#cos sqs here too

[lasillyspace]

oc doodle :]

[christnarr]

victor madness combat masterpost

everything we know about victor, a co-op exclusive project nexus character

theres a lot of things people dont know about them!! like their connection with the maker, how they interact with the audience, etc. however this information is intentionally kept obscure for narrative reasons (ill explain later) so its understandable if you didnt know about this

full post under the cut since its long ==v

SECTION 1: BURGER GILS

the first appearance of victor was on the official burger gils website, under the "updates" section

the first news update, #207, says that rich (a character we see in "power play") is no longer the employee of the month, thus giving the title to victor.

the next prominent update is #209, which states victor has mysteriously gone missing and gil is setting up a hotline for their return.

judging by the next and final update alluding to the fall of nexus city, and that they can "finally open their doors" due to health inspectors being inoperable, we can assume victor went missing beforehand since the restaurant was functioning at the time of the hotline being released.

the reason for their disappearance is still unknown, but that can lead us into the next and more important section:

SECTION 2: THE MAKER (YES, REALLY)

victor, by the laws of the universe, is not meant to exist in nevada. they are an anomaly.

similarly to the maker, they are likely trying to avoid being spotted by the machine or some other "indestructible nightmare".

we learned in a stream that the maker talks to victor, and won't allow their "story" to be told.

"maybe vic, but his story can't be told. the maker won't allow it. that's why the maker talks to vic all the time. he'll never get near the plot."

victor stays as far away from the narrative as possible, choosing to hide as a co-op exclusive character for MPN. krinkels always emphasizes that there's a meta reason for this. even in things like little doodles, victor seems to want to hide from the public eye.

victor reappeared after the city fell, and was found and taken into sq. there is a reason doc wanted victor to join sq, and that doc knows of their importance. however, krinkels wants to keep this part of the story untold too.

SECTION 3: PERSONALITY + ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

not much comments here since ill leave these up to interpretation. heres some dialogue + other things from them that show their personality.

thanks to CondescendingChaos48s self eater dialogue video for providing these :D - mpn devchat clip of wallium doing a victor voice impression - burger gil plushie ad, which victor appears in

-this screenshot

-victor may be the youngest of the main cast

-the burger gil arg, which victor briefly appears in (their involvement is described in the first section)

and thats all! do what you want with this info, i just want to shed light on stuff about victor that isnt as well known

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This fixer upper is so cute and fairy tale-like, that I couldn't resist taking a look. Isn't it pretty? But, the problem is, that the little 1998 cottage in Norwood, CO has to be a cash sale b/c it's got compost toilets in both the main house and the guest house. It is not eligible for a loan and must have a septic tank installed. The 1bd, 1ba,  632 sq ft cottage is $323,900. But, it comes with 40 acres of land.

It's adorable, even thru the clutter. The ad says that it needs a cert. of occupancy. So, how is the current owner living here, then? Check out the sink, it's like a big galvanized pail.

Don't know why they take photos with a fish eye lens. It's not really necessary- the kitchen is cute.

Look at the little rolling pin handle. So, this is a nice vintage-y tile. I think that the cabinets are sweet, too.

The ceiling is unusual, too. From here you can see a nice looking bath, but you can't use the toilet that's in there, until the septic is installed.

Now, this is a nice porch and it has the laundry in here, but it looks like that's the compost toilet behind the wall by the washer.

This will nice, once the compost toilet is out of here.

Really, the bedroom couldn't be any cuter. The fireplace and sleeping nook look like one of those historic English caravans called vardos.

Outside needs work, too, but this a lovely big deck with a pergola.

And, this is the rental/guest house. To bad it got so overgrown, this must've been beautiful

And, look at the whimsical shed. This property is so cute, I could scream b/c it's been so neglected.

There's a still a hint of a garden here.

So far, the property is pretty nice. I wonder what all 40 acres look like.

Log storage. Maybe the fireplace works.

And, this is the back of the main house, I guess.

https://www.trulia.com/home/1300-county-road-42z-s-norwood-co-81423-124653694?

[pastlivesxpastlie]

i would like to request VesselxReader librarian and the reader/librarian reccomends books that vessel would really like unironically!!!!! send post

💛I luv u💛 also I’m glad you said “unironically” because you know I’d say some weird stuff. The story is goofy silly but I stand by these recs.

Vessel x Librarian!Reader, annoyances to lovers

Informational fluffy crack with links to the books

It was nearly closing time and the staff was feeling silly. You being the manager on duty thought, “who would care if I locked the library doors at 15 till? Who’s going to come in here at 8:45 o’clock pm?!” Just as you unethically lock the library doors, you turn around…and there he is… you gawp at him.

“Hey friend, I do have to let you know that we’re closed…and you need a shirt on here…you see…we’re technically in…”

He puts his large, paint smudged hand up to stop you. “There’s still 15 minutes before you close.”

You sigh as you realize you’re standing right by the sign with the library hours. “You can see through that thing?” You ask referencing his mask.

He doesn’t respond. “Can you help me?”

You flip your hair and say “depends” because despite him ruining you eff-off time at work he’s pretty cute.

“I just need some reading recommendations.”

“AHAHHA RIGHT! We ARE at a library! Heh. And I’m the librarian. And. Yeah. Hehe…”

If you could see his eyes you’d imagine he was blinking and staring blankly at you. “Anyways…”

*cue a montage of reader and vessel running around a 10k sq ft library as co-workers stare in confusion and concern*

You sigh, cheeks flushed pink from grabbing books and learning more about your new favorite patron, Vessel.

“Alright, let’s take a look at your impressive stack…”

���Excuse me?” Vessel says quizzically.

“OF BOOKS!! Hehhehe.” This masked shirtless man has made you such a giggly mess you almost forget to check out his books.

First, chosen for its lush atmospheric tone, themes of oral fixations, religious/metaphysical fervor, and devotion is Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda.

Also following the themes of devotion, obsession, along with body horror and feeling insane is Bunny by Mona Awad.

And it was a bit of a hard sell, but you convinced him to try the Shades of Magic series, starting of course with A Darker Shade of Magic, because the male lead has a neat jacket…like him. You both looked down after you said that. Was that the wrong thing? I mean…he was wearing a cloak. Maybe he thinks you’re just being nice. Or…too silly.

“I hope you have enough time to read these,” you say shyly but super cutely (let’s be real you do the radio rebel hair-behind-the-ear).

You like to think he winks at you but, you know, you can’t see his eyes…does he actually have six? He chuckles softly. “I’ll be fine. But…just for fun…how about a graphic novel?”

You bite your lip and smile shyly. “You know…and…stop me if this is weird. But, we’re doing a buddy read of the Warriors graphic novel…like the cats…and I don’t know maybe…you’d want to…no it’s silly…”

He puts his hand up again and shakes his head. “It would be an honor.”

And so, Vessel joined the Warriors read-along and contributed in such a way that he started leading the discussions, which made you very happy because the cat drama was starting to stress you out. At the end of one read-along party, Vessel strides up to you and sheepishly puts his hands in his pockets. “So…I actually have a recommendation for you.”

You blush. “Oh yeah?”

Vessels hands you a piece of paper. Gasp. His phone number. He’s already gone by the time you look up.

“Nice! Now you don’t have to resort to looking him up in the patron database to get his number!” Your darling coworker says with a grin that screams ‘BOYLIKER!’

You roll your eyes and start daydreaming about your first kiss at the Panda Express, feeling like you’re in a cheesy rom-com.

THE END

[cassiopeiasara]

Writer Asks

I was tagged by @hovercraft79 (thank you!)

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 243

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 742,300

3. What fandoms do you write for? I've written for a whole lot. Right now I'm rotating between 9-1-1, The Nanny and the School for Good and Evil but you never know when one of my old ones might pop up.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? A Way to Ignite (SQ), How This Grace Thing Works (Kyalin), In the company of only us (Cartinelli), Broken Shoes and Loose Ends (Kyalin), Let Me Hand You My Love (Hackle)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes, I try to as much as possible because I'm here for engagement. I share fic because I want to talk to people and I appreciate knowing what works in what I share.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I guess Tell Me You Love Me (come back and haunt me) because it kept a canon death.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Most everything else? I tend toward happy endings.

8. Do you get hate on fic? I have before.

9. Do you write smut? Yep.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? Not really. I sometimes write scenarios I borrow from other stories/situations in other fandoms.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Once

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yep.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? A few and it was a lovely experience every time.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship? I don't know that I could pick really. I love them all for different reasons. I've written the most for Hackle.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but probably won’t? Sadly A Soft Place to Land possibly. But you never know, I could rewatch Voyager and change my mind.

16. What are your writing strengths? Fluff. I think I'm decent at humor too. Dialogue is also pretty strong.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Description. It is always such a slog for me even though I live for lush description in fiction.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Not to be attempted without proper research and a native beta if possible.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Scarecrow and Mrs. King but you won't find it anywhere because I was 14 and have no idea what my ff.net password is.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? Hmm it changes sometimes but today I'd say Let Loose Your Longing

I'll tag (but no pressure): @ellydash @chainofclovers @romanimp @dinovia-grant @blossom--of--snow @meridelclarke

[ouatsnark]

OOC Fanfic Reaction take 3

Welcome to another round of “What the hell did that Regina Apologist just write!” where I react to crazy out of character fanfics!

I just find it easier to lump all of these together so I apologize if you don't get a notification that your "what the hell did I just read" rant was responded to.

Anonymous asked: Oh goodness your post about dad Hook and how Henry cared about him made me think of a horrible fic I read on here once. Hook made Henry his best man. Good right? WRONG. Because this person made Henry act like a brat who was willing to ruin his mom's wedding by shit talking Hook in his speech. I don't remember much else about it but it was from Henry's pov and it horrified me.

First off, Henry would never do that to Emma. He is the one who put aside his feelings (come on, what kid is 100% cool with their parent dating for the first time) and gave Emma his blessing to ask Killian out on a date. Henry knows that Killian makes Emma happy. No way would Henry do this and embarrass Emma like that.

Anonymous asked: RAs are so delusional. saw a fic where regina confronts hook about him having a hand in her torture and that she's apologized and tried to redeem herself for her crimes and he gets a pass cause he's a pretty pirate (don't RAs do the same for her cause she's hot lol?) and that he forced emma to go back to sb in s7 when I recall it was emma's choice and she didn't even wanna respect emma's wishes of telling henry about her pregnancy when her and hook were rescuing henry in the wish realm. wtf

Yes, Regina 100% gets a pass from that fandom because they think she is hot. They refuse to even acknowledge that Regina was being tortured by her own victim or that Regina had just tried to murder Killian or that Regina was plotting to murder everyone and then they lie about Regina apologizing. Regina has never apologized. Worse yet, she doesn’t even regret it.

If Killian needs to apologize to Regina for leaving her to her victim then she needs to apologize for everything she has done to him and the others. The idea that everyone needs to apologize to Regina, their abuser, just makes me so indignant. Like, no. Your favorite is a POS please start writing her to reflect this.

And yes, Emma didn’t want to tell Henry at first…. I guess because she didn’t want him to worry or give up his quest? And Regina was about to spill the beans (probably cause she thought it would be bring him home to her, who knows). The idea that Killian was forcing Emma to return is absolutely insane. She was pregnant. What the hell did they want her to do? SHE IS PREGNANT. Have the baby in the middle of the fake Enchanted Forest? FFS. She needed to go back to Storybook and Henry needed to find his story. HE DID NOT need either of his mothers with him. He was a grown boy.

Anonymous asked: read a fic where regina yells at emma for leaving her in the wish realm with adult henry to go have her replacement family and how she had to cast another curse alone and how she was there for all his adult milestones while emma was decorating her nursey with snow???? sorry if emma doesn't wanna follow her grown ass son around for the rest of her life and esp while pregnant. i hate sqs with a passion they blame emma for all the issues that happened

PLEASE tell me someone has written a story where Emma confronts Regina about being too co-dependent on Henry when Regina doesn’t have a man in her life? Cause that would be way more fitting! And then I want to know if the people who write that garbage also write fics where they take Hope away from Killian and give her to Regina? How is that not a replacement family to them? Oh wait because it’s Regina doing the replacing. Duh.

Emma did not replace Henry. The end.

Anonymous asked: saw a fic where is shows how regina should've showed up to new york instead of hook, lol alright how would that even work and y'all assume regina cares that much Anonymous asked: follow up to one my previous asks i read more of that regina in place of hook ny fic and they write him extremely ooc him just wanting to get into emmas pants, being pushy, and even the charmings nudge her toward him cause he traded his ship for her and emma is like "i'm not indebted him i tried out kissing him in neverland" i don't care. the charmings aren't even team killian til like season 6 and it's like RAs don't get the point of the ship trading plot….he didn't even tell anyone that

PLEASE tell me she tried a TLK that failed? Guys you gotta give me more details. P.S. Regina didn’t care. She was too busy mourning the fact that she no longer had Henry to love her and was falling in love with her handbag

The RAs really gotta be out there playing brain dead over the simplest things. Killian Jones purposefully didn’t tell her about trading his HOME to get to Emma because he did not want that gesture to sway her opinion of him. He wanted her to get to see the real him or even the him that he was becoming. He wasn’t kidding when he said he’d win her heart but not out of any trickery!

Anonymous asked: sqs love hc killian as a cheater in all of their fics but the thing is is that that's so ooc like he turned down a pre-paid hooker because he was so in love with emma, he'd rather die than cheat on her like

THIS. ALL OF THIS. But who is the canon cheater? Regina Mills.

Anonymous asked: saw a sq edit on youtube and why did they blur out baby hope and killian at the coronation #%$^U&^%&$^^I*O( WHAT KIND OF HATEFUL PERSON BLURS OUT A CHILD???

OK technically not a fanfic but a video edit is sort of a story.

They blurred her out I guess because they couldn’t figure out a way to make it look like Hope was SQ’s. Though, I’ve heard enough of them try to refer to Hook as their babysitter. Ridiculous.

Anonymous asked: saw a s5 au fic where when emma becomes the dark one and snow gives regina the dagger cause she knows regina will do the right thing and hook has a temper tatrum over it cause again the ooc thing but regina was always taking advantage of it when they were in camelot

Why does Snow have to give Regina the dagger? What kind of craziness is this? I thought they loved that Emma gives Regina the dagger because it “shows how much Emma trusts Regina.” Yes. TO KILL HER. Yet it goes over their heads that Emma knows that Killian would never be able to harm her but Regina would.

Killian wouldn’t have even taken the dagger. He’d have given it back to Emma.

Anonymous asked: reading a fic where adult hope is trying to do a spell and regina is in the back calling her useless when it doesn't work and hope snaps back "well what's your big plan what do you have to contribute besides complaining and bitchy comebacks cause that's not gonna help us your majesty." I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING CAUSE WHY IS SHE ME I LOVE HOW THEY WROTE HER WITH A BACKBONE

YES! All hail whomever wrote this! All of the characters should have done this more with Regina because her attitude was literally a drag.

Anonymous asked: people who write killian abusing emma fics and then running to regina for help/comfort it's getting weird

I am beginning to think it is a fetish. They love to validate their feelings that men are bad and Regina really is a saint. Was there ever a single scene of her comforting anyone? Regina’s idea of comforting is calling someone an idiot and asserting her authority. So if Regina was written in character for this she’d be telling Emma “well, you were dumb enough to marry him. Grow up and leave him already.”

But it will always be canon that Killian Jones was the one to wipe away Emma’s tears and offer her comfort and words of encouragement.

[hypnotisedfireflies]

Asks Masterlist

I have a quite a few now so this may make it easier for anyone seeking information about a particular topic/character. Please note there may be some spoilers for TLOU2 here and definitely for my series of fic.

Driftersverse Tess and Joel

A good day in Indy (ficlet) Birthdays Boston 2021 humour (ficlet) Casting Days in Jackson before reunion First day off (ficlet) Getting healthy in Jackson Good Samaritans? Indy debauchery participation (ficlet) If Sarah and Nico lived If Tess could get pregnant AU Jealousies [I] [II] [III] Nico's birthday Outbreak day and Sarah Outtake "You Only Live Twice" (ficlet) Parenting Ellie (ficlet) Photos in Jackson Swapping Mike for Joel on outbreak day (ficlet) Tension and angst in the rough times "Tess is a top." Tess's relationship to motherhood (Nico) [II] Tess's relationship to happy pills Tio Joel The Abby Situation The one universe they don't fall in love Ultimate fates Valentines Day Wedding dress What would happen if Joel was too late to save Ellie but Tess lived in Jackson AU

Ellie

Coming out/conversation with Tess (ficlet) Dina and Ellie Finding out the truth Tess and Ellie relationship [I] [II] [III] [IV] Thoughts about Sarah

Tommy, Maria and Others

After leaving Joel Bill headcanons Tommy and the Babysitter (ficlet) Tommy and the Fates (ficlet) Tommy leaving the Fireflies Sexuality Tommy and Joel and Spanish "Ask Real Nice" (Tommy x Maria ficlet) [I] [II] [III] [IV] [V] Who's the Bigger Slut? (a character study)

OCs

Cordyceps in AU/NZ/Pacific Different fates variables (spoilers for Dawn) Emma comes back AU Fancasting Freer Girl's fate Hannah's fate Hannah and Joel's texts (SQ) Indy crew debauchery Indy fun times (Lachie teaches cricket ficlet) Lachie's family's fate Lachie and Tess relationship [I] [II] [III] Lachie and Tess roadtrip 2023/2024 (ficlet) Lachie and Tess on the road again (ficlet) Mike Servopoulos FC Mike survives Outbreak day AU Mike and Tess [I] [II] William Szulc

General

My writing process [I] [II] Differences between SQ Tess and Drifters Tess Plots that didn't make it into Dawn/were changed Thoughts on reader opinions

The Legend of Charro

Adelaide and Tess Bill and Frank's story Outtake #1 Outtake #2 What if (alternate scenario)

Snowqueen of Texas / Parallel Lines

A Social Pariah (Sarah & Joel ficlet) Deleted scene Hannah and Joel's texts (ficlet) Sarah, co-sleeping (ficlet) Sarah feeling insecure (ficlet) Sarah's school concert (ficlet) Cat sitting at Bill and Frank's (Many SQ ficlets, particularly those taking place prior to 2003, can also be considered DD canon).

Interstellar Overdrive

Avalon interior/exterior Joel inspiration in gifs "Lady Muck." Outtake #1 Tess's charity gala gown Tess's vanilla gown Tommy and Maria's gala night

[itwasmagic]

hope you are doing better now <3 if you still wanna talk about something, how about your favorite swan queen scene that makes you laugh\smile? I mostly remember early seasons, cos they were... better lol so the first scene that comes to mind is that one where regina tells emma to enjoy her cocoa and leaves, and then emma just tries to go after her and spills cocoa on herself :'D somehow this tiny moment always makes me smile, or the one where emma is wearing regina's shirt and regina is like 'enjoy my shirt' and there's snow white in the background being like ???? and she did not even know emma is her daughter yet, imagine her after she remembers lmao I think I giffed both of those moments. anyway, share your favs :3

thank you!!! i woke up feelin a lil better today my immune system just likes to go a lil too hard when im sick and instead of curing me it tries to kill me off

the cocoa is one of my fav scenes too the way emma was so flustered by regina was so funny. my other ones are 2x10 outside granny's which is probably obvious bc i love to gif it and i know they squabbled but the patio with the fairy lights is so pretty it's like a romcom and i think the first sq fic i wrote stemmed from that (i also love when marian comes back too with the cooler toned lighting but it's interrupted by other characters 😑)

aaaaand when emma meets the evil queen as princess leia i need that scene to be an entire episode long PLS (if anyone has seen the trope polls on twitter i have no idea how drunken confessions beat evil queen x princess emma i'm here for the fantasy!!! (i did vote friends to lovers over it but when that lost i feel like this trope should have at least won with a purpose) there are just so many potential stories that could come from them meeting in the enchanted forest whether it's canon compliant or au.

i do get sad that we don't have more fun filler scenes of them from like s4 onwards when they were friends i know it wouldn't really fit with the show but i wish there was a scene of them relaxing on a couch or in regina's kitchen bc i love fanfics that centre around that kinda thing i suppose a bit like how emma and mary margaret were in s1 when they'd just sit on the bed together in the loft n stuff 🥺

edit to add i always laugh also after emma became the dark one and disappeared bc the fandom were all like she did it for the town not regina!! n used to fight about it and i think in like maybe the first ep of s5 h**k is immediately like "she did it for you" to regina that will never not be funny to me that it was literally written into the show

[lasillyspace]

I can't believe I haven't posted her yet but new oc!

her name is Eliza.

now she originally was gonna be the antagonist for my red and blue ocs but,

is now part of them :]

[cyberdykes]

I'm HOPING I get this one place it's 1200 sq ft for just $1095/mo (+ $100/mo for my dog) and has its own washer/dryer. No dishwasher which sucks but the rest of it is great, and according to my sister it's in a good neighborhood. Around here that would be like $1800-1900 minimum. But def trying a couple backups too cos I don't want to be homeless when the semester starts lol

That’s awesome omfg that’s a really good price

[hometoursandotherstuff]

An Culu, this 1990 Gothic style castle in Kenmare, Co Kerry, Ireland was put on the market in 2007, for €15m and sold 13 yrs. later “at a price close to the asking figure of €4.5 million.” ($4.89M)

When the original owner bought the 4.5 acre land, he couldn't decide what to build on it, until the planners said, "You've got to build a castle."

Cozy sitting room with a massive fireplace and mezzanines above. The new owner intends to spend a large part of the year at An Culu “where he plans to entertain overseas guests and business associates as well as being able to appreciate some down time in this luxurious haven.”

Look at the living room (the original owner and his family lived here full time until the kids grew up and it was too big).

Love this sun room.

The large kitchen is modern.

The stairs are very grand.

The primary bedroom is suitable for royalty.

But, look at the grotto style pool in the basement rec room.

There's a nice big patio on the water.

Amazing that it took 13 years to sell.

[userumbrellarealty]

Discover the Ultimate in Luxury Living: Trendsquares Ortus in Amruthahalli, North Bangalore

Looking for premium 2 & 3 BHK apartments in a spread of 4.5 acres of gated community? Look no further than Trendsquares Ortus Amruthahalli, North Bangalore. Ortus-3 is the latest addition to the Ortus series, which has already seen impressive success with Ortus-1 and Ortus-2. With 360 units, this project offers the highest standards of luxury in the city's most futuristic locale.

The New Stunner in the Neighbourhood

The rise of Trendsquare Ortus is the talk of the town, and for good reason. This 4.5-acre gated community is a Katha project that boasts 80% open area, making it an ideal place to relax and unwind. The community has three blocks with a basement, ground, and 13 floors. With 20+ luxury amenities and a 9,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, this is truly the new stunner in the neighborhood.

The New Language of Design

The design of Ortus-3 is something to marvel at. The architecture of the three imposing blocks is modern and minimalist, with a lot of thought put into the aesthetics. The parks and sports areas are fused into the overall design, making the community layout a dream come true.

Amenities

The amenities at Ortus-3 are second to none. The outdoor swimming pool with a dedicated cardio pool comes with stylish deck-side seating, and the enchanting clubhouse also offers a special kids' pool for the water babies. After creating waves here, we also invite you to experience the finest facilities for sports, indoor games, and fun.

Luxury Features

Double height reception and lounge, family swimming pool, kids' pool and cardio pool with poolside seating deck, equipped gym, indoor games and cards room, mini-theatre with 40-45 seating capacity, co-working space, and mini-library, indoor badminton court, and more.

Location

The location of Trendsquares Ortus 3 is unbeatable. Located in upscale Hebbal, this gated community is close to several educational institutions, hospitals, and retail outlets. With a Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Nilgiris, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, and Prolife Hospital all within a 1.5 km radius, you're never too far from anything you need.

The Spectacular Floor Plans and Structure

The layout of Ortus-3 has been meticulously planned, with 80% open space.

The structure of Ortus-3 is built to last, with an RCC slab structure.

6' inch blocks for external walls and 4' inch blocks for internal walls, giving you a sturdy foundation to call home.

Teak wood frame with OST shutters for main doors and Sal wood frame and flush shutters for internal doors.

Aluminum/UPVC powder coated 3 track windows with safety grills and mosquito mesh, giving you a clear view of the beautiful surroundings.

Vitrified flooring for living, dining, and bedrooms, and anti-skid tiles for the kitchen and balcony, ensuring your home is as practical as it is beautiful.

Copper wiring with branded cables and switches, with TV and telephone points in the living room and master bedroom. Provision for A/C points in the master bedroom.

Anti-skid ceramic tile flooring and glazed tile dado up to door height with branded fittings. White sanitary ware in all toilets

[fatehbaz]

On a remote patch of land in the south-west of Ireland lies a precious fragment of a lost world [...]. Eleven years ago, [ED] [...] moved to [...] an old farm on County Cork's rugged coast. The farm, on the Beara Peninsula, included a strip of native woodland, something that is now incredibly rare in Ireland, as well as Europe. [ED] saw that 32-acre (13-hectare) patch of ancient trees as [...] [a] temperate rainforest – a type of mossy forest once far more common in Britain and Ireland, made possible in part thanks to moist island air. By pulling out heaps of non-native plants, including rhododendron, and erecting a fence to keep sheep and [non-native] deer from grazing the area, [ED] gave his forest a chance to flourish [...] explaining that there's been a noticeable increase in the presence of birds and insects, too.

The picture elsewhere is less than leafy. The Republic of Ireland has the lowest forest cover of any country in Europe. It wasn't always that way. Once, 80% of the land here was covered by native trees – the figure now just 1%. Farmland dominates, covering 72% of land in the Republic [...].

For an island so often referred to as "green", there's a striking lack of [forest]. [...] Many wonder to what extent Ireland's biodiversity can really be rescued through rewilding. Is it even possible [...] in the 21st Century?

[ED]'s Atlantic rainforest is full of native tree species including oak, birch, willow and hazel. [...]

Julian Friers is an artist living in the north of Ireland who has pictured what lost ecosystems looked like – literally. His paintings of extinct Irish animals show long-departed creatures in familiar places. Some are gone forever, such as the woolly mammoths who once plodded around what is now County Antrim in Northern Ireland. [...] Some of his paintings, however, depict potential candidates for reintroduction – including the lynx, which still exists in some parts of Europe, such as Spain. [...] But returning large carnivores to the wild in Ireland is a divisive idea. The Green Party in the Republic of Ireland has called for wolves to be reintroduced after 250 years of absence, though there are no official plans to do so yet. [...]

But there are other, less emotive species, that [F] thinks could be reintroduced. These include the corn bunting, a small light brown and rather plump-looking bird, and sturgeon, a large river-dwelling fish that has been extinct in Ireland since 1967.

However, as [NR] at Queen's University Belfast points out, it's not always clear what groundwork is needed to ensure reintroduction programmes will go to plan. In 2001, golden eagles were brought back to Ireland in County Donegal's Glenveagh National Park. Although the birds have sustained a population there ever since, their numbers have not grown as expected. [NR] says surveys [...] have found that there is not enough prey for the eagles in the area, such as hares and red grouse. That might be because the park is being over-grazed by deer and sheep [...]

He says that, on the road to species reintroductions, conservationists could start by following this example of preparing suitable habitats, encouraging fragmented patches of native forest, peatland and wetland around Ireland to expand.

The vast majority of the trees that do exist in Ireland today, explains [F], are actually in non-native commercial plots, such as dense pine tree plantations. "Which is mostly very low biodiversity," he says [...].

There are schemes afoot in this vein. Take the 11,000 hectare (42 sq mile) wilderness area in the Nephin Beg mountains of County Mayo. Here, 4,000 hectares (15 sq miles) of non-native pine are to be transformed into a patchwork of native trees and wetland.

Then, of course, there are the bogs.

Ireland is famous for its once plentiful peatlands [...]. But Ireland's pristine raised bogs have dwindled to just 1% of the area they used to cover. [...] Huge volumes of peat were extracted and burned as a means of generating heat or electricity. The use of peat as an energy resource will end in the Republic of Ireland by 2028 but large tracts of exploited peatland have been left barren, says [CO], who was chief executive of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council until December. In winter, these areas become muddy and treacherous, with little or no plant life. And in the summer, they dry out into great seas of dust. [...]

There are efforts to re-wet some peatlands and encourage the sphagnum moss that grows on them to flourish again. This would benefit a variety of insects and birds. 

-------

Images, captions, and text published by: Chris Baraniuk. “What would a truly wild Ireland look like?” Future Planet. 11 February 2021.

[coalitiongirl]

Fic Recs (under 300 edition)

So I wanted to get back to reading Swan Queen fic regularly, and I asked people to rec longfic that they'd read (not written) and loved that had fewer than 300 kudos! I haven’t read most of these, but I’ve collected them here so y’all can go through the list and discover some new fics with me! Please try to kudos and review every fic that you read! It means the world to the writers and will keep em writing, and then we all win. 😁

Atonement by SgtMac (M): With Regina's magical heart failing thanks to years of previous evil, Emma and Regina and Henry (and Granny!) set out to save her life by traveling to the Enchanted Forest and requesting help from ancient magical beings known as the Guardians. Given a mission as simple as it is impossible - to achieve atonement by creating peace - the ladies find themselves joining a rebellion and fighting for the very soul of the Enchanted Forest all while trying to help Regina to understand that the self-loathing and guilt which have driven most of her actions don't have to doom her chance for a new beginning or even, a chance to live and love again. A S4(ish) SQ love story set against the turmoil of war and the chaotic savagery of the old world.

Blood and Sand by cheshire6845 (E): A/U The Savior is a slave forced into the role of fighting as a gladiator for the House of Hearts. The odds are against her survival as she will have to win in the arena, navigate Cora's schemes, outlast a general's vengeance, and not be killed out of spite by the current House of Hearts Champion - Regina the Undefeated. This story follows the major plot points of Starz Spartacus with some twists along the way.

But what if there was no time by KizuRai (M): When she wakes up, it's dark. She can't move, she can't see, she can't feel and she can't hear. Where am I? She feels a forceful oppression, pressing her down, draining her of her energy and she's powerless to stop it. How did I get here? The question of here is relative, she's not even sure where here is. What happened? There must be some reason for being stuck here but her memory is fuzzy, like all her thoughts are being sifted through a filter. Who am I? She's not sure if she actually exists or she suddenly became sentient in the darkness.She hears a voice reverberating in the distance, it's distorted and quiet but she hears it all the same. It breaks the monotony of the silence. Someone's coming for her, they will get her out. She's just not sure she wants them to as the price might be too great.

Finding Home by evl_rgl (T): “I wanted to remember you so badly that I pulled back your cursed town just so that the memories would make sense. I needed you so badly that even when I had no memory of you, I still tried to find you.” Regina gave Emma and Henry memories of a happy life together before they fled Pan’s curse, leaving them with no memories of their lives in Storybrooke. However, when the memory spell shows signs of failing, threatening to rip apart the minds of both Emma and Henry, Regina makes a drastic choice to go back and fix it, understanding that it will mean living alone in a world where her son doesn’t know her. Was the spell really faulty, though? (swanqueen)

Five Flames by MariaComet (U): In the past, Emma Nolan disconnected from her peers in high school, preferring to keep to herself. In her sophomore year of high school, she decided to try and join the boy’s wrestling team because she was bored. She didn’t expect herself to become the champion of the most bullied kid in school or the secret best friend of the school queen. She also didn’t expect to join a club that would change her life. In the present, Emma is trying to cope with a humiliating loss in her martial arts career. She claims to be “training” but is stuck in limbo between wanting to retire and try again. She is isolated from her former best friend, Regina Mills, a local celebrity chef and the rest of her old friends. When one of them calls her with an idea to honor their deceased teacher, she is confronted with unresolved feelings and questions about how powerful love truly is.

A Glamour of Truth by PrincessCharming (T): After 2x10, Regina uses magic to show Emma the obvious truth. A tentative trust forms between them amid hilarious bickering. With Emma's help, Regina struggles to regain a place in her son's life... until Cora arrives, wanting her daughter back. Pieces of Regina's past emerge showing that the board was set long before the game started. The final battle begins soon.

His Dark Materials 'verse by MoonlitMidnight (M): A modern Alternate Universe in which Dæmons (the external physical manifestation of a person's 'inner self' that takes the form of an animal) are present. In which Emma and Regina have led slightly different lives and they make slightly different choices.

How Many Miles to Avalon? (WIP) by RavenOutlander (E): Regina would do anything to save Emma from the darkness and bring her back home safe and sound. Even put up with the two idiots, Captain Guyliner and a bunch of dwarves she decidedly wanted to drop off at the nearest exit. But in their search for Emma, they find that she might not need that much saving after all. Caught up in a search for the infamous Philosopher Stone, an all out war between DunBroch and Camelot, and ghosts from the past to haunt her every waking moment, Regina finds herself scrambling to keep her and her family's happy endings from falling apart.

The Hyperion by FrankenSpine (M): After wishing upon what she believes is a shooting star, Emma Swan finds herself aboard the Hyperion, the royal starship of an alien Queen from a faraway galaxy. She quickly learns of the tensions between the Queen's people and her own, but the Queen takes an interest in her and agrees to take her away from Earth forever. Adventure awaits. *(Loosely based on Guardians of the Galaxy with just a hint of Farscape)*

If Wishes Came True (It Would've Been You) by Angeii_K (M): After Regina films a guest appearance on her friend Neal’s popular show, he invites her to spend the weekend with him and his girlfriend. What she never expected was to actually like the woman. Sparks fly between the two, which results in them questioning everything and making choices they will later regret. 4 years later, they meet again in the most unexpected of ways. Now co-stars on the same show, they are forced to work through the emotions from their last encounter. What will happen next? Only time will tell.

The King Doesn’t Have To Know (WIP) by highheelsandchocolate (M): The White Knight had never seen anyone like her before: the Queen was nothing short of mesmerizing. Her possessive yet neglectful husband, however, was another thing entirely.

The Lich by Dangereaux (M): Gay disaster Emma, exasperated Regina, and a monster. A Halloween special.

Maybe if We Close Our Eyes we Can Reach the Stars by wellthizizdeprezzing (T): Emma is a lonely astronaut. Regina is an adventuring alien. Their paths cross leading them onto a journey of new discovery. Between galaxies and many miles of cold black space, despite not speaking the same language, they manage to fall for each other. An out of this world love story.

A prisoner long forgotten by sugarsweet_19 (M): ‘I wish I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood and as black as the wood of the window-frame. Soon after she had a little girl, who was as white as snow, with lips as red as blood and with her hair as black as the ebony of the window-frame. She was therefore called Snow-white.” This is how our story starts but how will it end?The evil queen as been locked up in a tower and forgotten that is until princess Emma looks for a place to hid from her parents after they tell her she has to marry Neal the son of the dark one.

Revenge of the Three Little Pigs by mskyo (M): Regina and Emma find themselves alone and looking for the rest of their party. The Evil Queen must face the consequences of her past actions. Will Emma come to her aid, or understand that justice must be served... *Some chapters have fairly graphic sex, and violence*

Things I Almost Remember by cheshire6845 (T): A/U Despite an oncoming war between the Dark and the Light, Emma and Regina are best friends growing up in the Enchanted Forest. When war does come, they find themselves on opposite sides. Regina will have to defy her mother to save Emma. Will Emma be able to save Regina when Cora curses her daughter to live in the Land without Magic?

What We Make (WIP) by DiazTuna (M): “My mother.” He says calmly. He’d known all along, she’s aware. But he’d known that today would be the day that would get this going. She wants to ask what it was like, to have woken up this morning, laced up his boots and walked into hell just knowing. “It’s programmed the cyborg to kill her. Before I have a chance to be born.” -In which the leader of the future sends his best soldier back to the past to save his mother from a killer cyborg. Terminator AU.

The Wrong Way by pcworth (M): Takes place right after Zelena steals Regina's heart. Zelena offers Regina a chance to go back in time with her and change both of their lives for the better. But what will be the price of that decision. Slow-burn to SwanQueen

zombie trash by 13pens (T): Zelena could have her brain and eat it, too. Fic operates on three premises 1. this takes place in any universe where zelena is a reformed asshole 2. zombies are a thing and exist iZombie style 3. i have NO chill

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Tues[day] 11 October 1836

8 35/..

11 40/..

V

L

No kiss rain[e]d ver[y] m[u]ch in the night - damp rainy morn[in]g - and F[ahrenheit] 50° now at 9 35/.. br[eak]f[a]st at 9 50/..  

A- [Ann] r[ea]d a lit[tl]e Fr[en]ch – H[a]d Mr. Duncan the und[er]tak[e]r at 11 – ga[ve] the necess[ar]y direct[io]ns for my a[un]t’s fun[era]l

at 9 a.m. next Mon[da]y - the Sexton to co[me] up – Greenw[oo]d to ma[ke] the coffin - Mrs. Lawson to ma[ke]

the lead d[itt]o – s[ai]d I w[a]s dissatisf[ie]d with the cl[o]th chos[e]n for the f[oo]tman and groom - Duncan own[e]d it w[a]s

too good – s[ai]d he us[uall]y ga[ve] broad c[l]oth fr[om] 14/. to 16/. p[e]r y[ar]d – wh[a]t I chose (bec[ause] no oth[e]r patterns s[e]nt and suppose[e]d

he h[a]d no oth[e]r) 22/. p[e]r y[ar]d – s[ai]d I h[a]d told Mr. Jackson I d[i]d n[o]t wish to pay mo[re] than £4.10.0 p[e]r

f[oo]tman’s dress suit and £3.10.0 p[e]r undress d[itt]o - Mr. D- [Duncan] s[ai]d the clothes ord[ere]d w[oul]d exceed this b[u]t

he w[oul]d ma[ke] wh[a]t sacrifice he c[oul]d! - then sat w[i]th A- [Ann] on tell[in]g Mr. D- [Duncan] to invite the vic[a]r he

s[ai]d he w[a]s n[o]t at ho[me] - I then told h[i]m (D- [Duncan]) to invite the cur[a]te – talk[e]d ov[e]r to A- [Ann] the propriety

of my writ[in]g to the vic[a]r and ask[in]g h[i]m to co[me] ov[e]r – h[a]d just writ[ten] so far of today at 12 25/.. –

at w[hi]ch h[ou]r fair aft[e]r ver[y] rainy and bet[ween] 10 and 11 boist[erousl]y windy morn[in]g - a sort of hurricane for ab[ou]t

1/4 h[ou]r dur[in]g br[eak]f[a]st – wr[ote] out list of people to ha[ve] gloves and biscuits - Long whi[le] seek[in]g (w[i]th A- [Ann]) in vain h[e]r [?] of the Fr[en]ch secrétaire screen –

then walk[e]d w[i]th h[e]r 25 min[ute]s on the flags – Mr. Harper ca[me] ab[ou]t 3 1/2 and w[i]th h[i]m in an out ab[ou]t

an h[ou]r – ment[ione]d my intent[io]n of gett[in]g off fr[om] here as soon as I c[oul]d, and propos[e]d hav[in]g Mr.

and Mrs. Husb[an]d in the h[ou]se - H- [Harper] th[ou]ght this plan good - will find out for me wh[a]t addit[io]n I sh[oul]d

ma[ke] to Mr. Husb[an]ds’ sal[ar]y on this acc[oun]t – Expl[aine]d ab[ou]t the hall ceil[in]g – can[no]t turn the gr[ou]nd floor

of the East tow[e]r into 2 floors temp[orar]y w[i]thout incurr[in]g too m[u]ch troub[le] hereaft[e]r b[u]t c[oul]d eas[il]y

ma[ke] the gr[ou]nd floor int[o] a kitchen - approves of my 2 dry arches – d[i]d n[o]t like the idea of a

large sq[uare] tow[e]r for the hay on the east side of the farm y[ar]d b[u]t well propos[e]d 2 octagon-like dry wall tow[e]rs

up ag[ain]st the n[o]rth wall of the farmy[ar]d - these will do ver[y] well - look ver[y] well and be ver[y] conven[ien]t –

ment[ione]d leav[in]g him (Mr. Harper) to ov[er]look Husb[an]d’s paym[en]ts of workmen of all sorts includ[in]g

colliers - no tidings of Mr. Gray - H- [Harper] th[in]ks if he does n[o]t co[me] we can do w[i]thout him –

m[u]ch to do at N[orth]gate - will be here all tomor[row] and till Thurs[day] ev[enin]g – ask[e]d wh[a]t rent I sh[oul]d

get for the mill – surpris[e]d when I said how m[u]ch and so m[u]ch – begg[e]d h[i]m n[o]t to ment[io]n it –

he s[ai]d the mill and machin[er]y w[oul]d cost £1000 – calculat[e]d there w[oul]d be ab[ou]t 400 roods

of dry wall[in]g in my octagon tow[e]r hay-barns - I s[ai]d I th[ou]ght the wall[in]g w[oul]d be done for 6/. a r[oo]d –

40x6 = 240/20= £12 and suppos[in]g roof[in]g as m[u]ch more = £24 say £30 to £40? for a

gr[ea]t deal of conven[ie]nce - approves my plan of palisading off the upp[e]r and low[e]r p[ar]ts of the farmy[ar]d

leav[in]g the c[oa]ch h[ou]se open, and driv[in]g thro’ it as one does in the n[or]th of Germ[an]y – Look[in]g for pap[e]rs

respect[in]g my unc[le]s’ fun[era]l - in vain – b[u]t f[ou]nd the mem[oran]dum of my giv[in]g ER-‘s [Eliza Raine] will to Mr. Duffin

in the pres[en]ce of Mr. Jon[atha]n Gray    June 1826- din[ner] at 7 in 25 min[ute]s and then hurr[ie]d upst[ai]rs to wr[ite] to

Mr. Musgrave and wr[ote] and s[e]nt this ev[enin]g as foll[ow]s to ‘the Rev[eren]d Charles Musgrave Whitkirk vicarage

near Leeds’   ‘Shibd[e]n hall – Tues[day] 11 Oct[obe]r 1836 my d[ea]r sir – Rememb[eri]ng w[i]th gratitude your ver[y] kind

‘attent[io]ns to my a[un]t dur[in]g the few last years of her long and painful illness, and qu[ite] sure wh[a]t the express[io]n

234

1836

Oct[obe]r

N

‘of her own feel[in]g w[oul]d ha[ve] been, h[a]d she left any direct[io]ns up[on] the subj[ec]t, I hope that, sh[oul]d no

‘partic[ula]r engagem[en]t put it out of your pow[e]r, you will co[me] ov[e]r to her fun[era]l - your do[in]g so,

‘will aff[or]d me a melanch[ol]y satisfact[io]n - Mr. Duncan h[a]s been instruct[e]d to invite your

‘officiat[in]g curate, and to ma[ke] the necess[ar]y arrangem[en]ts for nine on Monday morn[in]g; b[u]t, if this

‘h[ou]r sh[oul]d be inconven[ien]t to you, a lat[e]r shall be fix[e]d - Miss Walker begs you to pres[en]t her

‘k[i]nd reg[ar]ds along w[i]th my own, to Mr. Musgrave – Bel[ieve] me ver[y] truly yours A. [Anne] Lister’ – coff[ee]

at 7 40/..  - A- [Ann] r[ea]d Fr[en]ch and we look[e]d ov[e]r genealog[ica]l map of Sweden and Denmark - then till

9 35/.. wr[ote] the last 31 1/2 lines of today - when the let[ter] bag ca[me] – no[te] fr[om] Mrs. Veitch of

condol[en]ce - Mrs. V- [Veitch] h[a]s just lost h[e]r sist[e]r Ann who liv[e]d at Giggleswick - Rainy stormy

windy morn[in]g (a sort of hurricane bet[ween] 10 and 11) b[u]t fair (w[i]th the exc[ept] of a few fly[in]g dr[ops] now and then)

in the aft[ernoo]n fr[om] ab[ou]t 2 p.m. F[ahrenheit] 46 1/2° now at 10 3/4 p.m.

[keltonwrites]

I bought a house in the middle of nowhere

“Yeah, I loved it, but she’d never move there.” It was something akin to that, at least. He didn’t mean any mischief, no deceit or planning. It was an honest take on what, at the time, was true. I saw the road into town on Google Maps, noted that it was closed during the winter, acknowledged the reality that a person can own a snowmobile, and I said, “we are not moving there.” But, all good truths are just dares in the making.

And here I am, living in the “there” I said I would not. Two years ago, I left my job at Headspace for a life reset. It was pre-pandemic, and Ben and I were planning a big road trip. Our perfect paradise in Topanga, CA, had crystallized itself as many people’s perfect paradise, and those “many people” all had more money than us. Our options to buy a home were nil, and home-buying was essentially all we wanted. Ben’s a builder and I’m a world builder, and we wanted somewhere to invest that didn’t belong to someone else. We packed the car with the tent and the bikes and the dog and all the things that come with tents and bikes and dogs, and off we went on our own Tour de l’Ouest, looking for a place to call home. We knew what we wanted, knew our odds of finding it, and hit the road anyway. Here was the dream list — concocted by two pie-in-the-sky dummies who married each other:

Not rainy or consistently windy

Notable access to the arts

Remote and challenging to get to/close neighbors

Wild West influenced architecture

Progressive community

Exceptional trail access out the front door

High-speed internet

In our budget

And my personal favorite: had to “feel right” Good luck to us with a list like that, but thus began our hunt. We camped in the snow, tried every dirty chai in the Rockies, and explored every town we could. Whatever a good time it was, it felt useless. Every town Ben was OK with, I hated. Every town I was OK with, Ben despised. And the few places we both loved required money we just didn’t have. We came home with our sails down, limping into the harbor of our rental. But as is the way with romantics, our dreams began to slowly eclipse our reality. Books fell victim to Zillow and Trulia. TV was replaced by the MLS. All writing time was dedicated to Realtor.com. Hours were spent pouring over maps, county records, and updating spreadsheets that tracked price per square foot compared to beds and baths. Over time, all that internetting led to one singular town of 180 people at 10,000 feet in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado with a road that said “Closed Winters” on Google Maps. Look, I don’t know what happened. Ben found this town on a map, I said don’t be ridiculous, and after a year or so of him telling people I'd never move here, here I am, being ridiculous. Was it reverse psychology? Maybe. Was it the charming “town plan” that mandated all houses be rustic cabins and forbade AirBnB? Could be. Was it the fact that when I looked at Strava’s Heatmap, it showed what seemed like thousands of miles of trails just out the front door? I mean, yes. All these things played a part, but all I know for certain is that one day I woke up and said, “we’re going to move there.” Ben doubted this conviction (and the realities behind it) thus cementing it into place in my head. In a town of 180 people there’s only ~60 houses, which means maybe 2 or 3 get listed per year — but my spreadsheet had the proof: we hadn’t missed our chance yet in this tiny town. The data showed a strong likelihood there would be at least two houses listed within the calendar year. This, however, was also our last chance. The spreadsheet also showed that if we didn’t find a house this year, we wouldn’t be able to afford one the next. We called a realtor, made our case, and harangued her until she believed us that we were truly the kind of yahoos who would move to an avalanche field and stay there. And then it happened. A pocket listing. It was a darling home built in 1890. It had the beds, the baths, and the views. We were the first and only to know. We put in an offer, they agreed, and we would come to see the house in a few weeks. But in those few weeks, the circumstances changed. The sellers lost their own sweet deal, and they couldn’t sell yet. Their agent promised we had right of first refusal, it was only a matter of time. Ben lamented, I preached patience, and we went to see the house that was no longer for sale anyway.

It was a quiet winter morning in Covid when we drove across the packed snow to meet our realtor outside the house. The sun was out and the 13 degrees Fahrenheit felt warm. I unzipped my jacket, mask on my face. I took long videos and talked about where I would set up my office and where we’d put the bikes. As we closed up and I settled into a future where this house would eventually be mine, our realtor told us there were comps in the area — other residents quietly interested in potentially closing out. Would we like to see them? Sure, let’s.

One home came with an incredible commercial kitchen. The whole house was a whopping 3500 sq ft if my memory serves me correct, which falls under the category of “houses too big to find your cat in."

Another home had an open-air-to-the-kitchen bathroom.

The third was dark and overpriced with cracked windows and open beer cans scattered about.

And then, plans changed.  “Hey guys, there’s actually one more house we can see.” The last house we saw was a log cabin, nestled in the hillside by itself, with massive A-frame windows looking out onto the peaks beyond. Inside was a labyrinth of a life lived long and large. The cabin was built and loved by a man we’ll call Jack. Jack was 82, and as we walked toward the front door on that sunny winter morning, he exited with two beers in his pockets, headed to the mountain to ski. Jack was an attorney — in his life he’d been both criminal and defender — and from the stories, somewhat interchangeably. There were artifacts from running in the same scenes as Hunter S. Thompson and Willie Nelson; there were stuffed birds, bad books, sheet-covered couches, smoked spliffs, and piles and piles of mouse shit. Every inch of the house was lived in, and not just by people. You think millennials like plants? No. This man likes plants. The biggest monstera deliciosa I’ve ever seen, spanning some 10 feet wide and 15 feet tall. Draping cactuses, spider plants, massive aloes, and an ambitious hoya carnosa clawing its way to the top of the massive fireplace. But there were problems. I’m trying to be diplomatic saying the house was lived in. The wood by the door handles was dyed black from years of hand grease rubbing against it. The carpet in the upstairs was soiled almost everywhere with bat scat. Newspaper was stuffed between the massive logs to keep the wind out. There was cardboard taped over almost every window, blankets nailed over the others. Half the doors wouldn’t open. It was unnerving to touch the crusted light switches. It was early enough in the season of Covid-fear that touching anything felt like gambling. On our way back to our rental in the bigger neighboring town, we shared our awe and our no-ways, lamenting how long we’d have to wait for the little 1890s fixer upper. That night, I sent the video I took of the cabin to my parents. “Can you believe this?” I asked. And do you know what my dad said? “Great log construction.” After that, the cabin was all we could talk about. “Could you believe those plants?” “Did you see how big those logs were?” “I just googled Jack, look at this.” “Do you know what the insulating factor of logs is?” “How much did he say he was asking?” It came down to the plants. Amidst all the chaos in that house, the tender care of those decades-old plants sung the clearest. This wasn’t just a place Jack lived in, it was a place that wanted to be lived in. We made an offer the next day.

Jack had six months to clear out his 30 odd years of collecting, and the town had six months to speculate about the worrisome Californians moving to their high-altitude, high-risk town. The town itself is an old mining town. It rests in a high valley, surrounded by peaks over 13,000ft, and is over six hours from the nearest major airport. Five people died around this town in avalanches this past year. The dirt road into town is littered with avalanche fields, warning visitors to not stop when driving in. The other way out is a pass road, only drivable in the warm months, but you could skin out if it was dire. Most August days, the high is in the mid-60s. The valley is blanketed in wildflowers, and the aspens littering the mountainsides suggest a promising fall display. The town had a heyday, a low day, and now it’s a community of preppers, adventurers, appreciators, and “get all these idiots away from me”ers. We don’t know these people yet, but the ones we’ve met have the same like to live hard attitude we do. Heli-ski guides, ex-CIA agents, woodworkers, bakers, teachers, just a general can-do group of people. The kind of people that see a California license plate and peer with skepticism between the thin gap over their sunglasses and under their caps.

You might say I’m romanticizing the place, but the residents are worse. Like all good old-timers, they’re full of threats: “wait’ll you see the snow drifts,” “let’s see how you do outrunning an avalanche,” “good luck with the winds,” “the last Californians didn’t last a year.” God, what does that remind me of?

“Yeah, I loved it, but she’d never move there.”

With every taunt, my teeth ground more enamel, fingers rolling into a clench. And maybe Jack recognized this intensity, because on the day of closing, he hosted a gathering for us in the town's open space. He had us introduce ourselves to the skeptical locals, and I made my case in court, eyes narrowed and lips curled. “I’m the daughter of a smokejumper and wildlife biologist. I grew up watching the wind and the door. I’ve lived in big cities, small boats, and more than one cabin. I always take the stairs, I never use air-conditioning, and I’m a very good shot.” I’m just a girl, standing in front of a town, asking them to give her a fucking chance. Jack stepped forward to speak. “You know, I had my doubts about a couple Californians coming to look at my house. But these people? These are the nicest people you’re ever gonna meet.” And then I helped Jack set up his cot so he could spend his last night under the stars in the town that kept him young. Cooper ran circles with the other dogs. People brought homemade cocktails and bowls of dip and we felt welcomed. Even the mayor, a fellow writer, came and she struck up a conversation. “I hear you’ve got a little bit of a following on social media!” She teased. “I guess, nothing wild.” “Well I just wanted to let you know if you ever geotag this town, I’ll drag you out of it.” She grinned. This was a special place. And every visitor who couldn’t handle the realities of being here threatened the very wellbeing of the people who lived here. This town survives on a delicate balance. They source their own water, manage their own roads, and fervently protect the land and the people around them. Their stories about racing avalanches, snowmobiling in the dark of night to the doctor’s house, hunkering down in each other’s homes as the storms pass — these stories were bylaws. You can join when you’ve proven you’re ready to join. By their own projection, they are hardy and steadfast people, and when they see a Californian, they see something fleeting. Many years ago, I worked in the British Virgin Islands. The people born and raised there were called Belongers. At the customs office, the placards above the lines literally read, “If you belong, stand here” and “If you do not belong, stand here.” Whether or not we belong isn't up to the town council, and it's not up to these residents. It's up to years spent drifting my old Mustang in the snow on the way to school, up to Ben's months and months spent in the backcountry, up to my years of reading fire reports and assisting with evacuations, up to Ben's ability to read the landscape and the weather, up to my doggedness, his diligence, and our pathological love to do difficult things well. It’s up to us, to these old logs, and to this valley. Doesn't mean we'll belong, but it does mean we'll try. And for the record, the road is open in the winter. But do these sound like the kind of people who’d tell Google that? Next week, a tour of the house that we get to call ours — stuffed with newspaper, run by plants, and filled with mice. P.S. Here's where we get our mail.

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