#fig fruit farming

[farmerstrend]

A Guide On Fig Fruit Cultivation In Kenya & Where To Buy Fig Seedlings

A Guide On Fig Fruit Cultivation In Kenya & Where To Buy Fig Seedlings

Figs are fun and fairly easy to grow, but there are a few important things to learn about fig tree care. When good drainage is provided figs can grow in a wide range of soil, but they need a site free of root-knot nematodes. For good fruit crops, and vigorous growth, plant in full sunlight. Cold injury will be further reduced if the fig does not receive direct sunlight early in the morning or…

[royalsunshinehotel]

How Can I? (The Kid x Reader, 18+)

Author's Note: Inspired by Taylor Swift's "Guilty As Sin?" from an inbox request. Thank you to my intrepid editor, and dearest friend @youlooklike-clarabow. You're the best ❤️‍🔥😭🤠🍊

The forest had welcomed him back, just like he’d hoped. Four months after Kid had taken his revenge, it had welcomed him home, as if it missed him, and it had taken him back, and taken in the hijras, as if all of you had always been there. Beating Rana to death had brought Kid back to life. He hoped that you and Sita felt the same. 

Sita had been focused on farming the land, showing off her green thumb after years away from any kind of dirt, and Alpha, it felt, had retired. She had a rocking chair and would look over the makeshift village, from dawn until dusk, every single day. 

And then there was you. Your hand was the one Sita reached for when she ran out to the back alley of Kings. Covered in blood, but together through it all. He had saved your life, rescued the two of you from the Queenie’s black stiletto heels standing on your necks, forcing you to do things you didn’t want to do. He should leave you alone, he shouldn’t want you the way that he does. 

When was the last time he’d had such a luxury? He laid on his sleeping mat, bored bored bored, deep in his bones. 

He hadn’t realized exactly how mentally caged he had been, but now he was free. What was left to do? 

He’d learned about how you longed to throw yourself to the ocean rocks for the chance at freedom, and how grateful you were for him coming to break all of the locks with a chaotic flair. 

He wanted you to be his- from the first moment he laid eyes on you. It was a difficult thing to admit. He’d have wonderful - shockingly vivid dreams about a world where your attachment was written everywhere on you, walking into a room and people know your his. The same for him of course, he’d want everyone to know he’s yours. 

But why on earth would you agree to it? You’d been a bird in a horrible, dank little cage, why would you toss yourself to the likes of him, after all you’d been subjected to? 

Such thoughts could live in dreams, he supposed. 

Across the camp, you're in the branches of a banyan tree, sitting snugly, safely in its branches. You kick your feet, and bob a little, hoping to shake some fruit loose, but alas, the figs aren't ripe yet. Maybe some more sun the next week would do it. What a treat that would be! 

You enjoy seeing the whole camp from up high. Deep in the heart of the woods, you’re all here, together. 

It was remarkable, you think, how you had all been able to come together and make a home. It would be a true village with more time, but the fact that everyone from the temple, plus those left standing after King’s, all had their own shelter, and were working together for food and water…it was remarkable. 

You flash in your mind, on Kid, watching him a little too closely as he weaved some smaller branches to make a door. 

His arms were lovely, even to a strange woman in a fig tree. A flash of heat hits your face, as you imagine those arms around you. In dreams you’d been having, you take a fistful of dense, curly hair, and pull. Would he like it? Would he tell you to fuck off? 

You kick yourself, and then you kick yourself for kicking yourself. Just a passing thought of his arms, and you were practically panting in the early summer heat. 

Sitting up in your tree, you thought of all the men you allowed to touch you, how you faked smiles and orgasms like it was nothing. And then he’d just come bowling into your life with the spark of a firework, letting you know it didn’t have to be like that anymore. 

Even if you did put your hands on him, touch him in the ways you wished to, would you know how? Would you know how to feel for him? 

In your mind, you’d already felt all of him, to your heart's content and beyond…

Sita had said no one would send you to jail for your thoughts, but it certainly felt that way. You hadn’t even touched him - where did all this guilt come from? Did you really need to keep your longing for Kid locked in a vault? 

Queenie had locked passport, your money, everything you were, into a vault -  he was far too kind to be put in there. 

Still, you did intend to be loyal to him, even if it was entirely one sided.  You spoke to him only when necessary, and would continue to do so until this burning itch underneath your skin - ur desire, faded. It had to, right? 

“Kanna, come here please!” called Alpha, voice clear and smooth, summoning you down from your perch, and you oblige her, moving slowly. 

You trot over, feet feeling heavy on the grass, “Yes, Alpha?” 

She takes your hand, and you link your fingers, admiring the manicure Sita had given her earlier that week. 

“You fantasize. I can see it from down here.” 

“I’m not sure what you're saying.” 

“Your fantasies are no longer fatal, and neither are Kid’s. He’s free of the past, still, he does not sleep. You should perhaps see if he is alright?”

As if on cue, a groan floats through the air, towards the two of you. 

“And do what?” 

“Make sure that his past stays gone?” She suggests, not verbalizing what she’d observed these past months. 

Your brow furrows. Kid would have to settle for a cup of water, and a bite of tangerine before settling back to sleep. That’s what your mother always gave you for your nightmares, why wouldn’t it work here? 

You make the quick journey, waving goodnight to Alpha, but stalling at the door of Kid’s hut. 

Another low groan. 

If it had been daylight, you would have had it in yourself to admit to the fluttering in your belly, but you wouldn’t. The desire would subside, for now you have to see if he’s well. The light of the moon makes your path clear. 

You take a breath, before opening the door. 

It’s night. It’s dark - the moon only gets you so far. 

And yet, you still find him, in the corner, on his sleeping mat, flat on his back. A low, almost imperceptible whine reaches your ears, and you furrow your brow. That didn’t seem like a nightmare, was he sick? 

You crouch down next to his sleeping body, and place a cool hand on his forehead, just to feel him. 

It wasn’t in Kid’s nature to feel casual annoyance, but if he could have, he would have been. In the midst of a wonderful dream, inspired by a bead of sweat he saw glistening in the hollow of your clavicle that morning, he was now dreaming about you - again, same as every night. 

In his dreams, you fall apart under his palms, scratching desperately at his back, and you beg for more. In his dreams, you're a desperate, sweet little thing, not much different from him. Another self-indulgence, thinking of a world where you want him as badly as he wants you. 

He jerks awake - where have you gone? He feels movement right beside him, and reflexively grabs it, a tight grip on your wrist.

“Jaanu, come back to bed.” His eyes are wide, still asleep in his mind. You crouched beside him, stunned at his words.

Alpha had said he was having a nightmare. He was neither sick, nor having a nightmare…

He was dreaming! About the two of you! 

Heat rushes to your face, like a paintbrush in water. 

“Back to…” You pause, “Yes, I’ll come back to bed.” Kid grunts at you, not giving your wrist back.  

He’s still in his own head, he doesn’t realize that you’re truly here. 

You allow him to pull you in, sighing as he tucks you into his side. 

God, he felt better than you imagined. 

You hold on to him, as his breathing slows, and you run your hands over a warm, flat stomach, tracing hearts there, for hours and hours. 

You wake slowly, for the first time in years. A light brushing of warmth against your cheek. You crinkle your nose, slowly blinking, and remembering where exactly you were. 

Your head is resting on his arm, his hand on your waist, in real life. 

He’s looking over at you, brown eyes round, his mouth just inches away from yours. Over the past few months, his beard had gotten unruly, you slowly place a hand under his chin, to pet the new growth. 

“Are you really here?” He rasps, voice soft with sleep, you let out a little sigh of relief. 

“Yes, I didn’t want to wake you, Alpha was worried, and you grabbed my wrist so I just…stayed.” You explained, trying not to seem flustered. 

“You're here, not just in my dreams.” He practically whispered, bringing up a palm to your cheek, same as you had for him. It had taken a couple of weeks to hear from Alpha about why Kid’s hands were the way they were. Kid had learned to live with the fact that his roots had been burned away, but as his hand touched your face, it certainly didn’t feel like that. 

You think about his lovely hands. Regardless of any fire, any destruction they may have wrought, any scar tissue that grew there had only served to free you and the women at King’s. You like his hands. 

“I want to kiss you. Can I?” Your voice shook, but you said those words anyway. You should be proud of yourself. 

Kid nods his head, letting you inch forward, brushing your noses together. Something in his stomach flips, and you brush your mouth against his. Soft, almost delicate, the same way a leaf meets the ground in the fall. 

Oh - you think. 

You kissed him, like you had been longing, dreaming of doing, and nothing horrible happened! The stars were still in the sky, the rivers were still running, the trees still stood tall, protecting your village…

“I want you. Do you feel the same?” You ask him again, not sure where this confidence had come from. Maybe it was the fact that you were here, and so close to what you had wanted…

“I only sleep because it’s where I might find you.” Something goes plink in your heart, and you decide enough is enough. 

“Well wake up,” you tease, “I’m right here.” 

Something flashes across Kid’s face, and he pulls you back in. It’s hard not to fold completely as he rolls you carefully on to your back, he just feels too good. Even with the low light coming into the hut, it felt as if Kid had been drizzled in gold. 

“I want more,” you command between kisses, his beard tickling your face. 

“We have to be quiet,” he responds, clearly getting distracted. You had to get him out of his own head. It was ridiculous, someone with a past as checkered as his. He wanted to be with you always, be something you could crush under the heel of your boot if it pleased you. He only wants to please you. And now that he is getting the chance, he does exactly that. 

He works his way down, ignoring the sticky summer heat, until he settles comfortably between your legs. 

How lovely! How comfortable it was to lie here with you. Your body under his felt so surreal, soft and comfortable. Your hands on his shoulders. 

When he has the time, he decides that he’s going to put each one of your fingers in his mouth, just for the sake of feeling every part of you. 

How strange, how new it was! The desire to feel all of someone; to lay here on top of you and hope gravity might keep him here as long as possible. 

He says nothing and hums into your soft thighs, stray hand wandering to push your cotton shift up slowly, higher and higher. You love him for that -  that he’s giving you so much time to stop him, to call it all off, but you don’t. 

Kid runs a rough palm over your heat, and begins to shake at the contact. 

“May I?” He asks, polite as ever. 

You reply, a simple “Yes.” 

Gently, slowly, Kid nudges your legs apart, smiling, before taking an experimental taste. 

It was embarrassing how you jerked into him, like an electric shock. 

Something darkened across his face, that set your hair on end in the best way, and he dove in headfirst. 

He flicks his tongue on your clit, chuckling against you as you twitch under the attention, “Do you like that?” He asks, and you nod, losing your thoughts. 

Your heart leaps to your throat as the rough pad of his thumb meets your clit, rubbing a heart shape. 

“Answer me!” He urges, growly, and it makes you want to smack him. 

“Yes!” You squeak, a little too loudly, sitting up on your elbows. Kid stifles a laugh behind his hand as he rests a palm on your stomach to soothe you. He didn’t know you as one to squeak! You pout, just because you can, and he grins at you, leaning up for a kiss to your pouty mouth. 

“Poor birdy,” he coos, “we should go deeper into the woods, where we can be as loud as we like.” 

The thought makes your hair stand on end, being truly alone, together. The tantalizing thought fades as he ducks his face back down, into you. As he works, spreading the warmth of his mouth over you, it was hard to remember why you ‘had to be quiet’. How would that be possible? Flicking his tongue, you twitch again, relishing the attention he was giving so freely.

“Would you like more?” He hums, vibrations tearing right through you. 

“Y-yesyesyes, more please.” His rough palms roam over you at a leisurely pace, his mouth back to your clit. You should be quiet, you try so hard to be quiet, but Kid’s sucking and slurping unnerves you. You can’t control yourself for long. 

You want to beg him to grab you harder, like you might float away if he doesn’t, but you just can’t find words beyond, “Want you…” 

“Do you promise?” Kid murmured into your leg, tugging the soft flesh there lightly with his teeth, “I don’t want to pressure you.” Please please please, he thinks. 

“I promise,” you pant, pussy still fluttering, “Wanted you since I first saw you…” Your voice dies off, as he comes up to kiss you on the mouth, like he missed you. 

“I was covered in blood.” 

“A few more days and you could be again.” You freeze at your own words. Queenie always kept the girls on lockdown when it was that time. Kid was different. 

“Don’t tempt me, jaanu. I should keep you in my arms until then.” It’s a threat. It’s a promise. It’s everything you’ve been dreaming about for months…

But the idea of Kid with your monthly blood on his face was something else entirely…

Your thoughts are cut off again, but Kid takes your hand, resting it above your stomach. Your fingers intertwine, naturally. 

“Can I get you ready for me?” 

“Do it.” Your voice is firm, and certain, and he absolutely adores you for it. 

The look on your face through the rising light makes his hair stand on end. 

Your eyes flutter shut as Kid traces your needy hole with his fingers. How could you have known that he’d be so gentle with you? What exactly had you been making yourself feel bad about? 

You bite down a moan as he works one finger in, slowly, letting you feel every ridge, relishing as you try to squirm closer to his hand. 

No. 

You’ll take what he gives when he gives it, he thinks but then he revises, You will get everything he had, but not quite yet. 

He pauses, letting you get used to his digit, only starting to move when you pant. You're too stiff, he doesn’t like that. He doesn’t want it to be like before, he wants it to be better. 

It’s hard not to melt, so you allow yourself the pleasure. 

Who was he really? Did it even matter? 

“Alright, Jannu?” He asks, and you take a grip on his shoulder, nodding ‘yes.’ 

And then, he starts to move. 

It had been years since someone’s hands had worked you so thoroughly, and you simply had to enjoy it. He simply had to pull you closer, with his two fingers, other hand palming your breasts, to your thrill, in a less gentle manner than the rest of you. 

He was simply petting you, playing with you, of course you had to purr. You couldn’t imagine anything else. Everything in your life has led you here, with him, to be underneath him. 

Faster and faster and faster, and then. Nothing. 

“Shh. Just hold on for me.” 

Kid takes his hand from you, and you whip your head up, face ravenous. 

All he offers you is a “Sorry, not yet.” You should slap him, but the emptiness he’d left turned into an ache. How could he do this? Even for a moment? 

You whine, and Kid thinks he might die if he doesn’t fuck you how you deserve. 

“It’s alright, I’m here. I’ll make it better, hm?” Your lover shifts above you, and you feel his cock nudging at your folds. The giddiness of it all goes straight to your head. 

“Need you!” You are keen, rolling your hips into him, hoping to catch something, anything to grant relief. But the only thing that could help is him. 

“Slowly, not too much now.” He cautions, but you can't. You simply can’t. Months of dreaming, waiting, lusting, handling the overwhelming guilt you didn’t ask for? No more waiting.

You pant, and he greedily breathes in your air, inching into you, measured and careful. 

No. No more. 

You take a cruel grip on his ass, and pull him down into you, losing yourself for either a moment or an hour. 

He pants, sounding desperate to keep himself together. Maybe that wasn’t the wisest move, maybe he’d been going sooooo slooow for his sake as much as yours…

Kid is seated completely inside you, running his rough palm over the bulge he was making in your lower tummy. How quickly a life can change, he thinks, he was asleep, and now he’s here, above you, feeling exactly how deep he can fit inside you. 

Your vision had gone white at the edges, he just felt too correct. Perhaps you should keep him hostage here, always. Kid lets out a low whine, pathetic and beautiful, and you feel your skin buzz so loud, you're certain he could hear it. 

He has to move. Or you might die. 

But carefully, he rolls into you, making you dig into him. He catches your wanton moan in his mouth, trying to soothe you in spite of his actions. Your words are gone…

“Good girl, do you like that?” He asks, as if you could respond, “Do you want more?” 

You nod your head, drunkenly, and he snaps down again. You grip him even tighter, and he puts his mouth back on yours. 

It’s just too desperate, does he know how badly you need him?  

“Harder! Harder please.” You beg, eyes round and unfocused on anything other than the harsh pleasure he was giving you. 

“More more more!”

Kid goes after your breasts, teasing with his hot mouth, bringing you closer with each shallow breath he takes. 

You stifle a wail in his shoulder, fighting desperately. As soon as you bare down around him, it’s over. You don’t want to be over…

Kid seems to know this, watching you intently, same as always. You fight off your orgasm, defiant and determined, fluttering tightly around him, the least he could do is do the same. 

But it’s simply too much, you knew you were going to scream. You couldn’t, it was too early, everyone would know. 

You run a hand up the side of his face, catching his beard, feeling hair stuck to his forehead from the humidity. His eyes blank, absolutely lost in the throes of you, your squelching and whines burned into his bones forever. 

He holds you as you scrabble at his back, eyes rolling, not losing his pace for a moment, only gasping into your ear as you finally clench down, fluttering around him, only coming back to reality when your teeth meet his chest and bite down, muffling the sound. 

Your teeth meeting his flesh, makes him lose his composure. He moans beautifully in your ear, your teeth still in his chest, reflexively gripping you harder as he spills deep inside. You kick your legs up higher around his torso, so you could keep him trapped against you. 

Kid pants into your mouth, murmuring all the sweet things he’d been keeping to himself. He’s free now, you both are. 

But still, neither of you move, holding on to each other, and it must be heaven. 

Someone has to move first. He should start some tea for you. He should start to show you how he was ready for the rest of his life now, with you. 

But it’s not to be, the second Kid pulls out, you kick his rear with the heel of your ankle. All of your shared mess seeps out of your worn out body. Not yet. He’s too far away. It couldn’t be over yet…That’s not allowed, you decide. 

“No. Put it back.” You command. 

Kid has the nerve to bat his eyes at you, and obliges, face flashing with something you couldn’t place. 

He holds you tight, and the two of you let the quiet soak in from the window. With you here, it wasn’t a hut, but a proper house. 

His heart is about to beat out of his chest, the sheer weight of your eyes on his, it feels like an honor to be here with you. 

The evidence of your rendezvous was hot and sticky between your legs. Kid was surprised that there seemed to be so much, and he didn’t mind one bit. Maybe he could take you down to the river to clean up, and care for you properly. Maybe the two of you wouldn’t be missed. 

You close your eyes, and something flips in the Kid's chest. 

“What is it you want?” He asks, forehead pressed against yours, “Ask for the moon and I’ll pull it down for you.” You squirm under the intensity of his stare, he was simply too beautiful and overwhelming. 

“I choose you and me.” 

“You can have it.” He gives you a peck, smiling into you, but quickly furrowing into concern. .

“Wait Jannu, it’s alright, what’s happened?” You stifle a small sob at the overwhelming softness of his tone. 

The fist around your heart clenches, as you feel a wet trail down your face, to your jaw. 

When was the last time you were allowed to cry? 

You huff a little, to yourself, and bring him in for another sweet kiss, languid and comfortable. He brings the pads of his thumbs under your eyes, clearing the tears away.  You take a fistful of his hair, and bring him in close, limbs intertwined, safe together. 

“I’m happy. I’m so very happy.” And you cry a little more, because it’s true. 

[astrolovecosmos]

The Planets & Random or Obscure Associations

~Sun~

Creativity, vitality, head of state, the father, games, yellow and orange clothing, articles of value, jewelry, gold, brass, power, diamonds, citrine, topaz, jasper, amber, rhodochrosite, mistletoe, almonds, citrus, succulents, sunflowers, fevers, heart, back, spine, grapes, walnuts, rice, chamomile, frankincense, juniper, saffron, marigold, rosemary, rue, palaces, towers, luxury.

~Moon~

Eternal, cycles, silver, aluminum, pearls, moonstone, opal, selenite, chest, glands, lymphatic system, nervous system, emotions, mother, ancestors, nurture, rebirth, tides, baths, ocean, brew, boat, sap, willow trees, succulents, pale color plants, white flowers, cucumber, cabbage, lettuce, melons, shellfish, pumpkins, lakes, fountains, ports, fishponds, pools, springs, sewers, dairies, toys, reflection, blankets, objects of comfort.

~Mercury~

Communication, journal, pen/pencil, any writing tools, wings, phosphorous, mercury, agate, tiger's eye, brain, nervous system, eyes, respiration, thyroid, speech, hearing, intellect, vehicles, money, bills, paper, books, pictures, parties or social gatherings, scientific instruments, butterflies, messages, mail, hazel, mulberry, myrtle, seeds, aniseed, dill, fennel, lavender, liquorice, marjoram, parsley, valerian, hazelnuts, beans, mushrooms, pomegranates, carrots, celery, libraries, schools, markets, fairs, public spaces, tennis or badminton court, studies, banks, bowling greens, offices, blue, white, or light colored flowers.

~Venus~

Love, relating, lust, high-quality fabrics, copper, bronze, sodium, malachite, tourmaline, emerald, rose quartz, kunzite, sapphire, pastels, throat, kidneys, lumber region, art, music, aesthetics, social life, fashion, jewelry, wine, pleasure, alder tree, fruit trees, paint, ash tree, birch, pomegranates, early flowering, daisy, mint, marshmallow, meadowsweet, mugwort, plantain, tansy, roses, thyme, vervain, yarrow, potatoes, strawberries, wheat, sugar, nectarines, ballrooms, bedrooms, dining room, gardens, fountains, wardrobes, theaters, looking and feeling good.

~Mars~

Lust, conquest, desire, flaming sword, red things, fights, iron, brass, bloodstone, carnelian, cinnabar, pyrite, magnetite, ruby, garnet, hematite, muscles, reproductive organs, blood, kidneys, immunity, heat, action, arms, pepper, sharp instruments, cutlery, attacks, scissors, weapons, physical intimacy, bites, stings, scalds, burns, accidents, hawthorn, pine, thorns, cactus, aloes, anemone, arnica, belladonna, garlic, ginger, hops, mustard seed, nettles, wormwood, chives, onions, leeks, radish, rhubarb, tobacco, labs, furnaces, distilleries, bakehouses, ovens, smiths, butchers, fields, anger, passion, self-focus.

~Jupiter~

Expansion, optimism, religion, religious sites, tin, seduction, turquoise, chrysocolla, topaz, citrine, jasper, liver, pancreas, pituitary gland, sciatic nerve, excess, abundance, prophecy, philosophy, knowledge, universities, foreign travel, luggage, honey, oil, silk, fruit, distinct clothing, merchandise, horses, domestic birds, gambling, indulgence, entertainment, oak, dandelion, sage, endive, chervil, asparagus, figs, churches, temples, palaces, altars, courts, mansions, woods, orchards, winery, cornucopia, connecting with the soul.

~Saturn~

Limits, boundaries, father time, lord of death, shadows, lead, iron, steel, calcium, asbestos, sulphur, diamond, onyx, calcite, skeleton, spleen, skin, teeth, nails, joints, structure, crystallization, old age, blockage, anything dark, wool, heavy materials, agriculture, wheelbarrows, spades, farm houses and buildings, cold, laws, aspen, blackthorn, buckthorn, cypress, elm, toxic plants, hemlock, henbane, belladonna, hellebore, barley, beetroot, safflower, parsnips, spinach, deserts, woods, valleys, caves, church yards, ruins, coalpits, sinks, wells, mud, institutions.

~Uranus~

Eccentrics, mavericks, invention, genius, revolution, change, trends, disruptive science or tech, uranium, magnesium, lapis lazuli, sapphire, aquamarine, azurite, chalcedony, electricity, neon lights, plaid, nervous and circulatory system, pineal gland, chaos, violence, upheaval, astrology, steam engines, coal, machinery, coins, baths, fishponds, dangerous places, computers, magnets, quantum physics, research, welfare, humanity, hypnotherapy, railways, banks, gas, psychiatric hospitals, offices, hospitals, dispensaries, fortified places, chemicals, mingled/mingling, spirit and matter.

~Neptune~

Illusions, veils, diffuse, deception, water, oceans, mysticism, enlightenment, artistic pursuit and understanding, zinc, potassium, amethyst, fluorite, jade, sugilite, coral, aquamarine, pineal gland, lymphatic and nervous system, spine, mental processes, addiction, psychoses, disease, photography, music, substances, gas, religion, poetry, mimicry, chameleon, anesthetic, telepathy, empathy, dancing, psychic gifts, places near water, hospitals, places of healing, jeweler, painters, brewers, musicians, visionary.

~Pluto~

Power, influence, darkness, new life, what's hidden underneath, seeds, volcanoes, deep earth or ocean, bury, explosions, eruptions, abduction, plutonium, smoky quartz, obsidian, jet, pearl, deep reds, reproductive organs, the unconscious, nuclear, transformation, death, birth, rebirth, underworld, riches, earthquakes, big business, murder, detection, detective, invisibility, sneak, enforced change, hidden places, underground, drains, sewers, radioactive places, the occult, black magic, sacrifice, renew.

[willtheweaver]

A writer’s guide to forests: traveling through the woods

Getting from point A to point B is something that both people in real life and the characters of your story will have to figure out. Whether as a means to get to a plot point, or as a part of the plot itself, travel presents opportunities for the writer.

Hack ‘n slash- Where paths are nonexistent, your characters will literally have to blaze a trail (the ‘blaze’ in this case has nothing to do with fire. Instead it is a trail marker made by carving a mark into a tree. The mark resembles the white patch seen on the forehead of mammals, most often horses.) Being the pioneer is slow going, especially if the undergrowth is thick and requires clearing. Cut bamboo can go through the foot, poison oak and poison ivy can give a nasty rash, and biting insects can make life miserable. And then there is the matter of marking the trail. A character on the run will not want to advertise their location and will do their best to keep their trail hidden. But for others, they will want to mark the trail. Stone cairns, arrows, blaze marks in trees, and even sticks and knotted grass can point out the path to other travelers. This can be helpful to others, but it can also present a danger. Thieves and outlaws can create false trails that lead travelers into a trap or ambush.

Game trails- Animals have their habits. They like to take the same path between places. Over time these develop into trails that crisscross the forest floor. For a character on the run, or those who needs to make haste, these are a tempting choice to follow. But be careful. Some animals are able to traverse terrain too difficult for humans (narrow ledges, near vertical faces, and the gaps underneath fallen trees are not fun places to be). And your characters may encounter more than deer or rabbits. Predator species hang out around game trails as they can be fruitful hunting grounds.

Existing paths and roads- Roads can range from simple dirt paths to paved highways. These will be the most direct routes between the principle settlements in your story. Prosperous areas will have well maintained roads with travelers and patrols using them frequently. Characters may also encounter watchtowers, farms, and inns along the way. Poorer regions, those affected by war, or more remote regions will have less well maintained roads, fewer travelers, and few to no amenities between towns. And if your characters can use the roads, expect hostile armies, outlaws, and highwaymen to use them as well. And where the roads go may be limited to the most populated regions, forcing your characters to leave the path if they want to get to isolated villages, caves, temples, or even a wizard’s tower.

Use the water- Of course, you can have your characters forgo land transportation and use the rivers, lakes, and seas. Rafts, ferry boats, and ocean going ships are all viable options. It should be noted that these are not perfect solutions. Rapids and waterfalls will force characters back onto land until they find gentler waters. Storms can delay or sink vessels, and cold winters will freeze water over. Of course, a frozen river or lake is just an excuse to get out the ice skates. Droughts will dry up streams and small lakes, and recent rains can turn placid waters into unsurvivable whitewater.

Up in the trees- Hate to burst your bubble here, but swinging from vines is something that only exists in fiction. If you try to do this in real life, it will not work out well…provided you can even find sufficient vines or fig roots. Of course, in your story, you are free to do what you want. Nothing is going to stop you…well except maybe for your readers and the critics who will pan you for using what may be considered an overused and unoriginal trope. Other options include bridges, cable cars, or even zip lines.

Taking flight- Of course, the forest will not pose an obstacle if your characters can simply fly. This can be achieved by characters that possess wings of some sort. They could have a winged mount, or they could hitch a ride on a vehicle like a helicopter or ultralight plane.

Underground- If in doubt, take a cue from moles and dwarves. Tunnels can serve the same function as roads, with all the benefits and drawbacks included. Of course your characters will also have to be aware that cave-ins are a real and present danger. These can be natural, or deliberate sabotage. And your characters best hope all the recent tunneling hasn’t awaken any ancient evils from long ago…

[yuriponz]

MUSICA FARM の野菜と果物が届いた‼️

ナス　たくさん🎵うわーい

緑色のナスは出汁で茹でて薄味に漬け込んだ

細長いナスはサヤインゲンと塩昆布と煮た

とろとろ　うまい〜

いちじく　ほんとにおいしい

ミニトマトは太陽の味

無農薬無化学肥料栽培の野菜と果物とお花💗

MUSICA FARM

MUSICA FARM vegetables and fruits have arrived!! ️

Lots of eggplant 🎵 Wow

Green eggplants were boiled in dashi stock and lightly marinated.

Slender eggplants boiled with green beans and salted kelp

Meltingly delicious

Figs really delicious

Cherry tomatoes taste like the sun

Vegetables, fruits, and flowers grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers💗

MUSICA FARM

[boytumms]

On the list for things I wanna do with fig so far:

- Fruit stuffing (a fig is like a third of his body size)

- getting infected with fig wasps

- mana pearl fairy farming

[loominggaia]

ETIOSI CUISINE

OVERVIEW

Etios Nation is a Great Kingdom founded by gaians, for gaians. Only minotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, fauns, and gorgons are permitted to own land here, and so these species make up the vast majority of its population. Etios’ territory encompasses hot, dry plains and cold mountains, supporting a wide variety of crops to farm and animals to hunt. The Etiosi people live a stone age lifestyle out of respect for the environment, which keeps their food pure and free of toxic chemicals.

NUT BREAD

This simple but delicious bread recipe originated with an ancient tribe of fauns called the Alses-Kwaa. This native tribe shared the recipe with Matuzan colonists who founded Etios Nation, and today it has spread far and wide into foreign lands. This dense, filling bread is overloaded with nuts and seeds, primarily pine nuts, chestnuts, and almonds. Chunks of dried fruit, such as figs, are also a common ingredient. It takes a long time for nut bread to spoil, so it’s an essential snack for travelers in Etios Nation. Just one small piece provides a lot of fat, carbs, and calories.

YIYAGURT

This controversial yogurt is made from the breast milk of minotaurs. While most foreigners turn their nose up at such a dish, it is considered a normal staple for the Etiosi, especially in minotaur communities. Yiyagurt is higher in calories than other yogurt and is traditionally eaten with flax seeds. It is loaded with beneficial bacteria that is said to heal conditions of the bowel. In Etiosi culture, it’s considered taboo for males to make this yogurt. Etiosi women will not even teach their sons how to make it, only their daughters and female relatives. Eating yiyagurt made by a male is said to bring illness upon the consumer.

GRILLED HOGAWK

Pig-hawks (colloquially known as “hogawks” to the Etiosi) are one of the most common ranch animals in Etios Nation. They are large, flightless birds with sharp talons and teeth, and while they can be quite dangerous, they also produce large yields of meat and eggs. They are usually ranched by heavyweight peoples like minotaurs and centaurs, who can shrug off their attacks. This bird’s meat is prepared in numerous ways, but the traditional Etiosi way is grilled and sprinkled with seasonings, particularly tomato flakes.

GRASS

Minotaurs are the only gaians that can digest grass properly, thanks to their multi-chambered stomachs. Grass is a popular staple food for minotaurs worldwide, but in Etios Nation, it’s more than a food: it’s a whole culture. There is a world of snobbery that revolves around grass here, as Etiosi minotaurs argue about what kind of grass is best, what stage it should be harvested, and whether it should be eaten raw or cooked. Some grass-snobs will even argue about the composition of the soil it is grown in and how much it should be watered to produce the best taste. Most non-minotaurs just can’t understand all this fuss around a plant they only walk on.

SATYR WINE

Etios Nation is home to unique nature preserves, where satyrs are free to live their traditional, nomadic lifestyles in the wilderness. These satyrs produce a traditional type of wine simply known as “satyr wine”, and its recipe varies depending on the individual satyr who makes it. Most commonly, it is made from berries that were foraged from the wild. Female satyrs rarely make this wine themselves, but instead receive it as a gift from males who are trying to seduce them. A lot of this wine is exchanged at satyr revels; big parties where satyrs and nymphs congregate for days on end. Oftentimes satyrs will produce too much wine and sell the excess to Etiosi colonists. A steady flow of satyr wine pours from Etios’s nature preserves on a daily basis, so it can be found at most markets throughout the nation.

LAMSAKA

This dish is made by layering a sheet of scrambled hogawk eggs and cheese over minced mutton and tomatoes. This is a favorite dinnertime dish of all Etiosi peoples, but especially centaurs and minotaurs. It is fatty and filling, with a taste so good it’s hard not to overindulge. When foreigners think of Etiosi cuisine, the first thing that usually comes to mind is Lamsaka. It’s actually an ancient Matuzan dish from the Olive Plains region, but when this region was colonized by Etios Nation, lamsaka saw a boost in popularity and became associated with the colonizers.

BEAN SOUP

A dish most popular with Etiosi fauns. It is a creamy soup served in a gourdskin bowl, loaded with beans, tomatoes, corn, and chunks of squash. Etiosi bean soup sends most consumers running to the bathroom due to its very high fiber content, but faun bellies are well-suited to handle it. In fact, fauns can become fatally ill if they don’t consume enough fiber, so many fauns eat this soup as an everyday staple to keep themselves healthy. When eaten in small portions, it is a healthy choice for other peoples too. Traditional bean soup is vegetarian, as fauns don’t digest meat very well. But when prepared by other peoples, it usually contains mutton or poultry.

YIYATSI

Yiyatsi translates to “breast drink” in Kwaanese, the ancient language of the Alses-Kwaa tribe. A fitting name, for this drink quite literally comes from the breasts of female minotaurs. Yiyatsi is consumed worldwide, but is most common in Etios Nation simply due to the sheer concentration of minotaurs living there. Female minotaurs are well known for over-producing milk. They lactate for years after giving birth, produce more than a single child could ever drink, and this milk is well-tolerated by all other peoples. Because of this, it is often bottled and sold to hospitals, orphanages, and even grocers. Most peoples wouldn’t dream of consuming such a thing, but Etiosi culture embraces yiyatsi as a traditional beverage for all. It is dense in fat, nutrients, and calories, so it’s a popular drink for soldiers, athletes, and anyone looking to bulk up their muscles.

HONEY POCKET

These delicious cookies originated from the Pronga faun tribes of the Midland Jungle. However, many Pronga migrated south during the Gaian Exodus, an event which formed Etios Nation. Their ancient honey pocket recipe survived the migration and became a popular dessert for all Etiosi peoples. Honey pockets are soft, sugary cookies filled with honey and sometimes also fruit. They are traditionally served warm. This big shot of sugar is best enjoyed in moderation, as eating too many can lead to tooth decay and diabetes. Since casting spells burns calories, mages are especially fond of them. They are also a good travel snack that won’t spoil for a long time.

FISH WRAP

Raw fish is eaten mostly by Etiosi’s Aquarian population, but sometimes Terrian peoples eat it too. Terrians are at greater risk of foodborne illness from uncooked seafood, while Aquarians have the guts to resist these illnesses. The fish wrap is a dish that originated with sirenes living along Etios Nation’s coastlines. It is raw fish strapped to a piece of tofu with seaweed. Alternatively, the fish may be strapped to a pickle spear or some other vegetable. While the raw version remains most popular with Aquarians, Terrians tend to prefer this dish cooked.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[rahadaddy]

When I was a child, we would drive to Laredo to spend weekends and holidays with my grandparents. My grandmother had a beautiful garden. She had a fig tree and two orange trees in the front. In the back, a veritable jungle grew in meticulously planted pathways, leaving just enough space for lawn games, plastic pink flamingos, and my swing set. The porch was a humid paradise, shrouded with see-through plastic tarps to keep out rain. She had bird feeders and hummingbird feeders and she would get so angry when we played too roughly too close to her flowers. When old age forced her and my grandfather to sell the house, the plants came with them to San Antonio, but the second garden lacked the first's finesse. It was dominated by crepe myrtles that came with the house and a pedestal and trellis that featured a statue of the Virgin Mary. A bad thunderstorm blew through and knocked the Virgin Mary to the ground, severing her sculpted head. My grandmother put her severed head up, and proudly displayed her in the front lawn, which always felt like a testament to her unshakable faith and a warning to the neighbors that a crazy woman lived there. It was a little sad, too, but I don't want to be sad about it. Instead, I want to think about how she would yell at my father, her son-in-law, for mowing the grass too short after my grandfather died, but privately, she would tell us how glad she was that my father was a "sweet boy" who would come over to help. She couldn't care for her garden much by then, but we all tried to help.

The plants came from all over - Home Depot, the grocery store, a neighbor's yard... And often, out of state and out of the country. The number of times I sat in the back of my grandparents' Crown Victoria with illegal produce and plant cuttings, crossing the border from Mexico to Texas was a non-zero number. I didn't know until I was much older that it wasn't normal to hide your oranges from border patrol, much in the same way that I didn't know until I was much older that my grandmother had also hidden the Mexico trips from my mother for twenty years.

She could make anything grow. I don't know how she did it. She would see a plant she liked the look of on a walk and she would take the finest clipping of it, so small the owner would never notice, and within a month, she'd have a bigger, better version of that plant in her yard. When my mom was growing up, she had a lot filled with fruits and vegetables to keep the household fed. Her kids would tend to it but if they didn't do it just right, she had no patience for them. I think after decades of growing food - of working the fields, of subsistence farming - she relished having a pleasure garden, full of nothing but flowers.

She passed when I was in high school. She was a fierce, difficult woman, who was as tough and sweet as fruit leather. She loved me and I love her. I can't bring myself to say "loved". I love her still.

So I gave her garden to my arcane trickster rogue, Gisele Domencyzk, who cultivates plants from every corner of the Dark Domains just to make her baby sister smile. She has smuggled bouquets from Borca. She has grown daffodils from Dementlieu. She's brought all her plants to sunless Barovia, using magic items and spell scrolls to keep the garden alive. And, yes, she has the severed head of Ezra the Blind of the Mists displayed proudly amidst it all. Why shouldn't she?

I don't know that my grandmother would understand or appreciate my little tribute to her. I just know that it matters to me that my rogue, who has worked and grown in impossible circumstances and thrived in her own way makes me feel that much closer to someone I loved and lost a long time ago. I know it's silly, but I think of her sister, Ophelia, and I remember the taste of scrambled eggs made with the creamiest half-n-half for breakfast and the feeling of cold tile under my feet and wicker furniture I never liked biting into my skin. I think of being loved unconditionally and being the product of women's choices (hers, my mother's later) to make a better life out of nothing.. I think of how a 5-foot-nothing old lady was more than happy to lie to officers of the law to bring the sweetest oranges home to the people she loved.

And I feel loved all over again, getting to take a piece of her forward to tell stories with my friends.

[for-quill-with-love]

I was having trouble sleeping again.

I was losing time, too. I would get lost in thoughts I couldn't grasp, staring at the wall or out the window until something pulled me out of it. Most of the time it was a buzz from my comm telling me I had another message to answer.

I was wallowing. I needed to shake things up. I couldn't remember how I managed to keep myself busy before.

I found myself searching for the candles I'd found, but I didn't have a way to light them. I hadn't collected any gravel or flint when I'd gone mining.

And they were the wrong color regardless. Even if I couldn't remember what color they should be.

I abandoned the candles where they sat, grabbing my tools and some food as I stumbled out the door. I wanted different colors of wood to work with, and I hadn't gone far yesterday.

It was time for me to do some proper exploration.

There was old growth birch, along with more of those little cocoons everywhere.

I found more weird fruit trees-- they were easy to spot among the trees, with different leaves standing out like a sore thumb.

Turns out I didn't have to figure this all out completely on my own. There was a section in my comm for identifying stuff. It pulled up my camera, and when I pointed it at something I didn't know the name of, it obliged.

There were figs and apples and oranges and pears, along with more kiwi, and a smaller bush that yielded 'lemons.' The lemon was especially bitter and sour. I spit it out the moment I'd tried it.

I also found a bush that dropped yellow seeds. My comm called it 'corn'.

They were edible, but hard. they would probably work something like wheat. The bread I had was nice, but it was bread. With all the new foods I was finding, surely I could make something with them.

I just had no idea how.

I also stumbled across a roofed forest.

Apart from a jungle, that meant I had access to all the different types of wood I cared about.

Acacia could go rot in the savanna where it belonged.

I found sugarcane, and a patch of alliums that turned out to be something else entirely. It looked like another 'wild' crop, called an onion.

A nibble told me it was edible, but it tasted somewhere between bitter and sour.

I put others in my inventory and set about collecting everything I could carry from the roofed forest.

The mushrooms would also be a great source of food, and now if I got hurt there would be the option of making suspicious stew for any injuries that were too bad to just let heal on their own.

And the berries! I found a new type of berry. My comm said it was a cranberry? It looked so similar to sweetberries that I thought they were right until i put one in my mouth.

It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.

Cranberries weren't as sweet as a sweetberry, but they were just as delicious once you got over the mouth-twisting sour burst.

There was a simple, giddy joy in trying to eat anything I found that seemed edible.

My pockets were getting full now, so I decided that was enough exploring for the day.

I took a swim in the ocean on my way back to grab handfuls of kelp and to clean the mud off of both me and my dress. I would be salty later but it was refreshing now.

It was time to start a farm. I would be out of bread sooner than later, and it would be good to have something to take care of.

And with crops came the ability to raise animals.

I was so close to having everything I would need.

[greypetrel]

OC Questionnaire 2

Tagged (again) by @spainkitty, thank you! Following with the Hawkes and my newly found Shepard (which got formed super quickly).

Part 1 here

Tagging: @dungeons-and-dragon-age @daggerbean @sapphireangelbunny @n7viper @pinayelf and YOU!

NAME: Raina Elizabeth Hawke

NICKNAME: Hawke. Trash Raccoon. Beanpole. Varric calls her Elizabeth when he's irritated with her. "Crazy Hawke" by Sera.

GENDER: Non-binary (goes with she/her no problem, but is extremely ill at ease if she has to present herself as overtly feminine. Won't wear skirts or grow her hair out anymore. Ok with makeup and -very occasionally- higher heels.)

STAR SIGN: Sagittarius

HEIGHT: 6'1" (187 cm)

ORIENTATION: Bisexual, Poly

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Fereldan, baby.

FAVORITE FRUIT: Tomato (it's a fruit). Cherries and raspberries.

FAVORITE SEASON: Late summer/early autumn, hot days and chill nights.

FAVORITE FLOWER: Sea daffodil

FAVORITE SCENT: Sea salt, freshly clean cotton, the smell of a stew on the fire. Won't wear perfume herself.

COFFEE, TEA, OR HOT CHOCOLATE: Tea. No sugar. The teabag/infuser is the last thing that leaves the cup.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: 3-9, either she sleeps very little, or she oversleeps.

DOGS OR CATS: Dogs.

DREAM TRIP: Wherever Merrill points her finger, she's not picky.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: 1 heavy

RANDOM FACT: She was so pissed with Meredith for threatening her, that once the Knight-Commander called her to the Gallows, she showed up with a bag full of glittery yarn, poured the content on her desk, and started to knit. "I'm sorry, I am very behind with First Day gifts. It also helps me concentrate, so I will be extra focused on all the most important things you have to say. You want me concentrated, right Knight-Commander? :) ". Cullen kept finding glitter around and on the damn desk and in the drawers until he left for Haven.

NAME: Garrett Tiberius Hawke

NICKNAME: Gee. Pumpkin by Varric (he calls Fenris "pumpkin", yes it brings some confusion). "Buff Hawke" by Sera.

GENDER: Male, won't be mad if you mispronoun him, who cares.

STAR SIGN: Gemini

HEIGHT: 6'3" (191 cm)

ORIENTATION: Bisexual

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Fereldan country boy dreaming of a veggie garden.

FAVORITE FRUIT: Chestnuts

FAVORITE SEASON: Autumn

FAVORITE FLOWER: Yarrows

FAVORITE SCENT: Cinnamon, ginger. Pumpkin spices.

COFFEE, TEA, OR HOT CHOCOLATE: Hot chocolate.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: 8

DOGS OR CATS: DragonsDogs

DREAM TRIP: Antiva. Or the vineyards in Orlais to learn how to grow them.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: 3

RANDOM FACT: After Corypheus will be defeated, he'll retire to the countryside with Fenris. Buy a farm with enough space for them to survive. He'll become extremely competitive in country fairs and competitions for the biggest pumpkin. So much so that demons will try to tempt him by offering him the biggest pumpkin ever. Nothing will work, because he'll candidly answer that he can't understand what's the point if he doesn't grow him himself, maybe you should think about your life better mr Demon do you want to talk about it? *psychoanalizes the Demon enough to convince him to go in the fields and take some weeds away*

NAME: Maxine Shepard

NICKNAME: Max. She has Max on her documents, hates "Maxine" to guts, says it's a dog name.

GENDER: Genderfluid.

STAR SIGN: Aries

HEIGHT: 5'7" (175 cm)

ORIENTATION: Pan. Whatever, man.

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Italian, with Moroccan descent. Her paternal grandpa was American.

FAVORITE FRUIT: Figs

FAVORITE SEASON: Summer

FAVORITE FLOWER: Oleander

FAVORITE SCENT: Sea-salt, sandalwood, amber, motor oil.

COFFEE, TEA, OR HOT CHOCOLATE: Fizzy drinks. Her grandparents, and the grandma she grew up with, were from Livorno, so spuma is her favourite

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: 6/7

DOGS OR CATS: Space Hamster.

DREAM TRIP: Every time something gets wrong, she sighs and proposes to get back to Virmire with cocktails, or on Tuchanka.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: 3

RANDOM FACT: When Anderson recruited her on Akuze, fearing he would have left her there because she was an engineer and he was looking for a soldier, she told him she had a driving license. She had one. For boats. It results in her being neat in driving ships, both on water and in space, and totally, absolutely inept on land vehicles on wheels. In spite of that, she will refuse to let anyone else drive (save Garrus but on occasions), saying that "I have a degree in mechanical engineering, if I can repair it I can also drive it". (she really can't.)

[kagender]

I wonder What is Keronian Cusine like? And would keronians as a whole like earth foods?

ohhh nonny keronian cuisine is definitely something i need to go into deep deep thoughts about! i would say its not as developed as id like it to be, id love to draw out specific dishes and stuff.

the complicated fun of the cuisine of space faring species us the fact that they almost definitely brought over, or took inspiration from the foods of other planets, if demeed edible for a keronian. like how in america several dishes from other countries got modified into more "americanized" forms, as we as humans all have different ways of preparing our food to out tastes, which can also vary from region to region... this opens up the world of dishes from other countries within keron itself as well LOL. i need to think about that too!

but im running my mouth off. in my interpretations keronian diets started off as primarily insect-based, with fruit/plants as the secondary component (i know that there arent actually any herbivorous frogs on our earth, but since these guys are aliens i do loove playing around with their biology haha :-)) and then meat being thrown in a bit later on. kerons love for insects still goes strong - you can find them candied/carmalized, fried or breaded for more of the crunch factor, spiced or sweetened, however you like, larvae toasted or boiled (you can get a glimpse of one in my girodoro pmv - its a little lightly sweet tasting guy usually eaten at campfires. gross marshmallows for us humans) limbs of particularly large insects being sold as snacks (one of keroros disappointments when coming to earth was finding out just how small the average insect is there. i have a doodle somewhere. pekopon has fallen...) and insides being grinded up to a nice cream and such. thats a tadpole food mainly, but i dont see why grown keronians cant eat it!

you can imagine that being combined with fruit (well. vegetables too. the two blend together in my head due to the nature of being a Thing From Plant That You Eat) a plenty, i think plenty of bugs are fed with them before being prepared (iirc thats a thing that we do, people give their feeder insects vegetables for a more nutritous meal for their pet later on... its called gut loading!), which reminds me that i imagine zeroro being fed the healthiest, top-quality and absolutely fully sanitized and parasite-free bugs as a kid. hes got a rich as fuck family they couldve hired a private farm for all i know. its funny to think about. but coming back to plant stuff, i imagine juices and teas would be a hit as well, there is a doodle i posted a while (...about a year) ago that shows a tea made from glowing leaves from another glowing plant post that i made. the ziv stuff goes deep im sorry. ya think it stains tongues like those ice pops they sold back in the day? makes you think....

fruit alone just opens up so much for the world of baking. i dont like fruit in my pastries, but i definitely respect the grind. we put that stuff in everything in so many forms its kinda wild. just imagine all the cutesy designs that could be made for them...

in the anime, they are very much shown to like and eat earth foods, in fact i dont think a lot of alien food shows up other than like, these weird food monsters, burei cola aka kid friendly alcohol, the keron figs from kero zero (love them...) and the yumyum bars from a chibi kero episode that are like, just chocolate bars i believe? i could throw in some funny quirk to them myself i think....

i do recall them eating foods that are oretty much 1:1 to earths in chibikero? the lame side us that no one on the staff really thought about designing any cool space stuff for them to eat, but the cool side is that it can imply some importing from earth. ya think thete are some sellers who just casually work with aliens or is it a weird process of an alien disguising as human -> getting the foods -> getting them to their planet? i like to lean more towards the former since the earth in keroro gunso just really seems to have a bunch of weird connections to aliens outside of the main cast. most of them are from the past (the pyramids where sababa rests, all the kiruru ruins, the unknown human and keronian from the saburo and kururu episode where they fight the sound guy, and i think the kappa the ghost girl knew is implied to be a keronian... but i havent really watched those episodes) but i definitely dont doubt that they still have connections in the modern times. its a lot of fun to think about when it comes to interplanetary trade.

i always had just a biiit of beef with how keronians just settle in with earth foods and other things so casually, i really wish they were a bit more like irkens where plenty things that are ordinary to use pose harm to them. but also kg doesnt have the same gross aspect as iz does so i can understand why they didnt do that. no keroro getting horrid burns from baloney for me....

but oh my god i ran my mouth off. tdlr; i need to draw more frog food, which is mostly bugs, also yes they eat earth stuff and earth import sounds cool

[tommykane]

When we were in the Berkshires, I’d go to the corner farm stand to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. I decided to make a little wallpaper style illustration. Some fruits were very upset with me for not being included. The last straw was when I was yelled at by some watermelon slices and a fig as I was attempting to buy some plums. I don’t think I’ll do a drawing like this anytime soon. It was hard to be in the center of so much squabbling between kumquats and lemons.

[tidebreaker]

moonglade/moonscales:

moonglade is the largest of a chain of islands called the moonscales. this is where the members of house silversea reside and would be considered their 'seat'.

the climate is compariable to countries located in the mediterranean. pre-climate change, of course.

moonglade palace, house silversea's main residence, is quite large and is located at the northern most tip of the island. the architecture is reminiscent of the greco-roman in style in real life, featuring arches, columns and domes.

a curious feature (at least to outsiders unaware of their true nature), are the stairs that lead directly into the water.

The throne room of Moonglade Keep is truly remarkable in terms of design and architecture. A large circle portion of the floor is made of glass that can see through to the waters below, sort of like a wild aquarium. It can be opened to allow merlings from their undersea kingdom in whenever they hold court.

underneath moonglade is a network of caves and caverns. there is a "stables" found within that houses hippocamps.

cereals, fruits and vegetables found on all islands: apples, apricots, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, barley, blackberries, broad beans cabbages, carrots, cherries, chickpeas, crabapples, cucumbers, figs, grapes, lemons, lentils, mulberries, nectarines, olives, oranges, peaches, peas, pears, plums, pomegranates, spinach, squash, watermelon, wheat, wild strawberries.

wildlife: anchovies, bats, blind-mole rats, blue crabs, cranes, crows, cuttlefish, deer, dolphins, doves, ducks, flamingos, foxes, frogs, geese, goats, grouse, hares, hawks, herons, ibis, jays, jellyfish, kingfishers, kites, lizards, lobster, lynxes, mackerel, magpies, mertens, mice, minnows, mussels, nightjars, octopus, osprey, orca, owls, oysters, pelicans, pigeons, pigs, pheasants, polecats, ring-necked parakeets, ravens, salamanders, sandpipers, sardines, seagulls, sea urchins, seals, sharks, sheep, shrews, shrikes, snakes, sperm whales, squid, sturgeon, swallows, swifts, tortoises, tuna, turtles, woodpeckers, wrens.

flowers, trees, plants, etc.: almond, althaea, amaryllis, anemone, aster, basil, bay laurel, beech, bellflower, cardamom, cassia, centaurea, chamomile, chestnut, cinnamon, cistus, chrysanthemum, clove, coriander, crocus, cumin, cypress, daphne, dianthus, dill, evergreen, fennel, fir, ginger, heliotrope, hellebore, hyacinth, iris, larkspur, lemon balm, licorice, lilac, lily, lotus, mandrake, marjoram, mastic tree, mint, myrtle, myrrh, narcissus, nutmeg, oak, oleander, oregano, orchid, palm tree, parsley, peony, pepper, pine, poplar, protea, rose, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, sunflower, thyme, violet, walnut, wolf's bane, yarrow, yellow pheasant's eye, yew.

main trades include pearls, seafood, fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, fish sauce, olive oil, as well as a specialized fabric dubbed seasilk.

several fishing villages can be found throughout the moonscales. fishing and farming are how a large number of the population makes a living.

do humans live there? yes. but the humans who live there are beholden to the silversea's in one way or another and are sworn to secrecy, lest a terrible fate befalls them. there are other merfolk populating the area as well.

[camp-counselor-life]

I want you all to know that cooking is a great joy in my life, but I often want much more exotic ingredients than Kroger or even a specialty market in my town sells. However. While I was at the farmer's market last month, my friend and I were invited to learn about a customizable produce box service.

I know this is a very extravagant and unnecessary expense, but y'all, it is a joy! It brings me so much fun to pick and try fun veggies and fruits. I do feel a bit better knowing it's all small farms, so I am supporting local. So far, I have tried:

Candy stripe figs

Bosc pears

Fennel bulbs

Delicata squash (I've actually done it three different ways)

This coming week, I will be trying the burdock root (roasting it) and brown beech mushrooms (homemade ramen). Honeynut squash will probably become a soup.

Next week's box includes dandelion greens, kiwi berries, and shishito peppers, all new to me!

It's a splurge for me, but I love it, and if this is my hobby, that's ok with me.

Image ID: two photos of veggies. The first photo shows a honeynut squash, brown beech mushrooms, and burdock root. The second shows two fennel bulbs, a bunch of multi colored carrots, two delicata squash, and a box of shitake mushrooms.

[the-faultofdaedalus]

re the Are Figs Vegan thing, for me, personally (other vegans may differ), veganism is about avoiding/minimising the _exploitation_ of animals, of seeing them and using them as a material resource or means to an end, rather than a sentient being.

So honey, again, FOR ME, and many vegans do differ on this, isn't vegan, because honey bees are seen as a commercial resource and bee keepers keep them for their honey. (I will accept that some people see the bees as their equals and maybe that honey is vegan, but that's not the honey that I have available to me!)

With figs, the fig is the commercial product. The wasps aren't being farmed, they're just living their best wasp life (or death).

you could, and some people do, then argue that most commercial fruit crops are pollinated by commercial honey bees, which absolutely is exploiting the animals. And generally people say this as a bit of a "gotcha, nothing's vegan so why don't you eat steak" but I see it more as a huge indictment of the system that we live in and an incentive to continue to live my ethics as much as I can, even imperfectly.

Sorry that was long, and perhaps a bit preachy, but it's an interesting question I think. Everything we do causes some effect somewhere, noone can be "perfect" or "pure" and you have to consider intent, and what is actually possible, as well as ideals.

Thanks for making me think about it all!

oh, yeah, i personally am not trying to say what is and is not vegan, especially because. i'm not vegan, but i'm interested in other people's opinions because i think it's an interesting bit of ecology and an interesting bit of semantics. partially i am just a pedantic nerd, and i think it's interesting to see where people think lines for certian decisions are drawn.

(imho the only unethical thing about bee keeping is that in north america, domesticated honeybees are not native and do out-compete native bee species. the honey bees themselves are... they're fine. they can leave. extremely unionized insects. but that's not the opinion some people have and that's fine)

also. to be honest. to be completely honest.

it's mostly an excuse to make more people learn about the fig wasp situation

[jasperjv]

Hey man I was just reading a thread of you and another blog arguing about Israel (frankly the thread was a shitshow and I couldn't find it in my heart to reblog it) but you said at one point that veganism is kosher, and I don't know if you're Jewish, but I just wanted to correct you on that.

Pure veganism is a myth. I call myself vegan, but it's not possible to cut out animal products or cruelty altogether - for example, migratory bee farming is used to pollinate many vegetable crops, beeswax is used in processing and storing fruits, calcium carbinate (used as a ripening agent for fruits) is sometimes sourced from the shells of oysters and molluscs, and pesticides are almost universally necessary (including, despite what many people think, in organic farming).

These things are mostly ignored by vegans because of the impracticality of trying to avoid them, but that's generally ok! because veganism is more of a philosophy to minimize harm than a rule of law to eliminate it.

But kashrut are laws, and depending on your denomination, there's less flexibility if you want to keep kosher.

Wine is the obvious one. It sometimes isn't kosher even if it's vegan. They have a whole kosher certification body that oversees the production of wine. By extension, vinegar and grape products are often not kosher.

This is partly because pests are taken into consideration when determining the kosher status of plant foods - especially if they're organic.

Organic farming is generally more likely to be kosher because they use fewer products to treat and process the crops, but it has the drawback of using less effective pesticides and is non-GMO (meaning less resistant to disease and infestation) so there's a greater chance of insects being inside the food you're purchasing. Things like lettuce, broccoli and brussel sprouts are especially susceptible to this. For some Jews keeping kosher, this might necessitate them preparing the food themselves and paying extra attention to washing.

Figs can also have dissolved wasps inside them and I'm sure there are Jewish scholars out there who've spent months debating the kosher status of figs. I would personally consider them vegan but not kosher, because in this case the lifecycle of the wasp is natural rather than farmed.

In any case, kashrut don't just apply to the foodstuffs themselves but often the circumstances around their preparation. To a strictly observant Orthodox Jew who follows Bishul Akum, a vegan meal can be non-kosher simply because it was cooked by a non-Jew. Another well-known example is that chametz (leavened bread) isn't kosher during Passover.

Of course YMMV as to where you draw the line, but my point is: vegan doesn't automatically mean kosher. I'd encourage anyone interested to read about eco-kashrut. It's a movement to incorporate environmentalism into Jewish life, built on the philosophy that 21st century interpretations of Halacha should promote the preservation of life and the natural world.

Have a nice day & sorry for the infodump.

Interesting. Thanks!