills and into your soil--which in and of itself can help increase biodiversity by making the space more livable for microorganisms and insects, which then cycles around to the rest of the habitat.

The classic one you see is hot composting. Most of the time, when I see hot composting set ups online, or hear people talking about them, it’s like listening to a wizard cast an intricate spell and prattle on about ratios and temperatures and special ingredients while standing over a detailed self-built setup made of the finest wood money can buy. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be complicated. First off, there’s lots of ways to make compost bins--some can be more expensive than others, but there’s definitely options asides from buying pre-made tumblers or getting an engineering degree. I’ve seen people use metal trash cans dug into the ground, make compost pile setups out of old pallets, or just pile stuff up and leave it. While using different ratios of certain items can help them decompose faster, it’s ultimately not something you need to worry about a lot. If it can break down, it’ll break down--it just might take awhile. Composting this way can also help provide habitat--some insects like bumblebees have been known to make nests in compost heaps. In addition, it provides a robust ecosystem for decomposers like worms and other organisms, and bats and birds will be attracted to open-top piles to eat flying bugs that live off the compost. Amphibians enjoy them for humidity, warmth, and feasting on insects. Do note that sometimes snakes may also rest in and lay eggs in compost heaps, so be careful when turning them.

Do note, though, that if your compost pile looks like that you're getting roaches and rats and raccoons out of your goddamn mind. Bury the food scraps.

Personally, when I compost, I use a worm bin--they’re a fantastic option for limited space and limiting smells. I keep mine outside in a big rubbermaid tote with holes drilled into the bottom, sides, and lid. I put a layer or two of weed block on the inside, so it’s still able to drain but keeps the worms from trying to escape during rainy days. There is an initial cost of buying the worms, getting enough bedding materials, and getting a new bin if you don’t have an old one suitable for use. But with occasional feeding, it should sustain itself and provide valuable worm castings that can be used in the garden. Please do note, however, that earthworms are considered invasive in some places.

Look at that worm bin-y goodness. This is a pic of my bin, from earlier this month!

Though I’ve never done it, I’ve heard of people having good results with bokashi composting--a method that’s done in a bucket, and is relatively easy to do indoors.

Once you start a composting system, keeping it stockpiled with organic material can become pretty easy for cheap. In general, if it comes from a plant, it’s safe to use. It’s also a good idea to avoid putting already-cooked things in a pile, as salts and sauces can kill beneficial bacteria in the compost while also attracting animals. Adding meat is also generally avoided to not attract animals. But below are some things that I’ve put in my worm bin quick, easy, and cheaply; or things I’ve seen friends put in their compost piles.

Cooking scraps/snack leftovers--things like cut up bell peppers, the ends of tomatoes, strawberry tops, apple cores, watermelon rinds, coffee grounds, and orange peels are amassed somewhat quickly in my house--my dad likes to cook. Around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas? Corn husks, potato peels, sweet potato fibers, leftover greens and other trimmings are a feast for compost piles and worm bins.

Vegetables and Stuff that went bad in the fridge/pantry--we’re constantly victims of the ‘forgot it was there’ conundrum. Fridge cleanouts are great times to decide what can be tossed to the compost--moldy bell peppers, spotty celery, questionable carrots, onion halves, old eggs, bagged salads, and stale/moldy bread have all been tossed into the pile before! 

Grass clippings--though my worms don’t like grass clippings, they’re still great material for a classic hot compost set-up!

Fallen leaves--another classic addition to a hot compost pile. Some friends keep them stocked up and stored for later use.

Plant trimmings--what is plant clean up if not compost material? I’ve put cleaned-out sunflower heads and stalks in my worm bin, and they decomposed after about two months. If you get  blossom end rot on your tomatoes or peppers, they’re still fair game for the bin as well!

Shredded mail--just make sure to not put in the thin plastic that covers the address section on some envelopes. Otherwise? As long as  the paper isn’t glossy, it should be great for a bin or pile! Shredded paper or cardboard also makes great bedding for worm bins. Put those Amazon boxes to good use!

Pumpkins! Snag your neighbor’s halloween pumpkins in November and toss them in my compost! Last year my dad went around the cul-de-sac and nabbed all of the post-halloween pumpkins, the worms loved it.

Christmas tree needles--can’t confirm I’ve tried this, but it seems like it would work.

Mulch

Mulch is an excellent way to keep your soil moist, while also beginning and continuing to improve soil conditions as it breaks down into organic matter. You’ll have to water less, and it’ll prevent/slow down the growth of unwanted weeds (which is always the final straw to gardening for me, I get so overwhelmed I just stop going outside). Win-win situation, right? Except stepping into a Home Depot and finding mulch being sold for five dollars per square foot and knowing you have to cover a whole garden with it all can add up… pretty quickly, to say the least.

Fortunately, there are a few solutions to this, and likely from your own backyard!

Grass clippings are the first that come to mind. If you’re mowing your lawn, or have neighbors who are, collecting the clippings and spreading them over your soil is a cheap and easy option for some quick mulch. It’ll be very nitrogen-heavy, so keep that in mind, but it’ll still prevent weeds, retain moisture, and break down into organic material over the course of a few months. Do try to not use grass clippings you know are treated with pesticides, since the aim is to use this mulch to help increase your biodiversity, and having insects around plays a big role in that.

Fallen leaves are the next that comes to mind. If you’ve got a tree in your yard, or in your neighborhood, then you or someone around you knows the neverending avalanche of leaves or pine needles that drop come fall. As mentioned before, they can be used to make brush piles for creatures, or added into compost, but they have a fantastic third use as mulch. Add them on top of your beds!

Want free wood mulch? A program called Chip Drop might be the best solution for you! They team up with arborists to find cheap drop sites for shredded wood, logs, etc. that are produced as they maintain trees! If any local arborists tied to the program are operating in your area, instead  of paying to dump the resulting mulch at a landfill or some other dumpside, they’ll simply dump it at your place! Now, you won’t be able to control when the mulch gets dropped--I’ve heard of people coming home from work one day to find a chip drop in their driveway. But… free mulch!

Want wood chips but not a whole truck load? If an arborist is working in your area, and you can muster the courage, its worth a shot to ask! One time someone in my neighborhood was getting a tree removed, so my Dad and I parked near their car with a tarp in the trunk, some shovels, and an old storage bin. We approached nicely and asked if we could have some chips, and they were totally cool with it! At that point, how much you get depends on how big your trunk space is, and how many times you’re willing to ferry mulch back and forth out of your car so you can go back for more. But it is an option! Alternatively, you can ask them to dump the whole load in front of  your house, but at least you’ll know when and where it’s happening!

Trellises

Many plants need, or will appreciate, some kind of climbing structure. But trellises aren’t often cheap to find. To that, I say--we’ll create our own!

One popular option is to grow taller plants, and then plant climbing species are few weeks/years later so they’ll climb the taller plants! I’ve planted passion vine near a tree in my garden for it to climb, and I’ve seen people do similar concepts with sunflowers, corn, and other such plants! Sunflower stalks can provide support even after they’ve been cut back.

A combination of wood, some stakes, some nails, and some string can create a great frame trellis that can be used for beans, tomatoes, vines, etc--so I’m sure if could be put to good use for native climbers, especially since my dad’s used this structure for passion vines before. You may have to replace the string every year, but most of the time, the string is compostable anyways!

This may take a bit more setup and have a more upfront cost, but creating a trellis out of cattle panels makes a durable structure that can support all kinds of vining plants! 

Of course, there’s always the easy alternative of simply letting plants climb along your fence! This is especially easy if you have a chain link fence, but wooden fences are plenty suitable for some species as well! I’ve seen passion vines do great growing along chain link fences as supports, and one of my favorite sights as a kid was always seeing bushels of trumpet vines growing up and over fences on the drive home.

Why are we worrying about trellises? Creatures are attracted  to diverse landscapes with a variety of plants within them, so having a few climbers can be a great way to attract more wildlife! I know some plants in my area that pollinators are attracted to, or even rely on as host plants, are climbers that can get upwards of 15 feet tall, and will climb any surface you give them. A trellis provides you a great place to put extremely beneficial plants.

That's the end of this post! My next post is gonna be about how different 'kinds' of plants can all be beneficial in a biodiversity standpoint. Until then, I hope this advice was helpful! Feel free to reply with any questions, your success stories, or anything you think I may have forgotten to add in!

[firewoodperth]

Cheap Mulch Perth

The addition of mulch to soil causes fungi and soil bacteria to decompose and release nutrients into the soil. It works as an organic, slow-release fertiliser. For #CheapMulchPerth, click: http://www.oakfire.net/mulch

[boy-and-girl-crazy123456]

"Dr. Jill Biden? More like Dr. GILF Bid-" the government assassin's bullet enters my skull without a sound, killing me instantly, without pain. The room is cleared and all records of my existence erased, and my loved ones ridiculed by the media as conspiracists.

Meanwhile, my body is mulched in a secret facility, and sold for 9 cents per pound to a small business in a disadvantaged community in Southern California that has operated for 3 years. They use it to raise a crop of crickets, which after maturation are themselves ground into a paste and used to form a cheap, environmentally friendly, high protein burger.

Vice President Kamala Harris sits at the dining table, the cricket burger in front of her. The business owners look on nervously. She slowly picks it up and brings it to her mouth for a single inquisitive bite, letting the flavor linger. She finds it agreeable at first but my foul, vulgar blood has imparted an acrid aftertaste. Without any facial indication of the mental grimace she is experiencing, she raises her hand and gives a thumbs down.

The small business owners hang their heads in shame. Their student loan debt will not be forgiven.

[melynnwater]

the first physical object to break the laws of thermodynamics was invented by accident. a regular lithium ion battery that would never need to be recharged.

it was made by a mindless robot in a mindless factory. inserted into a cheap and durable mp3 player on June 5th, 2004.

the unassuming device was shipped to a walmart and bought as an 8 year old girl's birthday present. she happily filled it with mp3s her dad helped her download.

she never noticed the battery's unending lifespan, because she diligently charged it every night. on October 12th, 2004, she unplugged her headphones without pausing her music: Hillary Duff's self titled album, on repeat.

on October 13th, 2004, the device fell out of her pocket while she was swinging on a swingset. It landed in the mulch her dad put under the swingset to stop her from getting hurt. He loves her so much.

she never found the mp3 player. she cried and sobbed, and her mom bought her another one the next payday, October 21st, 2004. the little girl's second mp3 player would fully drain its battery 6 times before she stopped using it, on January 7th, 2007.

Hillary is still singing silently into the dirt, not even an output for the same 17 songs repeating only to the worms. a tulip patch was unknowingly planted over it. the girl died on March 19th, 2073, her wife knew it was coming, but mourned all the same. Hillary had the same repeated lyrics to say.

the last time this woman thought about Hillary Duff was on December 25th, 2056, while reminiscing about music she listened to in her youth with her wife. Hillary Duff was still singing for her as she brought her music up, even if the woman didn't know.

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

If you’re up to it and have time maybe we could get some disowned verse? Hope you’re well!

Surveillance was boring.

Especially in a town this size. However, he reflected; taking a sip of his drink as he watched you walk down the side walk with a couple bags of soil over your shoulder and a couple plastic pots in your free hand- well. Sometimes he got some eye candy.

He never considered overalls as attractive. But. Something about the dirt and the paint spatters over the cropped white t-shirt were doing something for him. You were oblivious, blissfully so.

And for the last hour or so you'd been potting petunias and putting new mulch in some old lady's front garden bed. Why, he didn't know. But no one had given you a second look so, he figured someone had called the shop and asked you if you would.

Still. If he ever found out who did it, he'd have to send them a thank you card.

That didn't mean though, that when you loped over and knocked on his window, it didn't scare the shit out of him.

"Uh- shit- I uh- fuc-" he scrambled for napkins to try and clean the pop off his lap.

"If you're done staring at my ass I'm starving," you tell him snorting, leaning against the now open window.

"No kids tonight?" he asked, face heating.

"Nope," you tell him. "Camping trip. All I gotta do tonight is feed the dogs and make sure everything is locked before bed."

"I'd be happy to double check for you-"

"Listen Todd," you tell him smirking, "If you wanna replace my battery-operated model, you gotta do better than a cheap burger and some soggy onion rings."

"Fair," he conceded. "If you lemme change my pants I'll take you to the drive-in, too."

"Oooh, a movie, a burger, and a tour of your back seat, I'm a lucky girl"

[wynnyfryd]

Trailer park Steve AU part 52

part 1 | part 51 | ao3

cw: period-typical homophobia, canon-typical violence, blood

"I'm just saying!" Eddie laughs as he swings himself around the slender base of a young tree, cigarette dangling from his lips. "I could absolutely rock the blue eyeshadow look the main chick was wearing."

Steve doesn't disagree. They're in a dark alcove on the side of the movie theater, Eddie's hair all lit up from behind, a frizzy halo of pinks and blues from the neon radiating off the front of the building, and he looks fucking gorgeous, and he smells like menthol and strawberry shake, and he's been tapping Steve's wrist so much tonight that he might as well be drumming up a new song just for them.

"Can't argue with that," Steve murmurs as he steps up onto the concrete planter. Gets up in Eddie's space; borrows his cigarette, his words floating out on a thin wisp of smoke. "You look beautiful."

"Beautiful," Eddie mimics, tasting the word, looking unbelievably pleased with the flavor that he finds. His eyes go hooded, and there's a sly tilt to his mouth as his tongue slips out to tease the edge. "You tryin' to start somethin', Harrington?"

Steve's answering hum rumbles deep in his chest. His cock aches in his jeans. God, he wants him; wants to back him up a good ten feet until his body scrapes the bricks. Wants to rough him up a little, like Eddie did to him the first time they kissed — make his breath hitch and his skin buzz and his back arch under his touch.

"Oh, you are," Eddie purrs. He takes the cigarette back, their fingers brushing on the exchange, and they're standing so close now, nothing but this skinny tree between them, just a twig of a thing, really, the toes of their shoes touching on either side of the base.

Steve looks down at the snowy soil. Taps Eddie's wrist. Desperately. Frantically. Take me home right now, so help me—

A low whoop echoes off the pavement.

A predatory jeer, and Steve looks up to see three men approaching — three boys, about their age, and drunk, by the looks of it. He grits his teeth.

Their ringleader looks like a caricature; classic bad boy who thinks too highly of himself, some cheap knock-off mash up of Billy Hargrove and Rob Lowe. Steve eyes the shaggy mullet, the dangly earring skimming the lapel of his black jacket, the silver flask and the stupid swagger, and his blood runs hot. Thrums with the promise of a fight.

“Well shit, boys,” the guy grins to his sidekicks, taking a long swig and wiping his mouth. Gleeful malice in green eyes. Little asshole gets close enough for Steve to make out the color; gets right up in Steve’s face and sneers, “Looks like we got ourselves a couple of queers to smear.”

Really? Steve thinks. We’re doing playground games right now? He folds his arms over his chest, flattens his voice; disinterested. “Do you have somewhere else to be?”

Eddie smokes his cigarette, and the smoke curls around them in short, unsteady puffs.

The guy snarls, “Do you?”

Beside him, his friend’s hands ball up in fists. A vicious voice in Steve’s head whispers: plant your fucking feet.

“Nah,” Steve answers. He takes a step in front of Eddie; widens his stance, digs his heels into the mulch. Slight crouch; deep breath. “Think I’m right where I need to be.”

“Fuckin’ freak,” the guy spits at the ground. He sways and pivots just a little, like maybe he’s about to slither back off to wherever he came from. Or maybe he’s about to throw his full weight into a swing.

Eddie’s breath whistles. His nose still healing from the break. “Seriously, man,” he tries as he drops the cigarette, crushing the butt under his boot. His voice is thin; hands up; don’t shoot. “Just- just fuck off, alright? We don’t want any—”

The first punch is slow. Sloppy. Steve sees it coming and dips low to dodge, and the jab cracks against the tree, spraying ice and splintered bark, the sound sharp in his good ear. It’s a plate over his head; it’s Billy cackling while the world dims, and Steve sees fucking red. Tastes metal and acid and rot, and all his ghosts are with him; all of Eddie’s, too. Hargrove, and Andy, and Jason fucking Carver; all the faceless specters of whoever pummeled him that night at the bar, whoever dared to lay a finger on him when Steve wasn’t there to be a shield.

But he’s here now, and his answering punch lands hard — sickening crunch as his uppercut connects with the kid’s ribs, knocks the wind out of him. The guy grunts and doubles over, but he gets in a good swing on the way down.

Steve tastes blood at the edge of his lip.

Someone grabs him by the collar.

One of the guy’s friends, freezing fingers pawing at his shoulder, at his throat, and he pulls back hard until his shirt rips at the neckline and frees him from the hold. Ducks again to dodge a blow, swivels and pops discount Rob Lowe right under the chin.

The kid’s teeth clack together as he bites his own tongue. Steve watches his head fly back like it’s about to fall off — like a ragdoll, like a bobblehead, like it’s happening in slow motion. He collapses on the sidewalk and cracks his head against the bricks, and he's down, he's out, but there’s two more still coming, one in front and one on Steve's right, and that one looks tall and broad enough to do some real damage.

Steve squares his shoulders; braces himself for another concussion, because this is— fuck, is the guy on the ground bleeding?

This is bad.

This is really bad.

And then he hears it.

A familiar thwick, a metallic slice through the sudden stillness in the air as Eddie pulls his knife out of his boot and flicks it open.

"Back the fuck off!" he growls; lunges forward with the blade and stabs at empty air, the metal gleaming like an oath. His expression is wild, sweat on his lip and at his temples, bangs sticking to his brow.

Steve spits blood onto the concrete.

Everyone backs the fuck off.

—

"Holy shit," Eddie pants as they haul ass out of the lot. Fingers trembling on the steering wheel, knee jiggling so badly it jangles all his pins and chains. His whole body is shaking. The radio is off.

In the rearview, Steve gets a glimpse of their attackers dragging their limp friend by the armpits through a snowy flowerbed. He thinks he sees a streak of blood.

“Did you know them?” he asks, his eyes glued to the reflection.

Eddie rolls the next three stop signs.

“No,” he finally says. Swallows hard in the simmering quiet. “They were just some guys.”

—

part 53

tag list in separate reblogs under '#trailer park steve au taglist' if you'd like to filter that content. if you want to be added please comment and let me know (must be over 21; please either verify in the comment or have your age visible on your blog)

[jensownzoo]

Three bags full!

Honestly I think that's more than I got all last year. Thank you spring rains!

Should be enough to mulch around the base of all the vegetables. Will have to stash it in the garage for now since I'm running out of daylight.

Hot damn they're mowing my neighbor's grass right now!

The reason why this is so exciting for me is that the property has been unoccupied for at least 15 years now. They've always used a service to keep it reasonably mowed, so that's not an issue.

What is GREAT is that I know for certain that there hasn't been any chemicals sprayed on the lawn that whole time and that grass clippings are FANTASTIC mulch for my tomatoes. And my yard produces very little clipping because it's a small area of zoysia (thanks to the drought it stayed dormant almost all of last year).

I just transplanted my tomatoes in and that grass is nearly a foot tall right now (first mow of the season). The timing couldn't have been better, though the rain we're going to get tonight means I need to grab my rake and my ikea bag and go gather it up immediately instead of letting it dry out for a few days first.

[tea-withnofixinsplease]

Oh btdubs, if anyone has access to a vacant patch of grass, like a backyard perhaps, and want to make a garden dollar stretch, invest more in trees and shrubs than vegetables.

They're harder to kill,

Require less water after the first year,

you can usually buy/preorder them cheap when they're out of season (as I've stated before in another post),

You get more fruit per plant,

You don't have to replant/reseed.

Sure it takes longer to establish and bear fruit and you can do stuff while you wait, but if it's between investing in the necessary items for a 5 inch garden box or 4 potted fruit trees your first year, I'd choose the latter. Make one of those trees an apricot and you could have fruit your first year, thereby tricking ur brain into releasing enough dopamine not to quit gardening out of lack of patience.

If you really want a vegetable garden:

grow tomatoes

and a variety of herbs like basil, thyme, mint(IN A POT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD KEEP THAT CRIMINAL LOCKED UP), oregano, lavender, rosemary, etc.

these guys are usually really hard to kill.

For an unkillable berry that you can harvest first year, comes back, and thrives on neglect, try a ground cherry (which is also a cousin to the tomato apparently).

don't forget to mulch okay bye.

[suryp]

Date: unknown

Year: inconsequential

Region: central Tartyryn straight

The snow crunches beneath our feet, the wind howls like the devil, and while we all show fear, I've reason to think my brothers know not that we walk over a frozen sea, more than 30 metres deep with fish heavier than our entire platoon. I doubt my commander knows, either, but that suits our real mission just fine.

The mission. Ha. Everyone knows the only safe spots for a town are off shore, we've already done the math, there's nothing out here worth finding.

Good thing Commander Reijean is such a greedy fuck, then.

"HALT!"

Thats him right there. Most would say he just wants to prove himself, but I know better. All humans hide their worst traits, tone 'em down for the public. We're all worse than we seem on the outside.

"..."

"whats out their c-"

"shut your trap private, I won't have my skill split be-"

*Crack*

"Mission complete, I suppose"

In an instant, Clark pulled out the rifle on his back. it was cheap shit, like all the gear for this trip was, but He's among the best "weapons guys" I've ever met.

Fortunately, the gun jams, and he vanishes into the blizzard.

"Clark? Buddy? Clark? Clark!"

"Circular formation, weapons up, we are-"

"...Commander?"

Just a few more to go. Our platoon used to be larger, but wandering for days on end through an empty void of ice and snow will take its toll. Just a few weeks ago, we might've won this fight.

Good thing banshees are smart, then.

"SpLit up!"

"Commander?"

"Split Up!"

"h- He's right. we're no more than a larger target like this."

"Just gotta find the right time for it."

Sabotage wasn't the plan, and it leaves a bad taste, but there's nothing for it.

"Now."

"..."

"..."

*Cr'Ack*

"..."

*Crunch*

"..."

And finally, a blood curdling scream cut short, by a few extra holes in the lungs.

I stand up, spread my arms wide, and make myself the most clear and easy target I can."

-...-

Two hours later

The blizzard dies, I see my siblings dead in the snow. Three have a mulch of bone and Metal shards, alongside frozen blood, in place of their heads. Commander has a crushed neck. Charlie's kevlar is punched through, frozen blood all along his chest.

There's a sixth carcass, some ornitherian, I think, though it's hard to tell considering how much was eaten. The ribs are gone, and only Two and a half legs remain.

I begin to walk off. A meal, even the frozen remains of a hippogriff corpse, is the last thing I d-

*crunch*

"..."

"you not fight me. why?"

"..."

"all humans try to kill us. take sea from us. take tyk'yk from us."

"...take egg from us."

"..."

"you not fight. why?"

-

alright thats a wrap! The official intro to Fisher and the Flame and the world of... well, I suppose she doesn't have a real name yet but hey, we can make this work.

for a bit of context regarding appearances, if you need that, "Ornithere" and "Hippogriff" refer to pterosaurian animals, most similar to (and heavily based on) Trollman's "Cuvier's Isle" a small spec one-shot. It does not refer to the serinean animals of the same name.

Banshee are a bit easier to describe, being a rough combination of Utahraptor osstramaysi and a Leopard Seal, very similar to @tales-of-kaimere's *Updated* xuul design, along with the Adzakoordu and the White Cockatrice, as well as the Tamakai.

The narrator, Jake Fisher, is getting a drawing, by someone who appreciates men far more than I.

now go read about kaimere on Keenan Taylors twitter, bluesky, deviantart, and youtube channel, along with trollman's various sickass works on the same websites.

-

edits: minor word changes, removal of unneeded dashes, and Commander is now cishet, because killing the first queer confirmed in story feels a bit too rude.

Reijean is still his name tho, since there has to some reason this unit was sent out.

also added a new tag. sorry y'all.

(im just gonna use the most extreme and broad tags that, since im exceedingly apathetic but do want to tag things correctly)

[anipgarden]

Adding To or Starting a Garden

AKA, the beginning of the Plants-Related section of this series.

This is my third post in a series I’ll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert--just an enthusiast--but I hope something you find here helps! 

Got an area of lawn you’d like to convert to a wildlife haven? An area you can stick some hanging baskets in? Want to know how your garden of tomatoes and zucchinis is already putting in a lot of work? This is the section for you!

It would be dumb of me to not acknowledge that the act of gardening can come with a lot of costs. Buying seeds, buying plants, buying soil, raised bed materials, mulch, etc. … it can all get a bit daunting, let’s be honest! But there’s quite a few ways to get seeds and plants for free or extremely cheap, which I’ll be addressing in this section! The next section will be all about addressing the other Costs in gardening and how to mitigate or eliminate them entirely.

Also, do keep in mind; there’s no need to try and convert a whole area from lawn to garden or unused to garden at once. In fact, it could actually be extremely beneficial to do it a little at a time--maybe four or five square feet to start out.

Front Lawn (or Managing Principles)

If you live in a place where you’re required to have a grass turf lawn (HOA’s come to mind…), try replacing it with native grasses instead! You could even possibly use a low-growing ground cover plant like clover to a similar effect! Reseeding/replacing an entire lawn can be a big upfront cost, but even just letting the lawn be a little messy and tall helps. If the lawn gets patchy, leave the bare spots for a little while and something different will likely pop up! Pioneer species will fill the gaps and provide benefits to other plants around them, support animals, and more! If you want to take the guesswork out of it, you could always research what the pioneer species are in your area and plant the ones you like most. 

Obtaining Seeds for Cheap or Free

The cheapest way to start a garden is by far via seeds. However, seeds can be a bit complicated to grow, and some sources make them… way overpriced. Fortunately there are ways to get seeds for little to no cost! 

Some places sell seeds for as low as a dollar, 50 cents, or 25 cents! The packets may not have a lot of seeds, but it’s definitely a good start for a low budget! I’ve personally bought cheap seed packets at Walmart--the Ferry-Morse and Burpee brands are not what we’re looking for here. Typically the cheaper ones I’ve found are American Seed (which is owned by Green Garden Products, which also owns Ferry-Morse, Livingston Seed, McKenzie Seed, and Seeds of Change. Do with that information what you will), but they’re rarely stocked near the Ferry-Morse ones in the Formal Gardening Section. I’ve most often found them on end caps near the gardening section, so you may have to weave through a few aisles to find them, but once you do there’s an array of flower and vegetable seeds to select from! Alternatively, I’ve found seeds at Dollar Tree sold 2 or 4 for a dollar in Spring as part of their seasonal product; however, when they’re out of stock, they’re typically out of stock for the year. Try to check them out early in the year!

Otherwise, other seed companies like Urban Farmer or Botanical Interests will often have semi-frequent sales in spring and fall, when people are stocking up on seeds--joining their email lists can help you be the first to know when a good sale is going on!

Some foods from grocery stores will provide seeds that you can use in the garden as well. I’ve had the most luck with store-bought bagged beans, peppers, and tomatoes. Some people have had luck with watermelons, apples, citrus, squash, and more. Do keep in mind that you likely won’t get the same variety of fruit/vegetable as the one you bought--the resulting plant may look different and taste different.

Give it a shot! Pick some beans you like--if they don't grow well, at least you can eat the rest!

If you live in the US, food-producing live plants, bare roots, and seeds can often be purchased with SNAP benefits. But what does growing fruits, veggies, and herbs have to do with boosting biodiversity? While food crops aren’t typically native, they still provide valuable shelter for native insects. Some plants even have intricate relationships with native fauna--like the squash bee, a solitary bee which exclusively pollinates cucurbits like pumpkins, squash, and zucchini. And we get to benefit more directly as well! If you’re planting a diverse range of foods in your garden (as opposed to the swaths of single-plant farms that typically produce what’s sent to grocery stores), you’re supporting high levels of biodiversity by providing a variety of plants for creatures to live and hunt around.

Most of the time, when we think of boosting biodiversity with a garden, we think of a colorful flower garden teeming with pollinator species. However, if we’re striving to use native species, it can be a bit difficult to find some species in stores. I can say from experience that trying to find any wildflower seeds other than butterfly weed, purple coneflowers, and black-eyed-susans is… challenging, if you limit yourself to stores like Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe’s. You might occasionally get lucky with an ACE Hardware or a local nursery, but even then sometimes it can be hard to track down who in your area is selling what--let alone if you live in an area where no one really is selling native plants or their seeds. Not to mention, even once you find a local or online store selling the seeds you want, they can sometimes cost a pretty penny. So what do you do?

If you have the option to, consider gathering native seeds yourself! Get good at identifying the native flora and fauna--or at least, a few target plants and their lookalikes--and get ready to go! Learn where they tend to grow, when they’ll be seeding, etc. Try to identify the plant before it goes to seed (for most plants, it's easiest to identify when flowering), then check back regularly to gather seeds. Typically, if I want to learn how to collect seed from a specific plant, I just search it on Google or YouTube--oftentimes, I'm lead to the GrowItBuildIt Youtube page, so it may be a helpful resource for you as well! Of course, make sure to leave plenty of seed behind so the wild population can repopulate, and seed can feed other creatures in the area. A good rule of thumb is to take no more than 1/3rd of what's available.

Buying seed in bulk is an option if you can afford the upfront cost. Try teaming up with a few friends to buy some bulk seeds and split them amongst yourselves--you’ll get tons of seed! Prairie Moon is a popular site that'll sell seeds by the pound if you can afford the price--though they're in the US, and I believe they focus on Midwest and East Coast natives.

If you want to cheat the system, don’t buy bulk sunflower seeds--buy bags of sunflower seeds being sold as birdseed. They’re typically all black oil sunflower seeds, but they’ll sprout, and they’re fairly cheap for the amount you get!

However, beware generic wildflower seed mixes! Many brands like to sell wildflower seed mixes in big box stores like Home Depot, Target, or even Dollar Tree, but they’ll often include flowers that aren’t native or possibly even invasive in your region! Before you make any purchases, double check to make sure the contained seeds won’t do more harm than good! A quality source of native seeds will provide English and Latin names for all seeds included, and will be native to the region or at least non-invasive. 

See this? I don't trust this.

There’s a good handful of programs online that’ll send you free seeds if you’re planning to start a native habitat project! Poke around online and see what you can find; you might get lucky! The best time to start looking for these is fall and winter, I find--by early spring, many of them are either done or beginning to wind down... though some also start up in spring. Ultimately--just check regularly! You never know what you can find!

Other Ways to Get Plants

Don’t want to start from seed? That’s fair! You can try cuttings! Just be sure not to take too much of the plant while you do so. Make sure you’ve gotten a few leaf nodes on your cutting, and cut any flowers you may have gotten. Make sure to leave some blooms and foliage on the original plant for the creatures in the current habitat--you don’t want to destroy one habitat to make another in your garden. There’s tons of methods of rooting cuttings, many of which have different efficacy rates for different plants, but that’s a topic for another post.

If you find seedlings growing in a place where they won’t be able to sustain themselves long-term, or are in danger of being destroyed, consider relocating them! You may be able to gently dig up and transplant the seedling to your garden. Don’t do this if they’re in a place where they can easily survive--ideally, you’ll be taking plants from sidewalk cracks, heavily maintained public gardens, roadsides, etc. Do be careful while doing this--ensure your safety first!  

You’re totally allowed to join gardening communities like clubs, facebook groups, and more before you’ve even put a trowel to the dirt. These are great places to learn information and advice! Many gardeners are more than happy to help out a new gardener, and will eagerly provide seeds, cuttings, or even baby plants! Talk to some people about your gardening journey and what you’re hoping to do, and you just might find some kindred spirits--or at least get more people interested in the topic! 

Seed and plant giveaways and trades happen all the time in gardening clubs, as well as online! Just poke around and see what you can find! Some are explicitly trades, meaning you’re expected to send something in return, but once you get your feet on the ground with some plant knowledge you’ll be stellar! You may be able to explain you’re just starting out, and someone may send you seeds without expecting a trade, but I’d suggest trying giveaways first. 

Poke around online and see if there’s a local chapter of your state’s native plant society. From there, you’ll likely be able to find a calendar of events--many of them will host plant sales in the spring, with a bunch of native plant seedlings ripe for the pickings if you can make it out and have some money to spare! Fair warning, though, you’ll want to get there early if you can. If they say they’re starting at 10, try to get there by 9:45. Year after year, there’s always record turnout, and they sell out of plants faster than ever. Just trust me on this. I’ve been let down; hopefully you won’t have to be.

Some libraries are beginning to host seed libraries! Check around and see if your library has one! Ideally, the system works best if you also have seeds to contribute in return, but if you’re just starting out I’m sure they won’t mind you taking some seeds! Just consider saving some seeds to contribute in the future and pay it forward. If your library doesn’t have a seed library? Consider asking if they’d be willing to start one! Community interest is a great way to get the ball rolling on projects like these, but they’ll only know the community is interested if the community tells them they’re interested!

Volunteer to Garden for/with Someone Else

Maybe someone in your area wants to garden, but is struggling to find the time/energy. Many elderly people who used to garden simply can’t anymore but still would like a garden. Other people may love to have a helping hand in their garden. You might even find a few people in your area interested in renting and sharing a community garden plot with others, so they don't have to handle it all on their own! They may be interested in increasing biodiversity right now, or may be willing to if it’s brought up to them. You might be just the kind of person someone needs! Since it won't be your garden, you’ll likely need a bit of permission and collaboration to get anything in particular going, but it’s worth a shot and a way to maybe even make friends! 

Again, your mileage may vary with some of these. You may not know where there's a bunch of wildflowers growing in your area, or maybe your local library doesn't have a free seed library. That's okay! Do what you're able to, find what you can find, get what you can get! And there's never any shame with starting small--in fact, starting small can make the project easier to manage and expand when you're able!

That's the end of this post! My next post is gonna be about ways to start growing plants cheaply--low cost seed starting set ups, essentially. There's a lot of good options, many of which I've used myself even! Until then, I hope this advice is helpful! Feel free to reply with any questions, success stories, or anything you think I may have forgotten to add in!

[kyumisyumi]

Garden for two

Step 1: Make granny coded OC Step 2: Nickname her little Babushka Step 3: Ship her with the Russian

Ship: Nikto x F!OC (Adlean)

Word count: 4k

⊱⊶Taking requests⊷⊰

It was only an inch, just the smallest little bit over the border; that's what Adlean told herself in the beginning. Then came any other weak excuse she could muster to turn that inch into a meter and that meter into the whole yard. That little devil on her shoulder gave any and all excuses it could for her to keep expanding on this little project. 'The neighbor hasn't appeared for months...', 'he probably wouldn't even mind a little bit of maintenance on his lawn...', 'if he cared he would've petitioned for a fence...' and so on and so on. Until her voice and that devil's were indiscernible. Until it was only hers.

Adlean hadn't thought it would've gone this far. She'd raised a few houseplants, yeah, but had no real gardening nor landscaping skills to rely on. Just some YouTube tutorials and a dream. Yet, as she got one section done and then another and another, it became harder to stop. So enamored by an idea coming together and it being by her own unskilled hands. One of those rare times she'd set out to do something and it was actually done right. She'd chosen clover to replace the generic grass turf. A young cherry blossom here, a stone pathway there; sheet mulch and cover crops. Aside from native wildflowers there were handful of foreign flora that looked too good to resist in her eyes. Plus a few easy to grow crops the store recommended. Some ceramic decor, garden trellis, fairy lights. She went far over her budget turning this place into a scene from a fantasy novel, evidenced by the weeks worth of cheap ramen filling her kitchen; all she'd be able to afford for a while. But in the end, it genuinely looked wonderful, like one of those images you come across on pinterest.

However.

As large as her yard was, the need to keep going flowed strong in her veins even after every inch was fully decorated. Pulsing from her head to her heart to her hands as though Mother Nature herself was guiding her trowel. She hadn't gone as overboard on her neighbor's lawn; no trees, no ponds, just some wildflowers and better turf and a few mini garden figures hidden along the edges. Adlean figured if her mythical neighbor ever did show up and express distaste, she'd simply apologize profusely and undo her handywork. Alternatively, she'd hoped they might completely fall in love with the lawn and thank her for being so wonderful. They'd bake her a cake she'd weakly refuse and she'd make them cookies, cementing the perfect neighborly relationship she so greatly yearned for.

What she hadn't planned for were the angry yells and curses coming from a brick wall of a silhouette who was rapidly banging on her door.

"Roderick! Cволочь![bastard!] Get your fucking ass out here and explain this rubbish."

God, he was so loud. She could only imagine what the neighbors were thinking. Hopefully they'd at least poke their heads out to act as witnesses if things went bad. She was shaking in the little hallway that lead to her front door, rethinking her life choices and wishing she could undo the past- actually fighting the devil on her shoulder rather than giving in to it's mischievous whispers. Adlean momentarily considered calling the police to mediate but that would just unsettle the whole block of nosey elderly people that populated the cul-de-sac. Not to mention it might effectively deteriorate any chance of her being on decent terms with the person she would have to share a house with. That was something she didn't want to experience again; making enemies among neighbors was the reason she'd moved here to begin with. So, despite how much she didn't want to, despite how much her muscles tensed while her fingers shook, she approached the front door and opened it.

'I'M SO SORRY!' She thought the words but couldn't bring herself to say it, lips pursed in fear and anxiety the moment she got a proper view of the absolute unit in front of her. Compared to her, he was a giant, blocking any light from penetrating beyond her doorway and casting her in his shade. The man was wearing full black, with only a tacky gold chain dangling from his neck to stop him from looking like a humanoid shadow that had manifesting on her front steps. Terrifying. The balaclava concealing everything but the anger in his eyes didn't help either.

"What is this? Where is the bastard? He sends woman to face his problems." The man shifted forward as if he was going to try to push past her into her own home but thought better of it.

Nikto's momentary confusion at seeing the small black girl instead of the lanky white man he knew to live next to him had caused enough bewilderment to dampen his anger... for now. He studied her for a moment; she was short, barely tall enough to reach his chest and the many layers of oversized clothing didn't help. She wore light colors; baby blues, greens and whites, a large woolen coat over a sweater and skirt that reached her ankles. Her face was round and held brown almond eyes, a pointed nose and thick lips. Large framed glasses were perched on the tip of her nose, the plastic a matching shade of blue. Atop her head was a hefty mass of dreadlocks wrapped into a bun that was almost as large as her head. Looked heavy too. He brought his gaze back to her face, she was doing well to hide the distress in her features but Nikto could see the way her fingers gripped the ends of her sleeves for dear life. At first he thought her lips were pursed in annoyance but Nikto soon realised they were locked in fear, quivering slightly at the edges. He'd scared the poor thing. 'Fucking hell' He cursed to himself, the smallest drop of guilt creeping in for terrifying some random woman.

"Listen, didn't mean for- nevermind, who are you?" He asked, voice sounding like it grated against every surface of his throat before exiting his lips.

She took a moment, looking behind him to check for an audience. "I'm Adlean, I rent this side of the house. I assume you're my neighbor." Common courtesy had her wanting to say 'nice to meet you' but...

"Ahh, so not Roderick anymore." He tsked.

Adlean couldn't tell if he was happy or upset to hear the news. "No, I've been here for about 4 months now." She shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I'm sorry for messing around in your backyard. I got a little carried away and the home has been empty for so long I wasn't even sure if you existed. I'll remove it all, starting tomorrow... or pay to have someone deconstruct your lawn if you prefer." She spoke quickly, he could almost hear the regret in her tone.

Nikto contemplated for a while, or at least he pretended to. It gave him more time to watch the woman squirm in front of him- a bully, even in guilt. "We will give this some thought." He sighed, his body sagging slightly as his anger simmered.

"Alright." Adlean said quietly. "You can leave a note in my mailbox when you decide." She slanted the door, giving him time to spill any more grievances before closing it.

Nikto stared at the closed door for a while before retreating to his side of the home. He was no longer angry but his body had built up so much of it that it now bounced around his skull, waiting to be converted into some other emotion.

So he had a new neighbor now. Good. He hated the slimy bastard who would leave dog shit in his yard and fill his trashcans while he was gone. Instead he now had a neighbor who seemed to like messing around on other people's property. He strolled to the window and pulled back the curtains, looking out at the wilderness she'd turn his yard into. It wasn't bad, the plant-life seemed haphazard at first but now that he'd taken a second look he could see they were laid out with purpose. He wasn't sure what he thought at first; that Roderick had thrown random turf and weed into his yard out of spite or to monopolize the space somehow. A small part of him almost welcomed the conflict, a nice little spat before he would settle into the mundane.

He looked over on her side where her skills really shone through, it was pretty but he was sure as hell glad she kept it to her side. Nikto's eyes shifted to the movement along the side of the house, watching as his neighbor 'Adlean' left her home. Distress remained in her features as she looked around briefly before making her way to a spot beneath a small canopy, a book in one hand and a tumbler in the other. He watched her settle onto the grass, leaning slightly against the young pink tree. Nikto told himself that he was only watching to learn about the stranger he would have to partially share a space with. It was only natural he'd want details on someone within proximity... He watched her toy with the cover of the book, lifting it as if to open it but letting it shut close again and again. Her chest rose and fell into a sigh, too distracted maybe, before looking over at the likely source of her ire; his side of the property. Her gaze ran over the fence and flowers and pathway of mulch before eventually landing on the house, the window and him. She visibly stiffened before hurriedly averting her eyes.

Nikto stayed for a moment longer before leaving the window.

Nikto wouldn't hesitate to admit himself a pervert at times. He could appreciate a woman's body, the things they can do and how they make him feel. However, he never fancied himself a creep, not until now at least. Only a handful of days had passed since he'd returned home from deployment and what should've been a time of -fitful and fleeting- relaxation was instead a slow decent into madness. His body moved as it should; it woke, it cooked, it sat in front of the tv for hours before resting again. However, within his mangled head was a spider weaving silk. Its hairline triggers spreading through his ears and along every surface connecting his home to hers. Waiting for the telltale vibration of nearby movement; prey. He would know the moment she'd step outside into her yard to read or maintain her garden. Her door neither slammed nor creaked but he would hear it, would feel it, would sense it with an acuteness that was usually reserved for the battlefield. And as though it were protocol, he would be by a window, hidden from her curious glances at his home.

'Adlean' was nothing compared to the Slavic goddesses his homeland produced. Their beauty was bold, sharp, stunning in a way that both defined and challenged the concept of beauty itself. Hers was... mild, delicate, a type you'd miss if you looked away too fast. Where his type of women would strut as though the ground would rise to meet their feet, she glided unhindered and unbothered. He had his preference and it wasn't her, yet, here he was glued to a window like a mut watching their owner pull into the driveway after a long days work. His eyes drinking her in as though she was the only source of clean water for miles and he was cursed with perpetual thirst. He would drink and drink and drink and never have his fill. Maybe if he got to look closer; shoved his head into the oasis rather than graze his hand along the surface to sip from his palms. Maybe then his lips would no longer be dry and his stomach no longer crumbling inward in it's pursuit of sustenance.

But therein lied a problem; the duality of a man like him who liked pretty things but could only mar them. If she was an untouched fragment of nature then he was mankind; giving it an appreciative glance before bulldozing it to build a highway. Nikto looked down at his hands, his fingers secreting ichor that only his eyes could perceive. Their putrid reddish-black gliding along his knuckles only to fall where they'd be reabsorbed back into him. Just like watching from afar wasn't enough, watching up close would soon fail to placate him. He'd want to touch, to grab, to squeeze, to crawl into her skin. He paused his thoughts to watch her prune one of the vining plants, his eyes stuck on the Alabaster white that bled from her gentle digits. He wanted to know what would happen if their hands touched. Would his muck dissolve her colors, crawling along her hands to forever taint her with his sins. Or was her hue potent enough to wash away his own, or at least, force it to retreat somewhere deep inside where he would no longer have to see it. Would they mix to create something new or would they slide right off each other like oil and water- incompatible. Nikto knew the answer, he was a broken man who broke his surroundings to reflect himself. A piece of him here, a piece of him there. A piece of him in the knife he stuck in the enemy's neck, a piece of him in the bullet wounds riddled in his targets. A piece of him in every whore he'd ever paid for and a piece of him in every comrade he'd sever once they got too close. A piece of him in every therapist they'd forced him to see, who would mark him good just to make sure he'd never step foot in their office again. Thankfully, he'd managed to keep his home untouched, no shard of him to be found in it's modest decor.

He watched his neighbor retreat into her home, satisfied with the maintenance she'd done. A contemplative glance over to his side before closing her door. He hardly knows his neighbor, but he knew she did not deserve to have a man like him in her life. She was made for a normal man who would give her a ring and children. Not for a broken soldier clinging to the pieces of his mind, scrambling for the shards that he himself discards. He was subject to his emotions but his actions, his actions would always reflect the meticulous decisions of a well trained soldier...a practiced killer. His brain and it's inhabitants could be as much of a mess as it wanted but he was in control. This was noise, nothing but his mind trying to create chaos and latching onto the first thing it could find. He knew there was nothing to be gained by entertaining this little 'fixation' of his.  He knew. He knew. He knows.

Nikto knows to leave pretty things alone.

"Neighbor, we bring gift." Nikto spoke once she'd opened her door for him, the small bag in his hand containing a Russian tea mix. A gift; a peace offering. "Make up for... Earlier incident."

Adlean stared at him for a moment, her gaze flicking from his eerie blue eyes to the brown paper bag crushed between his scar ridden fingers and back to him. When she saw his familiar silhouette at her screen door, she'd prepared herself for some kind of verbal altercation, despite the fact that he hadn't technically yelled at her the first time. She'd been kicking herself repeatedly these past few days. Annoyed that she'd caused her neighbor trouble due to being impulsive and annoyed at how much anxiety she'd allowed to build in her body because of it. Adlean had spent so many years working to overcome that part of herself that inflated every little issue in her life, but that training went straight into the garbage that lovely Sunday morning he came knocking at her door. It was forgivable, she told herself, he was a big man and with only one barely barricaded door to separate them she was right to worry. Yet she was pissed at herself all the same. That constant irritation had her brows involuntarily knitted together and her eyes narrowed into a look her friend often teased her about, likening her to an angry librarian or a ticked off school teacher. That sour look had permanently plastered itself on her face since and it was what greeted her well meaning, neighbor.

"Maybe not then... " His trailed off, voice somehow sounding more ashen.

It was near impossible to read his face behind a mask but she felt a hint of disappointment. It snapped her out of her foul mood and she quickly fixed her face. "Oh! No, no, I appreciate the gift." She held her hands out for the item. "Thank you."

Adlean forced a smile onto a face that still wanted to scowl. This was great, a sign she hadn't completely messed up her chances. Maybe she could take it a step further. "Would you like to enjoy this tea together? On the veranda out back?" She quickly added the last part, not ready to invite him directly into her home. Generally nerves weren't something she had to battle but the circumstances had her words coming out a little more shaky, her hands a little more fidgety. "In about half an hour, if you're not busy."

The Russian's eyes creased ever so slightly for a brief moment. "Да[yes], yes, that would be... Good."

With another awkward moment of swaying and silent nods the door was eventually closed. Adlean took a moment to inspect the tea with a little smile on her face. Teas have always been the go to gift of people in her life, despite the fact that she actually doesn't like them that much. "I guess I must look the type." she muttered to herself, grateful all the same. She compared the tea he got her to the one she bought to gift to him but couldn't bring herself to knock on his door. Maybe she'd give it to him later, or save it for the next time she overstepped.

A deep sigh made it's way out of her lips. This was good. This was her chance. They didn't need to be best friends, just cordial at the very least. She would accept that much. Anything but enemies, she wouldn't go through that again, never again. With that sentiment echoing through her mind, she went out to sweep the veranda and put the chairs together. 

Nikto had put those thirty minutes to good use, taming his mind and avoiding the questions he asked himself. He would move on impulse. Those impulses had granted him an invitation to her company after all. If she hadn't he might've found some reason or excuse to make his way into her home, testing her boundaries to sate his curiosity. It didn't sit well with him to be so distracted but in the comfort of his own home, he'd allow it for now.

Nikto stepped out into the back yard. Their home had a veranda that span the entirety of the structure's length. There use to be a small fence to separate the sides but Roderick had toppled it over some years ago. Said he'd gotten into a fight at a party he threw and pushed a guy into it. A check of the security cameras confirmed there was a fight but it was his bony ass that got knocked to the ground. Bastard never bothered to replace it. The memory only made Nikto that much more grateful his neighbor was gone. This area wasn't spared from Adlean's questionable decorating choices, though it seemed all the plants here were fake, she'd added many along the railing and wall. Two lanterns above her door hung from fake branches. It wasn't Nikto's style, far too cluttered bordering messy, but it did suit her.

Adlean was already out, smiling with her eyes as he approached. She really did look like an old lady at times; legs crossed and tucked beneath her chair, her large glasses dangling precariously on the tip of her nose, hair up in a neat bun, draped in layers upon layers of knitted fabrics. The outdoor table-chair set was also within the aesthetic of her back yard, possibly custom made, designed to look like branches in the shape of furniture. Nikto was hesitant to sit, while the chair looked large enough for him they still seemed delicate, like they'd snap under the weight of his gaze alone. Adlean assured him it was fine, but it took a while before he could let his guard down and put his full weight on it. On the table, sitting above the green cloth covering it's surface, was the familiar orange color of his tea in a glass pot, two matching cups on either side and sugar packs placed in the middle. Adlean poured his glass before hers and Nikto didn't miss that she waited for him to drink first before taking a sip of her own.

"Thanks for agreeing to this, I really should apologize again for essentially trespassing." She began. There was genuine remorse in her words but despite this she seemed far more content, especially compared to earlier.

"No need, we're not upset. In truth, we just wanted reason to pick fight with neighbor." He paused. "Past neighbor."

"Was he... Problematic?" She asked.

"A problem; he very much was." He made a sound like in the back of his throat, like slate against metal.  "Thorn. Worm. Would come into our yard, just like you, but always with mess. Had annoying dog too. He was always loud, shit music playing at all hours of the night. Made us hate having a neighbor, would've moved if not for fact that we're barely here."

Adlean grimaced. "I know what that's like." She elaborated after Nikto gave her an inquisitive glance. "My last neighbor was great until rumors got out that her husband was having an affair and for some reason she believed it was with me. She started messing with my packages, tampering with food I had delivered and even my mail. Throwing things through my window and I'm pretty sure she released a possum in my home on four different occasions."

"Hm, what did you do in return?"

"Nothing... I just kept trying to talk to her but she wouldn't listen."

"Weak. If Roger ever did such things; I would have his tongue."

She chuckled, enjoying the blunt response. "Yea, well I was pretty weak back then."

"And now?"

"Now, I try not to be." She answered, a smile on her lips anyone could tell was fake.

The conversation drifted away and they spoke as two people new to each other would. Nikto wouldn't say much about himself but she compensated by being open about her life. She went into further detail about the things her old neighbor had done, some of it so bad he developed a slight appreciation for Roderick. She updated him on the surrounding neighbors, not that there was much given the area was just one big retirement home. She also let him know the shyly old woman that owns the house might pass it to her niece.

Nikto watched as she blew on her drink before taking small sips; her eyes lidded as the liquid rippled against her lips. It had to be on purpose, yeah? The way she moved was so slow, so calm. Nikto could damn near count the frames, yet the motions were fluid. Unbothered. She moved like someone with little care for time and how finite it was for us humans.  He envied it. He wanted that calmness, wanted to crawl into the chasm of her mind and set up residence. He made the correct decision getting closer. This must be why he enjoyed watching her so much; she looked like someone who knew peace. Exuded it. Combined with her voice, Nikto barely wanted to talk back, just listen. Just exist. He would never have true peace but when he watches her, his mind slows down just a bit and for a moment he can pretend. That's all it was, yes. She was a sustenance and he was starving.

She opened her eyes fully, lips still resting against the cup, then she turned them to him. Looking away would've been a good choice, to avoid appearing any more creepy than he already feels but he couldn't. He couldn't help but wonder how he looked to her. The Russian had no illusions about his appearance, to be sitting like this having tea in a garden didn't suit a creature like him at all. To any outsider he must look severely out of place; like a dagger among needles or a rock among feathers.

"Let's be good to each other, neighbor." she said in a quiet voice before returning to her tea.

He would. He would be good to her.

[firewoodperth]

Firewood Perth Delivery

We sell Perth firewood in a variety of sizes suitable for an array of requirements. Firewood is priced per bin. For #FirewoodPerthDelivery, click: https://www.oakfire.net/firewood

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Cornsnake Shopping List

So, you've decided on a cornsnake - great choice! Cornsnakes, Pantherophis guttatus, are great pets, and they're popular for a reason! You can expect an adult cornsnake to grow 3-5 feet long, with males being generally bigger than females. Cornsnakes can live to be around 20 years old with proper care.

Enclosure setup shopping list:

You will want to set up your enclosure so your snake has room to stretch out, climb, and explore! You will need to set up a temperature gradient of 88-75 Fahrenheit.

Enclosure. For a young corn, a 20 gallon is fine, and a 40 gallon works well for yearlings. As an adult, your snake will need a 4x2x2 enclosure at the absolute minimum, and bigger is better! Check out Animal Plastics for affordable, high-quality enclosures.

If your enclosure has a screen lid, two sets of screen clips. Never bring a snake home without screen clips!

A dome heat lamp with ceramic sockets. Any big reptile brand is fine - Fluker's, Zoo Med, and Exo Terra are all trustworthy brands here. Make sure your dome lamp is rated for the wattage of bulb you will be using - 150 is usually a safe bet.

Heat bulbs. I use ceramic heat emitters for my corns. You can choose to provide halogen light and UVB if you'd like. Arcadia makes high-quality heat sources your pet will love. The wattage you choose will depend on your enclosure size and the temperature in your home.

A thermostat to plug your heat source into. Vivarium Electronics thermostats are excellent but pricey; you can go as expensive as you like but here is a cheap one I swear by.

Digital thermometer/hygrometer reader with probes - Zoo Med and Exo Terra make great dual gauges

At least two identical hides, one on either side

A container to make a humidity hide. Simply cut a hole in the lid, fill with damp moss, and you're set! Providing your snake with a humid hide will help them have perfect sheds every time!

A large water bowl

(Insider tip: if you go to the grocery store and buy a pack of black plastic food storage containers, you can easily make hides, humidity hides, and a water bowl out of them! Here's my go-to option, you can easily take care of all that for one baby snake for like 5 dollars!)

Sphagnum moss for your humid hide

Substrate - for corns, you have a lot of options. You can use aspen shavings if you like, but coconut fibers, cypress mulch, and coconut husk are all great options. Whatever you choose, provide your snake with at least a couple inches so they can dig.

Climbing branches and other decor - climbing is a must, and vines, rocks, and tunnels made from cardboard tubes are other great options.

General care:

Feeding tongs.

Food for your snake. Even baby corns can eat whole pinky mice. Your offered food should be about 10% of your snake's body weight.

A soldering iron, believe it or not! A cheap soldering iron will serve you well throughout your snake's life - you can use it to easily melt holes in bowls and containers to make hides.

A small snake hook can help you with handling your snake, especially if you're nervous.

And some common beginner mistakes:

Don't move your snake to a separate enclosure to feed. It's a myth that will make your snake "aggressive" - it can actually cause more mistaken feeding bites as they associate handling with being fed!

Don't worry if your snake spends most of their time hiding, especially while young. A hiding snake is a happy snake!

Don't over-handle your snake, and always give them at least a week to settle in before offering food for the first time.

Never handle your snake for two days after they've eaten - that could cause a regurgitation.

Cornsnakes are some of the best pet snakes out there! With proper enclosure setup, you're all set for many happy years together with your new friend.

[systlin]

hi!! i know you probbaly get this question a lot because of how popular your post is lol, but i had a question regarding soil compaction. the soil in my yard is similar to how you described yours; extremely compacted, bends shovels. how did you go about dealing with it/restoring soil health? i know thats a super broad question but if you have any tips i'd love to hear them. thank you so much for your time :3

Mulch

Mulch

More mulch

I cannot overstate the 'mulch' part enough, really. Whatever works that you can get for cheap. Grass clippings, leaves, sign up for Chip Drop ( a service where tree trimming companies can dump wood chips on your yard for free for you to use as mulch)

Lay down a layer of damp newspaper or cardboard...amazon boxes with the tape stripped off work...and cover it with a real good thick layer of mulch.

Then you wait. Apply more mulch as it rots down. Won't hurt to throw down some blood and bone meal. A layer of compost between layers of mulch won't hurt a bit.

But aside from that, the biggest thing is time. You let the soil microbes and worms and things do their thing. They'll do the real work, so long as you feed them with all that lovely organic matter you just gave them to eat (the mulch) and maybe water a bit if it's dry now and then. Give it a year, and you'll be astounded.

After that, keep spreading mulch. It'll keep weeds down and retain moisture and keep feeding your soil.

For the part you leave lawn, don't bag your grass clippings. Leave them where they fall. Don't rake your leaves. Just run the mower over them when you mow. Don't mow your grass too short. (I realize some places have regulations about grass length, which is annoying, but don't mow your lawn super short.)

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as abuse, gore, blood, violence, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your marriage is marred in misery with no escape in sight... until he shows up at your door. (Part of the Illuminate AU)

Characters: Adam Warlock

Note: I hope ya'll like this one. I know it's a new and not so popular character.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

The bin crashes down into the shrapnel of plastic and trash littered across the kitchen tile. Shane kicks an empty yogurt cup as you stare down in futility as the mess. If he didn't insist on the cheap bags, they would tear so easily but you're not stupid enough to say so.

"I work all fucking day and come home and you want me to take out the goddamn trash! Now look!" 

You gulp, batting your eyes at him, paralysed in fear. You can't make your body move. You should grab a new bag and clean it all up, insist that he go sit down and you'll do the work. He doesn't give you a chance for all that as he lunges at you.

You step back on your heel with a squeak, caught around your neck as he spins and swings you around with him. He hooks a foot around yours, bringing you easily to your feet, bending you over the stinking potato skins as your arms shake. You fight to keep him from mashing your face into the garbage.

"And where's dinner? What am I supposed to eat? Maybe you should swallow this all up and you'll realise the sort of bullshit I gotta come home to," he snarls, "stupid fucking bitch."

“I’m s-sorry,” you croak, throat scraping as you try to swallow a sob, “I’ll… I’ll clean this up–”

“Damn right you will,” he barks and jerks you as he rips his grip from your neck, “useless…”

He kicks a plastic tray at you before he stomps off, leaving you to stare at the mess. You sit back on your heels, quivering, and exhale slowly. You shift and reach behind you, opening the cupboard under the sink to retrieve a new bag.

You peel it open and gather up the garbage, piece by piece, focusing on the task as you ignore the odor and the occasional moisture that smears on your hand. As you get it tied up, you stand, choking on your tears as they spill out unstemmed. 

You sneak out the back door and carry the bag around the side of the house. You keep your chin down, hoping your neighbours don’t witness your despair. You come up to the gray bin and lift the lid, shoving the bag inside and letting it close with a thunk.

You grab the handles and wheel it away from the siding, the large container rattling as you force it along the uneven grass and onto the walkway. The wheels bounce on the cracks in the pavement and you stop to pull open the white picket fence, paint flaking away beneath your touch.

You continue on and guide the bin to the curb, letting it rest there as you sniffle and try to shake away the last of your weeping. You can’t go back inside like this. If he sees you crying, it will only make him angrier. 

You look across the street at the other houses; they’re all nicer than the rundown rental you share with Shane. Where the leaves are strewn in a layered carpet across the mulch of your lawn, the others have the autumnal canopy neatly raked into piles. When you asked for him to grab the rake, his answer was especially bruising. So you’ll see if you can’t get to it tomorrow.

You sigh and turn on your heel, squeaking as you nearly collide with another. You didn’t hear or see the man approach. There was no shadow in his approach, no footsteps scuffing to warn you. You press yourself to the bin as you look up at him. Your chest compresses under some unseen force as the air is forced from your lungs.

You try to apologise for your carelessness but your lips can only form the singular stutter, ‘s-sorry’ as your voice is trapped in your breathless throat. You stare at the man. It’s almost as if he had been waiting for you to turn around.

The leather jacket, the patch sewn on the left-side of his chest, the cool confidence of his posture, they all assure you of who he is. Of the danger he carries with him. You blink up dumb, waving in front of your chest as you try to eke out a single noise, pleading with him not to be angry.

His pale blue eyes twinkle as his smiles, a soft crinkle beside his eyes as the dimming night limns his long face. If Shane saw you standing here with this man, of any, he would lose his mind. You have to get back inside. You have to get away from this stranger.

“No sorry,” he says, his voice rocky but not unkind, “I am in your way.”

He slowly steps aside, retreating as he goes to rest his hand on the post of the white picket gate. He waits expectantly, waving you within as his smooth, deliberate movements fill you with dread. There is a carelessness in him which betrays fearlessness. You will never know what it’s like to not be hounded by inexorable dread. It both irks you and scares you.

You make yourself move. You cross the sidewalk and enter through the open gate, as he looms over you. His gaze is hot on you, clinging and suffocating. Your heart hammers with adrenaline. If there is anyone you fear more than Shane, it is these men and their black leather shadows.

“Have a good night,” he says as he pulls the gate shut between you, “I hope whatever makes you sad does not keep you awake…”

You can breathe again. You gulp in air and fold your hands in front of you. You turn to the man and nearly gasp. There’s something eerie in how he lurks, in how he is both draped in shadow but shines among it.

“Good night,” is all you can get out.

“No moon,” he says as he draws his hand away from the wooden post, “it will be a good night for rest.”

He puts his hands in the deep pockets of his leather jacket. His breath fogs around him, billowing over his shoulders as he strides through it. You watch his silhouette as he departs, his footsteps make no noise and the night seems to close in around him until you can see him no longer.

You shudder and hug yourself as you back up. You turn, fighting a tugging that tries to keep you outside. You head back between the house and the fence as a chill creeps up your spine. 

Your stomach pits as a sudden desolation overwhelms you. You feel hollow and heavy, as if you could collapse right there. You can’t, you have to make dinner. You won’t get much sleep if Shane goes hungry.

🌑

Shane leaves at the usual time. His shifts at the factory are your only escape. They don’t always feel like that as you spend the hours worrying about his return. About what mistake he’ll find when he gets home. So your time is spent still keeping him happy, though you’ve never managed that.

Along with the endless list of chores come those thoughts. Those regrets and questions of how it ended up like this. On when he started to hate you. On when you decided to accept that.

You pull on one of his flannel shirts and a pair of jeans. You dig out some gardening gloves from the shed and take the rake with you as you put your mind to clearing the lawn. The autumnal air is crisp but fresh. It’s almost refreshing.

You come out to the front of the house, starting at the walkway, clearing it of the leaves, brushing them onto the grass. From there, you drag the teeth of the rake away, pushing the growing pile towards the corner of the fence. 

Sweat beads on your forehead and dampens beneath the layers of clothing. You huff out a thick hot breath into the cold air. The briskness sneaks down the back of your collar and chills you.

“The winter is close,” the statement startles you from your work.

You plant the rake and grip the handle, facing the figure outside the fence. It’s the same man. Your lips part but you can’t say a word.

“Can you feel it?” He asks.

Your jaw chatters. His eyes fall to your lips as you try to hide it. He steps forward and sets his hands on the points of the fence, leaning in.

“It’s colder when you are alone…” he says.

You furrow your brows and shake your head, “I am not…”

You look back at the house and he chuckles. You turn back to him and bring your other hand to the wooden rake handle. He considers the leaves on the ground with interest. He pushes himself straight. He seems taller than before.

“Are you not?” He asks cryptically. “This is a lot of work for only one.”

You shrug, unsure how to answer.

“I can help.”

Your mouth is dry and your tongue is sticky. You make yourself talk.

“I don’t know you…”

“Adam,” he says pointedly, “my name is Adam. Tell me your name, then we will know each other.”

You speak before you think. As if you didn’t have a choice. Even if reluctance needles at the back of your mind, knowing that Shane would not want you to speak to this man, your name tumbles out as if you owe it to the stranger. Adam.

“Beautiful,” he remarks as he nears the fence, reaching over to the clasp, “let me help.”

“N-no,” you drag the rake with you and catch the gate as he lifts the latch, “please–”

“You must rest,” he shows his palm in a strange gesture, sweeping it in front of you, “you are dizzy and feel unwell. You need to sit down.”

Silver stars speckle in your vision and you feel the world shift under your feet. You look down and clutch the rake tight, feeling as if you might fall over. You let go of the fence and take a step back as you touch your forehead.

“I am… lightheaded,” you admit, confused at how suddenly it come upon you.

He pushes the gate inward and enters. He shuts it with a gentle metal clink and grips the rake above your hand. You recoil, letting him have it as your limbs grow heavy. He leans the tool against the fence and turns to you again.

“Please,” he puts a hand on your arm, the contact filling your head with smoke, “sit down, bunny.” He ushers you to the front steps and helps you sit there. He braces your shoulders and bends over you, “you will not move until I bid.”

You look at him, confused but comforted by his touch. You nod. He pulls his hands away, caressing your cheek before he stands straight. You shiver and hug yourself.

He lingers as his zipper cuts in the air. He shrugs the jacket off his shoulders and swings it around you, the smell of leather surrounding you. He tugs it snug around you and retreats. You can’t help put pull it tighter as another scent tickles your nose; him.

His boots mulch across the leaves and grass and he grabs the rake. He resumes your work, easily heaping up the clutter, the steady scrape of the tines easing you. You look up and watch him. He is unbothered by the cold despite the thin cotton of his black tee shirt. His muscles tauten beneath the fabric as he works.

You feel sleepy as the pale sky blurs around his stark figure. You’re hypnotised by his steady motions, his easy strength. A strand of his golden hair falls forward as he focuses on the ground, gathering up the leaves with diligent care. Your lashes cling to each other and your eyelids itch. 

You hug the jacket closer and dip your nose behind the collar. The weight of fatigue settles over you and coaxes your eyes shut. The rake continues to scrape in your ears even as you sink down into oblivion.

🌒

You wake to blackness. Dark lines trim the corners of the room as slowly your vision lifts to a dull gray. The night stares in through the windows, frosted with the slow creep of winter. The wind howls and rattles the pane in the frame. The cold looms outside like a spectre but does not enter.

You are warmer. Too warm. Your body heat enshrines you beneath the quilt pulled to your chin. Despite your want to escape from the stolid cocoon, you do not move. A languid weight keeps you at peace despite your discomfort.

You’ve never felt like this, so calm. There’s a dull tapping at your skull that tells you to worry, to be afraid, but it’s quickly smothered and forgotten. Why should you be? You are home and safe in bed.

You let your eyes close and hum. You just want to sleep, to slip away and never wake up. You drift, mind skewing as if you’re floating on a tide. Then it swells and crashes over you with the dark growl that seeps in through the wall.

Your breath hitches and your lashes snap open. Your ears itch as you listen, trying to hear through the plaster. There are soft, muted murmurs but nothing discernible. You quiver as you hang in the limbo; do you stay or get up?

Slowly, you bring your hands up and pull the quilt away from your face, peeling it with effort past your chest. Cool air sweeps over you, urging you to nestle back beneath the patchwork. You hear it again, like a beast it grits deep through the air, gravelly and harsh.

Sitting up is difficult. That same dizziness blurs your mind. You squeeze your eyelids shut and bid away the echoing auras. When you look again, the world is steady. You stand without reaching for the lamp. You wade through the darkness like quicksand, each step impeded by unseen bounds.

At the door, you wait, hand on the knob, brass cold to the touch. You inhale and taste the air wafting in around the frame. It’s sharp and frigid. 

You turn the knob and lift the door on its hinges. You peek down the hall, it’s dark but for the orange flicker glowing from down the hall. That house, the place you call home, the walls you could etch from memory, is suddenly strange and sinister.

You let go of the door and tiptoe out, the voices drawing you in. The conversation garbled in your fuzzy ears. It isn’t until you get closer that you can make out the words. That you recognise the familiar tones.

“What.. are you… waiting for?” Shane’s words are interspersed with moist gulps and groans.

A snicker, short and stony. There’s little humour in the laughter. Adam replies, “justice.”

“You…criminals are all the same,” Shane utters through laborious breaths, “bunch… freaks… like you… should leave… this town.”

“We own this town,” Adam says, “there would be nothing but dirt if it wasn’t for us freaks.”

A hork and the wet splat of spit on the floor jolts you. You stop just before the doorway, shuddering as you hesitate and look back down the hall. You can go back to bed and hide. If you do, you might wake up and realise it’s all just a rotten nightmare.

“Come on, bunny,” Adam calls to you.

You spin back, finding yourself still alone with only the lip of the wall between you and the flickering amber light. You put your hand on the plaster and your other on your chest. He cannot mean you.

“I hear you,” he says evenly, “we’ve been waiting for you.”

You put your foot out and slowly reveal yourself. You turn and face the room from the doorway. You see the single taper burning on the mantel and the tall shadow beside it. Adam lurks with his straight-shoulder but slack posture. 

There is another, in one of the wooden chairs from the dining set, slumped and held up by knotted leather belts. You can see only the back of Shane’s oily black hair. You come forward, eager but terrified to see more of him. 

His right eye is swollen shut, a cut weeping beneath, and his lips dribble blood down his chin. He leans forward, kept upright only by his bounds. His breathing is rickety and shallow. He looks at you with his left eye and grunts.

“...bitch…” he mutters under his breath, “slut…I always… knew…”

“Ah ah ah,” Adam tuts and makes himself taller. Shane flinches and swallows loudly, choking on his split and blood, “you mustn’t value your tongue very much.”

Adam reveals a long dagger, the orange glint of the candle reflecting off of it. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. The metal is both dark and gleaming, a perfectly forged fuller down the middle of the blade.

You turn as you stand transfixed by the sight of your husband. Only then do you notice the scarlet leaking down the front of the wooden armrest, staining deep the veins of the wood. There are three fingers remaining on his right, and one less on his left hand. You cup your mouth behind your hand, catching a scream before it can erupt.

“Shhhhhh,” Adam hushes as he presses himself to your back, “I only had a sampling…”

“What have you done?” You whisper as you gape at the ruin of the man before you. His clothing is shredded so that it reveals the long gashes on his chest and the slices down his thighs. “Why…”

“The strong should protect the weak, not harm them,” he bends and nuzzles your hair, “but more, the weak are not helpless.”

“I don’t understand…” your eyes sting as Shane clenches his jaw and glares at you. How often you saw that same glimmer in him. That sheer hatred that made you wonder if he ever loved you.

“You understand,” Adam’s hand trails down your arm and he pulls you around. He presses the handle of the dagger against your palm and closes your fingers around it, “you know exactly what must be done.”

“Please, I can’t…” you whimper, “you… you hurt him. You’ve…” you look at Shane again, “how could you?”

“I could have cut his heart out by now,” Adam sneers, “but I do not own that.” He squeezes your hand, “it is not mine to take.”

“What…”

“I know what he does. He will not stop. Not until you are dead,” Adam insists as he raises the dagger, his hand still around yours, “or he is.”

He drags you towards Shane and aims the tip of the blade at the slouched man’s chest. He holds it there as you shake, whining as you try to free yourself. His strength is unbending and unbroken. He puts a hand on your back, gripping you tight as he keeps the dagger steady.

“I cannot free you, you must do it yourself…”

You close your eyes. This must be why the townsfolk whisper of the men in leather. Why they scatter at the sight of them. Murderers! Monsters!

“Please–”

“He has made you weak,” Adam purrs into your hair, “I have come to make you strong.”

“No–”

“Yes, you must,” he growls along the rim of your ear, “remember all he has inflicted on you. The names he’s put upon you; bitch, slut, useless, nothing…” he hisses as his hand crawls up to your neck, “how he broke your nose on your wedding night.” 

Your heart races, pounding in your ribs. How could he know that?

“How he put your hand on the lit burner when you forgot to buy milk,” he continues, your shaky grasp tightening as your tears crest and fall free. 

“Or how just the other day, he would have rubbed your nose in garbage like an incontinent mutt–”

“Stop!” You cry out, “stop! How do you know–”

“I know a beast when I see one,” Adam turns his head, his cheek against your temple, “I know a rabid one should be put down before it can maul again.”

“But… but… I love him,” you sniffle.

“Do you?” He lets his hand fall away from yours but you don’t rescind your reach, you don’t move the dagger away from Shane, “does he love you?”

You know he does not. He never did. You were only ever the stupid girl who fell for him. You realised too late what he really was and now you were trapped for life. 

You would be miserable with him until the day you died. Not because he loves you, but because he loves to hurt you.

The tip sinks through the flesh without resistance. You're stunned as you do not stop yourself from letting it further, from pushing it through the layers of fat and muscles, leaning into it until you can’t force it any deeper. You watch the steel bury into him as blood spurts out around your hand and sprays up your sleeve. 

Shane does not scream. He cannot as you pierce his heart. His head falls forward and his body goes limp. You keep a hold of the hilt and jerk it as try to wrench it even deeper.

Your hand is slick with his blood and slips off. You raise a fist instead and hit his lifeless shoulder. You hit him again on the head, another strike to his stomach, and a kick for good measure.

You bring your hands up and look at your blood stained hand, your other palm streaked with flecks of his death. You heave and try to scream but you cannot. You collapse to your knees and keel over onto your elbows. 

You should cry but you cannot. Your tears evaporate as grief eludes you. It should hurt. Why doesn’t it hurt? You’re not sad, but you’re not happy. No, you are free.

The floorboards creak and you raise your head as Adam kneels beside you. He touches your chin as his other arm slings around you. He pulls you to him and presses his lips to your temple.

“They will find him,” he caresses your cheek as he speaks, “but they cannot take you if you are with me.”

“Take me?” You ask dumbly.

“They will call you murderer, they will lock you up,” he coos, “I will keep you safe, bunny.” He dips his hand back down and nudges your chin up. He looks down at you, eyes shining silver in the candlelight, “I will keep you happy.”

[crackrodent]

Check out the rest of my Flufftober library!

Consistent Change

Husk stood in the yard with cheap booze in his hand and watched as Niffty tried her best to sweep all the leaves up. She had been sweeping for hours and was getting more frustrated by the second. He was hoping it would be time to head in soon.

The leaves danced down and taunted the short stack of rage and anxiety as Husk made sure didn’t hurt herself or anyone else. The woman had met her match he supposed. The falling decay-to-be filled her ever-growing dread as they thrashed about the yard. The wind shook the branches causing more leaves to stagger to the ground.

Each time she managed to get a reasonable pile together they would pick themselves back up and flutter about. Hovering like a vulture searching for sinners who just want things to be clean. Always slightly out of her reach until they swoosh down through her hair leaving a crummy mess.

The leaves that had been stomped on dozens of times by her at this point mixed with the soft wet soil. The mess of browning mulch coated the yard like drying dog shit. Niffty tried to erase them but her broom painted the muck over the yellowing grass. They were a masterpiece of destruction.

She collapsed on the clearest spot on the ground and a sheet of leaves covered her out of spite that continued to grow. They had it out for her, that she was sure of. The mock care of nature’s fallen dandruff left her overstimulated. Husk slowly walks over to see a tuckered-out little sinner hyperventilating wrapped up in an organic blanket.

“The leaves are changing!” Niffty cried. “They are a mess!”

Husk took the final drink of his bottle and pulled Niffty out of her leafy prison. “They do every year Niff.”

“I don’t like change Husker.”

“You never do.”

He carried her back inside, wrapped her in a proper blanket from the back of the living room recliner, and plopped her on the couch. Soon the quiet sounds of The Andrews Sisters were met with soft snores.

Husk laid back in the chair and opened another bottle.

He wasn’t a fan of change either.