#forgotten veggies in bloom

[turns-out-its-adhd]

Not just one, but two potato memes to enjoy

[fundielicious-simblr]

(AN: Going to try this update in 1st person again, I like how we get to see more of her personality when its 1st person, this one is going to be a ‘day in the life’ sort of thing. I’m introducing a new ‘series’ type thing after this which I’m excited for as its purely experimental and is me trying to push my storytelling abilities. I’ve also not forgotten the poses and the frumper dress! they’ll definitely be ready by this weekend [which for me is a Thursday])

Adalynn’s POV

I’m officially in the 2nd trimester with the twins! It still feels so surreal saying that I’M the one having twins - I watched my mother have twins, watched Kyleigh have triplets AND twins, and I used to pray to the Lord to get rid of my envious spirit, but now I’m praising him for his blessings! It’s all the more a happier thought now that we’re in our new house! We’ve been settling in well, the timing couldn’t have been better! We leave for Family Bible Camp in a bit, so we’ve started making packing lists, checking the RV, and making travel plans. School is out for the boys, so they can all sleep in a bit whilst I get the house in order.

Since the boys don't have school, I had more time to make breakfast in the morning before the chaos of the day starts. Back when I was home, my sister Macie was better at cooking so I did the early morning nappy changes while she made breakfast; I still learnt how to cook, but I'm not as good a cook as she is. 

Boy am I happy that I made breakfast when I did, a summer storm caused a power outage, so the boys ate their breakfast in the dark. They took it in stride though, they created an adventure story for themselves and got through breakfast before I encouraged them to head outside to play whilst I got the younger 2 bathed and fed. 

It’s a good thing that it’s so hot outside, the water tank gets heated up by the sun so the bath water wasn’t freezing cold. Now that my belly has grown it takes more effort to bend to get to bathtub height and practically wrestle to get them clean when in the tub, but I would rather my back ache than have smelly toddlers wreaking havoc everywhere. My mother used to say “with toddlers, especially spirited ones, sometimes - and only sometimes - you have to pick your battles” When they’re out of the tub is when we’ll work on their obedience, but sometimes I’ll say anything to get them in the tub 😂

(AN: ignore the lack of monkey bars, I forgot to put it in as these were taken on different days😂)

I’ve been slowly replanting my fruits and veggies into the soil out back, it’s great having loads more space for them to grow and flourish. Being out in the garden is a great way to de-stress whenever the boys are determined to run me ragged and have me grow multiple grey hairs. Once they bloom I’m sure that our grocery bill should reduce, with the way these boys eat it’s a great idea to have fresh fruits and veggies there for them to snack on - it also makes trips to the dentist that much easier. 

The 3 older boys eventually got their monkey bars, and are climbing on them at every possible chance they get. It’s great hearing them play and ‘monkey around’ with each other, building the bonds that will take them into adolescence and adulthood. Seeing them so happy together brings me back to my childhood, when my parents first married they moved into a small 2 bedroom house, and when Barret, Macie, Zoe, and me were young we’d have to get creative with the space we had. As more kids came they’d knock down a wall or two to make more space for us, before we eventually moved into my grandparents house when my dads siblings married and moved out. While it was great to have more space for everyone, some of my fondest memories are in that small house when we’d all camp out on the floor and tell the funniest stories to one another. 

In the late afternoon before dinner, the boys and I gathered around the piano by candle light to sing some hymns together. I love playing the piano, and being able to spend time with my boys whilst we sang together lifted my spirits so much! They’re older now and can learn the words to entire songs rather than just working on a single verse, this is also great practice for when they’re at camp, this is the first time they’ll be on their own in the Children’s Academy doing their song and verse memorisation without any parents around, so I want them to at least have the basics down. We’re also meant to be singing as a family (my parents and siblings included) whilst we’re there, so we spent time going through the songs that we’ll sing.

Power came back in just in time for dinner, so by the time Mason got back home it was as if the power outage didn’t even happen. At dinner the boys were tripping over each other to tell their daddy about the fun day they had, they told him all about their adventures without power and the fun times they had outside on the monkey bars - they even sang him some of the songs that we’d practiced in the afternoon! It’s great seeing my children have a good relationship with their father, and I love that no matter how tired Mason is, he’s always willing to sit and listen to what the kids have to say. Washing up is still done by hand, but after doing the dishes for 15 people, 7 is nothing to me.

It’s great being able to put the boys to bed in the same room, we say a goodnight prayer after doing nighttime devotions before we say night night. Joshua still has trouble sleeping through the night, so he still makes trips to our room during the night which we’re working on getting down to a minimal amount, when the twins come there’ll be more disruption during the night and I’d rather we deal with one obstacle before we add more layers of chaos 😂

[throughthewwods]

100 Days of Productivity . Day 67-68-ish

🐾 Been keeping up with GSD’s training walks

At first just in the mornings, I added a second in the evenings. I’ve noticed the cool air, serenity ,and stretching our legs is a good start for us both. I’m in a better mood by the time I get to my first cup of coffee.

💜 Helped Kiddo with Girl Scout stuff

Zoom has opened so many interesting doors. Pretty cool women on the forensics team of the F.B.I. had a booth to explain to the girls about how they use science to solve crimes and a female department head gave education/career track info then they offered a Q&A after in chat. We also managed to catch the Storytellers’ Workshop, which was a fun think tank for my lil writer.

💙 I Drew

Two TEDTalks about time prioritization really got me thinking about how I’ve been squandering my tidbits of time by mindlessly scrolling rather than doing something that ‘feels good’ for my self esteem. In the spirit of reconnecting with things at once brought me joy when I was younger like how I now play the Sims, bought a hamster wheel, and have started this journal, once upon a time when I was bored or had nothing better to do I would doodle randomness. I didn’t set out to draw an emotionally charged representation of my soul. I had five minutes to kill. I drew things like storks balanced on basketballs. I drew whatever nonsense popped into my head.

❤️ Got everyone out of the house into the sunshine

💜 Had Kiddo’s photography printed up into a hard cover book

🐾 Introduced GSD to RB’s cats for the first time

...which... could have gone better 😅 but could have gone worse so... sun zero?

⭐️ I feel like we weekend’ed well 😊

Saturday I’m in one of those moods where I need a clone or two to be all the things I am attempting to do, but it all worked out in a haphazard way. Thanks to Pandemic Life, Kiddo is learning about DNA extraction and fingerprint collecting. I’ve decided to sit in my windowsill near sunshine, near an April breeze with my sketchbook contemplating the statistics I’m avoiding.. and this feels better to me than the autopilot I’ve slumped into. If I were chitchatting with a stranger about how I spend my time I would feel good about drawing, but not describing hours amiss in screen lull.

RB, Kiddo and I have our first warm spring outing: at the park we make conversation with geese, ducks, and chickens.

Parenting Win: Kiddo mentions eavesdropping on that TEdtalk I was watching about time prioritization and how she found it interesting.

She brings it up again later wanting me to explain how a routine can be a good, but apparently, also sometimes also a bad thing? I give kid friendly examples about how routines do help us get things done with less battery usage on our brains, but the talk pointed out our everyday routines can also be habits that don’t add to our happiness and sometimes a routine can even take us further away from what brings us happiness, so it’s important to regularly consider if how we spend our time can be tweaked to bring us more joy or builds up to more joy.

We all find a spot on the grass, shaded, yet sun-kissed.  RB and I pass a sketchbook back and forth, adding to the obscurity with each turn: squiggles become a staircase. Bricks become bubbles. There’s a fish with pants tap dancing on a UFO. 

Kiddo, Who knows everything at 10, did not follow my instructions to bring things to amuse herself. Guided by the timeless spirits of childhood, she eventually found the architectural splendor of building with sticks. I sometimes worry that over a year of being mostly comfortably indoors (The most subdued, easy-going of plagues history seen), she may have forgotten how to be bored, how to invent her own entertainment in nature, but in this moment as she builds her little hut with the utmost focus, I know she is alright. she reflects on the temporary satisfaction of her stick creation, reflecting on its impermanence. Eventually it collapses. She’s on a mission for more structurally sound branches. I guess the tail end of that architecture workshop at the STEM fair that afternoon made an impression after all?

There’s something hilarious, almost satirical, that her new favorite stuffed animal is the plague doctor plushy.

She’s ecstatic to discover a secret garden within the bushes that will look even more impressive once the green has fully bloomed. We have to leave soon. I surprise her by shaping her fallen twigs into a smiley face for her to return to. We agree to leave it for someone else to find.

Later RB ordered us some exceptionally tasty pad Thai, colorful with crisp veggies and peanut crumbles.. Kiddo requested Movie Night, so we found something on Amazon that was one of the darkest kids movies I’ve ever watched, morbid plot only softened by cute, CGI cats. Kiddo didn’t seem to mind though. She’s just glad for the icing on the cake to an already sweet day.

Sunday RB had a touched smile that Kiddo woke him up with a good morning hug. We braved our way to RB’s house so GSD could finally meet the kitties.. It... did not go great. GSD was obnoxiously excited and whiny the entire time. The cats hid. On the bright side, GSD was curious, but not predatory, which gives me hope. When he got a little too nosy one of the cats took a swipe at his nose and he backed off rather than get angry. He did however yip a bark at both the cats, asserting his dominance. Mayhaps after being scratched he no longer found the cats so curious. GSD did love RB’s fenced backyard though. It’s a think only the fourth time in his little German Shepherd life he’s been able to frolic off leash.

There was a happy hint of our future, our blended family, our life in progress this last weekend. As GSD darted through the grass, RB and I stood in an embrace, staring beyond the field, off into the mountains. RB was able to get some adulting done while Kidfo and I lounged. There was a brief window GSD rested calmly, quietly, while we watched a mini doc on quantum entanglement, which I thought Kiddo was ignoring until she asked about how atomic bombs work. We nibble on baby carrots, crackers and brie.

GSD went back to being a jerk shortly after that, but it was quite nice for a moment there. 😆

 everyone was pretty mentally exhausted from my dog’s antics. Unsurprisingly, when we got back to my apartment it was essentially naptime. RB rested while I did some of my own adulting. Kiddo disappeared in her room to draw her submission for a T-shirt design contest. it’s cool to see her eager about the contest with a desire to put effort forth. She shows me her adorable cartoon and explains how she looked up animals that represent peace first. In the past, she was insecure about competitions of any sort. It says something about how her self-esteem has grown.

I whipped up cheeseburgers on Shibata bread for dinner, which were a hit and we had bowls of frozen strawberries drizzled in honey for dessert.. We watched a show and off to bed.. happy weekend.



[lubdubsworld]

Give me some Sugar ( Daddy)

Park Jimin / OC

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2/ Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5

I woke up with my face smashed down into a velvet soft pillow, cheeks slightly damp from where I’d apparently drroled into the pretty fabric. Mortified, i wiped at my face with the back of my hand, blinking around groggily. The drapes across the huge bay windows had been pulled shut, and in the dimly dark room, it wnas impossible to tell how early or how late it was. 

Still a little disoriented, I sat up slowly, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, the soft, downy mattress sinking down under my weight , the furry carpet tickling my bare foot as i stood up. 

Jimin wasn’t there but he had clearly slept with me, the messed sheets a clear sign . I was wearing my own nightdress a calf length white cotton thing that was a negative 45 on the seductive scale. Grimacing a bit, I moved to the drapes, fumbling with the small remote that controlled the curtains.

I was unprepared for how high the sun was int he sky, snshine spilling into the room like a bucket of liquid gold, drenching me pleasantly. 

I glanced at the small clock on the nightstand, only to get a heart attack when I saw what time it was.

1.45 PM.

I’d slept close to fifteen hours! 

No wonder Jimin wasn’t there. I was surprised he hadn’t even bothered to wake me up. I was supposed to present in at least two of my classes today, turn in a paper and my sister had texted last night about having lunch which apparently i had slept through. i remembered how she had sounded yesterday, the slightly upset, slightly annoyed tone of a teenager who didn’t know how to express herself and i felt worse. 

It didn’t matter what i got tangled in, i had to prioritize her. 

Stunned, I stumbled, trying to get my head on straight as I moved to the living space. The smell of something delicious made me look up and then my mind froze completely when i saw my sister sitting on the counter-part, happily laughing while Jimin tossed noodles in a pan.

“... And that was the last time Yoongi hyung wore those pants int he dorm.”  He finished and my sister laughed harder, turning around and brightening up at the sight of me. 

“Unnie!! why didn’t you tell me you met Jimin oppa?!” She said with a wide grin and I tried to process what i was seeing. 

“I was just telling how I had to pick you up to explain about her scholarship’s details.” He said smoothly, smiling as he stood there, flawless in a proper white button down and skinny black jeans. His hair was messed and slightly wet and I swallowed, turning to my siter in confusion. 

“What... How did you even get here?” I said confused and mildly terrified and she laughed. 

“i’ve been calling you all afternoon and then Jimin told me that he’d met up with you in the morning and that you weren’t well so he offered to let you rest here in his apartment... “ She turned to jimin...” Oppa you shouldn’t be so naive, inviting everyone to your apartment.” 

I couldn’t bring myself to even look at Jimin. 

“I’m sorry about that.. I just.. i guess i was more tired than i thought. I didn’t mean to over sleep...” I whispered and she shrugged.

“We’re still on for dinner though right? I want to take mom along too. She hasn’t been out of the house in ages and I think she’s almost forgotten what you look like...” 

I smiled weakly and Jimin stayed quiet, humming a little as he tossed some vegetables into a wok, the fresh veggies spluttering against the oil and filling the house with a delicious smell. 

“Uh... I’ll just.. I mean, I was planning on...” i stared rather desperately at Jimin kicking myself for not asking him the previous day. Did he have any plans for tonight? Did he want me to go out with him? Could I go out with my sister? 

But Jimin wouldn’t even look at me and i turned back to my sister in a little bit of panic, trying to smile.

“What’s wrong? It’s after seven? Did you pick up an extra shift at the shelter?” She frowned .

grateful foir the out, I quickly latched on. 

“Yes. I mean... I had earlier but i can talk to Mr. Chen and get it put off to later.” i said swiftly.

She smiled happily. 

“okay, then we’ll talk tonight. I already had food by the way... Jimin oppa treated me to jjajang-myeon at the restaurant where we were supposed to meet.’ She said, shooting heart-eyes at him. Jimin grinned and gave her a hi-five, now busy plating the noodles.

“Your cab’s already here, Ji Soo.” He said brightly and my sister leapt off the counter giving me a quick hug before moving out. 

“I’ll see you around, Jimin ssi..” She bowed politely before waving to me. 

I waited for the door to close before turning to him quickly.

“I’m so sorry Jimin!! I swear, i didn’t mean to...”

He held his hands up .

“Did you brush your teeth?” He said swiftly and i stopped, blinking.

“Uh.. yes?”

“Good... Come here and take a seat. let’s get some food inside you first. You’re too skinny as it is, i don’t want you fainting away on my watch.” He grinned, pulling a chair out of the cozy two-seater dining table and I flushed, moving slowly to sit there. He had already set the table, a small cut-glass vase with a large purple amaryllis bloom in clear water. 

I smiled as he placed a plate of noodles in front of me before pouring me a glass of water. i waited till he’d settled as well before holding a hand out. He linked his fingers with mine at once and I felt dangerously grounded, dangerously comforted by his touch. Dangerously dependant. Like my body had somehow come to rely on the little physical gestures of affection that he was so generous with. 

“What’s wrong?” He said softly.

“I’m sorry for inconveniencing you like th-”

“Please. I don’t want you to ever apolo0gize to me ovber things like this. It’s my fault actually. I didn’t realize at ll, that I was keeping you from your family. I didn’t even ask you if it’s hard for you to be apart from them.” 

I shook my head.

“It’s not that...my mother... she’s a bit forgetful and she needs a lot of care . she’s used to having me around and -”

“You’re still a student, though. Y/N.” He said gently. “ I know you’ve been dealt with difficult circumstances but... I’d rather help take off a bit of that load, than add to it.”

I didn’t respond at once, glancing down at my food.

“Did you suggest my sister moving to Busan?” I asked tentatively after we’d been eating for a few minutes. 

He sighed deeply.

“It is my apartment.” He admitted softly. “ The caretaker is a distant cousin of mine. She’s a certified nurse by the way. She offered to stay with your mother and take care of her...” 

“Offered?” i said bleakly.

He shrugged.

“In a way. I’m paying her of course but-”

“Jimin , I can’t... It’s too much. you’ve already done a lot for me and...”

and what’s going to happen when you leave? If I let you inside every single part of my life, what am I going to do when you walk out?

“Y/N, I can’t in good conscience just let your mother stay here alone. And ypou’re already repaying me, aren’t you...?”

“Am I?” I said nervously.

He frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just , you’re spending so much on me .... and in return, i don’t.. i’m not... Am I even worth that?” I said rather hysterically and he just stared at me.

“Baby....”

“It’s been three weeks?” I stuttered out nervously. “ We haven’t even... you haven’t even taken your shirt off and I...”

“I can take it off right now...” He grinned reaching for the button .

I shook my head.

“You know what i mean...” i said nervously.

Jimin smiled. 

“i do. you’re afraid that I’m just going to give, give, give and not take anything from you in return? “ He shook his head.

“something like that...” I said weakly. 

”Don’t worry. my intentions for you are not noble in any way, if that’s what’s scaring you. I’m definitely going to collect. “ He smiled pleasantly, reaching out and pouring me some more wine, tossing in a wink for good measure.

Momentarily stunned, i just stared at him.

“But like I said, i want it on my terms. I want a proper relationship Y/N. And in a proper relationship , i doubt that two dates mean we should start going at it like rabbits.” He said firmly and I sunk down. 

He laughed.

“Don’t look so dejected. it’s merely a rain check. What’s wrong baby, are you just worried about me spoiling you or are you genuinely just in need of a good dicking?” He grinned.

I gasped, outraged at his choice of words. 

“I’m not .... that’s not what I...!”

“there’s no shame in wanting sex, so don’t look so horrified.” He said mildly. 

Certain that my ears were tomato red, I went back to my food. 

“Also, you’re free to have a social life of your own... “ He said firmly, holding his chopsticks out, “ You don’t need my approval to go anywhere. So before you ask, you can go meet your mother anytime you want.”

I stared at him, somehow feeling more confused than ever about everything.

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

“Stop looking so nervous.” My sister said firmly as I tried to fix my hair a bit more. It looked okay, but when i turned, there was this single strand that tried to stick too much to my cheeks and I -

“You look perfect. Why are you so worried anyway? it’s not like you’re going on a date! Jimin ssi was kind enough to make a reservation for us and you won’t even let us be on time ” She whined. 

i flushed. 

“It’s an expensive hotel.” I said petulantly, remembering the one time Jimin had taken me there for our first dinner together. He had made me wear that expensive black dress and I remembered how posh the other patrons had looked

My sister looked nice in her printed white gown , hair threaded with cute ribbons, but she was young. My mother was wearing her best suit too and I’d just worn the dress that Seulgi had made for the event. it looked a little ridiculous with the draped shawl over it and i’d made the mistake of just cutting out the overlay.

Now, I was bare-shouldered with a deep neck and trying to cover all that skin with my hair. 

“You look nice, unnie!! We’ll be late!! Come on!!” She bounced on her feet and i felt a sudden, outburst of love for my little sister. She was the greatest source of happiness in my life. 

She looked grown up , in her big-girl gown and her muted make-up and i felt a pang of bittersweet emotions. She was growing older, growing out of her childhood. Soon she would have a life of her own and i would just be.... alone. 

All my life , I’d had just one thought , For ji Soo...study well for jisoo....work hard for jisoo.... everything and anything for my baby sister.

“i love you, Ji Soo..” i said impulsively and she frowned.

“What?”

i shook my head.

“Just wanted to tell you that.” 

She rolled her eyes in typical teenage fashion.

“now is not the time.... Come on, i told Jae Hwan i’ll tell him all about the dinner tonight and i don’t want to miss out on it!!” 

i laughed and nodded, quickly grabbing my hand bag and following her out of the  room. 

once we climbed into the cab , she dropped her head onto my shoulder, lightly squeezing my knee. 

“i love you more.” She whispered softly and I pretended not to notice the sparkle of wetness in her eyes. 

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

“I think he really likes you by the way...” My sister said softly, licking her dessert spoon. i rolled my eyes. 

“you think every guy i meet likes me.” i laughed.

“Well, they should. You’re beautiful. my beautiful babies.” My mother said fondly, going over the menu for the tenth time. i gave her a fond smile before turning back to my sister.

“Besides, you do realize who he is. He’s an idol. He’s the lead singer in BTS He’s not going to fall in love with a poor college student.” i said softly. 

My sister made a noise of impatience.

“He has said a billion times on air that he would never marry a celebrity. He wants someone non-famous.” She smiled and I  shook my head.

“did you go stalk him on youtube again?” I teased and she scoffed.

“Who wouldn’t? i still can’t believe he liked my dancing. It’s too bad that he’s like fifteen years older than me...” she giggled. 

I gasped, affronted.

“He’s not...why would you even say that!! He’s twenty seven and two weeks old.!!” 

My sister laughed some more.

“Who’s the stalker now?” She teased before glancing over at one of the side hallways. “ i need to use the rest room. is it that way?” She asked softly. 

i nodded.

“you want me to come along?” I asked and she shook her head quickly.

“No... i’ll be back in five.” 

i watched her leave, feeling fond and happy and my mother gripped my wrist.

“You’ve been so good to her. She’s so happy.” She whispered and I laughed. 

“You’ll be able to see her happier, mum. She’s finally got that scholarship. “

“Ahh...has she?” My mother smiled wide and surprised. 

“Yes. You’ll be moving to Busan with her. She’ll take good care of you and become a really successful dancer and-”

“And you. Who is this young man, Jimin?” She whispered .

i startled, staring at her.

“Mother...”

“did he really help ji Soo? And you too?” She smiled. 

“Yes...” i said softly, trying not to think about the agreement I’d signed. 

“It’s good. about time someone else took care of you...” She smiled some more. 

i smiled and then glanced back at the rest room, feeling a little curious. it was a little past five minutes now. 

Where was Ji Soo? 

I waited another five minutes before feeling the first vestiges of worry.

“Mother...just stay here... i’ll be back alright...” I whispered softly before signalling for the waiter.

“This is my mom...she’s a little unwell, please just stay with her for a while...” i said urgently, my heart brginning to pound steadily. i walked swiftly down the corridor to the huge oak door that led to the ladies’ room. 

I covered the last few steps in a run, wrenching the door open, my entire body shaking with worry. 

it was empty.

“Ji Soo?” i called out horrified. A muffled groan from one of the stalls made my hackles rise and without thinking I banged on the door...

“unnie..help!!! .!” My sister’s distressed voice came from inside and i felt my heart jump into my throat in terror as her voice got cut off. 

The door crashed open and i stumbled, ankle twisting on my heels as i tripped. pain shot up my leg and i stared in disbelief as two men stared down at me, one of them with his palm on her mouth, cutting off her choked cries while the other had his hands up her skirt.

Something primal reared inside me and i felt my vision blank out in sheer fury, adrenaline filling my veins as I screamed so loud my ears rang.

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!!!” 

I lunged forward, pain forgotten as I wrapped my around the guys neck, hanging on till he began choking. But he was built like a wall and he moved away easily , whipping around and slapping me hard across my face. 

But a second later, people were running in, having no doubt heard the commotion. I stood still for a second, my vision blurry and face burning , barely able to stay upright as my sister fell into my arms, sobbing. 

“i wanna go home...let’s go home...” She was whimpering and I stroked her back, trying to soothe her. 

“Ma’am ...we’re so sorry...please... If you’d like to contact the authorities...” 

i shook my head.

“No... I please... just... “ i swallowed, still a little shaken. “ I need to get my sister home...” 

Ji Soo wouldn’t stop shaking till late into the night and I felt awful. 

 i should have gone with her. she’s still a young girl... How could i have just let that happen to her? And what was I doing, sending her to Busan? What if something happened to her there.... and...

It was a long while before I could fall asleep.

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

“You didn’t pick my calls last night, is everything okay, sweetheart?” jimin sounded concerned as I spoke to him over the phone, standing in front of the mirror in my room. 

I hadn’t noticed it the previous night but the man had hit me hard enough to leave a bruise on my cheek and a small split in my lip. I rubbed my thumb across the darkened blood there, wincing at the sting. 

“Everything’s good... i just... I was hoping if I could take a rain-check on meeting your friends today?” I asked softly, grimacing at how the bruise had somehow turned darker over night.

“What’s wrong?” he said at once and I felt nervous, not sure how to deflect.

“Nothing.. i’m just a little tired and i have some essays to catch up on...”

“Where are you? i’m coming to pick you up...”

“No!! jimin listen, I just...”

“You can work on your assignments at home. I set up a study room for you last week , remember?” 

I bit my lips .

“Jimin...”

“it’s alright if you don’t want to meet my friends. You’re certainly meeting me.”

“So I don’t have a choice anymore?” i retorted and he went quiet.

“Y/N.... I just want to see you. You seem off. something’s wrong and you’re hiding it from me and I don’t like it...” He hung up. 

i stared at the phone for a second. 

Was he that upset? Oh God, had I said something offensive? 

My phone buzzed again and i jumped a bit as i stared at the screen. 

A video call. 

Flinching, I knew that there was no escaping. Maybe he wouldn’t notice? 

“Hi...” I said weakly as his face came into focus.

He stared at me for a second, gaze fixing on my lips and then on the curve of my cheek.

“You’re hurt.” He said thoughtfully. 

I swallowed. 

“It’s nothing...but ... I think it may be a couple of days before it fades. I don’t want to ...show up like this...” i laughed a little. 

“Who?” 

“It was just an accident , I didn’t...”

“That’s not what i asked. Who did it?”

“I don’t know...”

“You don’t know..”

“it was some guy in the restaurant...last night...”

“Wait, in my restaurant...”

i felt my jaw drop.

“That’s  your  restaurant?” 

He ignored my question .

“Did you report him?” 

“No, I didn’t... Ji Soo was really distraught and i just wanted to get her home..”

“Ji Soo, what did she have to do with it?”

In the end i ended up telling him everything, because if it was his restaurant, he likely would learn it from his employees anyway. 

Jimin stayed quiet for sometime and then hummed.

“okay. Take a few days to yourself, Y/N. I’ve arranged for a cab to drive you and your family down to Busan this weekend. Go help your mom and sis settle down and spend a few days with them. I’ll meet you again on Thursday next week once you get back, how does that sound?” He said kindly.

I hesitated.

“I’m sorry .” i said quietly.

“What did i tell you about apologizing? You should talk to your professors about taking a break.... “ his voice softened a bit. “ I’ll miss you angel.”

I smiled a little at that. 

“if anyone here is being an angel, it certainly isn’t me.” i said honestly and he laughed.

“I’m a fairy.” He sang playfully. 

Yes you are. 

 Jimin. 

i lov-

The words just bloomed inside my heart without any warning and I momentarily lost my thought process. 

Where on earth had that even come from?

After he hung up, I stared at myself, heart still pounding faintly.

Not love as in love.I told myself firmly. Love as in affection. Friendship. The way I loved Ji Soo or my friends. 

Platonic love.

That was a thing right?

platonic love. 

I touched the bruise again and this time the sting had faded. Jimin just made everything better. 

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

Yoongi and Namjoon leaned against the couch, watching Jimin pace the room. 

“I hate when he gets like this.” Taehyung commented mildly, from where he was on the floor, wrapped around the maknae like a python. After about seventeen shouts of , “stop being indecent in the common area” , Seokjin had given up on the pair, eyes merely twitching once in a while, when jung Kook’s fingers slipped down Taehyung’s jeans or Tae’s fingers fluttered over the other’s abs. 

“Is she really that special? “ Jung Kook scoffed, eyes glued on his gaming console, but annoyance evident in his perfect features. “ So, some guy got frisky with her in a hotel... it happens even with Taehyung for fuck’s sake. Remeber in our last concert in Jeju do? Some men are douche canoes and there isn’t anything you can do about it. “

“Well, if i remember right, you broke that particular douche canoe’s fingers jung kook.” Hoseok muttered drily from where he was helping Seokjin with folding the laundry, and Taehyung grinned.

��My knight in shining armor.” He kissed the top of Jung Kook’s head. 

“He bruised her.” Jimin whispered. “gave her a split lip.”

Yoongi grimaced.

“Fucker should be in jail.”

“He’s the third son of that pharma CEO we met last week. Him and his friend were the ones who did it. i’m just thinking of a way to break every single bone in his body without having it traced back to us.” Jimin whispered. 

“Does your pretty princess know you’re so blood thirsty on the inside? Bet you’re a perfect gentle man around her. “ Namjoon teased. 

Jimin rolled his eyes.

“I’m not blood thirsty. If the fucker thinks its okay to come into my place and beat up a girl,  any girl.... he needs to be put in his place. it’s not about her. She’s just.... like anyone else.”

Seokjin groaned. 

“You and your arrangements!” He rolled his eyes.” i still can’t believe that every six months you find a poor, naive soul to play along with your twisted ideas of a relationship. “

“i don’t know... i think jiminie may be onto something... girls these days...not worth the drama they come wrapped in, i tell you...” yoongi shook his head . 

“What do you want to do, jiminie...” Tae finally pulled away from jung Kook, moving over to hug his best friend. Jimin smiled, indulging his clingy best friend but his mind was still elsewhere.

“I want to punch his fucking face in..” Jimin said mildly. “ But i doubt that’s going to make a difference. I’m thinking something else entirely. He’s got a few gaming debts with that gang down in gwacheon ... maybe I should send someone to collect. That boss down there’s a fan of Tae i remember.”

Jung kook looked up.

“Kepp my baby out of it...hyung..” He growled and Taehyung glared at him.

“pipe down , papa bear. i’ll talk to him if you want jimin.” He said kindly. “ Just stop looking so worried all the time.”

“He’s going to end up face down in the Han river and he probably wont even know why...” Namjoon said thoughtfully.

Jimin smiled. 

“oh, he’ll know. He’ll know that the minute he decided to grope a sixteen year old kid, he lost all fucking rights to live.” 

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

Mail Received. 

 Hello, 

I viewed your profile on the site honeyt***hs.com I’ll be inetrested in contacting you over this. I’m the CEO of xxx**## Inc., and would like to discuss ...[ Read more] 

Message Received

Seulgi : So, you’ve turned into a hooker now. Did you forget that i have access to your mail, Y/N?  I think our professors will be really interested in what you’ve been up to. If you don’t want to get expelled, you better meet me tomorrow and tell me exactly what is going on between you and Park Jimin. After everything i’ve done for you, i can’t believe you would just...[ Read More]. 

[4185113156135]

Once again I’m wondering what life was like pre industrial revolution. Like, I find it hard to fight SAD when I have lights I can keep on for hours after sunset, and fresh veggies and house plants blooming. They had NONE of that. Until spring, there was no life other than the wild animals you could rarely see. No veggies other than root stock and dried herbs. The only color other than brown and monochrome shades would be from birds and what craft art you had created yourself.

Imagine how spring felt every year, you’d have forgotten how vibrant green the world could be.

[endae]

|ashes among us| - Part I

[AO3]

[Part I] [Part II]...[Part X(?)]

On his last breath, he made the sacrifice to fix everything. As far as he knows, that's exactly what it's done – almost too well. Dipper & Mabel. Canon Divergence from Weirdmageddon.

(sequel to this because the ending’s been weighing down my soul for years. buckle up.)

and a very special thank you to @superishs for helping me map this one out.

The world doesn’t end with a bang, or a whimper.

It ends with a crack.

Existence, as he remembers it, may as well have been a dream. Black and endless, the new world waiting for him stretches far into an eternal night. For eons, that’s all it feels like. Floating aimless and forgotten to a cruel and indifferent plane.

The moment he recognizes that he’d had a soul once, he feels it reaching out into the dark, searching.

It’s the closest he feels to consciousness.

From within him, it’s waking. Some ball of light with a purpose, some disembodied spirit determined to escape.

When the feeling comes back to him, they come trickling one by one. Like moths to a flame, they gather. Flocking to his shell of an existence, as if desperate to remind him. If time is a concept then emotions must be too, because it’s in a shapeless, yearning form that it dawns on him that he can’t remember them and their sensations. An ocean of feelings without names, some overwhelming inkling that grief is seemingly the one that never left.

You’re born in the darkness clinging only to that, maybe.

He’s forgotten who he is.

He has a name and he has a story, but in whatever oblivion he’s been sentenced to, there are too many gaps to connect the dots with ease, at first.

But they come.

Wisps of a past life. A different time. They’re fragments before they’re memories, a collection of chipped and cracked moments alluding to some existence he can’t remember. But they come. They come with the staggering realization that there was a heart that carried them once. A body that housed them.

The moment he recognizes he has eyes, he opens them to a blacker void than what he’d shut them to.

He was a brother once. Some story without an epilogue.

Whatever pieces he’s scattered to the universe, by fate, they come rushing back. Like dots of a puzzle, the images come alive with each link. Some secondhand account of a life that isn’t his anymore. He grasps it with all he can, listening for a heart that hasn’t beaten. Spreading limbs he couldn’t feel.

‘That’s right…’

He was a brother before he was a mistake.

From the corners of his prison, he hears it calling to him. Like the answers themselves were fighting through the darkness just as he was, he feels them creeping closer, closer.  Truth itself always found a way, a gracious homecoming of familiar sights.

Familiar words, from an existence that felt like lifetimes ago.

“...........ake up…”

And for more reasons than just one, the moment he recognizes that he has arms, he feels the hairs stand on them at the words. He’s heard them before. They’re his.

“....ease…...lease wake up……”

‘No…’

They’re his and they’re loud and they’re vibrating, a haunting reminder of how this all came to be. Like someone or something has cracked his head wide open, it all comes flooding back too quickly. Images flickering like a broken film reel, replaying over and over.

A slip of a broken promise through a walkie-talkie.

A fight that didn’t need to happen.

A hell on earth.  

The aching gap between his ribs when he’d first held her, hands trembling, Mabel wake up, why won’t she wake up–

A hand outstretched, consumed in blue fire.

A deal to fix it all.

The moment he recognizes that he has a spine, he feels the sins crawling through it. That’s right. It began with him. Reawakening a sleeping demon, feeding him the answers through a summer painted with ill-kept secrets and bleeding youth. He dragged them all down with him, deeper and deeper into the vicious cycle of manipulation that’s tormented this family for years. For it to amount to whisper that puts all the pieces in place.

One string, one desperate fragment that comes too clearly when everything else won’t.

“...I’ll do anything…”

‘No…!’

All one cruel lie, one giant game that never ends–

“Mabel–!”

The moment he recognizes he has a body again, it’s throwing itself.

All at once, it comes. What isn’t black is bursting with color, what isn’t color is a moving blur. The first breath, the first sensation, worldly essences rushing to fill his empty being with light. Motion.

Gravity.

As if only just suddenly recalling that it existed, the panic is replaced with a sharp lurch in his stomach. The world around him spins, falls, and materializes with a hard crash against the floor.

Everything is too still.

The ringing in his ears comes first – deafening and somehow blinding, made worse by the metal tray that comes clambering after him. Against the tile, it clangs and bounces, sending piercing waves of dissonance into his already fragile head.

Dipper wonders, briefly, where he is. But the sharp scent of antiseptic cutting through the air doesn’t leave much room for wonder.

A hospital.

Frantic, he feels around for the empty weight of a vest that isn’t on him anymore. Orange tee beneath it, gone. And if the pounding in his head from the direct impact with the floor is anything to go by, then it means his hat is missing too.

Groaning, Dipper presses his hand to the side of his skull to alleviate the blooming ache. More and more, the signs come to him. The swapping of his day clothes for a gown. The hollow beep of a heart monitor. Steady and patterned, and most definitely not a flat line.

He’s awake – and if he’s awake, he must also be alive.

‘What…?’

By some trick of fate, his life is still his own.

Through the disorientation, a lone voice pierces through the fog. Someone else – someone living, breathing, and the thought terrifies him, he isn’t sure why. It comes sounding like they’re speaking to him from underwater, calling to a child drowning inches below the surface.  

“–ipper!”

In his swimming vision, he sees another pair of feet enter the room. Slipping in and out of focus, he remains paralyzed in place by the vertigo of it all. When the figure’s close enough, they plant their hands firm against both his shoulders, more patches of warmth to fight off the cold grip of oblivion.

Dipper swears, if only for a moment, that he hears the heart monitor freeze with him, when his eyes meet hers.

“...Ma...bel…?”

Mabel. Mabel Pines.

His twin and his best friend, who only hours ago, lay motionless against the wilting grass with a heartbeat too slow to be her own. Mabel Pines, who without so much as a word, became the prize of this sick game they never wanted to play.

She casts him a sour look. Something almost humorous if not for the heavy reality of quite literally everything. Dipper’s jaw hangs in disbelief as she looks him over, staring baffled, wordless.

As nonchalant as humanly possible, she clicks her tongue in disapproval.

“Bro. I know you’re itching to get out of here, but can you give it a day? At least?” she patronizes. She tugs on his sleeve, insistent. “C’mon, upsy-daisy. Let’s get you back in bed.”

Effortless, her arms cup the undersides of his to help lift him up. Dipper sways when he rises, instinctively clawing for the mattress when he feels himself begin to sway too far to one side.

It may as well be the closest they’ve had to a hug since….since.

It’s the first time he notices her sweater – Pink, confettied. Her yellow skirt and its matching headband. He notices what it isn’t: worn and ruined, stained with tears.

With delicate hands, she helps him climb back onto the bed, refusing to let go until he does.

Mabel eyes the tray he brought down with him: a punctured cup of pudding, cold veggies, and what he could only imagine was a once hot bowl of soup. Kneeling, she scoops what she can back onto the platter, wiping the floor with the napkin. She chuckles.

“Although with the food they give you here, I can’t really blame you for tryin’ to make a break for it, can I?” she adds, glancing up at him with a side smile. “This stuff’s almost worse than Grunkle Stan’s.”

Chit chats like nothing’s happened. In his peripheral, she focuses her attention back to the spill, humming some thoughtless tune to fill the air. It settles in his heart what’s going on. He’s alive. He’s here, and so is she. But...but she shouldn’t.

Just as they had when his body wasn't his own, the pieces start to connect.  

He glares daggers into the blanket, fisting the blanket at both sides. The cogs in his head start to turn, the anger coursing through his blood.

“...You haven’t had your fun, have you?”

[Read the rest here on AO3!]

[mysymmetry]

When did they decide to be this colour? To be the deep, deep, deep-deep purple that so closely resembles black that you don't want to not name what the eye sees, you want to call it black, but also you know there is no black as black as black in nature, no not like that, it must be purple, and yet - what's the right decision? Do we owe it to our eyes, or the purple more credit? I digress. The hollyhocks.

When did they decide to be this colour? Was it when I bought them last year, when I asked the employee in a polo shirt and long khaki shorts where the hollyhocks were and she directed me down a long row of plants to the last pot unremarkable amongst the firm daisies and the helpless hydrangeas, hollyhocks pushed behind as if they were meant to be forgotten, but I reached in and said yes. The ticket read "Mixed Pinks" but I didn't care, not enough to leave them behind.

Did they change their minds from baby girl pink to dahlia black when I scooped the pot into my arms and swayed them like a newborn and the outdoor aisle? Did they decide in the hot car-ride home, their arms around their new siblings, embracing their new mother, the view from the backseat, the car without AC?

Or did they not know until this year, when their roots were set firmly enough into the soil, sure that they could withstand whatever weather this season brought?

When, really, does something decide to be itself, or do things just keep happening to us - these black clothes, this deep summer, this way of moving in the world?

Perhaps they knew when Zak left, when they felt the constellation of this house start to elongate in space, stars pulling in opposite directions, furniture being carried out the front door, an absence. Did they hear me weeping in the veggie patch that one morning as I pulled out every clump of clover, recovering the blank soil, alone, alone, alone in this place?

Did they know they must bloom for me? They showed up this morning, petals black as velvet, dusty white pollen centres obvious and crumbling, and tears shot to my eyes: disbelief that something so magic could show up after all this time.

[twistednuns]

June 2020

I visited Dennis and Margit who have the BEST couple name ever - Dengit, as in dang it! They have a really cool house with ALL the gadgets. We played Bananagrams (I won! It's a really cool game, I guess I gotta get it as well) and Krazy Words and had a great BBQ lunch. Then we played Beat Saber in the basement. I was so good at Fuck Her Gently and even sang along. Also, the electro swing version of I Wanna Be Like You from the Jungle Book is fantastic. I love the song and it has a great choreography as well. But woah, my muscles were so sore the next day. Playing Beat Saber definitely counts as sport.

The shrub outside my windows is in full bloom; it must be some kind of Deutzia. I'm looking forward to the white little blossoms every year, it's gorgeous. The lupins are in bloom as well. And I have beans and radishes, peas, sunflowers... very lush and overgrown out there.

Baby pink wrapping paper with golden iridescent glitter.

Rediscovering all my old tumblr pages.

Mildly bleaching a strand of hair. Channelling my inner Claire Saffitz.

Kirlian photography (something similar is used to take aura photographs). I involved Christian in this project as well who has a doctorate in astrophysics and is a photographer, too. Perhaps we can build a machine together!

Seeing my mum for the first time since Christmas. I brought presents, we had a nice dinner, looked through some old photos. The next day I visited one of my favourite places in my old neighbour hood - a resale project / flea market ( I got sooo much stuff for just €12; for example really interesting books, a picture frame, a veggie slicer, a vase and a magnetic peg board). It's so interesting to see how everything changes around that area. I love riding mum's e-bike and literally going down memory lane. Walking through our garden is always nice, too, because everything keeps changing so fast which is especially noticable when you only see it every few months. We also played Kubb with Steffi, Martin and Jan. I let Jan play with my iPad, he was just as fascinated by the Procreate brushes as I am.

In the evening I took the train to Freising and got pizza with Yanch and Sash. Then we played Soviet Kitchen and watched a Little Britain episode. I slept on the sofa and on Sunday we had a pretty delicious breakfast (with eggs, cottage cheese/avocado/tomato, smoked salmon) and virtually tried on glasses because Sash needs new ones.

Later that day I visited Lena and Obi. We finished watching Babylon Berlin and had delicious lemon tart (very sour with an incredibly buttery pie crust). In the evening we made zucchini-ricotta bake and I used some thin zucchini slices to create a woven pattern for the top layer.

Seeing a pheasant from the train window.

Yaya - I'll just call her massage artist from now on.

My first time at FUNtastic, a really good board game store. I had a chat with the shop assistant who recommended some games and I ended up buying three. Later I made potato mash, spinach, eggs and a corn cob for dinner at Frank's place and we tested the games. I made pretty good choices.

Smule! Singing duets with Manu. Making a little choreo for I'll Never Tell from the Buffy musical. Drawing something for the video instead of showing my face. It's a good way to come to terms with my perfectionism. I know I have an okay voice but my technique really sucks so the result is not always what I would like it to be. I gotta learn to accept that and just publish it anyway. I'm trying to have fun, right?

Dyeing my bathrobe black. It had a fantastic smell after the hot wash.

A little llama dance choreography - girl, look at that body / I-I-I-I work out

The tiniest snails.

Zucchini blossoms.

I finally own an agapanthus plant! Gorgeous.

A picnic in the northern part of the English Garden with Frank, Obi, Lena and Vanessa. Playing Kubb, putting our feet into the Eisbach, taking a little walk. Playing the llama card game.

Please Like Me might be one of my favourite TV series ever.

Sending a birthday present to my mum. Making collages for her and wrapping everything really nicely (apparently the mailwoman often comments on my beautiful letters and packages).

Board game night in Freising. Great dinner made by Sash (always delicious, of course). Pocky blind-tasting (again). Finding a beautiful photograph of Sash with a cat, a tomato and some wildflowers. Playing Nice Try, a super fun challenge game.

Driving to a perennial nursery with Margit. Walking through the flower pads for hours. Befriending the gardener, petting the big, stupid and super lovely cats walking around. Buying far too many plants. Pizza dinner in Wasserburg.

A super cheap, volumising styling cream from dm.

Recording the cup song with Manu and Mika. Watching Tenacious D videos together. Eating the Kaspressknödel I had prepared.

Eating ramen with Lena. Playing Burgle Bros. with Frank.

A day trip to Passau with Adrian. Playing card games in the shade at Ortsspitze. Eating at Grüner Baum (unfortunately the restaurant has a new owner so they didn't have my favourite dishes on the menu anymore) and spaghetti ice-cream for dessert. The weird American waitress. Revisiting some old spots I had forgotten about. I especially loved walking around at the art building. Looking at the students' work, being reminded of old stories. Taking a selfie in the same spot as 7 or 8 years ago. Getting blisters and sunburnt wasn't nice but hey, it was a lovely, sunny day.

[beekeepingbuzz]

Here’s the Buzz: The Bees Need Our Help

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY CHRISTY ERICKSON (savingourbees.org)

You recycle to help reduce global warming, carpool to work to cut down on harmful gas emissions, and donate your time to a local charity, but there is one more item you need to add to your world-changer to-do list – supporting your local bees. That’s right, I said bees. Small, loud, and known for their powerful sting, bees are on the decline and our food production depends on their survival.

Powerful Pollinators

We all learned about flowers and pollination in elementary school, and maybe even giggled at the idea of flowers having reproductive components. However, it seems that over time we have forgotten just how important they are. Bees, or pollinators, contribute to food production and nutritional security, and their health is directly related to our well-being. While bees don’t harvest the crops and deliver it to your local grocery store, they play a key role.

Let’s start by refreshing some of our knowledge from school. Bees spend their lives collecting pollen and nectar to feed their young. As they travel from flower to flower, the hairs on their body collect pollen. Many plants require cross-pollination, which is when the pollen from the flower of one plant is used to fertilize another to reproduce. Pollinated crops include those that produce fruits, veggies, nuts, oils, and seeds, with many being the source of vital vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Sure, humans could transfer pollen by hand, but our dependence on bees is becoming more and more evident. The sheer volume of agricultural production that depends on animal pollination has risen by 300 percent in the last half a century. Bees not only aid in food production, but the crops they assist are used to create biofuels, textiles, medicine, and construction materials. Long story short, bees are important, but intensive agricultural practices, improper land use, pesticides, disease, and climate change threaten their livelihood.

Powerful Helpers

While it might seem like bees hold all the power, you can be a powerhouse too. The best way to help is to give your yard a home makeover by creating a pollinator garden. Even if you don’t want a full-blown garden, add a pop of color to your yard with a mix of native plants and flowers, ensuring that something is in bloom all year long so bees have a reason to return to your yard every month. For low-maintenance options, catmint is both heat and drought-tolerant, while the unique blue star-shaped borage will stand out in your garden or yard and is resistant to heat. As a bonus, borage self-seeds, so it will continue to thrive year after year. If you desire a little bit of aromatherapy, lavender will surely meet your expectations, even during the winter, giving the bees a backup plan when other flowers aren’t in bloom.

Rather than add to the curb appeal with mulch, leave a little bit of ground exposed for bees to dig a nest, or set up a bee box for additional real estate options. If you have your own edible garden, border your fruits and vegetables with native flowers to enhance the pollination of your crops. In addition, this will provide assistance to the bees when your crops aren’t in bloom and attract helpful pollinators such as wasps and hover flies, which are a natural remedy to control pests. Reducing the need for harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, gives the bee population a boost too, not to mention your health.

Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, and without them both food production and the economy would take a hit, not to mention our health. Keep the bees in mind when you are updating your landscape, and consider planting a pollinator garden to help the bees continue to thrive.

[jiuenns]

yoongi:

using the back of his hand, yoongi did a quick tap to the bridge of nose in the attempts to lower the smile that flashed across his face. it was a reaction that only jieun could get out him. contentment and feeling amused often bounced around whenever he was in close proximity to her. too often, he was the one scolding others that it threw him in a loop whenever she gave him a taste of his own medicine, and he loved her for it. 

how simple their evening was that they could stay indoors, and hovering over a saucepan trying to perfect the liquid. it was days as these that yoongi craved more than anything. simple. easy. that’s how his relationship was for jieun even after dating for so long. that they could find the  pleasure of cooking without growing bored of the other’s presence. “yeah?” a pleased smile lingered across yoongi’s lips to watch her dip the spoon for a second time. his intuition was right after all. how messy it would have been had he given the incorrect instructions. “now we know that next time, just a tad bit more, and all done” he clicked his tongue to emphasize his words. he leaned in briefly to pull back one of the strands that fell in front of her face, and pushed it behind her ear. 

now, it was jieun’s turn to blush. for much of her adult life, dating had been the least of her worries. she didn’t mind the idea of falling in love, but a relationship needed to be nurtured in order for it to bloom, and she simply didn’t have the time. finding yoongi was entirely coincidental, and discovering that she liked him so much was an even greater surprise. dating, a once complicated concept she couldn’t bother to indulge in, felt surprisingly easy.

the task at hand had been momentarily forgotten the moment his fingers grazed her cheek, the smile that was already present on her lips growing in size. even now, some years after their relationship came into being, yoongi never ceased to make her melt. as a tender display of gratitude — perhaps for his unrelenting kindness, or maybe his impeccable intuition as a chef — jieun moved just enough to duck past him in order to retrieve the bowl of softened rice cakes, planting a quick kiss on his cheek in the process. she simply couldn’t resist, what with how easy he made it after getting so close.  “ all it’s missing is the vegetables, ”  she reminded with a pleasant little laugh, nodding off towards the abandoned cutting board littered with neat piles of diced veggies.

[cielsgarden]

4/14/2020

have been less active in the garden thanks to rain and cold. and feeling like garbage, i think it's the new medication i'm on (it's technically a chemotherapy drug and a class a carcinogen, which is kinda scary). this is a summary of the past few days. every morning and evening, i'm bringing 5 flats of seedlings/planted seeds up and down to the basement so they dont freeze or get eaten by cats, it's exhausting.

-old grill planter is set up, ready to plant stuff in whenever its warm enough. i'm thinking black eyed susan vine or bush morning glory or nasturtium to trail down over the edges, though i'm already going to have a lot of those. behind that, maybe dwarf zinnia or cosmos. marigolds are another option but, again, we're gonna have a lot of those.

-sprinkled seeds around that area- dill, chamomile, lavender, chicory, tall marigolds, nigella, and probably more i'm forgetting. will also be sprinking some of the zinnia seeds saved from years past once its warm enough. and strawflower and whatever else we have laying around. out of everything SOMETHING has to do well there. transplanted some small volunteer feverfew here too because that survived there the last couple of years. once the volunteer cosmos from along the driveway are bigger, i'll add some of those too. i've been paying attention to the soil after it rains, and it's not as totally dry as i had thought, plus we'll be running a loop of drip watering there this year.

-propped up sage plants with a little trellis fence thing. they've seen a lot of abuse as we've worked on the bed behind them but i think they'll recover soon since we're pretty much done. i'm not sure when they bloom but they've gotten pretty big and i bet it's gonna look awesome this year.

-cleared vines from under vounteer raspberry out back. i had no idea how huge it was until i cleaned it up, it has a runner that's started a second plant a few feet away. most of the branches i was able to weave into another trellis fence thing so hopefully it won't get mowed AGAIN this year.

-moved some of the little white twin daffodils to along the front walk. all the daffodils i'm moving look so sad now, i hope they pull through. i'm not even really expecting them to be able to flower next year.

-put 5 okra seeds along the middle of the bed that will have cucumbers and squash, since my seedlings didn't do well. marked them with twigs so i don't disturb them.

-been spending a little time each day weeding the beds with the root veggies and greens. it's a neverending battle and i'll lose eventually, but i'm planning to keep it up as long as i can. i keep finding volunteer cosmos and tomatoes and putting them in random pots. the tomatoes i'll probably end up getting rid of unless something destroys the nice hybrid and heirlooms i started. the volunteers have tiny cute tomatoes but are prone to disease,vine way too long and get out of hand.

-found some sweet william i'd forgotten i had planted last year in the grass and weeds behind the garage. i had assumed it was unsuccessful, but it's simply a biennial and needed a year to grow before flowering. i did a pretty rough job of transplanting them. if i'm lucky they'll bloom soon, if i killed them, oh well, they would have been mowed where they were.

[allie-rooney-taft]

     @logan-rigby

       It’d been a good three days of seclusion, with breaths of the crisp turning to winter air through the more than occasional steps onto her Haverford cookie cutter home. (Every time she looked at it, she was reminded of it’s mediocrity and the many on the block that looked just like it. The Weeds theme on a loop in her mind. How her dad ever thought this was a sound purchase...she would never know.) So when the nearing of day four reared it’s ‘time for the necessities kind of run’ Top Ramen and Cup-O-Noodle, a strange poor man’s habit she’d never been able to kick. The empty calories perfect too for a stomach full of booze. OR was.  

     Finding herself at the Fresh Foods, filling up on the vegetables that no doubt would go bad by her next trip—cursing her decision to go here of all places, carrying only the organic versions of her most wanted items. Wrapped in a heavy sweater, her Lulu Lemon sweats tucked messily into her UGGS, hair pulled high, the sunglasses resting on top of her head instantly pulled to cover the widening of her eyes when there he was, Logan. Shit. She hadn’t forgotten to call him, to tell him she was going to be in town for the winter this time...no, she just wasn’t at all planning on it. She had her deadlines, she also wasn’t expecting him until the flowers were in full bloom; not on their withering death bed.

       He’d see her for sure, if not here, where she was tempted to skirt outside and wait around the corner until she saw him leave, then somewhere else. When she again, was least expecting it. So she pulled out her phone, discarded the veggies in a freezer nearby and hightailed it outside. Finding his number was quick and easy, it wasn’t that long since they last texted. 

       Allie: Hey just booked a flight, I’ll be in Lanford for the painfully long foreseeable future. If you’re around, give me a call. 

      There. Easy enough. Now she waited...

[ladynorbert]

Answer 10, tag 10

So I’ve been tagged to answer ten questions and tag ten people. But I was tagged twice, so I’m actually answering twenty questions! That’s a lot, so I’ll put it under the cut.

First, @elevanetheirin asked...

1) Who is your favorite (non-romanced) DA Character and why?

As you may have noticed, Varric. Why? Hey, Your Editorialness, they want to know why you’re my favorite.

[Editor’s note: Because she and I have way too much in common and yet are different enough to be interesting to each other.]

That sounds about right.

2) Besides the Dragon Age Series what is your favorite game?

I’ve loved the Zelda games since the first one came out when I was twelve. It’s a toss-up between them and Skyrim.

3) What is your favorite food?

Ice cream. Sadly, being diabetic somewhat precludes me from enjoying it as often as I like, and I still eat more of it than I should.

4) Wireless mouse or corded?

I use a laptop, so I don’t have a mouse at all - I have a touchpad.

5) Favorite season of the year and why?

Autumn. Not too hot, not too cold, the plants to which I’m allergic are dying, the bugs go away, and everything looks pretty.

6) What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas.

7) What book or series have you read several times?

Harry Potter. The books got me through one of the worst times of my life. Also, I may in fact be in the seventh book but this is unconfirmed.

8) Alistair or Cullen? Why? (bwahahaha)

Alistair. First video game husband is still my favorite. Besides, he’s too much like Lord Norbert for me to not love him best.

9) Do you have special dietary needs?

As noted above, I have type 2 diabetes. I’m also starting to suspect I may be sensitive to gluten.

10) Milk and Cookies or Coffee and Biscotti?

Milk and cookies. I don’t like coffee or biscotti.

Next, from @motherofgriffins...

1) Who is your least favorite romanceable character? (In any game)

Solas. I’m sorry, I know a lot of my friends love the egglord, but he really just doesn’t do much for me.

2) Fruits or Veggies? What’s your favorite?

I love fruits and veggies. My favorite fruit is apples.

3) If you had to spend $100,000 (84,979.82 Euro according to The Google) in 24 hours, but couldn’t buy real estate, what would you spend it on?

Honestly? A lot of it would probably go to GoFundMe and YouCaring campaigns that I thought were worthwhile. I’d also pay off my car and Lord Norbert’s car and my outstanding medical bills.

4) What is your go-to comfort food?

My chicken soup.

5) What is your favorite movie quote?

Gosh, I have a lot of those. If I have to choose, though, I guess it’s this line of Gandalf’s from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. “ I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.”

6) What is your favorite thing about your face?

It does a perfectly adequate job of covering the front of my head. That’s about all I can really ask of it. (I’m not especially fond of it, but it does what a face is supposed to do.)

7) If you were given a one-minute ad slot during the Super Bowl that you couldn’t sell, what would you fill it with? 

I’d consult with my buddy @peterhollens about how he could make use of the time. 

8) Would you rather be the first person to explore a planet or be the inventor of a drug that cures a deadly disease? Why?

Invent the drug. I would have a panic attack and probably give myself heart failure if I ever got sent into space - it’s like a combination of all my biggest phobias in one terrifying package.

9) Would you rather be able to teleport anywhere or be able to read minds? Would you use your power for good or evil?  

Teleport, definitely. I wouldn’t want to know what’s in some people’s minds! And of course I would use it for good. I could probably help quite a few people with that kind of ability.

10) Who was your first celebrity crush? (Or fictional character if you’ve never had a crush on a celebrity)

I don’t actually remember the first one, although bearing in mind that I am a lot older than most of you, it was probably somebody you’ve never heard of. However, I can crack up my Dragon Age peeps with the confession that my young teenage self really liked Brian Bloom. He was a soap opera star way back in the day! I didn’t watch the show he was on so I didn’t know much about him, but he was the guy in my teen magazines with the extremely gorgeous eyes. I legit felt faint when I discovered that he’s the voice of my beloved Varric; I had forgotten about him for a long time.

Now, for my questions...

1) To which fictional character do you relate the most? Why? 2) Is there a color which holds particular meaning for you? 3) Dream car? 4) Favorite breed of dog? 5) Who is your hero? Why? 6) Who was the last person to whom you said “I love you”? 7) In which art medium do you consider yourself most skilled? This includes things like writing, photography, and music as well as traditional art forms. 8) What’s a skill you don’t have and wish you could cultivate, but consider to be beyond your ability? 9) Baths or showers? Why? 10) If you could have dinner with three living famous people, who would you invite and what would you discuss?

I shall tag @sapphiredragonprincess, @tamar-kir-bataar, @peligin, @ladydracarysao3, @stylishanachronism, @the-tevinter-biscuit, @teenyturtle, @tealtiger, @tea-nyx, @galadryels, @hawkeyedflame, @hawkeyedriza, @haymitchdrinksfirewhiskey, @bleedingcoffee42, @waddiwasiwitch, @unseeliesidhe, @aerophin, @themusicalbookworm, @windrider01, @windysuspirations, and @queenxolivier. Enjoy!

[amieravenson]

Magickal Month- July 2019

Magickal Month July 2019 July was named after Julius Caesar, as it was his birth month. Previously, it was known as Quintilus because it was the 5th month of the old calendar. It became the 7th month when January and February were added to the beginning of the calendar, and a year became 12 months long. If you didn’t know it already, it’s usually the hottest month of the year. (Boy howdy!) Here at Ravenson Manor, the morning glories have just shown up, and the hostas are in full bloom. My salvia is doing great, and so are the sedums. I found out that we have an apple tree and a Rose of Sharon tree, and I’m excited to see the apples ripen and make tea from the Rose of Sharon. I’ve made friends with some of the neighborhood kids, and I’m looking out of my office window to see that the neighbors are hanging a pinata right now. Looks like there’s going to be a birthday party! I haven’t seen much wildlife, mostly robins, cardinals, and brown doves lately. I think that the neighborhood stray cats scare everything else off, but they’re awfully cute too. I plan to plant some catnip for them to enjoy. I feel so at peace here. Even in the sweatiest depths of Summer misery, there’s such a beautiful energy of growth and abundance right now. We’re getting lots of squash, carrots, cucumbers, and blueberries from the CSA farm, and everything just feels really exciting and lush. As if there will never be hunger or lack or anxiety. I love it! Lunations: July 2- New Moon in Cancer, 3:16pm EDT July 16- Full Moon in Capricorn, 5:38pm EDT July 31- New Moon in Leo, 11:11pm EDT Astronomy: July 7- Mercury goes retrograde July 30- Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower begins Celtic Tree Month: Oak (June 10- July 7): Solar magick, health, success, prosperity, blessings, bravery, endurance, strength, deep emotions, love, nurturing our family, mediating conflict, healing wounds, sovereignty, rulership, power, strength and endurance, justice and nobility, honesty, male fertility. Holly (July 8- August 4); Protection, enjoying and celebrating success (nearing first harvest), renewal/restoring your direction, rebalancing your energy, moving towards your purpose, energizing. Truth, unconditional love, sacrifice, reincarnation, protection, luck, dream magick, male counterpart to feminine ivy. Holidays (non-Pagan): July 4: American Independence Day July 14: Bastille Day July 22: Tisha B’Av (Jewish holiday) July 22: Parents Day Holidays (Pagan): July 2- July 3: Feast of Greek Hecate July 3- July 4: Hekatombaion Noumenia/Old Athenian New Year, festival honoring all gods and goddesses July 5- July 6: Feast of the Charities (goddesses of beneficience) July 6- July 7: Feast of Greek Aphrodite July 14- July 25: Old Norse/Icelandic Midsummer. A community gathering, time to give offerings, and celebration July 18- July 19: Synoikia. Greek festival ceelbrating cooperation of the states. July 20: Slavic festival of Perun (the Thunderer) July 25- July 31: Panathenaea, celebrating Athena July 31: Lughnassadh. Old Celtic festival of the grain god Lugh and thanksgiving for the grain harvest Themes for the month: Nearing the grain harvest, ripe Summer vegetables and fruits, celebrating independence, fighting like hell if you see your independence being challenged, bringing the seeds of intention that we planted in early Spring to fruition, celebrating the sun and greenspaces at the height of their power, beginning to can and preserve the fruits and veggies as they become ripe, enjoying the long days and the energy they bring to get things done! General activities for the month: Cookouts, canning, enjoying the late evenings and fireflies, fireworks, letting the strength of the sun shine light into the dark places in your life, herbcraft and greencraft, finding cool bodies of water to immerse yourself in, Summer blockbuster movies, enjoying the leisure that extra daytime hours privides. Herbs I’m using: Rose of Sharon (I have a tree in my new yard, and I’ve been collecting the flowers to dry for making tea!), fresh peppermint (From the CSA farm we joined- I’m also drying some for later use), white clover (Our yard is mostly clover, and the bees are loving it. It’s also great for tea!) Stones I’m using: Apophyllite (I bought two gorgeous points for another project I’m working on, and I can’t seem to put them down), amethyst (I’ve been placing my large pieces and geodes around the house as I unpack them- serenity and spirituality are a good thing!), moquai marbles (I found a set I bought for a project and remembered how fascinating they are) Goddess of the Month: I’m going to be working with Sarasvati and her powers of creativity and expression for the month of July as I participate in NaNoWriMo. I’m hoping that the words will flow through me like the waters of her sacred river. 3 card reading:

July 2019 reading First, we start with the 9 of Wands. So in the beginning of the month, we’re feeling the need to fight for what we’ve created. We need to be vigilant and defend ourselves and persevere. If we’ve been fighting for something, we may get a second wind which will help us be victorious. Next, we see the 6 of Discs. So we can look forward to some sort of bonus or gift. This can be a result of our efforts, but usually it’s just a gift from a surprise benefactor. Look around and see who in your life helps you in those surprise moments, and express your gratitude. Finally, we have the 3 of Discs. So while we’re receiving these gifts and fighting the good fight, we’re also doing work that we’re really proud of. This is the season to remain steadfast and keep improving your processes, and you will receive recognition for your work! Our special guidance card is Fox. This image is snowy and Wintery, but the message is the same no matter the season. Now is a time to choose carefully what we want to express and what we want to reveal. Sometimes we can do well to remember that it’s fine to keep some things hidden and secret, just for us. As long as you cause no harm through your secrecy, it can be a valuable boundary to keep hidden things from outside influences. Forgotten By Harold Vinal How can I remember Autumn and pain, When trees hold dreams In their arms again? How can my heart break Till it cries? The joy of summer Has made me wise. I can’t remember What hurt me so- Autumn and winter Were so long ago. My personal tides: We’re in the last push to get our move finalized, have a yard sale, fix or tow Husbear’s car from the driveway at the old place, and get this place ready to start having people over. I’m so excited! It feels like the last little straggling threads of our connection to our old life are almost severed, and I’m being slingshot into this next incarnation where I actually make time to write again and finish projects that I’m actually able to focus on. I finished painting my office just in time to start Camp NaNoWriMo, and I’m using it to motivate me to do some serious work. My personal goals: I set my Camp NaNo goal at 25k words, and I think it’s doable! I also want to finish the unpacking and cleaning here so that we can actually have people over instead of just making the excuse that we just moved and can't be held responsible for being slobs. I’m also trying to get my altar shelf refinished and decorate in time for Lughnassadh. More on that will be forthcoming! :-) Let me know what you're up to this hot Summer. Blessed be! Read the full article

[damasareyasui]

June 9th: Free Day in Osaka/Media Reflection

Of all the cities in Japan, of all the secret alleyways that have led me astray along the revered paths of Tokyo and Kyoto, of all the forgotten rooms in the twenty-story buildings that litter the streets that require you to get in the tiniest possible elevator, Osaka may just be the most unexpected, unprecedented of spots visited while on this trip... though the reasons for why are likely not what one expect. I began my day at 10am, dreading waking up but feeling a sense of nascent guilt slowly bloom within the pit of my stomach, I stood and prepared for the day. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was going to do, but it seems like our entire class had their sites set on Osaka. I thought to myself, after discussing it with Alexandra and my roommates, “Y’know it’s the last free day; I don’t see the harm in taking the road more travelled for once.” That of course didn’t change my intention of scouring Osaka’s streets solitarily. The train ride was an hour, which gave me plenty of time to read a whopping ten pages of Volume 14 of 僕のヒーロー, while simultaneously trying to define nearly every unknown word I stumbled upon. I think I’ve gotten substantially better at predicting the meanings of Japanese words from context, paired kanji, and the radicals used in kanji. Anyways, I arrived in Osaka, and I was thoroughly convinced my map was incorrect... until I saw a few signs that ようこそ’d me into 大阪. I was thoroughly confused; my existing interpretation of Osaka had been forged by many video games and movies in the past (which I will explain further in my media reflection portion), but frankly the portion of Osaka that I had the privilege of traversing had probably subverted my expectations more so than any other location we’ve visited. It felt like I was in Washington DC, with the most noticeable difference being cars driving in the opposite direction and the fact that I was the only 外国人 within any 100m radius constantly. I was shocked to see a myriad of luxury cars, specifically Porsche’s and Ferrari’s. I think I encountered more in a few hours in Osaka than I did in one week in Tokyo. Since I arrived at 1pm and I hadn’t eaten anything at all since arriving, I immeadiely set out to find a restaurant that I could eat at. There were a few fully vegan restaurants around, and they were all a bit of a hike to get to, but I wasn’t dismayed for even a second. However, I made my 20-minute hike to the “first fully-vegetarian restaurant in Osaka turned vegan” only to not be able to find it whatsoever AND for google to tell me it was closed either way. There was fortunately still hope: from my 20-minute trek, I was placed substantially closer to another vegan restaurant than I was before, and oh my goodness at I glad I found it. I was fortunate multiple times over: I was fortunate enough to have taken a path that indirectly led me to “Paprika 食堂 Vegan”; I had made it just in time for last orders to be taken; and when I paid, my waitress commented on how suspicious it was to receive 555¥ exactly as change. My meal was delicious, reminiscent of sweet and sour chicken, but with seitan as the chicken substitute and other sorts of delicious veggies arranged. I’m in love with the Japanese style of “meal sets”. Having a variety of different foods you can try while still constituting enough to be a full-course meal is a technique I wish was more heavily utilized in America. After my meal, I continued to wander around Osaka, stumbling upon a myriad of intriguing, minimalistic statues and a Pop-Art inspired banner cascaded on the side of a building (but it was an English). Eventually, I returned home to relax for the rest of the day.

Media Reflection:

As a child (and honestly as an adult too), I adored the “Godzilla” brand and its products. I loved the toys, the movies, and a whole bunch of it’s video games. In fact, I would say the Godzilla series has likely had the largest influence over my perception of what Japanese cities truly looked like, since the majority of cities depicted in its various forms of media are Japanese cities. I’d argue that Tokyo and Kyoto have most often been shown on the big screen for Godzilla, but a few of his movies actually take place in Osaka for parts of it, namely “Godzilla vs. Biollante” and “Godzilla va Megaguirus”. Frankly, I’m dissappointed by the disturbing lack of a super-sentient plant-hive-mind kaiju and ancient, colossal mutated Japanese dragonfly wreaking havoc accord the city, but I guess I should’ve lowered my expectations. All joking aside, the movie and video-game depictions of Osaka have always painted a more traditional and humble picture of it, with plenty of shrines and Edo-period architecture around every corner. That’s why I was so taken aback by initial arrival: there wasn’t a single Edo-style building in site and the street design was so similar to Washington DC, I was thoroughly convinced the Japanese government has been hiding the secret to teleportation and they tested it on our train ride. Not only is Osaka in incredibly modern city, even more so than Kyoto, but it even feels completely westernized, with so myriad of Western-inspired brands and chains around every corner. Heck, within my 4-5 hours of being there, I don’t think I stumbled upon a SINGLE shrine. Within a 1km radius of our 旅館 in Kyoto, you could probably find 5, maybe 6 shrines. I found absolutely ZERO. Yet somehow, I found a Hard-Rock Cafe in Osaka. そう言う事が全然信じられませんよ. Upon further research, it seems the more traditional portions of Osaka are set closer to its palace, which surely should come as no surprise. Overall, I believe that the misleading depictions of Osaka in the media I absorbed may simply be due to the fact that they are quite dated and old, with quite a few of these Godzilla movies being nearly or over 20 years old.

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/travel/36-hours-36-hours-in-mendocino-county/

36 Hours: 36 Hours in Mendocino County

Ninety miles north of San Francisco, Mendocino County is just far enough away to have narrowly escaped the Bay Area’s radical transformation during the tech boom years. In contrast to other formerly quiet Northern California backwaters, Mendocino maintains its rural identity and eccentricities, including its longstanding status as one of the country’s major marijuana-producing regions. Where there is big news, it’s largely culinary. The 30-year-old chef at Elk’s Harbor House Inn was recently named a James Beard award semifinalist for Best Chef in the West. Besides the Harbor House’s eight- to 12-course, $150 per person prix fixe dinners, there are cheesemakers, upstart breweries, exceptional farm stands — notably Fort Bragg’s Nye Ranch and Caspar’s Fortunate Farm — and farm-inspired restaurants, like the long-awaited, soon-to-open Fog Eater Cafe, which began as a farm pop-up, and will serve “California cuisine with a Southern twang.” After years of population stagnation, young people are moving in, or coming home, and committing themselves to Mendocino’s fertile soil and sea. It’s a second wave back-to-the-land movement and a welcome reprieve from the Bay Area’s buzz.

Friday

1) 3:30 p.m. Tall trees

Take Highway 128 through the Anderson Valley, to Hendy Woods State Park, where you can stretch your legs beneath the awe-inspiring giant redwoods or take a dip in the Navarro River. Then, backtrack to Boonville’s Pennyroyal Farm, the sister farmstead to one of Mendocino’s most beloved wineries, Navarro Vineyards. Sample rich goat and sheep milk cheeses, fresh and aged, exceptional pinot noir, and farm-made pickles and preserves. Sit out back, beside a gurgling fountain, and watch sheep meander beneath the vines. In the spring, a farm tour (11 a.m. daily) offers the overwhelming cuteness of nursing lambs and kids.

2) 6 p.m. Supper stop

For dinner, reserve a table at the Boonville Hotel, a former roadhouse that’s now a beautiful, family-owned inn with a wide porch, flickering fireplaces when the weather’s cool, and a seductive patio garden for outdoor dining during the warm months. The restaurant’s new chef, Perry Hoffman, is from Sonoma’s James Beard award-winning SHED and, before that, Napa’s Michelin-starred Étoile. Here, his prix-fixe menus (starting at $58) include lively dishes and unexpected flavor combinations. Imagine mussels with charred cabbage, grapefruit, fennel and seaweed or a whole stuffed quail with artichokes, shiitake mushrooms, bolting kale and brown rice vinegar.

3) 9 p.m. Change is brewing

After winding through the redwoods and along the coast, head for the former logging town of Fort Bragg, for some small town night life. The 135-year-old Golden West is a dive bar that was bought in 2015 by a couple who grew up locally and returned after living in Los Angeles. The bar has maintained its vintage character (neon signs, shuffleboard and pool tables, faded black-and-white photos of logging scenes) while upgrading its extensive liquor cabinet and serving excellent cocktails, and has occasional but unexpectedly good live music, as well as a Sunday Bloody Mary bar. Or, for a family-friendly pub in a tucked-away location, seek out Mendocino’s newest brewery, Overtime Brewery, which teams with Nye Ranch in making its exotic seasonal beers, like the “Thistle Dew” artichoke ale or Nye Ranch Cucumber Batch. Take a couple of crowlers — a 32-ounce can filled from the tap and sealed on site — of your favorite beer to go.

Saturday

4) 8 a.m. Super bloom

Tucked into a strip mall, Cafe Jaavy — the younger sister of the longtime local favorite, Los Gallitos — has colorful oilcloth tablecloths, a salsa bar and a breakfast menu that includes savory Mexican breakfasts like chilaquiles (tortilla chips simmered in a flavorful, mildly spicy sauce, served with beans and eggs, $9.50) and standout huevos rancheros with chorizo ($9.50), plus sweeter offerings like banana and berry crepes ($8.99) and generous smoothies ($4.50) made with fresh fruit. The Tropical, with mango, apple, pineapple, melon, chili and lime is particularly tasty. Then, head for the 47-acre Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, where 124 species of rhododendrons put on a spectacular show in April and May.

5) 11 a.m. Sweet soak

Drive south to Mendocino village to walk its photogenic streets and gawk at the immaculately preserved Victorians. Pop into Frankie’s for a scoop of locally made Cowlick’s ice cream. Among the cafe’s 16 rotating flavors are chai, Campari grapefruit sorbet, yellow cake batter and mushroom. Then, take a restorative soak in Sweetwater Spa’s communal — and clothing optional — eight-person redwood tub, sweat in the cedarwood sauna, or indulge in a massage (starting at $110 for 50 minutes). There are also private tubs ($25 per hour), which are enclosed but open to the sky; if a starry soak is your thing, Sweetwater is open until 9 p.m.

6) 12:30 p.m. Pizza pit stop

Next door, Cafe Beaujolais’s weekend-only takeout window, the Brickery, serves pizza ($13) with big, perfectly charred air pockets and daring toppings, like Moroccan-spiced rabbit and garlicky New Haven-style white clam pizza. On sunny days, the backyard garden is idyllic for sharing a pie and savoring a glass of rosé or a craft cider.

7) 2 p.m. Glass for the masses

Fort Bragg’s signature attraction, a former town dump that was transformed by time into a beach of gleaming sea glass, has been badly picked over and is no longer the dazzling sight it once was. For a glimpse of its former glory, head to the odd little International Sea Glass Museum south of town, where Captain Cass sells bags of so-called Seed Glass ($4.95) to replenish the beach’s supply. Across Highway 1, the Glass Fire Gallery displays fantastic blown-glass creations in the form of jellyfish chandeliers and mushroom-shaped table lamps. While in the area, go for a stroll along the newly opened Noyo Headlands Coastal Trail. After more than a century of the headlands being occupied by a sprawling mill site, the town now has access to its coastal bluffs, where California poppies blaze orange in the spring, when it’s also possible to spot migrating whales spouting offshore.

8) 3:30 p.m. Local treasure

For a dose of Mendocino’s wonderful eccentricity, visit The Larry Spring Museum of Common Sense Physics, a tiny two-room storefront museum that celebrates the life and work of the local inventor, lay scientist and World War II transport pilot, Larry Spring. In the same small building, Lost Coast Found has a charming selection of vintage home goods: midcentury stereos, cheery 1970s-era coffee cups, along with used books, postcards and miscellanea.

9) 5:30 p.m. Fresh caught

Have an early, California-style dinner by the water in Noyo Harbor, where you have a difficult choice of dining options. For fresh, crispy fish and chips, bundle up and sit on the riverside deck at Sea Pal Cove, where dinner guests include sea gulls, there are $5 pints of high-end craft beer, and views of passing fishing — and, in season, whale-watching — boats. A few doors down, Princess Seafood Market & Deli is a woman-owned and -run fishing operation with its own boat and seafood restaurant. Princess serves reasonably priced, locally caught seafood, including whole Dungeness crab ($27.95), barbecued Royal Miyagi oysters ($12.95 for a half dozen, and a grilled prawn po boy ($15.95). During chilly coastal evenings, the deli’s tented seating area provides heat lamps and freshly laundered blankets. Then, pick up a Coast Packet and take a gamble on a local performance. One of the joys of small town cultural life is the unexpectedness of what’s available from week to week, whether it’s the wonderful independent Flynn Creek Circus or a riotous political play at the Mendocino Theatre Company.

Sunday

10) 9 a.m. The Greenwood Good Life

On your way through Mendocino, grab a takeout breakfast — an organic housemade bagel with lox and “all the veggies” ($12.50) or “market-inspired” quiche ($8) — at Mendocino’s Good Life Cafe. Sip your coffee to-go as you drive a breathtaking stretch of Highway 1 to the village of Elk, population 200. Tote your breakfast down to Greenwood State Beach to sit on a piece of driftwood, look out over the volatile Pacific and take a long breath of sea air. Then, visit Elk Greenwood Museum and Visitor Center — originally the town’s post office — to learn some Greenwood lore from the center’s knowledgeable docents.

11) 11 a.m. Wine Down

Take Philo-Greenwood Road back to Anderson Valley and taste your way out of town. The options can be overwhelming, but the redwood tasting room at Toulouse Vineyards and Winery is especially beautiful and its wines are excellent renditions of classic local varietals: Alsatian whites and pinot noirs. For three wineries in one Spanish-style plaza, stop at The Madrones complex, where Drew Family Cellars, Smith-Story Winery and the newly opened Long Meadow Ranch, which has estate-grown Burgundian varietals, share a plaza.

12) 12:30 p.m. History lesson

Cut east over Route 253 — a spectacular 16-mile drive across hilltops of moss-draped California live oaks — to Ukiah, Mendocino’s 16,000-person county seat. Dedicated to an extraordinary, but largely forgotten painter, the Grace Hudson Museum and Sun House displays Hudson’s striking and distinctly empathetic portraits of native peoples and immigrants, exhibits the work of local artists, and offers tours of Hudson’s Arts and Crafts home, which she called Sun House.

13) 2 p.m. Buddhist brunch

Head south to the City of 10,000 Buddhas, a former California State Mental Hospital that is now a Buddhist community and monastery. The campus’s distinctive arched entrance is undergoing renovation, but its roaming peacocks, evocative institutional architecture and Jyun Kang Vegetarian Restaurant, which serves tasty vegetarian dishes to a mostly local crowd, remain. Or hop down the 101 to Hopland, where Rock Seas serves an ever-changing menu that riffs on brunch classics — like coconut French Toast with star anise, coconut, brown sugar and mango ($12).

Lodging

In the last two years, two long-awaited new hotels have opened on the Mendocino coast. The Harbor House Inn, in Elk, is a 1916 redwood home which was originally built by the local logging company and designed to showcase the beauty of the region’s lumber. After an eight-year renovation, the inn reopened in May of 2018 with 10 rooms (starting at $355, breakfast included) and a destination restaurant.