#hunter valley tour

[huntervalleyt]

Explore Your Way: Design Your Own Private Small Group Adventure!

Unveil a new world of travel with personalized small group tours that fit your style and interests. Craft your dream journey with exclusive experiences, flexibility, and expert guidance. Ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure? Share the excitement now!

[ihophunter938]

Create Your Perfect Hunter Valley Experience with Custom Tours & Private Bus Hire

iHop Hunter Valley prides itself on offering top-rated Hunter Valley tours that are as flexible as they are memorable. Whether you're looking for a guided wine-tasting tour or want to explore the region on your own with bus hire, iHop Hunter Valley provide personalized service and expert local knowledge

[partyshuttlessydney]

Party Buses Videos Archives - Party Shuttles Sydney Explore the excitement in our Party Buses Videos Archives at Party Shuttles Sydney. Witness the ultimate party experience on wheels!

[huntervalleywinetours]

Exploring the Charms of Hunter Valley Tours: A Captivating Day Trip Itinerary

Hunter Valley Tours provides an enchanting and captivating day trip experience, where you can explore the region's charms with a well-designed itinerary. You will immerse yourself in the captivating beauty and exceptional flavors of Hunter Valley with our meticulously designed day trip itinerary. So join the esteemed Hunter Valley Tours and embark on a remarkable journey to discover the region's vibrant heritage, acclaimed wineries, gastronomic delights, and awe-inspiring landscapes. Also delight in wine tastings, explore charming vineyards, indulge in tantalizing local cuisine, and uncover the hidden gems of this iconic Australian destination. Join us for an incomparable day trip that harmoniously blends the finest wines, culinary delights, and the natural splendor of Hunter Valley.

[wicked-jade]

Johnny's Season 6 Fits

Because I'm always interested in Johnny's different band shirts/looks each season, I went back and compiled a bunch of screenshots, cataloging each one. For things like his gi, which gets repeated every episode, I've only included the first appearance.

So, in episode 1, we have four five different looks:

Van Halen 1984 World Tour Shirt, with flaming eagle logo. Later with the white and gray flannel over it:

The Coyote Creek/Little Red Riding Hood Fit: Faded black tee, red hoodie.

White ringer tee and gray hoodie (Very similar to a lot of his S4 looks, which makes sense, since they were teasing yet another fight for control of the dojo. Very reminiscent of what he wore right before his and Daniel's rematch.)

Eagle Fang Gi, RIP:

Miyagi Do Gi. So fresh, so clean:

Episode 2: Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass shirt. Which is an... interesting choice, for hard-rocking Johnny. Maybe a holdover from his country club prep days?

And then we have my personal favorite look, the House Hunters: Valley Edition outfit. No logo on the shirt this time, but thank you, costume department, for putting him in so many dark red/wine shades this year. Also, I really, really need that flannel.

And last, we have the return of the hideous suit. Please dear god let this have been it's swan song. At the very least, please burn that fugly yellow shirt and tie. Sweetie, that is not your color.

Episode three: First up, we've got the all-white baby shower look, complete with Led Zeppelin shirt, featuring their legendary Swan Song Records/Icarus logo. Something-something, Johnny being too confident in his girl dad abilities and flying too close to the sun.

Next up, we've got slumber party Johnny. Green and black hooded flannel and a white tee, with an illustration of a car at the beach on it underneath. It says California down one side. Fits in with a lot of the generic "California" themed shirts and hoodies the kids were wearing this season. Guess they're trying to remind us that this is actually supposed to be CA and not Georgia?

Start of ep. 4, we get LaRusso Auto Pullover #1, charcoal gray with yet another burgundy shirt underneath. There's some kind of logo/writing, but I can't tell what it says.

The 'call me a cream puff one more time' fit. Blue, white and red flannel over a plain gray t-shirt. Thank you for dressing him in blue again, and also for letting him whoop Mike's ass.

The 'brown belt' scene: I guess this is supposed to be Coyote Creek again? Anyway, black jacket, gray hoodie, with a faded red AC/DC shirt underneath. Gotta say, Billy looks very pretty in all these outdoors/woodsy scenes.

Ep. 5, Baby's first kick scene: White Corvette shirt, with a bright yellow Corvette on the back. Yet another car shirt, reflecting his new job.

And later, the dime-store Jerry Maguire scene: Another LaRusso Auto pullover, light gray this time, with another mauve/faded red shirt underneath. Possibly the AC/DC shirt again?

And there you have it, the Johnny Lawrence fashion round-up. What was your favorite look this season?

[lulu2992]

Uncovering the unreleased Far Cry 5 in-game Encyclopedia

The almost complete but unused in-game encyclopedia, reconstructed thanks to the oasisstrings file.

Please note that it’s still cut content, so some information might not be relevant anymore.

You can read the oasisstrings file here. Pictures from this encyclopedia were also extracted and posted by @xbaebsae here.

Part 3: Locations - Whitetail Mountains

PIN-K0 Radar Station

Part of the Pine Line early warning system, the K0 facility was shuttered in the early 90's and left to the elements.

Rattlesnake Trail Bridge

A footbridge along the Makwa Trail, it connects one side of the gorge to the other, like bridges are supposed to do.

Snowshoe Lake

A clear glacial lake high up in the Whitetail Mountains. The water is always near freezing which makes skinny dipping a terrible idea.

Hunter’s Pass Shelter

A remote cabin used as a place to warm up or stay the night by hunters.

Ozhigwan Falls

One of the highest in the area, Ozhigwan falls is one of the natural wonders of the Park.... just don't step too close.

Jefferson Lookout Tower

A watch tower in the middle of the forest, meant to keep an eye out for forest fires or bears... or bears on fire.

Whitetail Park Visitor Center

It's where you'd go to find out what's going on at Whitetail Park, back when it was operational.

Hawkeye Tunnel

A tunnel through the mountain that offers a bird's eye view of the valley below.

Whitetail Park Ranger Station

The Ranger Station that patrols the Whitetail Park to keep it safe back when it was still open.

McKinley Dam

Named after the 25th president of the United States, McKinley Dam is used to regulate water and supply power to the people of Hope County.

Jacob’s Armory

Jacob has converted part of the McKinley Dam power station to be used as sanctuary against the coming apocalypse.

Grand View Hotel

The historic hotel in the Whitetail Mountains it was once the crown jewel of the park. Financial problems shut it down in the 80's. It's been empty ever since.

North Park Entrance

The Northern most entrance to Whitetail Park, abandoned now that the park is closed.

Bo’s Cave

A renown survivalist, Bo lives deep in forest. He is completely off the grid with none of the comforts of modern life.

Cooper Cabin

Another cabin that can be rented at Whitetail Park. Lately has been used as a safe-house by the Whitetail Militia.

Red Tail Cabin

A cabin in Whitetail Park that Eli's Militia use to take refuge from the constant attacks from Jacob's patrols.

F.A.N.G. Center

Friends of the Animals Nursing Grounds is home to Cheeseburger the Bear. Feeding times are 12:00 and 6:00 daily.

St. Francis Veteran's Center

A medical center for returning veterans, St. Francis was shuttered in the 90's when a more modern facility was constructed in a nearby county. When Eden's Gate moved in, Jacob found use for it as a place to indoctrinate his new recruits.

Lansdowne Airstrip

A small airstrip used by the locals for shipping in supplies and sightseeing tours.

Elliot Residence

Home to Rick Elliot and his family, one of the last people to holdout against Jacob and his army.

The Grill Streak

When Chad's diner was burned to the ground he retreated to his food truck. He still works hard to find food for Eli and his Militia.

Breakthrough Camp

A camp where parents sent their rebellious youth in order to get a taste of clean, wholesome outdoor living.

Old Sun Outfitters

The main supply store for camping and survival gear in the area. Seeing the writing on the wall, the owners closed shop and left while they still could.

Baron Lumber Mill

The Baron family lumber mill was already failing financially when Eden's Gate moved in and bought it out.

McNeill Residence

This house once belonged to the McNeill family before they were deemed sinners in the eyes of the cult and were forced to flee.

Linero Building Supplies

A small building supply store that sold lumber and materials. The owners ended up joining Eden's Gate, though not all of them willingly.

Haskell Lookout Tower

A watch tower overlooking the north region of the Whitetail Park.

Fort Drubman

Pretty much all the Hurk Sr. has left after his divorce from Adelaide. It's from here he runs his senate campaign with the dubious help of his son, Hurk Jr.

MCA Mobile Lab

A mobile lab where the Montana Conservation Authority conducts research on the local flora and fauna.

Loresca Residence

Former residence of Jay Loresca, former Navy Seal. Rumor has it he joined the Whitetails, but it's certain that he’s long gone.

Whitetail Mountains Rail Bridge

A bridge connecting the Henbane River and the Whitetail Mountains. It's been out of use ever since the Copperhead Rail stopped running.

Elk Jaw Lodge

Part of the Whitetail Park the Elk Jaw Lodge was a nice place to relax near Silver Lake. Now... not so much.

Wolf’s Den

The secret bunker of the Whitetail Militia, home to Eli, their leader, as well as Tammy and Wheaty.

Oberlin Picnic Area

A nice place for a group to sit down, eat, and take in baseball game at the nearby diamond.

Osprey Cabin

One of the many cabins that visitors can rent at Whitetail Park. Named after birds of prey, thy are the perfect hiding places for Eli's Militia.

Kestrel Cabin

One of the handful of individual cabins available to rent at Whitetail Park.

Mansfield Lookout Tower

An abandoned fire watch tower overlooking the southern region of Whitetail Park.

Frank’s Cabin

A cabin owned by a recluse known as Lonely Frank. He seems to like it that way.

Dansky Cabin

This is where Dicky Dansky comes to write his books about Sasquatches, Bigfoot, and other cryptids.

Valley View Overlook

A place for visitors to stop and take in the view of the forest below.

Stone Ridge Chalet

High up on a rocky ridge is a Chalet where hunters and park visitors could come and warm up.

Silver Lake Parking Lot

A nice place to stop and take a refreshing dip in nearby Silver Lake.

Clagett Boathouse

A boathouse and docks maintained by the Old Sun Outfitters.

Salvage Camp

A small camp where a salvage company is attempting to recover items from the wreck of a sunken plane

Dylan’s Master Bait Shop

In case you needed some fishing pointers... Dylan will likely just point you somewhere else.

Langford Falls Parking Lot

A spot for visitors to pause and take in the beauty of the nearby Langford Falls.

Widow’s Creek

One of Skylar's favorite fishing spots. She'll probably tell you where it got its name.

Fowler’s Retreat

A not-so-secret place where Dave keeps all of his extra Cheeseburger merchandise.

South Park Entrance

The southern enterance to Whitetail Park. Once the gem of Hope County, it has seen better days.

[willtheweaver]

WIP tour tag

TY for the tag @theink-stainedfolk @the-golden-comet @autism-purgatory

Well, there are plenty of places in A Feather in the Forest that the curious would like to visit:

Fernstan village- The most central of the five villages, this is a place of spectacular natural beauty, located in the center of a sheltered valley. Inside the walls, one is immediately drawn to the Hall of the Elders. The biggest building, it is the central meeting place of the village. Next to it, unmistakable are the Guidestones. And of course, one cannot overlook the Proving Glade. I mean, you couldn’t if you tried, as the glade crowns the hill that is the highest point of the village.

Outside, the Forest itself a haven for nature lovers. Spring and Autumn are the best seasons to travel, as summer heatwaves and winter snow storms can make for a less than pleasant experience.

The wall- This is only for the most daring of adventurers. Taller than the tallest trees, it runs from the southern dunes all the way from the mountainous heights of the north, cutting off the forest from whatever lies beyond. Near its base lie hints of a people who came before, such as the Warning Stones and the Cenotaph. All fascinating stuff, but don’t linger for too long. An invisible sickness hangs on the air, striking those who spend long periods of time near this place. If you go, I’d recommend bringing a spare set of clothing so you have something to change into after your trip. Oh, remember to burn your contaminated garments and get a thorough washing before you change.

I would not recommend going east of the Boundary Stones. Look, I know that means limiting yourself to only a third of the forest, and that there are so many fascinating places outside the boundary. But it’s just not worth angering the Roost Lords. Trespassers are not tolerated, and woe be upon you who finds themselves in the territory of one of the more belligerent Lords.

Looking for a guide? Inside the village, your best bet would the village chief, Opal. If she is unavailable due to important business, ask around for her grandfather Playa. For exploring the forest, ask any of the hunters or border guards: they would be more than happy to show you around when they are not on duty.

Tagging @somethingclevermahogony @melpomene-grey @moltenwrites @illarian-rambling

@kaylinalexanderbooks @leahnardo-da-veggie @whatwewrotepodcast @ominous-feychild @thecomfywriter

@lavender-gloom @drchenquill and open tag

[bulkyphrase]

Cap-IM Rec Week - Wonderous Wednesday

Day 3 of @cap-ironman's rec week event!

Apparently I have a ghost problem, so this leans heavily towards a "Halloween in July" kind of theme.

one more moment of this silence by Red (S_Hylor) (@s-hylor) (Marvel | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 2,227 words)

The AU: Supernatural Elements

Summary: Tony can see ghosts. Not just any ghosts, but ghosts of people how haven't found peace yet, or refuse to. Ghosts of people whose bodies have never been found. The closer to their bodies he gets, the more he sees them, an ability, or a curse, that he uses to help the police find body's of missing people. It's never easy.

there's no dreams in the waves, only monsters by S_Hylor (@s-hylor) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 70,441 words)

The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements

Summary: Driving while tired is never a good idea, especially when the weather is terrible, as Tony finds out the hard way. Now in pain, with a wrecked car and no phone service, Tony is stranded at a hotel perched on a cliff overlooking the flooded ruins of an abandoned town in the valley below. With no working phone, only three other people around, Tony isn’t sure who to trust or what to believe. Something isn’t right, something is stopping him from leaving.

Twelve Days by elysianprince (@elysian-prince) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 22,027 words)

The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements. Inspired by The Spirit of Christmas, simply the best basic cable Christmas movie ever.

Summary: In which Tony finds himself in a town that looks like it crawled out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, trying to sell an inn he didn't know he owned, all while dealing with Steve Rogers, the resident ghost who has returned to haunt the inn each December during the twelve days of Christmas for the past seventy years. Tony has only one logical solution that benefits them both: break the curse that binds him - but falling for a man almost a century old wasn't among his plans.

More below the cut!

And Time Went On by Morena_Evensong (Marvel | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 106,811 words)

The AU: MCU/EMH/616 Fusion

Summary: Two hundred years ago the Mandarin attacked Washington, the first stage of his plan for world domination. And the Avengers... vanished. All except Iron Man, who eventually managed to defeat the Mandarin with the help of SHIELD, a few other superheroes, and their friends. Now, nearly two hundred years after the death of Anthony Stark, the current Stark heir, Tony, is moving into the forgotten Stark Manor in order to avoid falling into the clutches of the United World Council. But Stark Manor isn't just an empty old house and mice aren't the only things that have been inhabiting it for the past two hundred years. As Tony uncovers the secrets of Stark Manor, and more than a few horrifying truths about the world he lives in, a powerful threat suddenly arises. One that leaves shattered cities and seas of bodies in its wake as it slowly sweeps its way across a world that no longer has a last line of defense.

Wasted on the Dead and Dreaming by LinneaKou (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 37,554 words)

The AU: Ghost Hunters

Summary: Steve looked right at his friend, and he felt just as disoriented as he had when he woke up in Munich. “What the hell is going on?” Bucky winced. I think you’ve spontaneously developed psychic powers. And well. Wasn’t that just great. When Captain Steve Rogers got back from his tour of duty, he didn't expect to come back with the ability to communicate with the dead. When Tony Stark moved back into his childhood home, he didn't expect his dead father to still be inhabiting it. When Tony hired Steve to investigate the ghosts of his family mansion, they didn't expect to be swept up in cover-ups, corporate sabotage, and murder. Now, time is running out as increasingly disturbing dreams haunt Tony and the ghost of Howard Stark proves to be the least of Steve's problems. If they're lucky, maybe they won't end up ghosts too.

The Little Things Unknown by coaster (@coastertoaster) (MCU | Mature | No Archive Warnings Apply | 27,618 words)

The AU: Ghostbusters fusion

Summary: Tony Stark has three certainties in life: one, that science was where his mind worked best; two, that, since ghosts had become a science, anything was possible; three, that he would never know if Captain America was that much of a paragon because the man was long dead. The subject of Certainty Three might be sitting at the foot of his bed. ~ Steve is a ghost. The Avengers bust ghosts. And Tony isn't sure what to make of Cap here. But hey, at least his other hauntings have stopped, right?

Does not play well with others by usedupshiver (@usedupshiver) (Marvel | Teen And Up Audiences | Major Character Death | 11,588 words)

The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements

Summary: While sneaking into the Starks' abandoned home, Steve makes the startling discovery that even though no Stark is living in the house anymore, not all of them have actually left.

A Long, Lonely Time by asktheravens (MCU | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death | 58,567 words)

The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements

Summary: Steve returned from the war injured in body and mind- and able to see the dead. At loose ends and desperate to get out of New York City, he accepts a fellowship through the Stark Foundation and retreats to a quiet lake house on the grounds of the Stark Mansion. He's supposed to be there to paint, but he quickly realizes that the house is more than he bargained for. Anthony Stark died here a decade ago, but was it an accident? A suicide? Or a murder? Obadiah Stane still lives in the main house just up the hill, and the past casts a long shadow. When Tony's ghost begins appearing to him, Steve becomes more entwined in the dangerous mystery surrounding his death. Even worse, he finds himself falling for a man who died a decade ago... Features lots of ghosts, murder, secrets, and supernatural revenge. Also Thor and Rhodey.

Catch a Falling Star by tsukinofaerii (Ults | Explicit | Major Character Death | 42,741 words)

The AU: Science Fiction. There's a nicely spooky scene in a damaged space facility, but no supernatural stuff

Summary: When Tony was sixteen, he got to meet his hero, Captain Steve Rogers, the Empire's not-literally-golden boy from the Continuity Wars. When he was twenty-seven, the aforementioned Captain turned Pirate picked him up at the outer edges of space. It would have been a good time to appreciate the abundant nudity that came from spending too much time with space colonists, but Tony had bigger worries than even Rogers' amazing hip-to-shoulder ratio. Something was sending the star-encircling computers that power the galaxy into a tailspin, and it was going to take a lot more than luck and skill to clean the mess up.

The Road Through October Country by indigostohelit (616 | Teen And Up Audiences | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 2,803 words)

The AU: High School, with supernatural elements

Summary: It's a beautiful day in October, and Steve's hiding behind the library, his knee bleeding, when he sees the boy for the first time. Tony makes Steve laugh, and his hands are as cold as ice, and he doesn't leave footsteps in the mud. But in a cold graveyard after sunset, Tony asks Steve to make a choice that will change - or end - his life forever.

Tidal Pull by sabrecmc (@sabrecmc) (MCU | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 97,740 words)

The AU: Civil War era historical, with fantasy elements (no ghosts, but it does have slowburn + tentacle porn, which even I'll admit is just as good)

Summary: After the American Civil War, Union soldier Steve Rogers takes a chance on an opportunity to sail with the Stark Trading Company down in the Caribbean. During a terrible storm, his ship is lost. To his surprise, he survives, and ends up stranded on an island that isn't quite as deserted as he first thinks. Or, a reverse Little Mermaid tale where Steve has to fall for the fish-man.

[rabbitcruiser]

Goose Day  

National Goose Day is celebrated on September 29 every year. Also known as Michaelmas Day, the holiday initially celebrated the Archangel Michael but later became associated with geese because the date coincided with rent day in medieval England. Geese were a common form of payment, and many a citizen paid off their landlord with a goose tucked under their arm. Today the holiday is an excuse to munch on some tender roast goose, a bird that’s not eaten as frequently nowadays. No matter how you choose to celebrate, enjoy International Happy Goose Day!

History of National Goose Day

Egyptians were among the first civilizations to domesticate geese some 3,000 years ago. They captured thousands of the birds in nets, kept them in pens, and bred them for meat and eggs. Goose was a delicacy only the wealthy merchants and nobility could afford. In the 4th century in France, locals told the story of St. Martin of Tours and his geese. Martin did not want to be a bishop, and on the day of his appointment, he locked himself inside a barn. The honking was so loud that the geese drew the congregation to the barn, where they discovered Martin hiding. Martin became a bishop in 327 A.D. The goose was the traditional bird eaten by the Christian faithful on his feast day on November 11.

The first informal Goose Day in the U.S. was celebrated in Pennsylvania, in the Juniata River Valley. A Dutchman named Andrew Pontius employed Archibald Hunter, and their contract stated that Pontius would settle payments on September 29. Hunter appeared on Pontius’ doorstep with a goose on the day of payment. He explained to his employer that geese were good luck symbols for the coming year.

This is how the tradition of Goose Day caught on in America, starting in the Juniata River Valley. In 1973, International Goose Day was officially celebrated in Mifflin County, and in 1976, Juniata County followed suit. Since then, International Happy Goose Day has been observed annually on September 29.

National Goose Day timeline

3,000 Years Ago

Geese in Egypt

Ancient Egyptians domesticate geese.

17th Century

A Goose For Christmas

In London, geese become a popular Christmas dish.

1843

A Christmas Carol

Ebenezer Scrooge presents a goose for Christmas dinner.

1856

“The Food of London”

According to George Dodd’s “The Food of London,” 888,000 geese are sold every year, compared to 69,000 turkeys.

National Goose Day FAQs

Do geese have teeth?

No, geese do not have teeth.

How long do geese live?

Canadian geese live between 10 to 24 years, while swan geese live for 20 years.

Do geese mate for life?

Geese mate for life, and it’s rare for them to split up.

National Goose Day Activities

Roast a goose: Roast goose has a gamey but intense flavor comparable to dark meat like beef. Now is the perfect time to give it a try.

Fry a goose egg omelet: Goose eggs are larger and richer in flavor compared to chicken eggs. A goose egg omelet is sure to be a tasty treat.

Sharing is caring: Give your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers some succulent goose meat to sample. They’ll love it, and you get to introduce one more person to this delicious fowl.

5 Great Facts About Geese

Imprinting on moving objects: Goslings will imprint on the first suitable moving stimulus, whether it's a mother goose, a human being, or an object.

Geese are territorial: Geese are fiercely protective of their territory, making them good guard animals on a farm.

Geese are the largest waterfowl: Aside from swans, geese are the largest waterfowl.

They are loyal: Geese mate for life and are very protective of their partners and offspring.

Goose alarm: In ancient Rome, geese were used to alert the citizens of the Gaulish invasions.

Why We Love National Goose Day

Goose meat is juicier: Farmers often joke that geese are the pigs of the air, bred to be lard animals. This means their meat is juicy and tender. You won’t need any gravy.

They have a unique taste: Geese absorb the flavor of whatever they eat in their body fat. Breeds like Black Brant are prized for this reason. Fed on eelgrass or wild celery diet, they’re pretty popular on the West Coast.

It’s a welcome change: People don’t eat goose as much as they used to. It’s a nice change if you’re bored of eating chicken or turkey all the time.

Source

[huntervalleyt]

🚗 Embark on the Ultimate Hunter Valley Road Trip! 🍇

Discover the charm of Hunter Valley through scenic drives, world-class wineries, and gourmet delights. Your next adventure awaits – share the joy of exploration!

[caelwynn]

Caelwynn's Birthday Week SDV Reader Requests #1 - "Bluebell"

Because that title isn't a mouthful. 😅

This one comes from @shortysus4: "AU (maybe in Zuzu?) where Callie gives Ben a dance lesson, bc I keep thinking about this concept and it's adorable to me."

Ben, for the record, is her farmer from her fantastic fic, Coffee Beans, Candles, & Keyboards (seriously, check it out! Especially if you're a June lover). Callie, of course, is the main character/farmer from my series Choices.

With Ben not-so-subtly pining over a June who has left the valley to go on tour, Emily agrees to be his partner at the Flower Dance. Unfortunately, her attempts to teach him go... poorly. At her wit's end, she asks Callie for a helping hand. The resident monster hunter easily agrees, looking forward to the opportunity to tease their newest farmer. And if she happens to have another lesson to impart, well, Ben should be glad to benefit from her wisdom and experience.

Pairing: Ben (Original Male Character)/June (Ridgeside Village)

Word Count: 4k

Rating: Teen (there's a few f-bombs in the there)

Warnings: Fluff, teasing, swearing, dancing, penguins

(Note: Chapter 16 of Choices: Fall will go up a bit later today.)

[ihophunter938]

Experience the Best of Wine Country with iHop Hunter Valley Wine Tours

iHop Hunter Valley emerged from a love for fine wine, excellent local produce, and the scenic beauty of the Hunter Valley. Recognizing a gap in affordable and flexible transport options, the idea for Australia’s first Hop-On Hop-Off bus service in a wine region was born. Today, iHop is proud to offer an array of Hunter Valley wine tours, including self-guided and fully-guided options.

[partyshuttlessydney]

Concert, Festival & Event Transport Service | Party Shuttles Sydney Looking for concert & event transportation service? Why not ride with Party Shuttles Sydney, provide high-class luxury bus service with professional driver. Book Now!

[huntervalleywinetours]

Hunter Valley Wine Tours for Couples

Discover the perfect romantic getaway with a Hunter Valley wine tour for couples. Experience the beauty through the Hunter Valley wine tours for couples in Australia. From boutique wineries to iconic estates, you will have the opportunity to taste award-winning wines and learn about the winemaking process. Enjoy a gourmet lunch in a scenic vineyard setting, stroll hand in hand through picturesque gardens, and take in the stunning views of the valley. With a range of tour options available, you can tailor your experience to suit your tastes and preferences. Book your romantic date with the help of Hunter Valley Tours today and create unforgettable memories with your loved one.

[museum76]

Pylon Place in Its Heyday

Thank you for visiting the Vault of Memories. Though built to protect only the best and brightest of Pre-War America, these walls are now dedicated to preserving only the memory of those who deserve it — the common people of Appalachia. Though we aren't offering any guided tours at this time, I am available to answer any questions you have about our exhibits. Do keep your hands off the glass.

Oh, you have a question — and it's not, "Where are the vendors?" It's an actual question about one of our exhibits? Let us go there, posthaste, and I will tell you all I know.

Ah, Pylon Place. Though you may only know it as the "Old Haunted Inn", it was quite a sight in its day. These photographs are believed to have been taken by its proprietors, Edith and Beckett Murdoc. Though not much is known about the pair, they are credited with the dissolution of the Blood Eagles, a brutal raider gang that was active in the early 22nd Century

Pylon Place was both their home, an inn, a bar, and even for a short while hosted Appalachia's favorite mechanical musician.

Settlers, raiders, farmers, mercenaries, all types found a comfortable place to rest their feet at Pylon Place — barring the Blood Eagles.

Though Beckett attributed the wooden duck hiding on top of his bar to his wife Edith, sources say it was actually placed by his sister-in-law, with whom he had a fraught relationship.

Unfortunately, no records survive to tell the nature of their feud with that particular band of raiders — anything you may hear is pure speculation at this point. It did, however, come to a very, very bloody end some years after these photographs were taken.

Hmm? How do we know when they were taken? Let me turn your attention to this photograph:

Though you might not recognize her, that smoothskinned woman in the background is none other than the famed deathclaw dueling, huntress of horrors, the gallivanting ghoul Mrs. Murder-McCoy.

Though she is a bit too renown for a place in our little museum, she has donated the diaries and photographs of her second and third husbands — a hunter from the Toxic Valley and a supermutant doctor, if you can believe it! I would be happy to show them to you, they are just this w-

Oh, you are late for a meeting at the... office. I suppose it can't be be helped. Do stay alive out there, wastelander — and come back anytime.

[fatehbaz]

When in 1923, Mathias F. Chapman arrived in the Port of Los Angeles with 11 chinchillas, few expected that he would revolutionize the fur-trade business. Previous attempts to breed the little Andean mammal in captivity had failed, and traders and consumers feared that the days of the chinchilla coat, a garment that usually required 110 skins, would soon be over. But despite all odds, in 1946, Life magazine reported, there were near 200,000 chinchillas raised in captivity in the United States. Breeding had replaced hunting, and the chinchilla became a North American commodity.

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To understand this radical transformation, we need to go back to the Andes and Chapman’s crossing. Traveling through Chile in the 1830s, French naturalist Claudio Gay saw for the first time a chinchilla, one of the “most beautiful animals,” as he wrote in his natural history. The Chinchilla lanigera (Molina 1782) was the most sought and valued chinchilla. It originally lived in the Chilean valleys of Illapel and Choapa to the south of Peru and Bolivia, a territory known for its mining industry, arid landscape, and limited vegetation. Indigenous people, wrote José de Acosta in his Natural and Moral History of the Indies (1589), used animal hair to make blankets and coverings.

Throughout the nineteenth century, hunting came in tandem with the expansion of the mining industry and the destruction of local habitats such as the algarrobilla, a shrub sought for its tannins that chinchillas also consumed.

The docile mammal with a soft coat became a global commodity, complementing a collection of South American animals used for fur, including seals and guanacos. Between 1898 and 1910, Chile exported about seven million chinchilla pelts per year. Pushed by high prices and soaring demand, hunters used fire and dogs without discriminating between old and young or male and female animals. Hunting methods, lack of regulation, and rising demand in the North Atlantic created the perfect storm.

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In 1919, Chapman got a job as a mining engineer in the copper town of Potrerillos, in the southern tip of the Atacama Desert. By then, the chinchilla was almost extinct. [...] While working at the mine, Chapman bought a chinchilla from a trapper and spent the next three to four years looking for animals to raise. He [...]  traveled throughout the Andes to Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. His experience was not unique. US engineers working in Latin America usually toured the surrounding areas. Hunting, exploration, and expeditions were part of their culture, their recreational activity, which informed the way they experienced what they saw as remote regions.

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Previous efforts to raise chinchillas in captivity had failed. In the early 1920s, scientific knowledge about this animal was still scarce. [...] Relocating chinchillas from their home environment to southern California was a grueling task. Chapman designed a special cage for the ocean trip between Chile and Los Angeles. As John Angus Haig wrote in the Nation’s Business magazine in 1937, Chapman “built an ingenious box with chinchilla pens in the ends and an ice compartment in the middle.” He slowly moved them to lower altitudes to guarantee acclimation, and after a year, they were ready to sail north. The trip from Iquique, Chile, to Los Angeles Harbor took about forty days and was incredibly challenging. Despite his constant care, one chinchilla died, and all lost their hair. [...] Then, he moved the animals down to Inglewood, South Los Angeles. The Chapman farm produced knowledge about domestication and acclimation, attracting visitors from Hollywood stars to animal experts. Many would come to replicate his route, method, and, especially, the icebox. In 1939, the LA Times reported that James F. Mitchell adapted the icebox to bring chinchillas from Peru to San Diego, California, where he and his wife opened a ranch. The chinchilla business thrived. [...]

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The breeding business expanded in the 1930s–1940s, and farms popped up throughout the western United States and Canada. But while many advertised it as a lucrative activity that could supplement ranchers’ income, raising chinchillas was hard work. The animals were delicate and susceptible to high temperatures and diseases, the daily cleaning of the cages was time-consuming, and profit was unreliable. According to a booklet from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), ranchers kept the animals in metal, wood, or wired-floored pens in basements or other dark buildings. Space was always an issue, especially in ranches located in semi-urban areas such as the San Fernando Valley. While many admired their beauty and friendliness, they were a commodity and a business. Ranchers kept records, weighed them regularly, and tattooed an identification number in one of their ears. Most ranchers were breeders, but the largest ones also sold pelts. To kill a chinchilla without damaging the fur, they injected Nembutal or strychnine [...].

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Text by: Angela Vergara. “From Wilderness to Breeding Farms: The Domestication of the Chinchilla lanigera.” Environment & Society Portal, Arcadia no. 15. Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society. Summer 2022. [Bolded emphasis added by me.]