#cook dandelion honey it's good for you

[kxsagi]

*Pokes my head through your window* Good morning, may I request: Blue Lock boys with a Reader who insists they drink the homemade herbal tea she made first thing in the morning.

Characters: Chigiri, Yukimiya, any other characters you want

Because seriously, why did Chigiri or Yukimiya never consider TCM as an option?

“𝐬𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫”

a/n: i think yuki, reo, rin, and sae would def be into tea

ft. chigiri hyoma, yukimiya kenyu, mikage reo, karasu tabito, kaiser michael, itoshi rin, itoshi sae

chigiri hyoma

he blinks at the mug like it insulted his entire bloodline. 

“what did you say this was made of again?” 

you cheerfully answer, “dandelions, licorice root, and love!” 

he only heard “dandelions” and “root.” the love part did not save it. 

drinks it like it’s poison and glares at you over the rim the whole time. 

“you know i already have good hair, right? i don’t need... lawn clippings in a cup.” 

he’s so dramatic. clutches his stomach every time like he’s waiting to collapse. 

but refuses to skip a day because you always beam at him like he just cured a disease after finishing the cup. 

he actually does feel a little more energized. but he will never admit that. 

yukimiya kenyu

totally on board at first. skincare king. tea enthusiast. 

“ah, herbal. nice. did you steep it at 80 degrees?” 

you: “i microwaved it.” 

the betrayal in his eyes. 

drinks it anyway and nods politely with the stoicism of a man pretending he likes your cat’s cooking. 

goes full monk about it – sits cross-legged on the couch, sipping in silence, whispering affirmations like “my gut microbiome thanks me.” 

you find out later he’s been sneaking in a drop of honey every morning to make it bearable. 

“you can’t get mad if it still has the benefits.” 

if you try to make a new blend, he gets suspicious. “... what’s in this one?” 

you: “vibes.” 

mikage reo

very chill about it. the first morning you offer it, he drinks it and goes “interesting.” 

you ask what he means and he just says “tastes like nature with a grudge.” 

he drinks it every day but adds a bougie little mint leaf or lemon slice like he’s in a spa. 

insists you sell it as a “detox elixir” and slaps a mikage corp sticker on your tea jars. 

drinks it with his pinky up. 

convinces nagi to try it once and nagi just immediately lies down on the floor and doesn’t move for thirty minutes. 

reo just shrugs and says “it’s an acquired taste. like kale or emotional vulnerability.” 

karasu tabito

makes fun of you. every single time. 

“you’re trying to assassinate me with twigs in hot water. just say you hate me.” 

gags dramatically. slides down walls. wipes imaginary tears. 

but still drinks it. because deep down he’s a little whipped. 

sneaks in a spoonful of sugar when you’re not looking. sometimes three. 

once asked if he could add protein powder to it and you almost kicked him out. 

starts calling it “witch potion” and “swamp smoothie.” 

“ah yes, nothing like drinking a cauldron shot first thing in the morning. love you, babe.” 

kaiser michael

sips it once. pauses. looks at the mug like it personally betrayed him. 

“this is what you give to your enemies, not your boyfriend.” 

you tell him it helps inflammation. he raises an eyebrow and goes, “it’s inflaming my taste buds.” 

complains every single day but shows up like clockwork for his morning mug. 

mutters under his breath in german. probably insulting the tea. probably insulting you too but in a sexy way. 

insists on a dramatic health report each morning: “vital signs stable. vision slightly blurry. taste buds... gone. but still hot.” 

tries to bribe ness to drink it for him one day. you catch him and double the dosage. 

after a week, he starts posting selfies with #herbalhealing like he’s a lifestyle influencer. 

says he hates it but starts sending you pinterest boards titled “tea aesthetic.” 

itoshi rin

stares at the mug like it personally offended his ancestors. 

you: “it’s good for your immune system.” 

rin: “i’m not drinking grass clippings.” 

refuses for three days straight. you finally wear him down by saying it’ll reduce cortisol/stress. 

he drinks it. expression doesn’t change. not one twitch. you ask him how it is. 

“… it’s wet.” 

dramatic sigh. takes another sip like he’s at war. 

“did you brew this in a pond?” 

glares at the mug the whole time he drinks it. like he thinks it'll grow legs and fight him. 

starts researching each ingredient. one day comes home with a list like, “you know licorice root can raise blood pressure, right?” 

he still drinks it daily. never tells you why. 

you catch him once making it himself when you’re not home. you say nothing. he pretends nothing happened. 

itoshi sae

you hand him the mug with a cheerful “good morning!” and he just stares. 

“why is it the color of swamp water.” 

drinks it anyway. immediately gags like you slipped him poison. 

“is this payback for something i did in a past life?” 

says he’s gonna die every time he drinks it. clutches his throat like a victorian ghost. 

“this is why i don’t eat vegetables. it always leads to this.” 

puts it down dramatically and whispers, “bury me with my cleats.” 

complains for 10 straight minutes, then asks, “… wait, what’s this good for again?” 

next morning: already seated at the table with an empty mug. 

“not saying i believe in your dirt tea, but i didn’t need a nap during my training break today. that’s progress.” 

texts you “bring the juice” every morning like you’re his shady herbal dealer. 

still makes fun of it. calls it “potion of pain.” but you catch him once calling his teammate "weak" for not drinking his girlfriend's tea. 

he’s a silent believer. with attitude. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[kitchenwitchtingss]

50 KITCHEN WITCH TIPS TO MAKE YOU FEEL MORE WITCHY

(And other useful things I've learned over the years)

Hi! This is a list of dos, don'ts, tips, tricks, and other fun things that I've learned over the years. I always love finding more effective and efficient ways of doing things so if you have any cool things you'd like to add, leave them in the comments or reblog. I'd love to read it.

Anyways... On with the list ^_^

Light candles around your kitchen space (just make sure nothing flammable is near you)

Annotate your cookbooks with the correspondence of the ingredients.

Mediating is really good to calm the mind before cooking.

Cut oranges and lemons thinly, dry them, and hang them with twine around your kitchen

Need a cleansing tip? Open all your windows near your kitchen. Let some fresh air in.

Cutting sigils into apples, pie crusts, and carved potatoes.

Save lemon and orange rinds, freeze them, and then use them to clean the garbage disposal.

Make infused oils and honey: Things like garlic honey, lavender honey, herb oil, sun oil, moon oil, dandelion oil, and other different edible oils are very fun and useful to make.

Hid sigils in pages of your cookbooks and kitchen witch journals.

Add some plants! Snake plants and spider plants don't need too much light, and growing your own herbs in your kitchen is awesome too. Basil, lavender, thyme, aloe vera, rosemary, etc. are good fits. You could also add some plants that require more sunlight on the kitchen window sill. Like cacti and succulents.

Bring crystals into your kitchen space such as rose quartz, clear quartz, amethyst, or whatever you want the space's intentions to be.

I keep a small money tree on the sill, along with cacti for luck and protection.

Make a simmer Pot! Mostly because it makes the whole house smell good, easy, and fun.

Stir clockwise for best results!

Learning how to pickle things is actually pretty witchy. Plus, anyone could do it as it requires absolutely no kitchen experience. You could pickle any vegetable, even if you don't like pickles. I originally learned this after having to take shelter from a natural disaster. A person brought a bunch of stuff and taught us how to pickle things with different spices and herbs. Very fun!

Decorate your kitchen with your favorite stuff. Crystals, decor, heat mits, that cool mushroom cake stand you've been eyeing at the World Market for the past 2 weeks, cool looking curtains, sun catchers. Why stop there? Paint the walls, hang shelves full of marked-up cookbooks that are a little too well-loved and thumbed through.

Wanna be the person that has the amazing-smelling house every time people come over? Syrups take some time to simmer down, it's actually a pretty good time to leave it on the stove to simmer. Since syrups have a lot of aromatic ingredients, it acts as a really good-smelling simmer pot.

Hang up herbs to dry with twine from cabinets that are rarely used.

Invest in that new set of plates and cups.

Homemade jams, butter, sauces, and syrups are your best friend.

Crochet or knit your own dish rags, pot holders, etc.

Don't pour extremely hot things into a glass that's not Pyrex, it will break, and you will be very sad about it.

Don't cook anything while extremely upset or emotional (For safety reasons)

Make recipes you want to make, not just because you'll like the effect. Make it because you think it's tasty.

Chinese Five Spice works in place of herbs for protection and luck spells a lot of the time! It's cheaper to buy 1 spice than 4 different spices that total up to 15 dollars when you could just spend 3-4 dollars.

Take a shower before cooking (I don't know how to explain this one other than it makes you feel better)

Don't use microfiber/plastic material clothes on hot burners, it will fuse to the burner and melt. It is VERY hard to get off.

I don't know if I need to put this one but I did see someone do it so nonstick pan = wooden utensils and plastic utensils, metal pan = metal utensils. Do not use a metal spoon in a nonstick pan, please. It can make you very sick.

Keep your pets away from hot oil, open ovens, and hot pans.

You can proof bread dough in the fridge overnight if you don't have the time to bake, or want to eat fresh bread right in the morning.

Need a quick witchy meal for dinner in 12 minutes? Use premade tomato pasta sauce and doctor it up with thyme, rosemary, and garlic, for protection and distilling stagnant energies. Serve with pasta of your liking.

You can substitute Butter for Crisco/shortening, buttermilk for 1 cup of milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and heavy cream for 1 cup of half and half plus 2 tbsp of butter.

Use leftover animal bones to make bone broth

Teach yourself the art of bread scoring (It's fun, and you can show it off to your loved ones!)

Collect and hoard your own and others' family recipes.

Sometimes the food doesn't have to be a spell, sometimes it just makes you feel good and you don't know why.

Listen to your favorite music in the kitchen, it makes the monotonous things like chopping veggies move faster.

Invest in a vegetable chopper if you don't like chopping vegetables.

Find a really good hot cocoa recipe and make it once a week. Master it. Just for your own happiness because hot cocoa is really good. You could also be the friend/family member that makes the best hot cocoa ever.

Focaccia Bread Lasts a very long time, and it's very easy to make!

Keep a first aid kit near where the oven is, in case of burns, cuts, or serious injuries where time is everything.

Quick Bread and no-rise loaves are simple for beginners, tasty, and take little time. They also feel very witchy to make.

Study a bit of Herbalism! It's fun and really helps better understand the herbs you're putting into your food.

While something is boiling, put your wooden spoon over the pot to minimize the chance of something boiling over.

Try a bit of coffee magick, it's simple to get into, and gives you a boost of energy to take on the day!

If you're over 21, wine-making is a very interesting way to celebrate the sabbats. Just with that, make sure you KNOW what you're doing. With anything fermented, there's always a risk if you don't store things correctly. Apple wines, strawberry wines, dandelion wines, etc. all very cool to experiment with. If you're not over 21, vinegar is a similar way to experiment.

Hang up some witchy things, sigils, photos, cool magnets, and other things that give you joy on your fridge. (Sometimes if you are lucky they have some fun magnets at five below)

If you live in the US, for some reason, there are a lot of books in the book section dedicated to witchcraft and spirituality. At least where I live. And they are all under 5 dollars!

Teas are the cheapest and easiest things you can practice being a kitchen witch.

[yarnababy]

little art of my baby Quinn! My friend and i cooked up some headcanons which I’ll add below!

Age: 7-8

Birthday: 17/01/1983

(I decided Capricorn after a lovely commenter gave a detailed suggestion why 🥹❤️)

👇headcanons below! 👇

Physical:

Quinn has an olive (ish??, see pic) skin-tone that’s prone to tanning heavily in the sun. But, since he never leaves PlayCare it always looks a bit ashy :( . (Give my boy sunshine!) He’s got freckling along the face, elbows, shoulders and knees but again, not very prominent until he gets that Vit D.

His eyes are Hazel 👁️🍂

His hair is a little longer than typical and usually tied back in a small pony tail. It’s a light brownish/ dirty blonde that turns honey in sunlight, (Marie notes this in chapter 8) Wavy leaning towards curls.

Quinn has a more ‘coltish’ build than the other children, making him appear weak. Though when it comes to down to it, the boy can pack a punch (chapter 4). To win a fight he’d had to rely on surprising the attacker.

Personality:

Very shy, and not well liked. The other kids think he is odd. Quinn has always preferred to quiet play like craft and reading, one way he has found to bond with other children is by sitting in the art corner and helping anyone struggling to draw. He talented in art, Quinn has a great imagination and creates very interesting and unique designs. He also has a good sense of colour and shapes compared to other kids his age. His dream is to be a toy maker.

Quinn’s favourite genre is mystical fiction. Non-fiction and History bore him to death. He likes to read about classic magical worlds with princesses, dragons and castles. Quinn’s favourite book is the Brothers Grimm Fairy tales which is kept hidden between his bed-frame, his favourite tale within is Rapunzel.

He is definitely on the spectrum, but being ND wasn’t well known or studied in the 90s. Dr White misdiagnoses him with Conduct Disorder for his problematic behaviour. (Chapter 4)

Quinn has a very black and white view of life. He believes if you are good, good things happen and vice versa. Kindness is a very big value to Quinn. He also has a ‘protective’ streak where he will help and look out for younger children from PlayCare even if they are not the best friend material (cough -Lily- cough)

Although he pretends not to be, Quinn loves attention. But not from crowds, what he really craves is being the centre of someone’s world and just being understood and listened to. as all neglected kids do (Harley definitely doesn’t exploit this)

Quinn has great fear respect for authority figures in his life, Ms Harper isn’t the nicest lady alive but he will follow whatever she says without question. When Harley comes… yeah. Quinn will follow that man to the end of the world. He hates to break rules fearing punishment and isolation.

Misc:

Quinn loves flowers! His first ever memories from before PlayCare were of sitting in the back of someone’s sun dappled garden, pulling out dandelions in the grass.

Quinn really likes wildlife animals like lions, dolphins and elephants. He thinks that they’re so big, powerful and free, to do whatever they like. He wishes he could be reborn as a bird so he can go wherever he wants.

Not so good:

Quinn has a set vision of what things should be and act like, that manifests peculiar ways; like inanimate things talking to him. For example, Albert’s toy thanking him for mutilating it since his own toy (Daisy) got a better design. This why Quinn is obsessed with making things ‘prettier’. Harley, in some twisted, way can resonate with the kid since he also has a set vision of the future.

imma cut it here since this is getting to long AXA

[spookygingerr]

☀️ wednesday tag game - positivity edition ☀️

we once again made it to wednesday. in all seriousness, you all rock <3 for a lot of us it is winter, it's cold, it's miserable, it's dark, so lets bring in some sunshine with this tag game (and those already in summer? extra sun for you <3)

name: ice

name (s) you were almost given: if i was born AMAB i would have been called joseph

nicknames you've been given: ice, ice cream, ice ice baby, ice spice, ice box...

top five frequently used emojis: 😂☺️😣😆😌

the last yummy thing you ate: i just had a tofu, halloumi and courgette stir fry with rice noodles and honey and soy sauce as the sauce. super fresh and super yum

something you're good at that we might not know already: cooking! pls see last answer. i'm also good at baking and making nice coffees. 🍰

something you've always been good at: baking

something you're working hard to get better at: drawing, and styling my hair

favourite item of clothing: BOTH of my era's tour hoodies, i live in them

favourite fizzy drink/pop/soda (if you like them): i am usually a diet coke girl but this week i bought dr pepper and i'm really enjoying the change

favourite place you've visited: k'gari island. it was so peaceful, natural and beautiful

a place you look forward to visiting in the future: amsterdam

your favourite song right now: what is this feeling from wicked

tags below the cut

@gallapiech @ian-galagher @transmurderbug @roryonic @energievie

@heymacy @mybrainismelted @deedala @michellemisfit @jrooc

@creepkinginc @crossmydna @callivich @gallavichsuperfan @kiennilove

@em-harlsnow @mickeym4ndy @transsexual-dandelions @romidoes @sleepyfacetoughguy

@sam-loves-seb @samantitheos @spacerockwriting @spoonfulstar @kiennilove

@thepupperino @nozenfordaddy @blue-disco-lights @bawlbrayker @sgtmickeyslaughter

@transmickey @deathclassic @doshiart @vintagelacerosette

[yourlocalstranger123]

Imagine being married to pregnant Jean and Yae miko (separately) and every morning before you both get ready for the day you give your lovely wife a kiss on the forehead and a kiss on her belly

Y/n: good morning my lovely dandelion~ kisses her belly and good morning to you too my little flowers~

Jeans heart melts whenever you call them that even though you don't know how many children or what gender they're gonna be your already such a loving parent to them and an even more protective lover as well

Ever since she got pregnant it's always been "No Jean you stay home today I'll take care of these requests" or "sorry honey but as your personal advisor and husband i hereby relieve forcefully restrict you from active combat/duty

She understands it's all for the baby but she atleast thanks you for your hard work with a nice home cooked meal, hot bath and her body

Jean: welcome back my darling knight, dinner is almost ready or if you'd like we could take a hot bath together or.....would you like to have me?~

As for Yae she finds it absolutely heartwarming whenever you do this little act of affection towards her and your soon to be litter of pups

Y/n: good morning my sakura blossom kisses her belly and good morning to you my little blossoms~

Honestly Yae is a sucker absolute slut for all this extra attention your giving her, waiting on her hand and foot, allowing her to stay at home and read her novels to your pups while rubbing her belly and of course she does do things around the house and pays you back for all your loving devotion to her and your children with a hot meal and her hot body~

Miko: Oh darling~ i seem to have gotten stuck under the bed sheets if only my big strong husband would come save me~

You two still have sex frequently, after learning from Ei and first hand experience that a pregnant kitsune's libido is actually increased due to the extra hormones being generated so the next 9 months are gonna be quite steamy

Miko: Ah~ yes rub my belly while you fuck me~ don't you dare pull out!!! Cum in me and breed your wife 3 times over!!!

Ei and tenryou commission has gotten multiple noise complaints

As much I wanna gate-keep this writing a bit more (I have been keeping in my in-box and had been reading it few times for a while) i think I should be sharing this wonderful writing.

(Also if you're too innocent, do please cover your eyes. Not totally because im gonna steal this back into my in-box, well technically draft since it can't really go back into my inbox...but eh-)

[isabellebissonrouthier]

OC ASK GAME - YELLOW

GOLD - How wealthy are they?

POLLEN - If they have allergies, do they actually avoid what they're allergic to?

MARIGOLD - Pick their favourite flower, and then look up what it symbolises!

DAFFODIL - What would they gift their parents on their birthday?

DANDELION - Do they want children?

SUNSHINE - Early bird or night owl?

SUNBEAM - What is their favourite song and why did you pick it?

LIGHTBULB - When did you make them and for what purpose?

HONEY - What is their best trait?

YOLK - What is their worst trait?

PINEAPPLE - What is their weirdest habit, and why do they have it?

BUTTER - Can they cook?

BUTTERSCOTCH - Would they have tumblr?

BANANA - How was their first kiss?

CORN - How do they fit into the world around them?

LEMON - What was their first word?

BUMBLEBEE - How do they dress?

WASP - How good are they?

CANARY - How do they treat animals?

BLONDE - What do they most wish to change about themself?

[adminbryantsaki]

Dried Dandelion and nettle

Gang Orca x reader

Aftercare

(I do not own My Hero Academia or the characters within. Anything associated with that fandom belongs to Horikoshi Kohei. This story belongs to my 2023 Spice-tober collection. I hope you enjoy. If this story isn’t your cup of tea, blend of spices, or brew of coffee move on. Reader discretion is advised.)

TW: Healing from working a lot, letting others help you

WC: 800

You laid in bed feeling all cozy and warm from the past few nights of fun that you had with your boyfriend. You sat up in bed, wrapping up in one of Kugo’s hoodies that went a little past your knees and walked out of the bedroom to locate where your orca partner was. You found him wearing one of his tank tops and shorts in the kitchen, working on making you some food and tea. You walked up behind him and gently bonked your head gently into his back, letting him know that you were awake and you had found him, even though he knew that you were awake since the floorboards throughout your penthouse apartment above the agency squeaked when weight was applied to them. When he was at a stopping point in what he was doing, he turned to look down at you.  “Good morning, my love, did you sleep well?” He asked. “I did. What are you making?” You asked as you tried peeking at what was in the pan on the stove. Kugo stopped you from trying to peek and handed you one of your mugs with some tea in it.

“It’s a surprise. I’m using some of the herbs that have grown from that hydroponic greenhouse and garden that was added onto the agency just before spring. I had my sidekicks tending to the garden since I’ve been busy with hero work. But the garden and greenhouse have helped everyone learn more about herbs and plants that can help with boosting immunity and help with different ailments depending on the person.” He explained as he kept cooking and you sat down and took a sip of the tea, scrunching your nose at the taste as the tea was a little bitter. “What kind of tea is this?” You asked as you looked back at him right as he was flipping something in the pan that looked bright yellow like eggs.

“The tea is made from sun dried dandelions and nettles. Both are from the greenhouse. Is it too bitter? I can add more honey to it.” He offered as he slid what he was cooking in the pan and added something else to the plate. After putting the plate on a tray, he carried it over to where you were on the couch, and set the tray over your lap. On the tray was a plate with an omelet that had your favorite fillings inside and it was garnished with some dandelion and green onion. There were also two slices of toast, having some of your favorite jam spread on top next to the omelet and two links of your favorite kind of sausage also made a presence on the plate.

“I’d like a little bit more honey in my tea please.” You asked and handed Kugo your mug. He returned with your mug a few minutes later with more honey and topped off with fresh hot water. You thanked him and began to eat. He left you alone to eat but only for a moment as he came back with his own plate of food to sit down and eat with you. “This is really good.” You told him after taking a few bites of the omelet and toast.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” He spoke as he was eating too. “Why are you doing so much for me?” You asked. “I want to thank you for all the things you’ve done to help me this past month. This is the best way that I can think of helping you by caring for you. Also with the colder weather approaching, I want to help boost your immunity and my own so we don’t get sick.” He told you and you thought that it was very nice of him to want to look out for your wellbeing and his own. You finished your food and he took the tray back to the kitchen to clean the dishes before he came back and helped you off the couch and into the bathroom where he had set up a bath for the two of you to soak in together to help him hydrate his skin as it tended to dry out quickly. You enjoyed the bath with him, making you feel refreshed and relaxed afterwards. The End.

[ragana62]

It's soup season, we could all do with something comforting, so who wants my grandmother's super low maintenance soup recipe?

Of course you do. Frikadeļu Zupa is good, the weather is getting cold for those of us in the northern hemisphere, and good, relatively cheap to make, relatively easy to make, food with good nutritional value is something we all need, especially in these trying times.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

Bread Crumbs (honestly, I eyeball this, use however much speaks to you. I suggest using slightly stale rye bread or black bread, but use what you have)

About 1 lb Ground Meat (or meat substitute of your choosing. I use beef, use whatever speaks to you, just adjust your broth accordingly. Use however much meat as you want meatballs, this is just a standard amount, but just know if you go too much above this, you will likely need more broth as well and that’s fine)

2 eggs (or egg substitute, this and the bread are just binding agents really)

Seasoning (I use a mix of salt, white pepper, and dill, but if you want to add paprika or oregano or want to use black pepper instead of white pepper, go for it)

Broth/Soup Base:

10 Cups Broth (match your meat or meat substitute, I tend to use half beef, half veggie broth. Use what you have/what you like)

Carrots (about 5 big ones, or however many small ones you have. Cut into about bite sized pieces)

Potatoes (about 3 medium without skins, grated on the medium holes of a standard cheese grater, or if you're like me and get tired of fussing with that, you can just take a peeler to it and use that directly into your broth)

Greens (I use mustard greens, or dandelion greens or even nettle greens if I can get them. This step is optional and not technically correct to the original soup recipe inspiring it, but my grandmother always combined frikadeļu zupa with a nettle soup, and it is good and adds some additional vitamins and nutrients, so I do it still.)

Process

Start heating your broth over medium heat, just until it has started to simmer. You can add a little extra seasoning to it as well if you like, but avoid adding lighter herbs like dill until later or you are just wasting your herbs.

While your broth is simmering, mix your ground meat (or meat substitute) with eggs (or egg substitute), seasonings, and breadcrumbs, before forming into small meatballs about the size of an acorn. Set these aside for now.

Add your potato shreds to the broth (or just grate your peeled potatoes directly into the simmering broth if you're lazy or just don't want to have to wash another dish) and simmer for around 10 minutes.

Add your chopped carrots (and greens if you are including them) and simmer for another 10 or so minutes.

Add meatballs directly into the broth (careful, it will splash and you don't want to burn yourself). Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until your meatballs are fully cooked. Stir occasionally, but mostly you can just leave it alone.

Eat the soup. You will almost certainly have many leftovers. This is not a problem, because it reheats well, tastes good, and will keep you warm and happy and full. You may want to add more broth when you reheat it, so keep that in mind, as the potatoes can absorb a bit of the broth. This is also not a problem, because it means you now have extra flavorful potatoes.

If you are feeling fancy, serve it with the same bread you put in the meatballs, and a pickle (either in the soup or next to the soup). Or, cucumber salad (sliced cucumber, white vinegar, honey, dill, salt, sliced radish if you're feeling fancy, all eyeballed, taste as you add your ingredients after mixing them all well to decide whether you have your balance right).

If you do make her soup, please tell me. Or better yet, show me! We can have a bowl together from wherever you are in the world. I just passed my first year without her, and miss her horribly, but she would be very glad to know that her soup is out there making people happy when everything is so frustrating and depressing.

Feel free to share the recipe as widely as you like. Or reach out for pointers, or ask for my black bread recipe I make to go with it, or anything else. Food was always one of her love languages, so I can't help but love it too.

I think we all need some soup right now. Reblog to give prev a bowl of their favourite soup.

[witchy-lover-714]

Ostara Study

Ostara is the pagan holiday to celebrate the Spring Equinox.

It's the first day of spring! Scientifically marked when the sun is lined up exactly to the equator and causes the length of day and night to be equal.

The theme of this holiday is new beginnings, fertility and balance!

This is a good time to set your real new years resolutions as the Earth is officially waking up. (Especially for us girlies with seasonal depression lol)

Ways to celebrate:

[Get outside]

You could do simple things like going for a walk and take some extra time to admire the scenery. Or just move your meditation outside for today and listen the sounds of nature around you.

Also gardening, now is the perfect time to start your gardens! A great way to start the spring season!

[Cleanse your space]

Literally and spiritually lol! Spring cleaning is both good for your environment and your soul. Clean up your space, get rid of things you no longer need and then finish off with a nice incense or sage cleanse.

[Cook/Bake]

Taking time to cook or bake with the following herbs and fruits is a great way to celebrate Ostara! Maybe set a simmer pot, Even simple meals are good; For example, I'll be having eggs for breakfast, a salad for lunch, gyros for dinner and honey cookies & lemon possets for dessert.

[Divination]

And of course in witchcraft, there's always room for divinations. I'll link some tarot reading you could do. Taking a ritual bath to cleanse yourself and start new for the season. Meditate. Use an egg in your spell-work as a representation of new life. Manifesting goals.

Symbolisms:

[Animals]

-Chicks

-Bunnies

-Butterflies

-Bee's

-Lambs

-Deer

[Crystals]

These will be my opinion

-Clear and Rose Quartz: Emotional Healing and clarity

-Aventurine: Well being and prosperity

-Blue Calcite: Restoration

-Amethyst: Intuition and Balance

-Citrine: Clearing and positive energy

[Colors]

-Green: Nature, growth, fertility

-Yellow: Focus, learning, clarity

-Blue: Spiritual healing, higher self connection, balance

-Pink: Harmony, self love, faith

-Purple: Spirituality, Wisdom, prosperity

[Herbs]

Rosemary

Thyme

Parsley

Lavender

Dandelions

[Foods]

Eggs

Honey

Bread

Vegetables

What I'll be doing personally:

My Ostara will be a little busy, as I'll be cleaning, cooking and baking, divination and finishing up a ton of hobbies I've started and did not finish. I'll post those activities later today.

Thank you for reading, Happy Ostara!

[kitchenwitchtingss]

RECIPES I KEEP IN MY ONLINE KITCHEN WITCH JOURNAL #2

I love making these oh my gosh.

Why?

It's really fun

It's been a while since my last one

I get an excuse to try yummy recipes

You all are way too good at what you do

It's fun x2

Teas, Drinks, And Syrups

🍊 Orange Peel Tea 🍊

Violet Lemonade

Coconut Summer Drink

Dandelion Honey

The Best Hot Spiced Cider recipe you’ll ever try

Apple Cider is basically a homesteading spell

Rose Lemonade Syrup

100-Year Garlic (Garlic Honey)

Fire Cider Spell for Winter Protection

Blackberry & Apple Jam

Witchy Recipes - Blackberry Lemonade

Baked Goods + Sweets

Prosperity Bread

Lavender Earl Grey Cookies

Easy Rosemary Focaccia Loaf for Love and Protection

Heavenly Lavender Scones

Honey Vanilla Peach Butter 🍑

Pumpkin Pie Dip 🎃

Vanilla-Pumpkin Cupcakes

Soups, Stews, And Dinners

Super simple secret potato soup

Forest Porridge

Heartwarming potato soup

Perfect Homemade Garlic Bread

Creamy vegetable soup

Springtime Soup

Stuffed Maple dijon glazed roasted butternut squash

Summertime stir fry

Sabbat Stuff

Litha Orange Honey Cake

Litha Thyme Chicken

Stuffed Apples for Mabon

Mabon Mug

Imbolc Pretzel wreath

Oatmeal Bread for Lughnasadh

Samhain Mulled Cider

Samhain Irish Apple Cake

Angel's Best

(my favorite recipe posts I've made over the years, plus backstories that sound like your grandmother's reminiscing over the past.)

LATE WINTER BUTTER ROLLS

My first post I ever made. I was pretty new to the tumblr community at the time. I loved kitchen witchcraft, and I'm the type of person who will ramble on about how much I love cooking and baking. This blog gave me an outlet to express my love of cooking, baking, paganism, and witcraft. And these rolls are very tasty, I make them to this day!

WITCHY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Tasty, simple, and a crowd-pleaser. It's perfect for a beginner kitchen witch! It was also the second recipe I ever posted.

SWEET CREAM BUNS

It was a recipe given to me by one of my good friends at the time. Every time I make it, it gets devoured in less than 10 minutes. It was also my first recipe to get over 50 notes. I was shocked but ecstatic that so many people would even give it the time of day lol.

WITCHY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

These ones were just fun to make and delicious lol.

A WITCH’S COZY BUTTERNUT WINTER SOUP

A quick soup that feeds a lot of people during the fall season. Fall is my favorite season, so of course I'm very biased lol.

SAMHAIN PUMPKIN BREAD

I love pumpkin bread and apple cider... So why not combine the two? This one was definitely one of my favorites of all time. Moist pumpkin bread and chocolate chips have to be one of my favorite things on this planet. It also makes for the perfect gift for friends and family. Yummy!

ANGEL’S AWARD-WINNING LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

I love dessert loaves of any kind, so naturally, this would be on the list lol.

MAPLE BUTTER COOKIES

Super simple comfort food! I love any time of cookie with brown sugar.

BRING ME POSITIVITY PECAN FRENCH TOAST BAKE

I love French toast, and I love positivity~

SAMHAIN SOUL CAKES RECIPE

These are really good! And traditional. If you celebrate Samhain, I recommend you make some soul cakes and have friends and family help decorate. I give the littles a bag of orange frosting and let them go crazy lol.

FEEL BETTER CHICKEN SOUP

One of my most recent is my witchy twist on chicken noodle soup!

[firstmedicaldiagnosticspvtltd]

WILD HERB RECIPES

Wild herb recipes taking into consideration food allergies

Liven up your food with wild herbs! Wild herbs add variety to your menu and are a good source of many important minerals and trace elements. Also, wild herbs have very few allergenic properties, making them a good source of enrichment for mindful eating habits, especially if you have a delayed food allergy, commonly called food intolerances.

Breakfast:

Wild herb quark

100 g wild herb mixture (mixture of eight different salad herbs), such as ground elder, wild mallow, chickweed, shepherd’s purse, dead-nettle, dandelion, campion, wild arugula—varies depending on season

250 g quark (can be substituted by goat or sheep cream cheese)

100 ml mineral water

Salt

freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Peel and slice onions and shallots. Wash the herbs and shake dry.

Mix quark with mineral water until smooth, and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the herb mixture. Cover the quark and allow to stand for 30 minutes.

Wild herb scrambled eggs

Makes four servings:

250 g bacon, diced

1 large onion

50 g ground elder

6 chicken eggs (can be substituted for goose or quail eggs)

Salt, pepper, paprika

3 Tbsp mineral water

Preparation:

Finely chop onions. Sort ground elder and cut into small pieces. Render the bacon in the pan and sauté chopped onion until golden brown. Add ground elder and allow to soften at low heat, stirring repeatedly. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add mineral water, and whisk gently with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the pan and prepare like scrambled eggs. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Main Dish:

Pear and carrot soup with common sorrel and wood sorrel

Makes four servings:

250 g pealed and finely chopped carrots

1 large pear

30 g butter (alternatively, clarified butter)

1 Tbsp honey

2 finely diced shallots

0.8 l strong vegetable stock without yeast

60 g common sorrel

10 g wood sorrel

4 Tbsp crème fraîche (alternatively, natural soy yogurt)

Salt, freshly ground white pepper

Preparation:

Melt the butter, add the finely chopped shallots, carrots, and sugar and sauté until glazed. Add stock and spices, and allow carrots to simmer until soft, approximately 20 minutes. Peal and core pear. Cut common sorrel into very fine strips. Add pear and crème fraîche to the carrots and purée in a blender. Season soup again afterwards. Place common sorrel on preheated deep plates, fill with hot soup, and garnish with wood sorrel. Instead of sorrel, cilantro also makes a nice compliment to this soup, but you will need about 50 g of cilantro and a few ground coriander seeds.

Risotto with common sorrel and wood sorrel

Makes four servings:

180 g rice

50 g finely diced vegetables: carrots, celery, and leek

1 finely diced onion

100 ml fresh cream (alternatively, sweetened soy milk)

30 g common sorrel leaves

20 g wood sorrel (hare’s foot)

Salt, freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Cook the rice with chopped vegetables in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt for about 10–15 minutes, allow to stand for another 5 minutes, and drain. Sauté the diced onions in butter (or clarified butter), add rice, and fill up with cream. Heat and stir occasionally. At the end, add fine strips of cut common sorrel and season generously again. Serve on deep plates and garnish with wood sorrel. (A fish fillet with crispy skin is very delicious when paired with this dish!)

Asparagus and tomatoes in gelée with chickweed pesto

Makes four servings:

400 g white and green asparagus, cooked

2 beefsteak tomatoes

0.2 l strong asparagus stock

4 gelatin sheets

Salt, freshly ground pepper

50 g chickweed

1 Tbsp roasted pine nuts

2 Tbsp hazelnut oil

Preparation:

Peel and dice beefsteak tomatoes. Bring the asparagus stock to boil, reduce a little, and strain through a cloth. Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for a few minutes, squeeze out, and add to the hot stock. (You should have about 0.15 l of stock remaining after the reduction step.) Season again to taste. Brush a small loaf pan with a small amount of oil and line with plastic wrap. Cut the asparagus in half lengthwise and layer with tomatoes in the pan. Fill pan with warm broth and allow to thicken overnight. For the pesto, cut chickweed into small pieces and crush in mortar with a pinch of salt. Add pine nuts and also crush (thin with asparagus stock as needed). Fold in the nut oil, and season to taste again. Remove the cold terrine from the pan, slice with a very sharp knife, and serve with fresh chickweed, asparagus spears, and pesto.

Grilled chicken breast with wild garlic marinade

Makes four servings:

400 g chicken breast fillets

40 g wild garlic spread

Salt, pepper

Preparation:

Cut chicken breast fillets into slices and cover generously with wild garlic spread. Add salt and pepper as needed. Marinate in fridge for at least one hour. The marinated chicken fillets will release their best aroma on the grill, but they can also be fried in a pan with some rapeseed (canola) oil. Pair this dish with potato salad, rice, or noodles.

[tianasimstreehouse]

Occult Recipebook

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble.

INTRO

Occult gameplay is up there with one of my favourite ways to play. Food is a part of our Sims lives, and should also be for occults so that they can cook up their preferred foods.

This Occult Recipebook is a collection of custom recipes (food and drink) for Occult Sims in the Sims 4.

I have started off this occult culinary journey with: ✨SPELLCASTERS✨

I have plans to later create foods for each occult life state, so I will keep adding to the recipe book.

“Spellcasters” as a life state can be played in so many different ways: they can range from gnarly evil witches who practice black magic and eat bird entrails, to happy little fairies who live in cottages surrounded by woods and flowers! I have tried to include a little bit of everything in the recipes I have created. These foods are a mix of fairy, fantasy, green garden witch, apothecary, or black-magic sorcerer etc. 

They effect Spellcasters and/or human Sims in many weird and wonderful ways.

E.g. Nettle Tea which helps teenagers suffering with acne, Milk Thistle Biscuits which leave the consumer with prickly thistles in their tongue, and Eye of Newt Soup which most Sims will find disgusting but which Spellcasters will happily slurp up.

RECIPES

39 new recipes for your Spellcasters!

~ Realm of Magic is required for these recipes ~

**there's a fair amount of pack-integration, and be sure to read the pack recommendations on the Patreon post for each recipe** to make sure nothing is missing or glitching.

Meals Dandelion Salad - increases SCs gardening skill, fills PlantSims' hunger Nettle Soup Soft-Boiled Golden Eggs - makes Sims glow and glitter Pumpkin Pasties Pomegranate Halves Eye of Newt Soup - makes other Sims feel sick Valerian Root Pie - other Sims won't like this dish Elderberry Jam Toast Toadstool Soup - inspires SCs, normal Sims won't like this dish Salamander Stew - other Sims won't like this dish Spiced Honey Bread - SCs will gain all skills faster Raised Newt Pie - makes other Sims feel sick Dragon Livers - Werewolves will love these and normal Sims won't Raised Phoenix Pie - Sims will randomly breathe fire for a while and feel confident

Desserts Milk Thistle Biscuits - chance to get uncomfortable thistles in tongue Huckleberry Jam Cream Puffs - makes SCs playful Fairy Bread Soul Cakes Huckleberry Pie Juniper Berry Jam Biscuits Honeycomb Cakes - SCs will gain all skills faster Valerian Custard Tart Toadstool Cookies Cursed Cookies - wouldn't recommend eating these... serve them to enemies! Eating one may leave the SC eater cursed. Good Sims will sense the evil inside and get sad Canning *Requires Cottage Living Canning Skill Gooseberry Jam Elderberry Jam Rosehip Jelly Drinks *Bar/alcoholic drinks require Mixology skill, and a Bar. Acorn Coffee (*coffee machine) Pumpkin Juice Willow Bark Tea - A home remedy to cure most illnesses, food poisoning etc Sage Tea - soothes stress and anger, SCs are focused and improve logic skills faster Nettle Tea - helps teens suffering from acne Lavender Tea - makes Sims flirty Mugwort Tea - reduces fear or panic Butterbeer - gives SCs confidence Mandrake Ale Nettle Wine Dandelion Wine Elderberry Wine

INFO & DOWNLOAD (early access): https://www.patreon.com/posts/79514896?pr=true Milk & Cookies: Now! Sugar Cookies: May 24th Public: May 31st

Pro tip for Windows PC users: Please make sure to delete the MACOSX folders/files that can appear after you extract the mod's files, otherwise the game may throw an error and not load at all.

TRANSLATIONS Polish - ❤️ Daisy1728, find their translation over here French - ❤️ Heidi / LuniverSims, find their translation here

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Dandelion Honey Recipe

This is a really sweet recipe for anyone looking to dabble in making their own herbal cooking, or if you’re looking for a vegan alternative to honey!

Ingredients:

200-250 pieces dandelion flowers freshly plucked

1 quart water

Sugar quantity according to infused water

Juice of 1 lemon

2 lemon halves

Instructions:

Pick your flowers freshly from the fields and rinse them well to get rid of any impurities and insects (add a cap of vinegar to the water to get rid of insects when washing the flower heads)

Sun-dry the flowers for 2 - 3 days

After they are dried, pick out the yellow flower blossom and keep them in a bowl. Discard the greens

Pour water into sauce pan and add flower pieces

Bring to a boil, cover and keep over slow fire for about 1 hour. Allow it to simmer slowly.

After cooking, when the water has been infused, strain the juices from the flowers well and press out all the juices of the flower. Discard the flower pieces.

Take the strained liquid back to the heat together with the sugar and lemon juice and squeezed out lemon halves (sugar quantity depends on the quantity of the strained liquid; if you have 1 quart you need 2.2 pounds sugar)

Mix well and bring to a boil

The ratio is 1:1 water and sugar. Stir well and let it cook slowly until the jelly sets OR until you are satisfied with the consistency

Skim and remove the foam on the jelly

Check if the jelly is good with a candy thermometer. The temperature needs to be 220 Fahrenheit/105 Celsius. You can also test it by dropping some hot jelly on an ice-cold plate. If it runs a lot it's not ready and needs more cooking

Sterilize your jars and keep a few drops of rum (or vodka) in the inner jar lids (helps preserve the jelly for a longer time!) 

Fill your sterilized jars to the rim, close with the lid and turn upside down to create a vacuum

Leave it upside down overnight. The next day, label your jelly and store in a cool and dry place. Store in the fridge once opened

[balkanradfem]

Homesteading survival knowledge

Growing Food:

The basics of Growing Food

Crops to grow for Maximum Production

Seed Starting Plan

Grow transplants for free

How to get Seeds for Free

How to find good soil for Free

Amending the Soil

How to Collect Seeds

Re-potting and care for tomato transplants

Growing dry beans

Growing Garlic

How to grow a lot of Leek

Plants going to Seed Explained

Food you can grow and eat in the Winter

Climate change and Food Security

Plant Lemon Trees from Seed

Why is rain much more effective than watering?

Stashing Food

Storing the Food from your Garden

Living in nature and food conservation

Making a Meal from foraged and Garden Food in Winter

Sun-drying Strawberries

Sun-drying Cherry Tomatoes

Citrus Tips

 Canning

Blackberry Jam

Strawberry Jam

Salsa (tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic)

Đuveđ (mixed vegetables preserve)

Ajvar (preserved peppers)

Preserved sugar Cherries

 Foraging: 

Edible Mushrooms that grow on trees

Edible Wild Plants to Forage for in Spring

Make Honey out of Dandelions

How to cook with Nettle

Incredible value of Pine Needles

 Herbalism

Rose Water

On herbal infusions and poison tea

Herbs to Collect for Tea

How to safely make Elderberry Syrup

Yarrow and Lemon Balm

Basic Medicinal Herbal Tea Uses

 Tree Care:

How to grow trees

Where are the Tree Roots?

What is Root Flare

Tree Pruning Mistakes

Types of Pruning cuts

How to Prune Correctly

 Other:

Building a Cob House

How to make Earthen Floors

Cooking with minimal use of heat

Processing Forest Clay

How to hand-work clay

How to make laundry detergent out of conkers

Creating baskets out of Newspapers

How to keep your space cool during heat waves

How trees create a living atmosphere

How to get rid of ants

Survival Recipes

What garden plants can be used as poison

[ordinarytalk]

Okay so first you take some dandelion leaves. Yes, actual dandelions. Yeah, like the ones on your lawn. Take the leaves, bigger the better. Lots of 'em.

Wash 'em real good and rip them up (I usually throw away the tough rib in the middle of the leaves). Now boil some water in a pot and put a good amount of salt in there. Got it? Good. Toss the dandelion greens in there. Let 'em boil 2-3 minutes and then take 'em out and dump the water. Try to get as much water out of the leaves as you can.

Okay, now put some olive oil in a pan and throw some chopped-up garlic in there and cook it until it smells good. Add some red pepper flakes and the dandelion greens. Cook 'em. Like another 3-5 minutes. Cook off any any extra water, if you can.

Got all that? Okay, throw the blanched-and-sauteed dandelion greens on a frozen pepperoni pizza. Or like...any kind of pizza. Works best with strongly flavored proteins, though. Throw a bunch of seasonings on the pizza too, 'cause if you're cooking a frozen pizza you might as well have fun with it. Cinnamon works surprisingly well.

Cook the pizza. Put hot honey on the pizza. Congrats, you just made pepperoni-and-spicy-dandelion pizza.

hi what did everyone have for dinner (or lunch or breakfast if ur in a different time zone. whatever ur last meal was)

[warcats-cat]

A Knight and His Prince

Virgil contemplates his relationship with his beloved prince, Roman. Patton contemplates his relationship with his son and said son's first love.

Lots of fluff with a twist 💜

A/N: My piece for a little exchange among friends; my giftee being @its-the-cat-queen! It was so much fun to write for her aus; a nice pile of fluff to counteract my usual angst ;)

That being said I genuinely don't know what to tag this with so please let me know if I need to add anything. Enjoy!!

Read on Ao3 here!

-----

The early evening around them was warm, washing their camp in the soft glow of sunset; the firelight kissed Roman’s beautiful face as the dark creeped in around them. The prince had let his little hare out to sniff at the dandelions; the bounty of late summer. Virgil carefully removed his hood, laying it on one of the large stones they’d pulled forward as seats to rest on.

Roman was inspecting his sword again, running his hand carefully over smooth steel and worn leather. His crown was set just barely askew on his head. Virgil smiled to himself; his prince never could quite keep the circlet balanced, but he dared not take it off.

It’s possible he loved the crown almost as much as he loved Virgil.

The thought made Virgil’s smile widen, just a bit, as he plopped down next to his prince and leaned his head on his shoulder.

“It’s been a good day today,” Roman said, wrapping his arm around the knight. Virgil hummed in lieu of an answer, listening to the prince’s steady heartbeat and honey voice. “I’m looking forward to the journey home.” He turned to Virgil, his face alight with a new idea, “We should throw a ball! And invite the whole kingdom, and we can even set out food for the poorer families, so everyone can enjoy the festivities.”

Virgil’s smile widened further at that; “My father would object to the entire affair if we didn’t provide an actually nutritious meal alongside the party treats. Not to mention, only one of your dads’ cooking is edible.” Both paused for a moment, shuddering as they remembered Roman’s papa Remus being left to his own devices in the kitchens one fateful night. The green pile of goo that had been set out on plates as if it was anything close to food. The horror from Roman’s dad Patton when the king returned to find such a sad excuse for a meal.

Although, Roman and Virgil had ended up feasting on roasted chickens tossed in bread crumbs and golden strips of potatoes that evening, after the initial disgust and panic; it was the highest form of cuisine, in Roman’s humble opinion.

The rumble of Roman’s words in Virgil’s ear was soft, comforting. Even when laughing, the prince stayed gentle for Virgil’s sake. He felt Roman’s arm wrap around his shoulders, and the prince began carding fingers through his knight’s hair as he rambled, planning out the grandiose party they would host.

After a while, Roman’s hare hopped closer to the pair, and the prince lifted her gently into his lap to stroke her ears. He went quiet, staring off into the middle distance as if contemplating the woods beyond. The crackle of their fire and the calls of distant birds was the only noise for a long while, before suddenly Roman looked to Virgil again and asked, “Will you dance with me?”

Virgil flushed, a little embarrassed, as he admitted, “I don’t know how to dance. And we don’t have any music.” The rabbit turned to sniff at his cheek, as if sensing his discomfort.

“I could teach you,” Roman said gently. “It’s easier to learn when you can go slow.” He gently nudged the rabbit off his lap, and she wandered away to forage for more treats, always staying close enough to watch the pair. Roman stood, and offered a hand to Virgil, which the knight took with little hesitation. The prince pulled him close, so that they were chest to chest, and put a careful hand around Virgil’s waist.

Roman was always so warm; his hands soft and welcoming, his heart steady and soothing. Virgil felt himself relax, even if he was about to make a fool of himself. He faintly remembered one of his fathers trying to teach him a few steps, all while Virgil stood on the tops of the elder’s feet.

It hadn’t gone well.

Roman began to carefully guide the pair in simple motions, holding Virgil’s hand and waist, leading him with confidence. If it were anyone else, the knight would have been staring at his feet, flushed scarlet in shame. But this was Roman, his Roman, who never looked at him unkindly.

His Roman, who sat with him as they shared books, and praised him for his ideas, and protected him from all of the strange beasts of the world. His Roman, who had never laughed at him, only with him. His Roman, who was staring into his eyes right now with all the adoration in the world, making Virgil feel like he could do anything.

His Roman, whose crown was slipping off his head again.

Virgil laughed, gently pushing the prince back and reaching up to straighten the crown. The taller man bent slightly, so Virgil could reach, and Virgil couldn’t resist the swell of bravery he felt as he softly leaned closer to kiss the prince’s forehead after the crown was set.

When Roman met his eyes next, they were filled with awe. As if Virgil had just slain some magnificent beast, or done something amazingly heroic. His hand came to caress Virgil’s cheek as they stared at each other.

“I love you,” Roman whispered, as if the world were only them. “I’m the luckiest man alive, because I have you by my side.” The prince returned Virgil’s kiss with his own to Virgil’s cheek, and Virgil felt his face heating once more.

“I love you too,” Virgil replied softly, almost surprised as the words came out of his mouth. “You make me feel like I can do anything in the world.” They pressed their foreheads together, feeling the world around them go soft and quiet’ as if it was only them, only this spot, that made up the entire universe.

But, of course, the moment had to end, as a familiar voice split the air from father off in the field.

“Roman! Your daddy’s here to pick you up!”

       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Patton couldn’t help a giggle at watching the two toddlers, even from afar. Roman’s face was split with a bubbly smile as he led Virgil, hand in hand, over from the edge of the playground. Virgil had his own tiny smile, and followed Roman like he was the other boy’s whole world. He was so proud of his baby; always looking after his little friend. Poor Virgil had had such a rough first month at daycare, and now he and Roman were almost attached at the hip.

“Daddy!” the kiddo cried, “Daddy we played prince again!” Roman’s yellow paper crown slipped from his head, (Patton suspected it wasn’t for the first time today) and Virgil tugged lightly on their conjoined hands, making the bubblier toddler stop.

It was hard not to squeal, watching as little Virgil retrieved the accessory, and very carefully set it back on Roman’s head, as if it really was made of gold. Patton also noticed that Virgil was carrying their shared toy, Mrs Fluffybottom, in the pocket of his onesie, and it was vaguely reminiscent of a kangaroo.

“Princes, again?” Patton asked, crouching down in front of the two boys. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the daycare attendant walk away, knowing Patton would take both boys home today. Roman nodded, and hummed an affirmative, his whole body bouncing with his excitement. Virgil, too, was bouncing, just a bit, and he swung their conjoined hands lightly.

“I’s a knight today.” the smaller toddler said softly. The daycare was doing a lot to help the boy with his confidence, and by extension, his enunciation. Still, Virgil speaking up at all was rare, preferring to follow Roman’s leads and let the other boy talk for him when adults or other kids were around. Patton gave the boy a warm smile, and ruffled both kiddos’ hair at the same time, producing the sweet sound of giggling.

“I’m sure you were a very brave knight,” Patton said, offering an arm in case Virgil wanted to be picked up. Both boys gave the affirmative, and Patton found himself with both arms full, hefting the two toddlers up and heading towards his car. “Are you kiddos excited for your sleepover tonight?”

Roman cried “Yeah!” as loud as he could, and Virgil hummed again, nodding against Patton’s shoulder. “Virgie is the best knight EVER!” he hollered, pulling his wooden sword from his pocket and kicking his feet as Patton buckled them in. “We’re gonna build a castle an’ bring out all the animals to be our subjects, an’ we’re gonna throw a party an’ invite everybody from all over!” He started to babble, planning out the story he and Virgil would be playing out when they got home; occasionally pausing to ask Virgil his opinion or ideas, to which the other boy offered that same soft smile and warm voice. They would have a ball, and dancing, and cake (if daddy said yes). Patton had a feeling he and Remus would end up in attendance at some point, and was already looking forward to seeing his eccentric artist husband crouching to play with their boy; whether that be crawling around as the monster for him to slay, or sitting cross legged at the coffee table holding a pink plastic teacup.

Patton loved how much Remus wanted to encourage Roman’s ideas. He loved how vibrantly Roman saw the world. He loved being the king to Roman’s storybook prince.

Patton tried to listen in as he drove, happy to hear his son so happy; and happier still to hear Virgil softly following along. He remembered a few months ago when the pair had met; the initial worry to find out that Roman was being bullied by a few of his classmates (and more worry to think that the boy hadn’t told them), and then not two days later Roman coming home to say that a brave knight had appeared to save him from those meanies. Then said he wanted said knight to come over and play after school.

Patton also remembered meeting Virgil’s fathers, being more than a little relieved to find that he and Remus weren’t the only gay couple in the neighborhood anymore, and there wouldn’t be any awkward comments or meetings for the boys’ sakes. Knowing that separating the kiddos would only do more damage to their development.

The pair really were wonderful for each other.

Roman helped Virgil feel safe, and the teachers had told both families how Virgil was more likely to try new foods for lunch, explore and play away from the teachers. He had even pet a porcupine when the class went to the zoo a few weeks ago. Patton had the photo of both kiddos gently touching the quills in wonder framed and attached to the fridge; he knew Logan had done the same.

In turn, Virgil reminded Roman to be more mindful and gentle. Patton smiled as he remembered taking the boys to the park so all four parents could actually talk, and watching Roman lead Virgil around by his hand, but also constantly check in on the smaller boy. Asking Virgil’s opinions, what he wanted to do, was he tired or thirsty?

Not that Roman had been fussy or selfish, but he had a loud and vibrant personality, and used to be prone to forgetting his manners. Now, though, Roman was more patient and careful. Always attentive to Virgil, and by extension, the other people around him. Even when Virgil wasn’t around, Roman had stopped throwing his toys around when he was upset, and more often asked his questions with please’s and thank-you’s.

Patton snuck another glance at the boys from the rear-view mirror, and his heart absolutely melted as he watched Roman lean over from his car seat and give Virgil a little kiss on the back of his hand, just like the knights and princes in his favorite movies.

Tonight, they would have pizza and maybe some ice cream, and cuddle up to watch movies. He and Remus would be tasked with building a fantastic castle of pillows and blankets. All of their little ‘kingdom’s’ stuffies would be brought out in force. If Patton was lucky, he’d get some pictures from the entire affair; if he was especially lucky, he would get a picture in the morning, of the two toddlers snuggled up in a messy blanket nest, exhausted from their fun.

Yeah. The kiddos would be okay.