#expansive farmhouse yard

[imalwaysallright]

This is an illustration of stone landscaping in the front yard of a large farmhouse in the springtime.

D Kannadasan Dkd

[i-am-mycroft-holmes]

Landscape New York Design ideas for a huge farmhouse full sun backyard mulch retaining wall landscape in spring.

[slusnicesi]

Front Yard Natural Stone Pavers New York An example of a large farmhouse full sun front yard stone landscaping in spring.

[edutainer2022]

Many thanks to @janetm74 for her deeply moving and insightful story Grief: The Compass, and for putting up with my ramblings about the symbolism of Grandpa's compass and its meaning to Scott, as well as to Scott and Virgil going forward (especially after the revelations of Recharge). I had this little dream-like sequence in mind since the very early days of my return to TAG fandom as a intro to a larger story. Scott Tracy is, of course, very much not okay. It might not be obvious from the start, but it's true. He needs to find his way.

TRUE NORTH

The wind was ruffling early blossoms in the trees and his hair, as he jogged eagerly across the front yard to the farmhouse. Soft spring grass was tickling his bare feet. Mom was inside, he knew. He was so excited to see her.

The quiet hallway was filled with a soothing scent of cinamon and ripe late summer apples. Mom was probably in the kitchen, baking an apple pie. His favorite. He followed the wiffs of delicious smells, but the kitchen was empty. Each utensil in its place, exactly as Mom liked it. He needed to find Mom. The sense of urgency increased, as he passed the sunlit kitchen to the backdoor, out onto the porch and across the backyard. He shivered once, then twice, as a gust of vicious wind threw a handful of fallen leaves into his face. Golden and red, just like Mom's hair. Mom wasn't out back either and he was anxious now. On instinct, he followed the well-worn path to the meadow, stretching behind their old farmhouse in Kansas. Rough edges of pebbles dug into his feet so they were probably bleeding, but he kept going. He needed to find Mom!

His frantic paces came to a halt at the very edge of the meadow, though. As far as eye could see was cast in a swathe of pristine white. Snow. He knew deep down in his soul Mom was across that expanse of white. But he had no clue which way to go. Where to start. He stood at a loss, shivering, at the very edge of ice, licking his bare toes, the freezing numbness creeping up from the ground to his heart.

Then he remembered! Grandpa's old compass that Virgil made a point to give him for the duration of a rescue, would show the way. Ever since their heart to heart in the Arctic, Virgil would  give him the compass before each mission so he would find his way home safely. Just like that day. He was home now, but Mom wasn't there. He dug into a pocket, and, sure enough, his fingers curled around a solid cool weight of the antique gadget. Grandpa's compass would show him the way to Mom! But something odd was happening. As soon as he opened the lid, the arrow went haywire, turning in place, never resting on any one point. Despair and exhaustion nearly choked him and his knees were ready to give. He couldn't get to Mom no matter how much he longed to! No matter how much he missed her!

He was about ready to step into the unforgiving snow and take his chances, when heavy hands landed on his shoulders, pinning him in place.

"It's not yet time, Bluejay!"

The husky whisper was close to his ear. Dad!

"It's too soon, kiddo! You have to let me go first. You can then follow in my footsteps, but not just yet! Not for a long, long time. How about we go home now, son, eh?"

He wanted to protest. Mom was there, all alone, across the field of snow. He could find her, even if the stupid compass was not helping! He needed to be with Mom! But the voice failed him, caught up on a blinding pain in his chest. Strong arms were already steering him back to face the farmhouse again.

Even from afar, he could see all his brothers standing on the back porch, watching him. Allie seemed so scared, baby blue eyes wide and full of tears, clutching the railing. Gordon was standing apart, hunched over, his face dark and lost - he appeared so small and so young. John was ghostly pale, his eyes a green sea of pain. Scott could swear his ginger brother was swaying with each gust of wind. But it was Virgil who made him gasp. Standing one step down the porch stairs, his best friend was glaring daggers at him - the always soft face contorted with fury and anguish, kind brown eyes brimming with liquid fire. What made Virgil so angry? Had he done something stupid? He hadn't lost Grandpa's Compass! Right! The Compass! He looked down at his hand, still clutching the brass shell, and the arrow had miraculously settled, pointing due North. At the center of the porch of their home. At Virgil.

He felt an insistent nudge to start moving, as the voice by his ear spoke again, soft, but urgent.

"Let's go home now, Bluejay! Just like that, one step at a time! Your brothers are waiting."

He tried once more to twist and catch the sight of Dad, but thought better of it as a sharp pain pierced through his torso again. He still needed to make it home and give Virgil back the compass, so Virgil wouldn't be so angry with him. So Virgil wouldn't go looking for him all the way by the desolate cold white meadow. He also needed to find out what made John so upset, and he certainly needed to hug the Tinies. He sneaked a peek at the compass again - it was pointing firmly Home.

[yekokataa]

Pale lore in Sacred and Terrible Air

I pulled together some of my favorite descriptions of the Pale from Kurvitz's novel. All excerpts are from the excellent fan translation by Group Ibex, which I think really nailed the style of the game in these quotes.

Warning: Full of SPOILERS and extremely LONG!

The Pale, up close:

The main characters take a road trip to the Lemminkäise zone of entroponetic catastrophe in Katla. They hire a racecar driver and drive to the very edge of the disaster zone, where matter is actively dissolving into the Pale.

The border point disappeared behind them, along with the invisible boundary of winter’s orbit, beyond which is eternal winter. The asphalt also disappeared over time; they encountered rural families on sleds along snowy gravel roads. It is their great privilege to have seen the pale with their own eyes, where it has towered behind the silo since childhood. 

Kenni sees the black mass of the forest slowly drifting into the sky. The earth crunches and cracks as the spruce trees tear themselves out of it, roots and all. The wood screams, and the frozen earth too, like they’re in a dentist’s chair. A cloud of limestone gravel flies into the air, and far above in the dark, the first trees are subsumed in the pale. 

Tereesz, Khan, and the mad Suruese driver look outside, their heads tilted back, as the pale approaches from behind the house. Inside, the bass drum thumps robustly, and outside, behind the silhouette of the building, the dark mass of the forest rolls up into the sky across the entire visible horizon. The pale rises vertically from the spruce forests like a wave, from the mountain ranges above the expanse of the world. Its horror moves slowly, humming over the world, but the world is made of matter, and matter is evergreen, ancient; it sustains itself with surprising dignity even at the moment of disappearance.

The pale can lift up entire houses! Holy shit! Our boys make a narrow escape from the edge of the encroaching pale as a house is torn away from its foundation.

In the yard, where the wheels of the motor carriage have drawn a loop in the snow, Inayat Khan looks up at a farm building that hovers above him like a ghost. Electrical wire entrails hang out of the rotating object, black against the expanse of the starry sky. It drifts on into the pale with a self-evident calm. Up above, a trail of its furniture and crumbling foundation remains. In the yard in front of him, Khan watches how a startled Tereesz and Kenni follow the object’s path, their heads tilting back until they hit the wooden fence behind them.  In a strange, panic-free concern, they all look in the direction of Ulv’s crumbling house. It seems as if every little crack comes from its limestone foundation. Soon it will rise up. But nothing happens. The pale freezes in place far away, behind the house; the creaking of the forest stops, and the music in the house also stops. Somewhere in the perceptible distance, on the edge of the frozen pale above, the farmhouse falls apart and disappears.  […] The engine revs up and the carriage’s wheels spin in the snow. The mass of the pale can no longer support its phantom weight. It breaks down. The vast clearings crumple under it in an instant, exploding with powder snow; a collapse like a shock wave whirls over the world. Spruce trees bow under the blow, and the pale blasts open the windows of the old decaying manor house. It arches around the edges of the house, as if hesitating for a moment, and then explodes together, encompassing it. The pale grabs the manor in its lap, and somewhere inside, in a room with a low ceiling, the young man puts on his headphones. He reads the sweeping pale like a magnetic reader reads a Stereo 8 tape. […] The pale blows across the fields, on both sides of the village road. Its avalanche crashes onto the gravel; the rumbling wall approaches, glowing crimson from the motor carriage’s tail lights. 

Travel through the Pale:

Floating magnet trains seem common, and they even go through the Pale. There's a brief mention that Tereesz once spent a week on a magnet train and was then told he wasn't allowed to travel for a year afterwards due to the dangers of pale exposure.

Outside on the platform, giant buffers are being pulled off the train. The umbilical cord is cut and thus, freed from the connecting bridges, the entire weight of the train with its five-fold carriage slats sinks onto the magnets. They howl at full power below the train cars. And then the flight begins.  The magnetic support splits the North Sea under it in two. It’s quiet inside, the generators humming as the train whizzes by fifty metres above the water. The three of them stand together, laughing. Tereesz extinguishes his smoke in a bronze ashtray, and they turn their back on the observation windows. Ahead, the pale awaits, and past it begins a big world. […] Through the windows, all that’s left of the city behind them is the light pollution, a golden glow in the distant darkness of the snowstorm. 

This floating train station has an illustration Rostov by the way.

For a historical travel example: the famous disappearance of the airship Harnankur. This airship was referenced in the game in the form of the 50-real vodka in the special edition commemorative bottle! Rostov's illustration from the novel is here, showing a model of the ship in Khan's basement.

One hundred and fifty years ago, on another isola—the Graad isola—it snows in the city of Mirova. It’s a midwinter evening, but thousands of people have gathered in the harbour. The quay bustles with them. In the background lies imperial Graad—church steeples and chimneys. The crowd is waving, bidding farewell to the airship rising into the sky. A swan made of wood and nickel rises into the blizzard, and the passengers of the world’s first interisolary flight wave to the crowd from its balcony baskets: well-dressed boujee people, with a never-before-seen adventure ahead of them. It’s the pale—terrifying, but at the same time such an upbeat and unforgettable experience. Modern technology, in the form of a luxuriously upholstered airship, now makes such an experience possible for an ordinary, if perhaps slightly better off, citizen. And on the other side of the pale—oh mystical pale!—the land of Katla awaits, with its royal capital of Vaasa.  […] Two days later, the interisolary flight enters the pale, and then, barely six hours later, a deviation occurs in the airship’s course. “Harnankur” has gone missing with fifteen hundred passengers on board. The flight is believed to have drifted into an uncharted entroponetic mass, the pale superdeep. 

Sound

The pale makes a hissing sound. Here Khan receives a phone call from one of the missing presumed dead girls, who may be a ghost or part of the pale, it's all left very ambiguous. It reminds me of the part in the game where you can call Slipstream SCA and hear a ghost trapped in the phone.

He picks up the receiver, and the hallway fills with the hiss of the pale. It grates in his ear.  “Hello?” asks Khan. But no one answers. “Hello, who is it? Please tell me who you are!” he repeats, more and more pleading each time. The hissing becomes louder and louder, until finally it deafens him, the pressure in his inner ear goes awry, and only that vibration from who-knows-where remains, its centre. The silence goes through his flesh and bones like waves. It’s cold. 

Later, we learn that the pale can actually come through the phone lines?? Creepy!

The speaker switches to a long-distance call; the pale seeps into the hall air from the fabric-covered ziggurat. The signal runs as an entroponetic sequence through the Great Unknown, from Katla to Graad. Relay stations clear the call from the noise of history along the way, but something always creeps into the wires—a ghost radio station. Its quiet voice in its unintelligible language reminds us what it’s here for. To end life. 

It's also similar to the sounds of the pale latitude compressor! During a long distance call through the pale, a voice is heard spelling things out using an “international alphabet” like the real-world NATO phonetic alphabet.

This is how matter degrades, drop by drop, like an analog rhythm running from red through the colourless world. The international alphabet is hidden in the low-frequency waves, “... Nadir-Ellips-Gamut-Azimuth...” and so on, to the border of the settlement. 

Culture, ideology

Zigi as a teen is a total edgelord when it comes to talking about the pale:

But above all, Zigi is still a nihilist. He reads dia-mat [dialectical materialism], says that animals are automatons, is a fan of behaviourism, and adores the pale and the nihilistic innocence of Mesque, Ambrosius Saint-Miro. […] The geography teacher sent him to the principal’s office, and Zigi stopped at the door, the zippers of his leather jacket jingling. “See you in the pale,” he said, and ran his index finger across his throat. Back when entroponetics was not discussed at school, many people gathered around Zigi during recess, and the corridor echoed with his half-truths: “The pale is made of the past,” he said. “All the lost things are jumbled up there, sad and abandoned. The pale is the world’s memory of the world. It accumulates matter and sweeps away everything in its path. This is what’s called entroponetic collapse.”  “But when will it happen, Zigi?" “Yes, Zigi, when?” “It will happen in your lifetime, little Olle. At least, I hope so. History swallows the present; the world of matter disappears, desaparecido... That’s why there’s no point in our generation going to school. There will be no future. When you grow up, don’t have children like your underdeveloped bourgeois parents did. You’ll get to see them die, and that’s it. Compared to the pale, there’s only a small amount of the world left! In the end, the isolas will sink, dozens and hundreds of square kilometres of land mass, can you even imagine? Like a ship keeling over into the pale. Fwooom...” Zigi makes a sinking ship gesture with his hands, the zippers of his leather jacket jingling; the children gasp. “Don’t worry, Olle, this will be the peak of humanity.” 

In the game, Zigi's brand of entroponetic nihilism gets two very brief (and kind of hidden) mentions, where it's named as entropolism. I've got those quotes saved in my post here.

Waves

The pale seems very wave-like in that scene where it lifts a house, and apparently it's also like a wave according to science:

“It’s an oceanographic myth. The Killer Wave.” Little Khan points in the direction of the body of water. The four of them watch from the safe warmth of a beach towel. Insects buzz in the dark, around the gas lanterns. “For a long time it was just that—a myth, a sailor’s tale. Arda even has a mythological name for it: ‘halderdingr’. But now they’re a scientifically documented phenomenon, they really exist, you understand? This explains the dozens, hundreds of missing ships. […] “And you know what’s the most fucked up thing about it?” Khan asks slyly. He wipes his diamaterialist glasses and then puts them back on. His almond eyes squint behind the magnifying lenses, filled to the brim with popular science mystique. “The same effect—don’t ask me how, I don’t know—but the same non-linear effect also explains the pale. They use it in entroponetics. This is how the pale behaves when it sweeps over the world.” 

Mold

I've heard that in Estonian the word used for Pale is Hall, meaning both frost and mold, like a pale gray film that covers the surface of things. As the Pale takes Vaasa, fruits begin to grow mold. Some people choose to stay rather than leave the disaster zone.

The panic has cooled. In the strange indifference of the evacuation, whole families stay behind in Vaasa. There they play board games, in their houses, in their spacious apartments. They love vitamin-rich food, and when the pale is only a few days away, it’s always signalled by the same beautiful event. Fruits go mouldy. It grows vigorously on them. Children listen to oranges crackling on the table. Spores sprout from the pulp, apples are hairy with it. If you try to touch them, they crack open. No one knows why it’s like that. But few can muster the energy to be afraid of that time, and that’s why I say it’s beautiful. 

And later, when Zigi is living in a forest that's been taken by the Pale, even the animals have been consumed by it although they're still alive:

And to the dark forest, to the museum of natural history, where mould grows on the horns of the males and puffs of steam no longer rise from the kids’ nostrils. They still breathe—not oxygen, but pure pale. 

Turning into a protein mass

The mother of the missing girls sits in her home, waiting for the pale to take her:

Ann-Margret Lund also sits there somewhere in her kitchen, in the middle of the pale; her rooms are quiet and clean. The former teacher wears a beige jacket and an above-the-knee skirt, and watches the moulding apricots. […] Like everyone else, she can’t do anything in this extended stay, where one’s sense of the present slowly drifts away. But whereas the others dissolve into their memories, she simply disappears. It’s as if her life had never happened. The past is not awaiting her return. She just wanders around the rooms, adjusts her grandmother’s lace doily and bedspreads, arranges the curtains on the rails. And thus, tastefully, she refuses to indulge in those ecstasies which visit the human spirit when the world is disintegrating. Nothing leaves her hands, and nothing returns.  When Katla finally sinks into the pale, Ann-Margret Lund turns, without the slightest pleasure, into a protein mass. 

Hanging out in the Pale with the ghost of Ignus Nielsen

Years later, as an adult, Zigi has become immune to the effects of the Pale, and even stays in the middle of it in a tent, hanging out with the cytoplasmic spirit of a dead communist.

Human speech sounds out of place in the silence of the pale. It echoes in the gloom of the trees as Zygismunt trudges through the snow. There’s an old trick coined by the great entroponaut K. Voronikin, that you have to shout in the pale. Otherwise, you start to feel gloomy, and the past comes up. But Zygismunt needn’t be afraid of that. When he first entered the pale, he discovered to his great dismay that he couldn’t return like everyone else. Or rather—he could, but not where he really wants. This makes him indispensable to Mazov’s idea. The disappearance of the Lund children has literally given Zigi special entroponetic powers. 

He goes hunting for pale-poisoned ibexes. The phrase ‘protein mass’ comes up again. It seems that any human or animal in the pale for long enough eventually turns into a protein mass.

The entroponaut shakes himself. Snow falls from the shoulders of the anorak coat. He goes on alone. An hour of frozen machine tracks and hoofprints in the snow run along in the flashlight beam. And when a herd of ibex finally emerges from the darkness, they are frozen in place in the middle of the road, like an exhibit in a natural history museum. Some of the females sometimes jerk in place, sneezing; this is a nervous impulse, a muscle tremor. The backs of the stuffed animals are already covered with snow, but their snouts are still steaming, they’re still breathing—some for a few days, some for a week. An anorak-clad figure moves through the herd with the indifference of a professional until the beam of his flashlight casts the alpha male’s crown of horns as a shadow on the wall of spruce trees. Zygismunt looks into the animal’s glazed eyes. Its sense of time has broken down. An automaton’s primitive fragment of a brain strays in the pale faster than that of a human. This is how hunters from the outskirts go hunting in the entrokataa. Of course, they’ll eventually go mad from it as well, and one day they won’t return. But not Zigi, he has special abilities. He takes a pocket knife from his belt and slits the protein mass’s throat. 

[jqmalikhsgib]

L’Official USA

As I step into Zayn Malik’s farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania, it’s like a breath of fresh air. The sun shines brightly, casting a serene glow over the lush greenery of his expansive property. The grass is a vibrant shade of green, stretching out in every direction like a living carpet. The sky is impossibly blue, with a few wispy clouds drifting lazily overhead.

I take a moment to absorb the tranquil surroundings before making my way towards the back of the house. There, the sound of clucking fills the air as a handful of chickens wander freely across the yard. It’s clear that this is a space where nature thrives. Off to the side, a playground sits nestled among the trees, it swings gently swaying in breeze—an unmistakable sign that this little corner of the world belongs to his daughter, Khai.

I also can’t help but notice the well kept vegetable and fruit gardens, thriving in near rows with an array of greens, reds, and yellows—each plant seemingly cared for with a level of attention that reflects the calm, grounded vibe of the home. This is Zayn’s sanctuary, a space where life moves at a slower pace and every corner feels thoughtfully curated.

As I walk inside to meet Zayn, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. It’s as if this is a place where he can truly disconnect and recharge—away from the limelight that so often surrounds him.

As I step inside, Zayn greets me with a warm smile, his presence effortlessly welcoming, despite his fame, there’s and unassuming quality to him that instantly puts me at ease. He gestures towards a seat across from him at the rustic wooden dinning table, inviting me to sit. The table, much like the house itself, feels cozy—intimate even—filled with touches of personality that suggest that is a place where a moments of quiet reflection are cherished. As I settle in, Zayn makes sure I’m comfortable before we begin, his genuine kindness evident in the small gestures that speak volumes.

Interviewer:

“Thank you, Zayn. Shall we dive right in?”

Zayn:

“Ready when you are.”

Interviewer:

“Zayn, it’s been a little over three years since your last album, Nobody is Listening. Your fans have been eagerly awaiting new music, so what was the reason for your break? Why did you take time off after 2021?”

Zayn:

“It’s been a long time, yeah. Honestly, I needed the time to reflect and get in touch with where I was emotionally. I wanted the next record to be…perfect. I don’t put anything out unless I’m completely happy with it, you know? After Nobody is Listening, I had this sense that I wasn’t quite there yet. I had so much to process, and things in my life changed so much.

I became a father, and that shifts everything. It changes your perspective on life, on relationships, and on emotions in general. I’ve always been open about my past, my breakups, but this time I wanted to channel something deeper—my experience as a dad. The joy and the challenges that come with fatherhood, the way it makes you see the world through a completely different lens.

I needed to work through all those emotions and really feel them before I could sit down and make something meaningful. So, I took the time to figure out what I wanted.”

Interviewer:

“Zayn, listening to the new album, it feels very different from anything you’ve released before. It’s raw, emotional, and there’s a sadness that runs through the entire record. A lot of it reflects on heartbreak. How did making this album help you cope with the difficult breakup you went through with your ex and mother to your child?”

Zayn:

“The album is definitely a lot more vulnerable than what I’ve put out before. I think when you’re going through something as intense as a breakup, especially with someone you share a child with, it’s impossible to not let that emotion seep into your music. It was a tough period in my life, and I wanted to be real about it. Music has always been my therapy, my way of processing my feelings. It allowed me to reflect on everything—on the hurt, the lessons, and the healing.

When you’re in the middle of a breakup, especially one that’s as complicated as this, it’s like your world gets flipped upside down. But having Khai, my daughter, really helped me focus on the positive thing in my life. At the same time, though, I had to be honest with myself. There were a lot of moments of sadness that I had to confront head-on, and the music gave me a space to do that in a way that felt right. The album helped me come to terms with things and accept that some chapters in life end—sometimes they’re just not meant to work out, no matter how hard you try.”

Interviewer:

“The sound of Room Under The Stairs is a huge departure from your previous albums. Normally your records consist of R&B but this new record feels more soft rock and has a heavy country element. Was it difficult to step into a totally different genre, especially after spending so much of your career in R&B?”

Zayn:

“It was definitely a challenge, but that’s part of the reason I wanted to try it. I’ve always loved exploring different genres and pushing boundaries as an artist. R&B is where I started my solo career, and I’ll always have love for it, but I wanted to create something more expansive—something that felt like a evolution of where I am now. I didn’t want to be confined to one sound or one style. So, I started experimenting with different instruments and influences, mixing a bit of rock, soul, and country. I wanted the album to reflect the different sides of me that I hadn’t really explored yet.

At first, it was intimidating. I wasn’t sure if it would resonate, but the more I got into it, the more I realized that this was the sound that felt authentic to me in this moment. I was able to tap into a deeper place, emotionally. I think that comes through music—it’s less polished, more raw. And even though it’s a shift, I think it still has my essence in it. It’s still me, just a different light.”

Interviewer:

“I like to get a bit more personal with you if that’s okay, Zayn?”

Zayn:

“Go ahead.”

“Interviewer:

“After everything that’s happened in your life over the past few years, especially with your breakup, how are you riding the balance today? Co-parenting with someone after a relationship ends is never easy, but what’s it been like for you, working together to raise Khai?”

Zayn:

“It’s definitely been a learning process. Co-parenting is one of the most challenging things you can do, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. What’s important to me, and I think what’s important to both of us is, Khai’s happiness and well being come first. We work together as best as we can, and we both want to create a stable, loving environment for her. It’s about putting your personal differences aside when it comes to your child and focusing on what’s best for them.

It’s not always easy, of course, but we’re both committed to doing what’s right for her. I think we both understand that at the end of the day, it’s about making sure Khai feels loved and supported, and that she grows up in a positive and caring environment. It’s a constant work in progress, and it requires a lot of patience and communication. But it’s worth it, because she’s everything.”

Interviewer:

“Zayn, before your current co-parenting situation, you were engaged to someone else. Looking back, how do you feel about that chapter in your life, and how did it shape you?”

Zayn:

“That was a big part of my life, but I was so young at the time—just in my early twenties. It’s funny because you think you know everything when you’re that age, but you’re still figuring out who you are and what you want. I think we were both at very different points in our lives, it’s easy to look back now and regret how it ended. I wish things had worked out differently, but we both needed different things, and sometimes that’s just how life goes.

We were both going through our own personal growth, and maybe we weren’t ready for that kind of commitment that an engagement brings. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t meaningful, but I think we had different visions for our future. In the end, we learned a lot from each other, and I think that’s what matters most.”

Interviewer:

“Discussing your two most serious relationships, do you ever look back at either and think ‘Damn, I was madly in love.’ And if it was an opportunity there for either, would you go back?”

Zayn:

“You know, as crazy and fucked up as it sounds, I don’t think I was truly in love up until recently. When I was with my ex fiancé, I thought I knew what love was. I don’t think I had the maturity to fully understand it at the time. It was an intense relationship, and we were both so young. I don’t regret it, but I also don’t think we were ready for what we thought we were getting into.

With my ex girlfriend, it was a whole different dynamic. We would constantly bicker and fight and even break up left and right. It was a really toxic situation. There were a lot of challenges, and things just weren’t healthy for either of us. It wasn’t about love anymore, but the idea of it. It became more about trying to make something work, even when it was clear it wasn’t. So, no, I wouldn’t go back there.

And as for my current girlfriend, this feels different. I’m not saying it’s perfect—we’re still figuring things out, but it feels real. It feels like true love, something I’ve never really experienced before. I’m in a much better place now, mentally and emotionally, and I think that’s what makes all the difference. We’re both in a space where we understand each other, and we’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined before.”

Interviewer:

“It’s definitely clear you’re in a different place in your life now. You mentioned your current partner. How long have you two been together?”

Zayn:

“Yeah, We’ve been together for about ten months now. It’s been a really nice journey so far, actually. She’s such a positive influence in my life. It’s been refreshing to be with someone who’s on the same wavelength, someone who really understands me. Life with her feels…calm, in a way. We’ve been able to spend a lot of time together, just enjoying the quieter side of life, which has been exactly what I needed.

Recently, she moved from New York and bought her own farmhouse about twenty minutes away from mine. It’s nice having her nearby, and it’s been great to see how she’s settling into her own space. There’s something about being in the country, away from everything, that makes things feel more grounded. I think we both appreciate the change of pace. It’s peaceful—just the way I like it.”

Interviewer:

“Has your girlfriend and your daughter had the chance to meet? How has that been for you, especially with how young your daughter is?”

Zayn:

“Yeah, they’ve met. It was always gonna happen, given that I have my daughter fifty percent of the time, and she’s three now, it’s not like they could avoid crossing paths with how young Khai is. I’m very conscious of how I handle things, though—everything with my daughter has to be done slowly and with care. My girlfriend is really gentle with her, and she’s been very respectful of my space as a father. She doesn’t want to overstep, but it’s clear they get along well, it’s kind of amazing how naturally they’ve connected.

My girlfriend is incredibly patient with my daughters. She lets Khai come to her at her own pace, and they’ve got this adorable dynamic. My daughter loves her—it’s sweet to see them together. They spend time playing, and my girlfriend’s always making sure to engage with her in a way that feels comfortable with my daughter. It’s been a smooth transition, and I think the most important thing is that my daughter feels safe and loved, the bond is building, and it’s been beautiful to witness.”

Interviewer:

“Zayn, it sounds like you’re in a really good place with your current partner. Do you see your relationship growing even more? Do you envision yourself walking down the aisle this time around, and maybe even having more kids down the line?”

Zayn:

“You know, it’s still early, but I’m definitely happy with where things are going. I think we’re both in a really good place, and we have a strong foundation. I don’t want to rush anything, but I could definitely see this relationship growing in a meaningful way. It feels like we’re on the same page, and there’s a lot of mutual respect, which is important.

As far as walking down the aisle or having more kids, I don’t know—I’m not making any big decisions yet. I’m focused on being the best father I can be to my daughter and taking things day by day with my girlfriend. But, of course, I’ve thought about it. If the time comes and everything feels right, then I’d love to build that future with someone who shares those same dreams. But for now, I’m enjoying the present and seeing where it leads.”

Interviewer:

“It’s been really great hearing your thoughts, Zayn. From the changes in your personal life, the evolution of your music, it’s clear that this is a new chapter for you—one that feels like it’s filled with growth and authenticity. We’ve discussed a lot today, from the challenges of co-parenting to your personal relationship, and of course, the emotional depth of Room Under The Stairs. It’s inspiring to see how much you’ve evolved as both an artist and a person.

Before we wrap up, I just want to say—be sure to stream Zayn’s newest album, Room Under The Stairs. It’s a beautiful reflection of where he is in his life right now, and we’re excited to hear what’s next from him.”

[vandefencing]

8 Most Popular Timber Fencing Styles for Modern Homes

Timber fencing Canberra has remained a cornerstone of residential design for centuries, beloved for its timeless beauty, adaptability, and functional benefits. As homes and landscapes evolve with modern aesthetics, timber fences have kept pace, offering innovative styles that cater to contemporary tastes while retaining their classic charm. Whether you’re seeking privacy, security, or a design element that enhances your home’s curb appeal, timber fencing provides a solution that is both practical and visually stunning.

Modern homes often call for fences that blend seamlessly with architectural features while addressing the unique needs of today’s homeowners. Timber, with its natural warmth and versatility, is an excellent choice for these demands. From clean, minimalist designs that highlight sleek lines to decorative styles that incorporate intricate patterns, there is a timber fence style for every home and every purpose.

In this article, we’ll explore eight of the most popular timber fencing styles for modern homes, delving into their defining features, benefits, and ideal applications. Whether you’re designing a backyard retreat, creating a secure boundary for your property, or simply looking to elevate your home’s exterior with a touch of natural elegance, these fencing options will inspire you to find the perfect match.

1. Vertical Slat Fencing

Vertical slat fencing is the epitome of modern elegance. With its clean lines and minimalistic design, this style is perfect for homes that lean towards a sleek architectural look. The vertical alignment of the slats creates a sense of height, making it an ideal option for properties where privacy and security are priorities.

Customisation Options:

Adjust the spacing between slats to balance privacy and openness.

Paint or stain the timber to match your home's exterior, ranging from natural wood tones to bold, modern colors like black or charcoal.

Best For:

Modern urban homes.

Properties with small yards where maximising privacy is key.

2. Horizontal Slat Fencing

A contemporary take on timber fencing, horizontal slat fences are renowned for their bold and stylish appearance. The horizontal alignment of the slats creates a visual effect that emphasizes width, making it particularly appealing for expansive properties or homes with open landscaping.

Why It's Popular:

Its geometric design suits minimalist and modern architectural styles.

Works well with a variety of timber types, from hardwood to treated pine.

Pro Tip: Pair horizontal slat fencing with modern lighting fixtures along the fence line to enhance its aesthetic appeal during the evening.

3. Picket Fencing with a Modern Twist

Traditionally associated with classic homes, picket fencing can be updated to fit a modern aesthetic. By using clean lines, neutral tones, and slightly wider spacing between pickets, this style seamlessly blends charm with contemporary design.

Modern Features:

Flat-top or square pickets instead of traditional pointed designs.

Dark or natural wood finishes for a fresh look.

Ideal Use:

Front yards or garden areas where a welcoming yet defined boundary is needed.

4. Post-and-Rail Fencing

Post-and-rail fencing offers a rustic, countryside charm that is gaining traction in modern home designs. Consisting of horizontal rails supported by vertical posts, this style provides a minimalistic yet functional boundary without blocking views.

Modern Adaptations:

Use hardwood or sustainably sourced timber for a polished finish.

Pair with decorative landscaping elements like climbing plants for added visual appeal.

Great For:

Homes with large gardens or open spaces where a simple boundary suffices.

Properties aiming for a modern farmhouse aesthetic.

5. Shadow Box Fencing (Good Neighbour Fencing)

Shadow box fencing, often referred to as "good neighbour fencing," is an excellent choice for shared boundaries. Its unique design alternates wooden panels on both sides, ensuring that the fence looks attractive from any angle.

Why Homeowners Love It:

Provides excellent privacy while allowing airflow and light to pass through.

Its alternating panel design is sturdy and long-lasting.

Where It Works Best:

Urban and suburban properties where shared boundaries are common.

Homes seeking a balance between aesthetic appeal and practicality.

6. Louvered Fencing

Louvered fencing is synonymous with luxury and modernity. The angled slats offer a dynamic look that is both stylish and functional, allowing air to flow through while maintaining privacy.

Custom Options:

Opt for adjustable louvers to control light and airflow.

Use hardwood for a premium finish or composite timber for low-maintenance durability.

Best Uses:

Coastal homes where ventilation is essential.

Properties with pools or patios, as it complements outdoor living spaces.

7. Screen Fencing

Screen fencing is a favorite for homeowners looking for privacy with a touch of creativity. This style often incorporates intricately designed timber panels, which can be paired with climbing plants to create a lush, green boundary.

Benefits:

Provides a decorative element while offering full or partial privacy.

Perfect for small yards, as it can double as a vertical garden.

Popular Features:

Laser-cut timber panels for a unique and modern touch.

Modular designs for easy customisation.

Perfect For:

Side yards or areas where visual interest is desired.

Urban homes with limited outdoor space.

8. Lattice-Top Fencing

Lattice-top fencing combines traditional solid panels with an intricate lattice design at the top, providing a mix of privacy and sophistication. The decorative latticework allows light to filter through, making this style both functional and visually appealing.

Why Choose It:

Adds an elegant finishing touch to standard fencing.

Can be customised with different lattice patterns to suit your style.

Applications:

Garden fences or backyard boundaries.

Homes with patios or decks that benefit from partial shading.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Timber Fence

1. Maintenance

Timber fences require regular upkeep to maintain their appearance and longevity. Look for treated timber that resists rot and pests, and consider applying weatherproof stains or sealants annually.

2. Privacy and Security Needs

Choose styles like vertical slat, shadow box, or screen fencing if privacy is a priority. For more open designs, post-and-rail or lattice-top fences are excellent options.

3. Budget

Timber fencing styles vary in cost depending on materials, design complexity, and installation requirements. Shadow box and louvered fences tend to be more expensive but offer exceptional durability and aesthetic appeal.

4. Compatibility with Home Design

The fence you choose should complement your home’s architectural style. Sleek horizontal slats suit modern homes, while lattice-top and picket fences work well for transitional designs.

Timber fencing offers endless possibilities for homeowners looking to enhance their property’s curb appeal, privacy, and functionality. Whether you prefer the rustic charm of post-and-rail fencing or the contemporary sophistication of horizontal slats, there’s a timber fence style to suit every modern home.

When choosing a fence, don’t forget to consider the long-term benefits of proper maintenance and sustainable material sourcing. Timber is not just a practical boundary—it’s an integral part of your home’s overall design, capable of elevating its aesthetic value while meeting your needs for security and privacy.

[highwaynetworks]

Enhancing Enterprise Operations with Reliable Outdoor Cellular Coverage

In today's digital world, reliable outdoor cellular coverage is no longer optional but rather a critical requirement for modern enterprises. Whether your operations span vast campuses, remote industrial sites, or public spaces, smooth outdoor connectivity is essential to support workforce productivity, enable IoT systems, and ensure uninterrupted communication. Highway 9 is at the forefront of providing advanced outdoor mobiles and network solutions tailored to meet these complex demands.

Importance of Outdoor Cellular Coverage The businesses today have an unprecedented dependency on connectivity, with teams spread over outdoor sites ranging from construction yards, logistics stations, and farmhouses, who need access to critical applications to be contacted immediately in real time and keep safety at par.

Nevertheless, ensuring reliable outdoor connectivity is often not easy, primarily because of environmental interference, scarcity of infrastructure in remote locations, and demanding requirements of a complex network. Classic indoor networks have little capability to extend their performance to the outdoor environment. It is where Highway 9 specializes, bringing forward innovative solutions for smooth connectivity at any given site.

Highway 9’s Outdoor Coverage Solutions Highway 9 specializes in designing and implementing up-to-date outdoor cellular coverage solutions tailored to your unique operational needs. By leveraging advanced technologies like private 5G, multi-eSIM support, and optimized wireless infrastructure, Highway 9 provides enterprises with reliable connectivity that extends beyond indoor spaces to cover expansive outdoor environments.

Key Features of Highway 9’s Outdoor Connectivity Solutions:

Extended Range : Highway 9’s solutions ensure your network extends its reach to cover large open areas, delivering seamless performance even in challenging outdoor conditions.

Scalability : Whether you’re operating a small outdoor facility or managing a vast campus, Highway 9’s solutions are designed to scale as your business grows.

Reliability : Built to handle environmental challenges, Highway 9’s systems maintain consistent performance in all weather conditions, ensuring uninterrupted outdoor connectivity for critical operations.

Security : Robust security measures are implemented to protect your data and devices from cyber threats, ensuring safe and secure connectivity across your outdoor networks.

IoT and Edge AI Integration : Highway 9’s solutions are ideal for connecting outdoor mobiles and IoT devices, enabling real-time data processing and smart decision-making through edge AI integration.

Use Cases for Outdoor Cellular Coverage Highway 9’s solutions are ideal for a wide range of industries and applications. Here are just a few examples of how enterprises benefit from enhanced outdoor cellular coverage:

Construction Sites : Workers on construction sites rely on outdoor mobiles to communicate, coordinate tasks, and access project data. Reliable outdoor connectivity ensures that these activities are uninterrupted.

Logistics and Warehousing : In large warehouses or logistics hubs, smooth outdoor cellular coverage is critical for tracking inventory, managing shipments, and ensuring efficient operations.

Agriculture : Farmers and agricultural businesses benefit from robust outdoor connectivity to monitor crops, control irrigation systems, and access real-time weather updates.

Public Spaces and Events : For venues such as stadiums, parks, or festivals, providing strong outdoor network performance is key to enhancing visitor experience and supporting operational needs.

Oil and Gas Facilities : Remote industrial sites require highly reliable outdoor cellular coverage to monitor equipment, communicate with teams, and ensure safety compliance.

The Highway 9 Advantage Highway 9 is innovative and excellent, committed to making things happen with the best possible expertise in cloud-based mobility, networking, and private 5G technology, and it comes with customized solutions for unique outdoor environments challenges.

Advanced systems of the company are designed to meet current demands and are future proof, making sure your network infrastructure is ready to handle emerging technologies and changing business needs.

Conclusion Reliable outdoor cellular coverage is the cornerstone of modern enterprise connectivity. It supports productivity, enhances safety, and enables seamless integration of advanced technologies like IoT and edge AI. Highway 9's innovative solutions provide businesses with the tools needed to achieve robust outdoor connectivity, regardless of how complex or expansive operations may be.

[praejenkegmens09]

5 Window Treatment Ideas for Bow Windows : What to Consider While Choosing

Having bow windows in houses is a beautiful architectural feature. This adds elegance and dimension to any room. They offer expansive views and allow in plenty of natural light, creating a bright and inviting space.

But with their unique shape, finding window treatments for bow windows can also present a bit of a challenge. 

Choosing the right window treatments can make your bow windows look even better and match your room's style. They can also offer privacy, control the light, and provide insulation.

In this post, we will explore some window treatment ideas for bow windows and discuss some key factors to consider when making your choice.

What are Bow Windows?

Bow windows are made up of three to five equal-sized windows that create one big window. They curve outward from the house, adding more space to your room and letting in lots of natural light.

This design gives you a great view of your yard and neighborhood. Bow windows are perfect for making your room feel larger and more open while also letting you enjoy the outside scenery.

5 Ideas for Bow Window Treatment

Here are window treatment ideas for bow windows, along with some considerations to keep in mind:

Modern Appeal with Individual Roman Shades

Roman shades are a great choice for those who prefer a clean and streamlined look.  They can be made from different materials, like fabric, wood, or bamboo.  They can also stack neatly at the top of the window when open and provide excellent light control. 

2. Shutters Are a Classic Choice

Shutters are a timeless and classic choice for bow window treatments. Made from wood or wood composite materials, they bring a touch of elegance to any room. Shutters are very versatile, letting you control how much light comes in and providing privacy when you need it.

3. Roller Shades for a Modern Touch

Roller shades are the perfect choice if you want a smooth and modern look for your windows. Their simple design and straight lines fit well with today’s style. Roller shades are also flexible, giving you control over how much light comes in and how much privacy you get in any room of your house.

4. Affordable Style with Mini Blinds

Aluminum mini blinds are a great choice if you're on a budget. They are durable and easy to clean, so they'll last a long time. Plus, their sleek and modern design adds a stylish touch to your home without costing too much. Mini blinds are perfect for a trendy look that doesn’t strain your finances.

5. Farmhouse Shutters or Shades for a Cozy Home

Achieve a charming farmhouse feel with stylish plantation shutters or shades. Wooden shutters, especially those with a rustic, weathered look, bring a touch of vintage appeal to your space. Alternatively, opt for fabric shades like sheer or cellular shades to add a soft, textured element to your farmhouse decor.

Things to Consider When Choosing Window Treatments for Bow Windows

Style: Consider the overall style of your home and the room where the bow window is located. Do you want something formal or casual? Do you like something traditional or modern? Choose window treatments that complement your existing decor.

Materials: Materials play an essential role in window treatments, so consider them wisely. Think about how you will use the space to pick the right materials. Different options, like fabric, wood, or metal, have different durability and maintenance needs.

Privacy: Considering your privacy is very important when choosing window treatment options. Do you need the window treatments to provide privacy? If so, then consider options like curtains, shades, or shutters. Cafe curtains may not be the best choice for rooms where you need complete privacy.

Budget: Window treatments for bow windows can range in price from very affordable to quite expensive. Consider your budget when making your decision.

Customization: Bow windows are unique, and standard sizes may not fit perfectly. Therefore, look for window treatments that can be easily customized to match the exact dimensions of your windows.

Conclusion

Choosing the right window treatments for your bow windows can significantly impact the overall look and feel of your room. By considering factors such as style, light control, privacy, insulation, budget, and maintenance, you can make an informed decision that complements your home's aesthetic and functional needs.

If you want to transform your space and are looking for window treatments for bow windows, let Susanne's Heavenly Window Coverings help you find the ideal window treatments for your home. With their expertise and wide range of options, you can create a custom look that exceeds your expectations. Contact them today for a free consultation.

Company Name - Susanne's Heavenly Window Coverings

Email - office@morethanblindsofga.com

Website - https://susannesheavenlywindowcoverings.com/ 

GMB URL - https://maps.app.goo.gl/VaCeNpTcfLaC29o28 

Phone No - +1 706 989-6655

Address - 3021 Atlanta Hwy, Athens, GA 30606

[plotsforsaleinmysore]

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS SIZES OF PLOTS IN MYSORE AVAILABLE?

Plots in Mysore

Introduction

Plots in Mysore, also known as Mysuru, is a city of immense historical significance and modern vibrancy. As the second-largest city in Karnataka, it offers a unique blend of rich cultural heritage and contemporary urban development. This blend has made Mysore a hotspot for real estate investment, particularly in residential Plots in Mysore. Understanding the various plot sizes available in Mysore can help potential buyers make informed decisions that suit their needs and preferences. This blog explores the different sizes of plots available in Mysore and provides insights into choosing the right plot size for your requirements.

Understanding Plot Sizes in Mysore

Standard Plot Measurements

In India, plot sizes are typically measured in square feet (sq ft), square yards (sq yd), or in local terms like “guntas” and “acres.” Mysore follows similar standards, and residential Plots in Mysore come in various sizes to cater to diverse needs.

Common Plot Sizes

30×40 sq ft Plots (1200 sq ft):

Ideal for: Small to medium-sized homes.

Features: These Plots in Mysore are perfect for compact homes with basic amenities. They often cater to first-time buyers or small families.

40×60 sq ft Plots in Mysore (2400 sq ft):

Ideal for: Medium to large-sized homes.

Features: Offering more space than 30×40 Plots in Mysore, these are suitable for families desiring a larger living area, garden space, or additional rooms.

50×80 sq ft Plots in Mysore(4000 sq ft):

Ideal for: Large homes or villas.

Features: These Plots in Mysore are spacious and can accommodate luxurious homes with multiple amenities like swimming pools, large gardens, and more.

60×80 sq ft Plots in Mysore(4800 sq ft):

Ideal for: Luxury homes and villas.

Features: These Plots in Mysore offer ample space for high-end residential projects, including expansive gardens, private pools, and additional recreational facilities.

1 Acre and Above:

Ideal for: Farmhouses, resorts, or large-scale residential projects.

Features: These large Plots in Mysore are perfect for those looking to build extensive properties, including multiple homes or a combination of residential and recreational facilities.

Choosing the Right Plot Size

Consider Your Needs

Family Size:

For a small family or a couple, a 30×40 sq ft plot may be sufficient. However, a larger family might need a 40×60 or 50×80 sq ft plot to accommodate more living space and amenities.

Future Expansion:

If you plan to expand your home in the future, consider buying a larger plot. A 40×60 or 50×80 sq ft plot provides flexibility for adding more rooms or amenities as your family grows.

Lifestyle Preferences:

Your lifestyle can significantly influence the plot size you choose. If you prefer a spacious home with a garden, swimming pool, or recreational area, opting for a 50×80 or 60×80 sq ft plot would be ideal.

Budget Considerations

Initial Investment:

Larger Plots in Mysore come with a higher price tag. Ensure your budget aligns with the plot size you intend to purchase, considering both the cost of the land and the subsequent construction expenses.

Long-term Value:

While larger Plots in Mysore require a higher initial investment, they often offer better long-term value. Properties with more space and amenities tend to appreciate faster and attract higher resale values.

Location and Accessibility

Proximity to Key Areas:

Consider the location of the plot in relation to key areas like schools, hospitals, shopping centers, and workplaces. Plots in prime locations might come at a premium but offer convenience and better returns.

Infrastructure and Connectivity:

Ensure the plot is well-connected by road and has access to essential utilities like water, electricity, and sewage. Well-developed Plots in Mysore, even if slightly smaller, can provide a better living experience.

Popular Localities for Plots in Mysore

Vijayanagar:

Known for its developed infrastructure and proximity to major city areas. Plot sizes here range from 1200 sq ft to 4800 sq ft.

Hebbal:

Popular for its serene environment and well-planned layouts. Available plot sizes include 2400 sq ft and above, catering to both medium and large homes.

Nanjangud Road:

Offers a mix of residential and commercial Plots in Mysore with modern amenities. Plot sizes range from 1200 sq ft to larger acre-sized plots for commercial development.

Hunsur Road:

Features several gated communities with Plots in Mysore ranging from 2400 sq ft to 4000 sq ft, ideal for luxury homes and villas.

Kuvempu Nagar:

A residential hub with plots ranging from 1200 sq ft to 2400 sq ft, suitable for small to medium-sized homes.

Conclusion

Mysore’s real estate market offers a diverse range of plot sizes to suit various needs and preferences. Whether you are looking for a compact plot for your first home or a large plot for a luxurious villa, Mysore has something to offer. When choosing the right plot size, consider factors like family size, future expansion plans, budget, and location. By carefully evaluating these aspects, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your long-term goals and lifestyle preferences. Investing in the right plot size in Mysore can provide a solid foundation for building your dream home in this beautiful and culturally rich city.

For More Information Visit, Plots in Mysore

Related Links

Plots in Mysore

Plots for sale in Mysore

Residential plots in Mysore

Prestige RainTree Park

[meaganproperty]

Exploring Jimboomba's Housing Hotspots

Introduction

Welcome to the vibrant community of Jimboomba, where stunning landscapes, friendly neighborhoods, and a thriving real estate market await you. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the best houses for sale Jimboomba has to offer, uncovering the hottest housing hotspots in this charming locale.

Discovering Jimboomba's Charm

Nestled in the picturesque surrounds of Queensland, Australia, Jimboomba boasts a unique blend of rural charm and modern convenience. Its serene atmosphere and proximity to essential amenities make it an ideal destination for families, retirees, and individuals seeking a tranquil lifestyle without compromising on convenience.

Unveiling the Best Houses for Sale

1. Rural Retreats

For those yearning for a peaceful retreat amidst nature's embrace, Jimboomba's rural properties offer an unparalleled lifestyle. Picture-perfect acreages with sprawling landscapes provide the perfect canvas for creating your dream home. Whether you're envisioning a cozy farmhouse or an expansive estate, there's something to suit every taste and preference in Jimboomba's rural housing market.

2. Family-Friendly Suburbs

Families seeking a vibrant community atmosphere will find plenty to love in Jimboomba's family-friendly suburbs. With an array of spacious homes boasting multiple bedrooms, ample yard space, and proximity to schools and recreational facilities, these suburbs are the epitome of comfort and convenience. From modern designs to traditional homesteads, there's no shortage of options for families looking to put down roots in Jimboomba.

3. Lifestyle Estates

Embrace resort-style living in Jimboomba's lifestyle estates, where every day feels like a holiday. Immerse yourself in luxury with access to exclusive amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and clubhouse facilities. Whether you're seeking an active retirement or simply crave a leisurely lifestyle, these estates offer the perfect blend of indulgence and relaxation.

The Benefits of Living in Jimboomba

Beyond its diverse housing options, Jimboomba offers a plethora of benefits for residents to enjoy. From its close-knit community atmosphere to its abundance of recreational activities, there's always something to see and do in this vibrant locale. With easy access to major highways and essential services, commuting and daily errands are a breeze, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the things you love.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Jimboomba stands out as a premier destination for those seeking houses for sale Jimboomba. With its diverse range of housing options, picturesque surroundings, and vibrant community atmosphere, it's no wonder that Jimboomba continues to attract homebuyers from near and far. Whether you're searching for a rural retreat, a family-friendly suburb, or a lifestyle estate, Jimboomba has something to offer everyone.

[niehauscosima]

Farmhouse Patio - Tile Ideas for a medium-sized rural yard tile patio renovation that includes a roof expansion

[designdekko]

Flow House in Toronto, Canada by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design

Dubbeldam Architecture + Design unveils Flow House, a semi-detached Victorian house in midtown Toronto that has been reconfigured for a creative couple and their children. The transformation of the 130-year-old home included adding additional living space on the back and top of the home, improving connections to the outdoors, and updating the interior and rear yards for contemporary living. The traditional front façade remains, while the interior is now a meaningful reflection of the family’s unique personalities, vocations, and shared experiences.

Also Read | 10 kitchen design ideas inspired by farmhouse style

Though less than five meters wide, with an added area of only 230 square meters, the home now seems much larger through a strategy of compression and expansion. Narrowed interstitial spaces enclose, creating a feeling of constriction, then open to larger spaces with lofty ceilings. And there are moments of surprise and delight – the merging of interior and exterior spaces, the introduction of natural light in unexpected places, and the playful sculpting of elements that establish an organic quality to the home.

Referencing one homeowner’s profession as a ceramicist, the notion of tactility and craft permeates the home through materials, forms, patterns, and textures. Suggesting a complementary hybrid of Scandinavian and Mediterranean influences, the wood cabinetry, screens, and flooring in warm white oak are accented by concrete and Carrara marble sinks, antiqued brass fixtures, and hand-moulded clay pendants. A clean backdrop of white walls and shelving provides a blank canvas to showcase the family’s collection of art, tapestries, and sculpture from local artists, along with artefacts gathered during travels abroad and the owner’s ceramics. Colour animates the interstitial spaces of the home – terra cotta tiles are laid in a herringbone pattern in the entry foyer, and a wall of geometric cerulean blue tiles defines the bar between the kitchen and dining room.

Also Read | How to select a dinnerware set that matches your home decor?

Underpinned by an aesthetic of fluid contours – a deliberate contrast to the rectilinear floorplan – the house’s interior elements appear sculpted rather than built. The helical staircase connecting all four floors is a focal point that expresses the home’s sense of flow. Awash in natural light from the skylight above, the winding balustrade and natural oak treads cast shifting shadows throughout the day.

Also Read | Tips to care for your houseplants this winter

“Curvilinear forms are employed throughout," says firm principal, Heather Dubbeldam. "Arched openings between rooms incite anticipation as they frame views of what lies beyond, resonating with curved walls, display nooks, the kitchen island and banquette, further enhancing the house’s sculptural sensibility.”

In addition to utilizing the latest sustainable systems and materials to promote well-being, large windows and skylights provide abundant light, natural ventilation, and connections to the outdoors. Mahogany-framed, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors on the third floor provide access to a roof deck, while a similarly lofty door in the kitchen opens to the furnished back patio.

Also Read | Kareena Kapoor Khan’s new home in Bandra with European styled decor & wooden detailing

Similar spatial strategies continue in the design of the rear yard. The volumes of charcoal-coloured panels that comprise the new rear façade are stepped back on multiple planes to create a roof deck and recessed entrance. In the back garden, compression and expansion are further explored through narrowed planting beds that open to wider spaces designed for play, dining, and relaxation. The wooden pergola, brick pavers, and ochre outdoor furniture are a nod to the various temperate climates the family has experienced together. At the same time, the landscaping of lush plantings provides interest year-round.

Also Read | Timber hybrid office ensemble EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin

Technical sheet

Location: Toronto, Ontario (The Annex)

Size: 2,500 s.ft. | 230 s.m.

Architecture/Interior Design/Landscape Design: Dubbeldam Architecture + Design

Project Team: Heather Dubbeldam, Andrew Snow, Krystal Kramer, Scott Sampson, Gigi Presently, Omkar Kulkarni

Contractor: DDF Contracting Ltd.

Consultants: Blackwell Structural Engineers

Photography: Riley Snelling

Source Link

[chilling-seavey]

Seasons Change (d.s.) - ONE

↳  A/N This one already holds a special place in my heart and it has barely even begun! Might be a bit slower on updates because I want to make sure it’s perfect for us all. Thank you to @stuffofseaveyy for your unwavering help with plotting this storyline out, @randomlimelightxxx for your excitement and help, and of course, @jonahlovescoffee​ for being my hype girl and the best mayor’s wife anyone could ask for ;)

↳ Summary: Everyone knows everything about everyone in this small rural town in east Connecticut and the handsome single father who owns the farm down the main street seems to always be the talk of the town. Balancing the care of his acreage, raising his school-age son, and coaching the local boys’ hockey team keeps Daniel busy; but his mind never strays far from the expansive and vibrant flower gardens planted outside his farmhouse.

↳ Word Count: 2520

↳ Warnings: This story touches on topics such as loss of loved ones and grief. Nothing too detailed but read at your own discretion x

If you weren’t looking, you would miss it. An hour-and-a-half drive east of Hartford, Connecticut rested a small town that barely occupied more than an intersection of space in time. On your way east towards state lines, a rectangular green sign half covered by an oak tree would welcome you to Lincoln – Population: 200. You’d leave the town before you even realized you were in it if you weren’t paying attention but maybe that’s how the locals liked it.

People moved to Lincoln to get away from the bustle of the city…it was full of those people who had ‘let’s ditch this town’ mindsets and set down roots in a section of the world where they wouldn’t be bothered. It was the type of town that lived in the lyrics of a country song: picture perfect homegrown peace where everyone knew everyone and everyone had a place. It was easy to know everyone in a town like Lincoln. Driving in from the city you would pass a white paneled church, a few small single storey houses with lengthy driveways, the red trimmed general store, a brick sided restaurant, a run down and rusted mechanic’s shop, and catch a glimpse of the small community center just past the park before being enveloped by the nothingness that middle-of-nowhere Connecticut was known for.

Not much happened in Lincoln – at least nothing that was worth noting. Sometimes a car would break down and a city dweller in a designer suit would find his way to the general store to ask for assistance or, more often, a coyote would be rumoured to be roaming at night but that was the extent of the excitement. The most exciting thing to do outside of day to day work was play hockey and it seemed to be the town’s pride and joy of a pastime. There was no such thing as ‘hockey season’ as hockey season was year round in the small town of Lincoln, Connecticut. The community center housed an ice rink that could be melted down to a basketball court but everyone stayed for the hockey. The Lincoln Lighting Junior and Senior leagues were usually the talk of the town. The school-aged boys (ages 7-13) played for the juniors and the later teens and most of the fathers played for the senior league. The captain of the senior league was the coach of the juniors and he owned one of the few farms a few paces north of the main intersection.

A father of one and the best hockey player Lincoln had ever seen, Daniel Seavey was more than one could expect from a small town man.

He wasn’t your everyday potato farmer with uneven tan lines or a body that housed more beer than muscle and, in fact, he was the talk and the eye candy of the town. At only twenty-nine, Daniel was the best of the best in Lincoln: best hockey player, best coach, best farmer, best guitarist, best father; and he had the sandy brown hair and sky blue eyes of a heartbreaker to top it all. At six feet tall, Daniel was slim and handsome, and yet had the muscles capable of running a farm and shooting slapshots like you wouldn’t believe. Daniel was quiet and polite and he innocently humoured the wives of the town as they flirted with him in front of their unimpressed husbands.

But no one could be mad at Daniel. Not when he was the first and only widow Lincoln had ever seen.

Marigold Seavey was twenty-six when she died in her bed at their farmhouse in the early hours of the morning. Her passing was the first major event to ever shake the town of Lincoln. Everyone knew everyone in this town and, that being said, everyone knew what a sunshiny soul Marigold was. Daniel, especially, seemed to have his light burnt out once she was buried behind the church at the corner of town. Some of the folks in town will tell you that the saddest sight they had ever seen was Daniel standing at the foot of his wife’s grave after the funeral with his six-year-old son holding his hand and the two of them crying silent tears into the fresh fall soil.

Despite Daniel’s quiet persona, he was strong and he knew he had to be for the sake of his young son. He couldn’t wallow in his grief for long since he had a son to raise and a farm to tend to and the generosity of the townsfolk certainly helped him to stay on his feet after his wife passed.

It had been a year-and-a-half since Marigold died. Daniel had just turned twenty-nine as March moulded into April and the winter chill was starting to fade into spring and the second birthday without her wasn’t any easier. The birthday cake baked by his neighbour wasn’t as delicious as Marigold’s classic lemon cake she would make him every year but he politely thanked the woman and dared not complain. Daniel would never complain over the niceties of the townsfolk.

That’s what came with living in such a small town; everyone had everyone’s back.

It was the first Sunday of April and the first truly nice spring day of the year. With a crisp breeze in the air, it was only just warm enough to discard the winter jackets and most of the town was gathered in the large backyard of the mayor’s house for the usual after-church brunch. On the colder Sundays, brunch was held in the main restaurant but everyone preferred to gather in the fresh air and over the crisp green grass of the mayor’s house as soon as the weather permitted.

The mayor’s house was the largest and had the most land outside of the farms that were just north of the main intersection in town. Jonah – known by the locals as such since he didn’t like the formality that came with the title of ‘Mayor Frantzich’ – and his wife Jocelyn kept a pretty house on the edge of the little town. They could be what you call the ideal small town family with two kids, a dog, and white picket fence – enough backyard space for it to be the perfect spot for weekly brunch.

The town children had space to play and stretch their legs after sitting for an hour in church and the yard was filled with the shouts from their games. The adults lingered around the yard in various little circles, nursing freshly squeezed orange juice in spring-themed clear plastic cups and talking amongst themselves.

Daniel did a lot of listening during Sunday brunches, standing amidst one of the groups of parents as they talked about school, clubs, and work. Marigold was always the chatty one of the two of them…without her, Daniel felt out of place.

“What about you, Daniel? Think the frost will be gone to break ground this week?”

Jack spoke first, a shorter man with unruly brown hair and enough tattoos to surprise anyone with the fact that he raised an apple orchard. He owned the farm beside Daniel’s and was one of his closest friends in the town.

Daniel thought for a moment and scuffed the toe of his dress shoe against the grass. The cold ground was still pretty solid and the chill in the air still had them all wearing blazers over their Sunday button-ups.

“Only if this cold front lets up.” Daniel answered. “I’m hoping to plough by next week at the latest.”

“Everything’s been going well with the farm and your boy?” Jonah asked, his hand tucked around his wife’s waist and he raised his opposite hand to his mouth to sip his juice.

Daniel shifted on his feet and gave a shrug, his eyes drifting past the group of parents to easily pick out his shaggy haired brunette son across the yard with the rest of the kids. At almost eight-years-old, Lennox was the light of Daniel’s life; his little hockey star, helping hand, and the one whom his late wife’s smile and spirit lived on in. It had been a hard year-and-a-half for the two Seavey boys but Daniel was relived that he could hear his son laugh again, his audible glee reaching to the far edges of the mayor’s property and to his father’s ears.  

“It’s been…fine.” Daniel sighed, his eyes lingering on his son as he answered Jonah’s question, “Lennox has been doing well…his grades are better this year which I’m relieved about. I just…I already sold the sheep and half the chickens and the second cow last spring to try and tame some of the workload but it’s still a lot.”

“Running a farm on your own isn’t easy.” Jack said, “I know how much work it takes for two owners let alone one.”

“We’re here to help with whatever you need.” Corbyn assured him. “I can give you deals on whatever you need from the shop as often as I can.”

Corbyn owned the general store in the center of town and was the bachelor of Lincoln. It wasn’t like there were any women to date in such a small place full of cookie cutter rural families but Corbyn was very happy as he was: running the store and being the eyes and ears of the town.

Daniel shut down his generous offer politely as he looked back to his friends, “No, no. I don’t want that…thank you though. I’m just worried the garden will suffer. With so much to do with ploughing and planting and coaching…I don’t know how much time I’ll have for the flowers.” Daniel let his gaze drift back to his son playing across the grass, “Lennox is too young to tend to them himself but he loves the gardens so much so I don’t want yet another thing to disappoint him.”

“Have you thought of hiring someone?” Jonah asked.

“Like a gardener?” Daniel hummed, “I dunno.”

Corbyn sipped his drink, “Is it in the budget?”

“I think so.” Daniel shrugged, swirling his orange juice in his hand. “Never thought about it. Mari always took care of the flowers so…”

“I have a family friend who’s pretty good with gardens…I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help out.” Jocelyn offered.

Daniel chuckled under his breath, “That’s…a nice offer but I’m not looking to put anyone out of their way. They’re just flowers after all.”

But everyone knew that they weren’t just flowers to Daniel. They were Marigold’s flowers.

Jack tisked at Daniel’s hesitation, “Well if it’s in your budget to hire a gardener and you know the gardens are important to Lennox and yourself, then why not give it a try? You don’t have anything to lose.”

Jonah only added onto the argument, “She’s been wanting to come visit Lincoln for a while now. Why don’t we invite her to town and she can stay with us and you can give her a look over…if you think you want to hire her then you can.”

Daniel thought about it for a moment, taking a sip of his juice as his eyes found his son again. It was habit. Lennox was already running for him at top speed across the grass and Daniel set his cup down on the table just in time to welcome his seven-year-old’s energetic jump at him. He scooped him up with one arm and a tired grunt as he hiked him up onto his waist and Lennox held onto him around his neck, giggling as the other kids ran over after him.

“Daddy’s safe. You can’t get me.” Lennox told them matter-of-factly.

Daniel smiled proudly and linked his hands under his son’s bum to hold him up securely. At almost eight, Lennox was a bit heavy to hold but after nine years of farm work and working out for hockey, it wasn’t much of an issue for Daniel to hold him. He’d never complain regardless.

The other kids found their parents, gladly taking sips of juice or pieces of cut up fruit after a tiring chase around the yard. Jonah and Jocelyn’s seven-year-old twins found their way between them and helped themselves to the few snacks on the table. They were the closest to Lennox’s age – although a few months younger – and the boy of the set of fraternal twins was on the junior hockey team with him.

With the parents busy for a moment with their children – Jack was helping to fasten his daughter’s curly hair back in her headband – Daniel pondered the previous offer. His son rested his head against his with his small arms slung around his neck and Daniel could feel each of his gentle breaths rising and falling his chest. Everything Daniel did was for Lennox. He bit his lip.

“No rush.” Jocelyn said to him, reassuring their offer as if she could see his hesitation, “Just let us know.”

“Thank you.” Daniel said honestly.

“The Herron’s are coming over.” Corbyn whispered to the group and right away they shifted awkwardly as the family approached. Daniel let out an anticipatory sigh.

If you ever thought of jealousy, you would think of Zach Herron; father of two boys who weren’t very good at hockey and husband to a wife whose eyes liked to linger on Daniel’s biceps a little too much. Zach envied a lot of Daniel…maybe even envied him that his wife was dead. He would never admit that out loud though.

“Seavey.” Zach greeted as his family approached the group with his petite platinum blonde wife on his arm. He glanced around to the others, “And friends.”

There was a dull chorus of replies.

Zach continued, “I’m still willing to buy your horses off you. You know I have a generous price to offer.” 

Daniel chuckled lightly, “Yes, I know. But the horses are not for sale and they never will be.”

“Daniel would sell his house before he sells those horses.” Jack said. The group laughed lightly at the truth behind that. 

Lennox wiggled from Daniel’s arms and he set him down to join up with the two Herron boys who had just come over. The children gathered together at the other side of the table and chatted excitedly. Daniel picked up his orange juice.

“Daniel,” Zach’s wife set a hand on his bicep, her face filled with nothing but dramatic concern, “how are you holding up?”

“I’m doing fine, Katie, thank you.” Daniel replied politely.

She sighed, “It would just be a terrible shame to see your beautiful gardens go to waste; I overheard you talking about it from over there. Please let me know if I can help in any way.”

Zach’s annoyed scoff had Jack smirking into his orange juice. Corbyn and Jonah exchanged amused glances between themselves. Daniel offered Zach’s wife a small polite smile.

“That’s very nice of you to offer, but Jonah and Jocelyn already offered a family friend who’s in the business.” Daniel looked over at the couple again, with slight thankfulness in his eyes, “And I think I will gladly take them up on that recommendation.”

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Whumptober day 20 - Lost and found || trunk | hidden under water

no actual whump in this one except for some character introspection at the end, but it sets something up for later so here we go

This time of year makes the waters of the Rio Grande run sluggish and shallow, slowly trickling south towards the gulf of Mexico. Come the end of August, the monsoons will make the river swell past its banks, depositing river soil and mud where otherwise, nothing would grow. For now, it's little more than a wide puddle snaking across the expanse of the Chiuahuan desert.

Much easier to spot the mirelurks, though. Even in the moonless night, he can see their nests silhouetted against the riverbank, just barely peeking out above the mud. They probably won't bother him, even if he does wander too close, but it isn't them that Jack's afraid of. The lights of the Legion camp are hot on Jack's back, cutting through the shadows of the grass and making sweat prickle on the back of his neck.

It's a small camp - three squat buildings and a watchtower standing at the outskirts, maybe forty yards away. Not an inch of space is wasted - this is farm land, after all. Acres of crops spread up and down the banks of the Rio Grande for at least three miles, tended by the family that lives in the little shacks not too far away. Jack's been here a few times on patrol with the older Legionaries; the farmer is a good man, and so are his sons. The last time Jack had been here, the farmer had brought him dinner while Jack was on watch. He'd called Jack son.

Eager to lend a hand to the Legion, and all too willing to accept their help.

There's a guard standing on top of the watchtower, rifle in hand. He's silhouetted by the light of the fires burning below. His feathered helmet casts a long shadow across the barren land between the watchtower and the grassy waterfront. Not many Legionaries carry guns; not even Jack is well versed with them. But good farm land and decent workers mean good protection. The guard isn't the only Legionary over there. At least two more men are asleep in the barracks behind the farmhouse, and another guard is prodding at the fire.

Lights dot several locations on the perimeter of the homestead, throwing a circle of yellow light across the field. Jack is crouched just at the edge of it, pressed as far back into the grass as he can get. He can't move, not now - any movement and his limited cover will give him away.

Jack shifts uncomfortably, ankle twisting to the side as a cramp starts to throb in his calf. Pebbles shower down the riverbank. It can't be heard over the quiet shushing of the grass, and certainly not from a hundred and twenty feet away, but to Jack, he might as well have set off a gun. He freezes, heart hammering, fingers digging into the sandy soil beneath him.

The guard doesn't make any indication he'd heard what Jack had done. He shifts from foot to foot, rolling one shoulder, then the other. Jack stares at him out of the corner of his eyes. Sweat beads on his temple, slipping down his cheek. The bundle on his back weighs heavily against him, leather strapping biting into Jack's shoulder. Getting caught is not an option. He doesn't move.

After what seems like an eternity, the guard turns away from his post, likely to call down to his friend. Jack lets out a breath, slipping forward deeper into the grass, away from the deadly pocket of light. Even as the homestead shrinks behind him, Jack feels his heart continue to race. It hasn't stopped pounding since he slipped out of Santa Fe's city limits two hours ago and started his flight east with a bundle of stolen goods strapped to his back.

The supplies are painfully meager. Jack has never risked stealing much - he likes having both hands - but it's better than nothing. A shirt that isn't Legion red, wool socks, and a sturdy bone-handled hunting knife Jack had personally taken from the body of a farmer during a raid a few months back. It's bundled in a woven serape, and further concealed in an oilcloth. Hopefully enough to protect it from what Jack intends to do.

It's not an escape. Not really. If Jack were quick and determined, he could slip away any time he wanted to, disappearing into the desert before any of the soldiers caught wind of what he'd done. But he can't - won't - leave without Cecelia. Her wounds have only just started to heal. She still struggles to walk some days, and others leave her bleeding through the bandages on her back. Never once has she complained, but Jack can see it in her face and the tightness in her eyes. In the weeks since the whipping, not once has he seen her smile.

The thought of escaping has always been somewhere in the back of his mind, but Jack has never paid much attention to it. The timing has never been right, or he wasn't prepared enough, or something else Jack can never put his finger on. Something indefinable, chaining him to the Legion. For now. For always.

It might be Jack's fate, but it can't be Cecelia's. He won't let it.

The edge of the riverbank is just ahead, curving sharply to the right. Much of the sandy soil has eroded away, revealing the clay and stones that make up the riverbed. The ground slopes down, curving around a natural hollow in the earth. It's a black spot in the night; if Jack's not careful, he'll slip and go skidding down the bank.

He'd first seen this place three weeks ago, on one of the visits to the farm. In the daylight, it looks like nothing more than a place in the river where the water pools and stagnates. A good place for fishing or swimming if the season is right for it, but with the water running low, it's revealed something - a large, flat rock, maybe two and a half feet wide and three feet long, embedded in the clay of the riverbank. A marker, and a hiding spot. Now, in the dark of night, Jack's not sure if he can find this spot, let alone hollow it out and hide his stolen cargo.

Creeping forward, Jack slips closer to the edge of the bank, where it slopes sharply down to the muddy bottom of the river. Gripping the strap of the leather bundle with one hand, Jack grabs a handful of grass with the other and swings his legs over the edge. He twists around, staring up over the waving tops of the grass towards the watchtower, now barely visible over the gentle rise of the field. If he squints, he can just barely make out the head of the second guard standing against the light.

Taking a breath, Jack lets go and pushes himself down the slope, skidding on mud and soil. Dirt showers down around him, working under his clothes and fingernails. He slides to the bottom and freezes, pressed against the riverbank, waiting to hear shouting and pounding footsteps. Nothing.

Jack presses forward, still stooped in a crouch. He's in deep shadow now, with hardly any light to see by. Afterimages from the spotlights are still burned into his vision. He presses a hand against the dirt wall of the riverbank, following it further down the curve until his fingertips brush stone. His fingernails catch the smooth edge, digging between the stone and the clay it's embedded in. His heart rate quickens.

Dropping the bundle, Jack puts both hands on the stone, measuring it by touch alone. It's the right one. It has to be; he can't afford to be wrong.

Taking a breath, Jack starts clawing at the clay until vicious handfuls start to come free. Sand and soil cascades down the riverbank, burying Jack's feet more every second. He works quickly and quietly, making no more noise than he needs to. The river gurgles quietly behind him, covering the noise of falling earth.

It doesn't take him long to form a hollow in the earth big enough to stash the bundle of stolen clothes and weapons. Jack hefts the bundle and shoves it inside the crevice between the stone and clay, far enough back that his shoulder touches the dirt.

It'll be protected here, deep in the earth and hidden by the water, and Jack can find it again when he needs to. Bending down, Jack starts shoveling handfuls of clay and soil back into the depression, entombing it in the side of the riverbank. He's panting, heart fluttering in his chest.

He'll come back after the monsoons have come and gone, just to make sure the stash is still there. It'll stay here for now, buried, and hopefully when the river swells this high, the clay will keep it safe.

Staggering back, Jack turns towards the sliver of water that remains of the Rio Grande. Dirt cakes his fingernails and scrapes against the inside of his sandals. Cool water laps against his toes. Jack sinks to his knees. There's mud streaked up his arms and across his face, and Jack is sure he looks wild eyed and frightened.

This act of sedition, as liberating as it had felt, needs to be washed away. Jack can't return to the Legion remembering how it feels to rebel. He's used up enough of the Legion's mercy as-is. Any hint that he isn’t the perfect mindless soldier they want him to be, and the only thing in his future is a cross. He needs to be a Legionary again.

Cupping his hands in the murky water, Jack brings the handful to his face.