#i miss the alps in summer

[haldanare]

god i miss summer sooooooo fucking much

[kikinpink]

Blasting lana while passing the swiss mountains 🏔️

[lilblueorchid]

As the sun sets ...

Some of my gouache from my trip to the french alps last summer. As it's getting cold and stressful, I find myself missing thoses peaceful times!

[fawnnpaws]

need childhood best friend!patrick to originally brush you off, not take what you have seriously and take you for granted. you’ve been friends for basically your entire lives. you spent summers at his mansion by the beach, he spent winters skiing in the alps with your family. somewhere in your young adulthood the lines started to blur. now you’re basically doing everything a girlfriend does but he won’t put a label on it. he’s on tour and you’re starting your career, so you only see him when he shows up unannounced at your door.

it would be easier if he didn’t tell you how much he missed you every time. if he didn’t eat you out like he’s starved for you and you alone. if he didn’t hold you in bed afterwards and wake you up with soft kisses all over your face. if he didn’t treat you like he loved you. a dirty word neither of you dare to ever say out loud.

because after all that, you know he’s seeing other people on tour. you know because the world is small and you’ll get texts from friends in far away places that say “i saw patrick leaving a club with some girl, are you guys not a thing anymore??” and you have no words to explain that you were technically never a thing in the first place.

you think you’re okay with it, that you can live with expecting nothing more than physical satisfaction from one another if it means patrick zweig is still in your orbit, but resentment starts to build. you start to fight more and eventually it all comes crashing down with him shouting “you’re not my fucking girlfriend! stop acting like you’re in love with me or something!” at you and watching in sort of horror as you go cold and just say, “okay.” and leave.

need him to agonize about it for weeks, waiting for you to break and talk to him first like you always do when you two fight. but it never comes. he’s left alone with a gaping hole in his chest that you used to fill. and what’s even worse? he’s left alone with nothing but himself to blame.

he can’t pin this on you. he didn’t realize how good you were to him, how much he’d miss talking with you and making you laugh, how much he relied on calling you and hearing your voice. not to mention, it feels like you’ve ruined pussy for him forever. he tries to fuck other people, but he can only get off if he’s thinking about you.

so, he caves. he has to, he’s fucking losing his mind without you. he practically bangs down your door with flowers in hand, wilted and abused from being shaken around while he ran to your apartment. you crack the door open an inch and he barges in, not letting you get a word in before he’s giving you a speech about how he fucked up and he wants— no needs to be with you. need you to take him back. he’s worked himself up to nearly hyperventilating by the end of it before you stop him and say, “patrick, i forgave you at the flowers, but it was really nice to hear you say all that.”

the thing is, you were seconds away from breaking when he showed up at your door. you’d never iced him out for that long and as much as you wished you had the strength to cut him off, you knew you never could.

you love him. and you tell him so. you let the words you’d been guarding since he kissed you for the first time when you were 18 spill from your lips. it feels different than you expected. every scenario you’d run in your head before this ended in him telling you he doesn’t feel the same way. but when you look at him now, with his rumpled flowers and tearful eyes, you know he does. and to your absolute delight, he tells you so.

[csuitebitches]

Skiing - a beginner’s guide

I first went skiing in Switzerland with my friends nearly 10 years ago and I loved it. The feeling of the wind on my face, the speed, the adrenaline- it was exhilarating.

I’ve compiled a basic list of ski events, a semi-scandalous article and some of the best destinations in the world as well as some budget friendly ones.

Socialite ski events:

Snowboxx:

Since it launched in 2013, winter festival Snowboxx has been growing in popularity - and it involves flying out to the Alps for a week-long ski party.  It takes place in Avoriaz ski resort, Morzine, France each March, and this year saw a superstar lineup of artists performing in the mountains, including ex-Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Sonny Fodera and Andy C. 

The combination of partying to some of the world's best DJs, with the unusual day-activites of skiing and snowboarding, are making many turn away from the summer festival circuit in favour of the winter one. 

Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel , Austria:

The Hahenekamm ski race weekend in Kitzbühel is arguably the biggest alpine ski event in the world. The world’s best take on the iconic Streif downhill track, which is historically the toughest ski race track on the World Cup circuit. A lot of the speed skiers consider winning races here as a bigger honour than the Olympics. As a spectator, the atmosphere is electric with fans around the world admiring some breathtaking ski racing.

X Games, Aspen, USA:

The world’s best freestyle skiers and snowboarders compete annually in Aspen. The event is a prestigious honour to win amongst action sports athletes and has propelled careers. Spectating the event is excellent because you can see most of the action from the viewing areas. The halfpipe events in particular are excellent to watch for this reason.

European Snow Pride, Tignes, France:

Tignes is home to Europe’s biggest gay ski week, with the European Snow Pride. Each day has a theme with nights of brit-pop to superhero days. Many international DJs are invited to play each evening party in the resort’s local clubs and bars.

Slightly scandalous tales: Things I Never Knew About Skiing Until I Was a Private Instructor in Aspen

Really interesting read. I was thoroughly entertained.

Popular ski destinations:

1. Whistler Blackcomb, Canada

Whistler makes it onto pretty much every ‘World Top 10’ list when it comes to ski resorts

2. Niseko, Japan

Located on the northern island of Hokkaido, this Japanese skiing destination is a snow-covered paradise. With a huge 15 metres of average snowfall, it’s no wonder that Niseko is the country’s premier ski resort.

3. Zermatt, Switzerland

As the highest resort in the Alps, it’s got the views. The incredible peak of the Matterhorn can be seen from just about anywhere on the slopes! It also boasts the greatest vertical drop in Switzerland, and there’s all year round skiing at the Matterhorn Glacier.

4. Courchevel, France

The resort is a part of the world’s largest alpine ski area, offering more than 600 kilometres of terrain and interconnected ski runs across 10 summits. The snow here is well-groomed, and there’s a legendary black run that’s considered to be one of the trickiest in the world.

5. Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy

Known only to the most dedicated, well-travelled skiers prior to the 1956 Winter Olympics, Cortina is a hidden gem in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains.

6. Baqueira-Beret, Spain

It may be a surprising destination for skiing, but Baqueira-Beret in Spain is one of the best places in Europe where you’ll find value for money for a ski holiday. You’ll be able to find affordable accommodation as well as some of the finest tapas restaurants in the country.

7. Ylläs, Finland

The arctic landscapes of Lapland are perfect for skiing. If you dream of snow-dusted trees, the magic of the Northern Lights, or the glow of the midnight sun, Ylläs is a unique winter resort that you won’t want to miss. As Finland’s largest ski resort, it’s got everything you need.

Budget friendly destinations

1. Vogel, Slovenia

An ideal spot for couples or families, this Slovenian spot is a truly beautiful and peaceful ski area. Overlooking Lake Bohinj, Vogel is part of the Triglav national park.

2. Livigno, Italy

Duty-free zone Livigno offers excellent slopes for intermediate skiers. But advanced skiers and snowboarders will be kept busy too – especially if they’re keen to explore off piste.

3. Poiana-Brasov, Romania

Poiana Brasov is Romania’s biggest mountain resort and certainly one of the nicest. The fairytale slopes, flanked by pine trees, are the perfect place to take your skis. With more than 24km of ski runs, there’s plenty to explore.

4. South Korea -Muju Deogyusan Resort

Muju Deogyusan Resort in Jeolla province is only 3 hours away from Seoul. So, if you want to spend your holiday skiing and still enjoy the city of Seoul, this is the place to go.

5. Niseko Ski Resort

Located in Hokkaido, Japan, Niseko Ski Resort boasts a total of four different resorts but with linked ski area. A single pass would give you access to all four resorts. One of the resorts, Mt. Resort Grand Hirafu has been officially named as Japan’s number one snow resort due to the wide array of activities offered.

6. India - Gulmarg

Gulmarg is a rare gem in the Himalayans that will undoubtedly take your breath away with its picturesque beauty. However, skiing in Gulmarg, Kashmir is not for the weak-hearted as the terrains are not suitable for beginners - to add to that, the ski lifts carry you to the highest point in the Himalaya at 13, 780 feet!

7. China - Nanshan Ski Resort

80km away from Beijing, Nanshan Ski Resort is perfect for skiing and snowboarding as the snow are neither too hard nor too soft.

[person4924]

marauders as phoebe bridgers songs🧐

AGHAGAHAGAAGAAGHAGHAHA. this is gonna be a bit long guys!! i pulled out the lyrics and shit for this one

punisher garden song - regulus kyoto - marlene!! punisher - remus but i want to say mary because of the "i feel like i know you but weve never met" (i think im hilarious) halloween - remus and just wolfstar in general chinese sattelite - sirius moon song - WOLSTAR WOLFSTAR WOLFSTAR WOLFSTAR. wolfstar. savior complex - wolfstar again ICU - remus but remus to sirius. so. wolfstar again. im sorry graceland too - MARLENE OH MY GOD. like. "a rebel without a clue" come on now. i know the end - the black brothers.

stranger in the alps smoke signals - sirius but like remus to sirius yk? so uhh again. wolfstar. but like "its been on my mind since bowie died" like!! motion sickness - the black brothers!! shout out to the drowning lyric too funeral - just all the marauders during the war esp. but aslo the rosier twins and reggie (also mentions drowning!!) demi moore - dorlene scott street - maybe wolfstar? yeah them !! killer - god i love this song. god i love this song. god i love this song. uhhh maybe dorlene? i think it could be like any of the ships georgia - jegulus!!! also mentions drowning (im sensing a theme??) chelsea - idk this song very well but. i just looked at the lyrics. and. oh! so wolfstar !! metiones prison boy (sirius??) would you rather - ANTOHER song that mentions drowning. the black brothers!! you missed my heart - i love this song but i dont think any of them would murder eachother so itll all work out - pandora!! specifically her to lily

misc killer + the sound - sirius. waiting room - sirius. sidelines - sirius again dude i love him so much so much wine - the black brothers!! day after tommorow - remus. the war. summers end - this song makes me sob every time. the black brothers.

so yeah!! you can totally tell im normal about phoebe bridgers and wolfstar

[f1crecs]

Fic Rec List - Pierre/Yuki

if your fic is on this list and you don’t want it to be, please let me know and I will remove it immediately, no questions asked. I have contacted most of the authors on this list, but sometimes people fall through the gaps - just pop me a message🤍

have a pairing you want me to do next? please read the faqs and then head to my inbox.

don’t forget to give the authors featured on this list some love in the form of kudos, bookmarks, and comments!

hi, anons. of course! i hope you enjoy these. 🫶🏻

it took me a ridiculously long time to find a photo for the header for this one, because of their height difference. lmao.

Sweet-tooth by @12romy | G | 2.6k Pierre keeps on finding sweet treats in his room. This story is very sweet (ha!) The author does such a great job of developing this lovely, warm atmosphere. I'm not sure I stopped smiling once during my read! They are certainly Idiots in Love here, and I love it. ❤️

'Summer break feels like it's missing something. Two things actually, the cakes, and Yuki. Especially Yuki.'

nsfw: I Feel Like I Exist For Love by @tinytauris | E | 3k Pierre comes to terms with the way he feels about Yuki. This is such a beautifully written story - almost like poetry, with a gorgeous flow that really suits the yearning and pining and overwhelming levels of love present in this fic. Just absolutely stunning!

'Other times he’ll make Yuki laugh, see the younger man tip his head back, and thinks I wish I could bottle up that sound, save it for when the world seems bleak'

nsfw: part-time soulmate, full-time problem by @mediumtyres | E | 3k Pierre feels jealous. I absolutely love the dynamic that the author has created here. Yuki has all of the control, and it is delicious. The push-pull here, the undercurrent of need and mutual desire that runs throughout - gorgeous, and such a pleasure to read.

'He looks like he’s been pulled out of a renaissance painting; plush lips bitten red raw, the indents his teeth had made just starting to fade; eyes blown wide, the black of his pupils completely swallowing the brown of his eyes; chest heaving, sweat starting to glisten in the early evening sun.'

nsfw: lay your bones down with me by @librasuncharles | E | 3.1k Yuki adjusts after Pierre's departure to Alpine. This fic is like a gut-punch. So beautifully written, and very real. The dynamic here is also fantastic - the teasing, the fondness, the obvious adoration that exists between them (even if that isn't necessarily obvious to them), contrasted with the circumstances and the reality of the situation. This fic stayed with me for a long time after I read it.

'“It’s been great,” Pierre says, finally. It’s funny; he can say all the words in the world about missing Yuki and whether they’ll still be friends next year to every interviewer in the paddock, but these are all the words they can say to each other.'

the alps by @grandprix-ao3 | T | 4.9k Yuki and Pierre adjust after Pierre's move to Alpine. No one does deep, soulful yearning like GP. There is an ache that runs throughout the entire fic, so visceral and intense that I felt it in my own chest. Beautifully done, as always.

'Yuki nods, though he’s not being paid attention to. He wonders, absently, if he had said something before, at some point, somewhere, if Pierre wouldn’t have signed the contract, if he would have stayed. It’s selfish, but he lets his mind go there, anyway.'

knowing i was beyond what could be recovered from by @milflewis | No Rating | 5.7k Pierre comes to terms with life on a team without Yuki. This story is gorgeous. The author weaves in so many beautiful details - Pierre's relationship with Esteban and Charles and Arthur, the frequent little touches between Yuki and Pierre, the glimpse into the future - and it all adds up to create the richest, most stunning story. The dialogue here is some of my favourite in the whole fandom. Truly - I could talk about this fic all day.

'Sometimes, Pierre used to spend longer than normal shaking hands and saying his goodbyes to the team, dragging it out, just to see if Yuki would wait for him. He always did. He wonders if Nyck is now doing the same.'

wingman by @riccardont | T | 6.8k (wip) Yuki and Pierre are roommates at college. This fic is hilarious. The author captures their voices absolutely perfectly, and the humour always, always hits. One thing that I love about this author's writing is their dialogue - it is so easy to read and flows so well, and it's just so fun. I love this fic, and can't wait to read more!

'Pierre almost feels bad for disappointing him. Almost. Probably because it feels like disappointing his grandma.'

nsfw: Set fire to the rain by @housepandacrimes | T | 8.9k Yuki and Pierre are detectives - Pierre is recalled to his old unit after his replacement is found dead. This fic is hilarious, hot, beautifully characterised, wonderfully paced, and complete with suitably unhinged vibes. One thing that I really love about this fic is that it is very atmospheric, and perfectly captures the Noir genre.

'He seems a bit guarded. The dark circles under Yuki’s eyes are hardly new but they do look more severe than usual. Has he been losing sleep over the death of his partner or is it something else? Pierre lays a gloved hand gently on his cheek, running his thumb just where Yuki's lack of sleep is showing.'

nsfw: your mouth makes me reconsider where my heart lies by @yukierres | E | 10.3k After a difficult race, Pierre is looking for a distraction - he finds camboy Yuki and things quickly develop. Not only is this fic ridiculously hot, the emotional journey that Pierre goes on is one of my favourites that I've ever read. Pierre's yearning throughout - he is a man obsessed, and he's not afraid to show it. It's just so well written and paced, and a joy to read.

'Pierre's ears burn. It has never been a thing before, all his partners delighted by his tongue and the things he can whisper in their ears. But his normal confidence is lost here, and he is not quite sure if it is the situation at hand or the way Yuki is looking down the camera.'

[lvsifer]

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern

tagged by @seamayweed thank you so much 💕

Quick disclaimer: the tags added here are to give a general impression, pls heed the ao3 tags if you want to read them as many of these include unhealthy dynamics etc. ♡

1. true faith. (TLT: John/Alecto, John/Mercy/Augustine) character study

For almost ten thousand years Alecto dreams in her tomb.

2. Night Moth (Silmarillion: Mairon/Witchking of Angmar) slow burn, seduction

The mountains rise high and crack black into the storming sky, here in the North where winds whip the landscape into desert, where all is barren stone and blackness save the snowy crests of the mountains, one man has long since claimed his stronghold. 

3. more than blood hooks (Fantastic Beasts: Albus/Gellert, Gellert/Aurelius, Albus/Aurelius) exploration of grief, dead dove

The wind blows cold and wet, scatters snow on every surface until at last the world is white with silence.

4. lean to my wound; burn on (HOTD: Rhaenyra/Daemon, Rhaenyra/Alicent) coming of age, gender exploration

Rhaenyra is four years old and hiding behind her father’s chair, clasping her wooden sword.

5. No Sacrilege (IWTV: Lestat/Louis) pwp, Louis in a dress, love

It’s a sweltering summer night, the heat so thick it stills the world by day and now sweetens the dusk.

6. missing link (BTS: Jhope/Yoongi) pwp, kink, cnc roleplay, web cams

Yoongi opens the website, dick in hand.

7. Friction (Star Wars: Kylo Ren/General Hux) Vader survives AU, action, politics, war, classic kylux

“I killed Luke Skywalker. The last Jedi is dead.”

8. Bangtan High cowritten with Elinad ♡ (BTS: ot7 and all variations of ships) teacher!AU, mutual pining, angst, fluff, slice of life

A sheet of fog dusts the town, wetting the air with the smell of rotting leaves.

9. doubtless while we dream (BTS: Jhope/Yoongi, Taehyung/Yoongi, Jhope/Taehyung, Jhope/Taehyung/Yoongi) pwp, hurt/comfort

The sun sets dirty over the noise of Manhattan's streets, and neon streaks the city in the onset of night.

10. and this dark soil (Fantastic Beasts: Gellert/Credence (Aurelius), Gellert/Albus) unhealthy relationships, manipulation

Grindelwald takes him to the darkling forests of Austria, over the jagged ranges of the alps, through valleys shrouded in the gossamers of fog, until at last they reach Nurmengard.

Alright. I love to start with descriptions most of the time, unless I start with sword or dick in hand, it seems. Crying at myself here.

Tagging @jamlocked @fraeuleinfriedhof @cilil @saintstars @curufiin @liesmyth @crackinthecup @theskeletonprior @seebestattung @sightetsound @killpilled and whoever else might wanna do it, just feel free to tag me! 💕

[slowdive1994]

phoebe tag game!! What’s your top 5 from stranger in the alps, punisher, covers/non-album songs, and boygenius?? Tag 5 people (preferably Phoebe fans) Thanks to the lovely @pho3b3-tayl0r-luvr (yay the tag worked) for creating the original post and letting me turn it into a tag game!

phoebe top 5s

stranger in the alps

Motion Sickness

Smoke Signals

Georgia

Killer

It’ll All Work Out

punisher

ICU

I Know The End

Moon Song

Punisher

Kyoto

Covers/non-album songs/ collaborations (i didn’t know enough so i had to add collabs im sorryyy)

Silk Chiffon

Waiting Room

You Missed My Heart

Nothing New

Summer’s End

Boygenius

Not Strong Enough

Letter to an Old Poet

Me & My Dog

Leanard Cohen

Cool About It

no pressure tags: @literatureisdying @astraeasparrow @xgirlidiotx @waitingforthesunrise @imswimmingback @crowgenius @electric-sheeeep hopefully I got everyone! Anyone feel free to join <3

[mylordshesacactus]

I adore bragging about my players’ cool moments but, hey, I’m playing the game too, and I gotta give my girl Arlette Starstrike her moment here.

The party has been holding the city. They’re doing well, handily defeating enemies I anticipated being much greater threats; it’s immediately clear why the five of them, alone, are being considered a swing division in their own right by the decimated city guard. When the walls are breached and the party arrives at the gap, they manage to hold it for a while.

But then, the fae commander enters the battlefield.

She’s a pale woman in dark armor, wearing a deeply hooded cloak of such dark green it’s nearly black. The silver greatsword in her hands is brutal in its elegance. She is not hurrying; but her slow, inexorable approach belies the unnatural speed at which she can move, blurring like a heat mirage when she dodges, whipping that vicious greatsword through the air like a reed whip.

She carries a torch of emerald flame. From much, much farther away than she should be able to manage--shortbow range, nearly--she whips it over her head like a javelin into the breach.

The explosion on impact is devastating. Andromeda, their paladin, is thrown sharply into a stone wall, cracks her head against the rubble, and drops. Every other member of the party that was within range is knocked prone by an explosion of magical fire, struggling charred and bleeding to their feet. And then the small army, safe now inside the range of the city’s very, very few trebuchets, rushes in. 

Two massive animated hangman’s trees--hulking oaks, perpetually regenerating themselves with the power of the earth, dripping with black nooses and rusted chains--charge forward to flank their commander, and she walks calmly up to the nearest defender and starts methodically cutting them all to pieces.

Slowly but surely, the party starts to lose.

She fights dirty, using Command words to pull ranged fighters and casters in close before unleashing powerful AoE effects that desiccate the earth, drying out the grass, leeching moisture from the soil, cracking the party’s lips and skin with the heat of a desert sun in summer--here, in late autumn, in the middle of the fantasy space Alps.

She’s smiling. She’s enjoying this.

I think almost every member of the party goes down in this fight at least once--including both paladins (Olassa, taken to her knees by the desiccation spell; Andromeda, struggling back to consciousness to heal herself as best she can and then charge bravely back into the fray because she’s their heaviest hitter and she’s desperately needed)....the only healers the party has access to. 

Audie, a bookish librarian wizard, once again shows her deranged levels of courage by rushing deeper into melee range and sacrifices one of the party’s precious healing potions to get Olassa back to consciousness; but this is no longer a game of healing back to fighting status. The party is tapped. They’re trading hitpoints in the single digits, trying to keep everyone conscious--and it’s a battle they’re losing.

The fae commander steps calmly up until she’s standing over the faintly stirring Olassa. She runs two fingers down the flat of her blade, emerald runes flaring in their wake. The party knows this spell. She’s used it before, against Farrah. There is a non-zero chance that a single blow with this spell active will be enough to kill Olassa instantly--and if it doesn’t, the smile on the commander’s face says she fully intends to finish her off on the backhand.

As she raises the blade, the emerald runes flare amethyst and explode, shattering like dropped glass; the blow goes wild and misses as the commander is knocked away, more by surprise than force, by the snarling werewolf suddenly crouched over the fallen Olassa.

Arlette Starstrike, level five sorcerer, facing a woman armed with a silver greatsword--burning her only level 4 slot on a single desperate Counterspell.

[ayearoferewhon]

ayearoferewhon

Richard Kalvar

FRANCE. Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. Marseille. Sugiton calanque. Nude bathing. A calanque is a sort of fjord, not easily accessible by land. 1978.

—

This photo is like a really good memory for me. I’ve lived in France and one of my best friends is originally from Marseille. He’s gay and I’m a big friend of the gays - he took me to his favorite nude beach, well, actually several of them! He loves to bring his American and British friends, girls and guys, gays and straights, to the nude beach with him. He’s naked all the time, basically! Even when he comes to visit, or when you visit him at home, even when you visit his mom’s home in Marseille! He’s so much fun really, and I miss him. One summer long ago, we stayed with him mom in Marseille and he took me to Sugiton. Not this long ago! But a while ago now. He and my girl and I took a bus from the city of Marseille. I think we had to climb up and up over a big mountain pass and down the other side into the calanque of Sugiton. We wound up, after scrambling and scrambling, on the beautiful beach you see in this photo. Why do us nudists have to suffer so to reach our beautiful spots? But this beach is worth the trek. It was mostly men, but not only men, so my love and I felt welcome. We had a beautiful day in the blazing sun and sea. We gorged on seafood later that night in the port of Marseille, drinking bottle after bottle of chilled Provence wine.

I sent this photo to my friend after finding it online a few weeks ago. It made him sad, as he says almost no one goes to the nude beach at Sugiton anymore.

[fictionadventurer]

Imaginary Book Recs Cover Thoughts: Round One

Two Passengers on the Last Train by A.G. Benedict: Obscure English literary fiction from the 1920s. I read it as a Gutenberg ebook, but the original cover was one of those clothbound classics with silhouette images. Any modern-day reprints are by very small publishing houses that provide minimal, low-budget covers using old illustrations (something like this version of Manalive.)

Song of the Seafolk by Marjorie A. Penrose: American children's fantasy from 1954, with illustrated cover typical of the era. Has had rerelease covers in subsequent decades (including one very nice painted cover from the '90s).

Bright Folly by Glorya M. Hayers: 1930s comedy mystery. Most representative cover is the mass-market paperback that looks like the more cartoony covers of Wimsey novels (like the editions that contain this version of Gaudy Night), though with a bit more of a sunny Wodehouse twist.

On Eternity's Doorstep by Willa Aldecott: Classic autobiographical novel about WWI nursing. Several rereleases over the years, all involving variations of historical photographs or historical-nursing-items on a colored background. (The Hiding Place keeps coming to mind as a cover comp, except with more sepia-toned photos and gentle browns and neutrals as background colors.)

The Queens of Wintermoon by Jessica Wagner: 1980s (or '90s, I can't remember) adult fantasy with an illustrated cover. A 2010s attempt to repackage it as a YA series split the book into four covers that each featured the heraldic symbol of the House of each of the four sisters (Raven, Eagle, Falcon, and Firebird) on a different jewel-toned background (probably blue, green, orange or red, and violet or black).

Caroline by Maria Layton: 1820s classic novel. Anything that's been done for an Austen book is applicable here.

The Lands of Dorothon series by Barbara Lamley: Off-brand versions of Narnia.

The Autumn Queen’s Promise by Rose Rennow: 1990s children's historical fantasy. Illustrated cover that combines the fantastical autumn colors of An Enchantment of Ravens with the more straightforward historical imagery of a book like The Sign of the Beaver or The Witch of Blackbird Pond.)

Island in the Stars by Carolyn Taylor Harris: 1970s children's science fantasy, with the period-accurate slightly wonky cartoony style.

The Camille series by Annette Nowell: Anne of Green Gables covers but with more exotic settings as the background. Both Camille in the Alps and Camille in the Andes involve her climbing mountains in intrepid Edwardian girl-reporter wear.

The Lakeshore Plan by Louise Zajac: Something between Swallows and Amazons and The Penderwicks. Could go full-on painted summer scenery, but simple drawings and/or silhouettes are also valid options.

Ever Miss Eliza by Charlotte Koning: 1940s slice-of-life light fiction. Honestly, I just picture the cover of D.E. Stevenson's Charlotte Fairlie, except the illustration is a woman in front of a rural schoolbuilding.

The Ocean’s Revenge by Edward G. Whitmore: 1940s pulp fiction in all its glory. Cover features a striking painting of a futuristic submarine in the grasp of a huge squid-creature.

The Book of All Days by Harriet Street: Painting of a little girl peering at an old-fashioned book.

The Guardian of the Nest by Aurelia T. Noah: 1960s children's fantasy. Probably a cloth-bound cover with the images (fairy tale carved right into the cover the way they are in some old books.

The Thief’s Debut by M.J. Ponders: Very recent indie-published fairy tale retelling that is unfortunately saddled with the genre-typical "girl in a sparkly prom dress" cover that probably involves her wearing a mask and standing in front of a vaguely Venetian-looking building. In a better world, it would get a digital-painted cover more along the lines of The Electrical Menagerie, (though the subject matter would be something between The Princess Bride and The Lies of Locke Lamora).

The Interdimensional Book Carrier by Martin Kaspar: Modern-day bestseller. Cover comps coming to mind are The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

[razz-is-queer]

my favorite albums:

ants from up there (black country, new road)

i brought you my bullets, you brought me your love (mcr)

three cheers for sweet revenge (mcr)

the black parade (mcr)

danger days (mcr)

american pastoral (andrew montana)

abbey road (beatles)

for emma, forever ago (bon iver)

twin fantasy (csh)

teens of denial (csh)

tea for the tillerman (cat stevens)

live at hoxton hall (cavetown)

16 / 04 / 16 (cavetown)

the rise and fall of a midwest princess (chappell roan)

august and everything after (counting crows)

tour to nobody (covey)

pure comedy (father john misty)

dope girl chronicles (field medic)

fade into the dawn (fm)

floral prince (fm)

songs from the sunroom (fm)

talon of the hawk (front bottoms)

demon days (gorillaz)

soak (guitar fight from fooly cooly)

fake blood (heart attack man)

tom (heart to gold)

s/t (horse jumper of love)

home, like noplace is there (the hotelier)

versace summer (jank)

a love supreme (john coltrane)

in the court of the crimson king (king crimson)

beats and breaks from the flower patch (kitty craft)

bewitched (laufey)

led zeppelin IV (led zeppelin)

s/t (little tyrant)

hold on now, youngster… (los campesinos!)

III (the lumineers)

the glow, pt. 2 (the microphones)

kind of blue (miles davis)

puberty 2 (mitski)

sports (mobo)

you’re gonna miss it all (mobo)

holy ghost (mobo)

best buds (mom jeans.)

a crow looked at me (mount eerie)

dawn (mount eerie)

after (live) (mount eerie)

in the aeroplane over the sea (neutral milk hotel)

pink moon (nick drake)

mtv unplugged (nirvana)

dear wormwood (the oh hellos)

somewhere city (origami angel)

pretty. odd. (panic at the disco)

all the toppings (panucci’s pizza)

stranger in the alps (phoebe bridgers)

montclair (live at the wellmont theater) (pinegrove)

everything so far (pinegrove)

the bends (radiohead)

in rainbows (radiohead)

kid a (radiohead)

a moon shaped pool (radiohead)

ok computer (radiohead)

yhitopifah (robo pumpkin)

reverie lagoon (seahaven)

every way of living (see through person)

birdie (slaughter beach, dog)

mellon collie and the infinite sadness (the smashing pumpkins)

siamese dream (the smashing pumpkins)

wall of eyes (the smile)

a light for attracting attention (the smile)

the queen is dead (the smiths)

carrie and lowell (sufjan stevens)

the age of adz (sufjan stevens)

shallow grave (the tallest man on earth)

the wild hunt (the tallest man on earth)

pleasant living (tiny moving parts)

effing (two knights)

igor (tyler, the creator)

chromakopia (tyler, the creator)

gawk (vundabar)

smell smoke (vundabar)

good old (vundabar)

greatest hits (the white stripes)

in case i make it (will wood)

the normal album (will wood)

the real will wood (will wood and the tapeworms)

everything is a lot (will wood and the tapeworms)

self-ish (will wood and the tapeworms)

s/t (wulfer)

acoustics (yvette young)

acoustics 2 (yvette young)

[rainerbayer]

rb's Free Rider's Motorcycle Memories (2 / oo)

On the Route des Grandes Alpes (Maritime Alps, France) – and some thoughts on the age of 60

First picture: Me and my Triumph Tiger Sport 1050 on a pass on the Route des Grandes Alpes towards Nice via Valley of Isere (Val d'Isere): Col d'Allos.

With my type of motorcycle clothing 8-) , it was also possible to hike up to the managed lake d'Allos (Lac d'Allos) without any problems. It's about 30 minutes (one way) from the parking lot further up, which is subject to a fee in the high season. The path runs partly on a rocky track next to the meandering stream bed. The path is marked with information boards explaining the formation of the stream and the peculiarities of the lake and its surroundings.

However, I don't want to give a description of the Maritime Alps (discover them for yourself!), but rather make a few comments on how traveling by motorcycle has changed for me with age.

So, let's go back to the first picture: A good 10 years ago in a somewhat freer and simpler world (also for motorcyclists): less complicated, less regulated, more light-hearted than today.

When I was younger, I wished the journey would take forever, and I could well imagine living in this fantastic mountain world: right on the spot, so to speak, without the tedious approach route of hundreds of kilometers.

The latter is still the case today, although in view of developments in Europe, the question arises as to whether I am far enough away there from growing madness …

In the early years, I also savored the trip to the hilt and always returned well after midnight or in the early morning, usually in pouring rain.

Nowadays, at the beginning of my 6th decade of life, it's the growing feeling: "I'm here and it's still nice, the routes are still fantastic to ride; I've seen a lot again and also new things, but now it's also good to go home again". Today I usually stay overnight again on the route back - due to my age. One positive aspect of getting older is that the feeling of being back home becomes stronger. By "home" I mean the people and the landscape: the environment in which I grew up. People and landscape are interwoven in a special, almost mysterious way; a realization that takes time.

The last two pictures: So I usually come back in the early evening nowadays. If the weather is not too bad, I take off my luggage and immediately cycle up a few more 10 kilometers to our "small" mountain and forest landscape here; in good weather bathed in the almost golden light of the evening sun in late summer and early autumn. And I am enjoying our narrow mountain roads through our mixed forests, our green meadows and our gentle to rugged (steep) slopes of the vineyards.

Here it is the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, not the "far" south of europe. It is not the fantastic mountain and rock world of the Alps with its (drivable!) passes up to over 2700 m altitude, its deeply carved gorges, its mountain lakes and streams, its alpine farming areas, its often grotesque and "dangerously" narrow roads, with their different people, their slightly different way of life. (You see, I'm already starting to miss that again.)

But it's my home and it feels good to be back.

And to get ready again for the next trip.

(Tanslated from German with DeepL - free version.)

[mikimeiko]

Day 3 - Across Austria

Never ever again I'll book a train at 7:15 am. Unless I'm staying at less than 10 minute walking distance from the station. Maybe not even in that case XD

Also, it's raining. And it's supposed to be raining in Salzburg when I get there, but I'm crossing my fingers really hard that it will not be the case.

I'm a little sad that this is my last stretch in the Alps (until the very last day of travel) and I can't really see them because of clouds and fog.

The train route from Innsbruck to Wien via Salzburg has a long stretch through Germany? I wonder if it's a situation like that of the Cuneo-Ventimiglia (an Italian railway going through France for a bit... except those were Italian territories when it was built) or there's a different reason.

More cows! And with calves! <3

There's an actual - though small - restaurant car! I haven't seen one of those in... I don't even know!

I get to Salzburg and it's not just raining it's POURING.

After a long coffee break, when the rain gets a little better, I take a bus to the old town. There's a market in one of the squares and I get a delicious slice of poppyseed cake (another thing I would have liked to try in Innsbruck but couldn't find, it was a stroke of luck!).

I walk around for a bit, but the rain gets worse again and it's getting harder without much joy. So I take another bus just to rest for a bit and see where it goes, than change bus to get back via a different route but I TAKE IT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION and end up almost at the airport XD I go back to the city but I didn't realize how widely around the center this bus went and I end up at the train station definitely too early for my train but also too late to risk going to the old town again and coming back on time. I guess I will just... wait here. (Salzburg looked nice, especially the castle on the hill, but I cannot even tell if I would like it enough in a better weather or if it's just not really my style of city.)

Actually there's a shopping mall near the station, so I decide to do some window shopping - and actually remember to buy something that I had forgotten to buy yesterday XD

More cows! And chickens! And DEER!

Just got off the train and I can already tell Vienna is going to be on another level. It's been a while since I visited a big European capital, and I kinda forgot how awe inspiring and intimidating it can be when you just arrived and still have to get your bearings.

I'm staying in a capsule hotel and it is both very cute and very weird XD

There's a film festival in front of the Rathaus, only it's really a food and music festival from what I've seen? No... films? I'm sure I'm missing something here XD

It's kind of lightly raining but I decide to go anyway. I try the wiener schnitzel and it is literally THE SAME as the cotoletta alla milanese, I don't know what I was expecting but it was really identical XD I also had a watermelon radler and 1)radler in general is the drink of the summer is so much better than the Italian version (panascé) 2) watermelon radler is the best and if I could import it to Milan I would.

[koheletgirl]

8 bc i miss her and 24 + 25

8. three songs that remind you most of summer and vacation

ugh ugh ugh cruel summer of course. and then i don't dance from hsm 2 and one week by the barenaked ladies

24. three favourite old songs

define old? but if we're talking 60s-70s then a case of you by joni mitchell, piece of my heart by big brother & the holding company, and anything simon and garfunkel ever did

25. three favourite songs of 2017

wow that's specific. uh the entirety of stranger in the alps but i'll say smoke signals, soothing by laura marling, and die 4 you by perfume genius

ask game