#jungle wood & Sandstone

[neproxrezi]

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the seed of the world you’re playing on? It looks really pretty and I’d love to explore it!

hey! it's 6188600648084599658

i'm living out on a lake near spawn and havent explored much beyond checking out the rest of the river and doing some caving

[ilovelotsofthings]

Egg A1

I just call them A1. (Also Steak sauce haha)

I use just They/Them for them

I am happy with all the fluidity of the other eggs but I want a just they/them

(Also it/its but I don't think those caring for It would like that)

(They would accept it at some point because it is them asking so it isn't dehumanizing)

Also since I made those creature versions of the other eggs (Mythical and non mythical)

I decided to do the same for A1

[godhead-of-turntech-variety]

It is currently 5:33AM on August 16th. I'm writing this first thing in the morning before work, so forgive any spelling errors. First of all, take into account the biome in which acacia wood is found, the Savannah. Savannahs in real life are very warm and hot, and sometimes a dude needs some goddamn air in his house okay. Also, when you build a house with only acacia wood, it's a nice color palette. Maybe if you were a competent builder you'd know that. Mic drop. I'm not writing more than this I have work in like an hour. Also acacia wood irl looks nice. Fuck you

holy fuck the madman did it. i respect you for that. however i have some combatting words you british fuck. dude duh acacia wood looks good irl but we arent talking about irl are we. irl acacia wood doesnt look like someone dyed a plank of wood with sniper tf2's hyper-dehydrated piss. this accounts for your whole thing about heat too. dog yknow where else is hot? the fucking jungle and jungle wood doors look NORMAL instead of looking like you picked a door off of arkham asylums disused rusted over sister complex meant to store folks like kermit joker.

if YOU were a competent builder youd know that if a blocks only synergy is with itself its a shit building block. all good wooden houses or really any build in general has multiple types of blocks that go into it and acacia wood clashes so disgustingly with any other wood or really any convenient material that its as good as dogshit. if you were in a workplace and you only worked well with yourself but your job was to fuckin cooperate with people youd be fired asap. if i get online and see someones house made out of that pure highlighter orange shit im going to get banned from the server for 'firing' said house from its job of having four walls and a roof. maybe you could use red sandstone or something but who in the love of fuck is gonna be thinking oh im gonna use red fucking sandstone in my survival build. nobody. nobody gives a shit about red sandstone. nobody should give a shit about it. its lame and so is the badlands. mic drop. fuck you too.

[good-wizard]

Pardon me, had a little adventure in the ol' wizard library to learn the spell i needed to send you the stuff you asked and it took a while, but BADABING BADABOOM! It worked!

Or so i hope it did, but i'll share some details on what's to arrive.

I had fun collecting materials that almost filled two double chests! I apologize if it's a bit much, but i'm an explorer at heart, so i like to roam around and hoard loot and necessary items :p

Here's what's inside those chests: ( when i uploaded the image it got blurry so i'll note down the items and quantities)

To the left (now y'all!):

1728 Sandstone Blocks;

576 Wood Logs;

256 Blue Concrete Powder Blocks;

64 Glass Blocks;

16 White Wool Blocks;

18 Tube coral Blocks;

1 Tube Coral Fan;

1 Horn Coral;

4 Sea Pickles;

9 Blocks of Amethyst;

2 Nautilus Shells.

To the right:

24 Pumpkin seeds and 64 Pumpkins;

3 Melon seeds and 64 Melons;

64 Sugar Cane;

64 Cookies;

28 Cocoa Beans;

64 Eggs;

64 Seeds, 64 Potatoes, 64 Carrots;

14 Beetroot seeds and 41 Beetroots;

64 Bone Blocks (good to help start a farm);

22 Hay Bales;

6 Oak Saplings, 5 Birch Saplings, 4 Jungle and Acacia Saplings;

4 Bamboo, 4 Cactuses, 5 Glow Berries;

7 Red and Brown Mushrooms + 38 Mycelium Blocks to grow more;

64 Pumpkin Pies, 11 Apples, 5 Golden Apples, 10 Honey Blocks and 3 Honey Bottles.

As extras i also added some ores that might come in handy: 64 Coal, 64 Iron bars, 18 Gold Blocks;

64 Lapis Lazuli, 10 Diamonds, 16 Glowstone Blocks;

20 Flint rocks, 1 Flint and steel and 20 Obsidian Blocks (If needed, now you have a way to access that pesky lava dimension)

And finally 9 Potions of Regeneration. From what i remember, i saw you having a few rough days. Though you already possess incredible powers of regeneration, i thought these might come in handy :D

Again, I hope this doesn't come off as too much, but at least i think i sent enough sandstone.

Welp, that's all for now. If you ever need anything else, just ask. Have a nice day and see you later!

OH GODS YOU ARE MY HERO THANKYOU SO MUCH HOW CAN I EVER REPAY YOU

Anything you need you got it

(I Will make a rare excursion into Minecraft and build my tower just for you)

[cuemeinyall]

Sometimes, I think about old minecraft worlds and servers of mine. My first one will always be special. I remember the godawful, horrid, brick monstrosity of a "skyscraper" I built. The bottom floor acted as a traditional work office. There was a fake elevator with a ladder to go up. The third or maybe fourth floor had my living space. A small kitchen plus dining, a living room, bathroom, and bedroom. I was so proud of the space. Outside, there was another building, my chicken pen. Another skyscraper-esque build, this time of plain stone. Between them laid my pack of wolves. I can't remember their names. I eventually moved, wanted to start a survival style, and kept to the same world, though.

I wasn't the brightest, moved from a wonderful forest to a barren desert. I was probably 500 blocks away from my old base, so it was probably not much of an issue, though. I built this small, one-story sandstone home. It had a small garden out front. It may be the smallest build I've ever made. It was cute and quiet. I had a dog, kept it outside, I don't think I ever made it a home, or even gave it food and water. I regret that now.

I shared a world with my sibling, too. We only had one xbox account, so we would take turns on it. I kept with the ugly skyscrapers made of brick theme, but she made a small house and an unfinished mansion. A friend sometimes played on it, too. Built an ugly house behind mine. I'll never forgive her. We built an entire town, complete with restaurants, stores, hell we even built a museum. I miss that time my sister and I spent together working.

A friend and I made a world together. She played on her phone, me on the xbox. I built this small dark oak house. She claimed it was the best build on that world. She never really had a home there, I think I built her something small, but she was happier picking flowers. Netherite came out then, I had rushed to get some for myself. Kept a hidden stash of it. I built a baked potato store, best food in the game, in my opinion. We stopped playing after that summer, she got too busy and since she wasn't there I had no one to show off to and no one to help obtain items form.

I stopped playing for a while. It was my first year of high school, and I joined the marching band and went out with friends. I thought the time would last. Freshman year came and went, got on minecraft a few times, revisited old worlds, started a new one, god that world. Goddamn ugliest acacia wood house you've ever seen. I loved that piece of shit. Sophmore year came around, and I stopped again. Covid hit. Fell back into mcyts and a job to fill the loneliness.

I bought a laptop with that money. Saved up for 5 months straight, I bought a good gaming laptop. Couldn't afford any games, though. I eventually got convinced by new friends to buy minecraft and join their realm. We shared a house the two of them built. One of them I fell in love with. We explored, slayed the ender dragon, defeated the wither, laughed, and died alongside each other. We had mines nearby. Bird and I once mined for days looking for a jungle biome and diamonds for Sun's birthday. I went insane in those mines. Sun built a villager trading hall. Bird and I started a storage room. I built a gazebo, across the pond from our spruce house. Sun was mad at first, I made it of oak instead of spruce, but they eventually thought it was beautiful. I planted flowers, azeala bushes, and those glowberry vines. Bird brought over her jukebox and a record. We brought our dogs. My dog, Tilly, named after that mcyt Pearlescent Moon's dog in the life series, was one of my pride on that server. Damn I miss her. She was a good girl. She still sits at the gazebo waiting for me. After all, life got busy, and we stopped playing.

I made some more friends. One invited me to join a server they were on. It was a factions server. We allied but kept our personal factions separate. I built a beautiful white, gray, and teal tower. They had a beautiful cottage 200 blocks away. They bullied me into fighting the ender dragon solo, as I've only fought it with friends before. We built a tavern, well I built it. The plan was to make a conjoined city together for people on the server to visit. During the building of it, another friend joined the server. We finished the tavern, added food, fake prices, and decorations. They lived in it temporarily in one of the rooms I had set up for those new to the server to start out in. Barely a week of the tavern being finished, someone took tnt and blew up portions. We were able to get it replaced, but I'll never forget that destruction. The first friend and I then started a fighting pit build. Planned to host server wide fights for entertainment. Cleared out a large area and almost finished it. The server randomly closed. All the love we put in our work was never finished.

We convinced a friend to start a server a few months later. A bunch of us from the first server and some others joined in. I built another tower, the same style as the other one, just dark grays and blacks, instead of blues and white. I shared it with a friend. I slowly started moving out. I started work on a castle, made of diorite. It's mostly done, just some walls to build for the courtyard, but it's been months since I've done work on that. I had made it far away from the rest of them, all close together. I invited them to make small bases near mine, to fill out the area, have a vacation home. Only one person ever finished theirs. I went on to my next project, The Hole. A giant underground city, below my castle.

Everyone tells me I'm not going to finish it. I'm the only one who still plays on the server constantly. I feel like this says something about me. I feel as I hold on to things too tight and don't let go. I still want to go get on the xbox and play with my sister, I want to call up my friend from middle school and show off a new, admittedly, mediocre house. I want to sit in my gazebo with Tilly and talk with my friends and go crazy in the mines again. I want to finish that fighting pit and jokingly fight with my friends and watch as they all complete the fucking stupid initiation event of fighting an ender dragon we called Jean, while the rest of us watched from our perches. I want to sit in my castle with a feast for my friends, I want to finish my build and everyone to come see it and be so proud.

It's never been about the builds. It's been about the effort, the time, the tears, and laughs. The time spent with people I care about doing the thing I love.

[silverskulltula]

I made a new world for 1.20 that's ONLY desert and honestly it's pretty fun

I spawned next to a village, desert temple, and ruined portal. I ransacked the village for some torches + crafting table + doors that weren't crucial and found a golden pickaxe at the portal. I found two flint and steels as well which may have been at the portal. I mined as much stone with it as I could and then used dead bushes for sticks to have tools. I tool all the hay bales at the village for food and stole some seeds for later. Next I pillaged the temple and took the TNT to start blast mining. Eventually I found a mineshaft and carefully took as much wood and loot from it as possible. (Also found diamonds and lava so i finished the nearby portal and have a way to the Nether but haven't explored it much). I have some saddles too so soon I'm gonna build a camel pen and start bringing them over from nearby villages to breed. I've also found cows and pigs at far off villages so someday I'll bring them over as well. I'm not sure if there's any way I can get chickens but I know I can get feathers from cat gifts/maybe random mob drops?

I NEED the wandering trader to show up with a sapling for sale so I can actually have some trees. I keep the Emeralds for it on me in case he spawns while I'm out. If I can't get one soon I'll grab some warped/crimson stems but I'd rather get oak or jungle trees first to stick to the desert palette. Of course I want all of the trees eventually for completion's sake.

I now have a nice little house made from different kinds of sandstone and terracotta with a small amount of oak wood. I'm enjoying this desert world way more than I thought I would. I've seen a lot of suspicious sand that I haven't been able to brush simply because I don't have feathers yet but eventually I'll get to it and make some pottery. If I'm correct I can also get at least 7 different armor trims in this world (desert temple, 2x ancient city, nether fortress, pillager outpost, stronghold, end city) so that's another long term goal. I'm proud of my little desert house and I'll share some screenshots when I'm home from work!

[beetroot-apologist]

Buildtober #1!! Pumpkin Spice

The cat’s name is pumpkin it just isn’t showing up

[Image ID: Seven pictures of a white cafe with orange and brown accents in the middle of a sunflower field.

The first is the outside of the cafe, viewed from the front at an angle. The walls are white, with a layer of mud brick at the bottom, and clear glass windows: 2x3 above the doors, and 1x2 to the left side. Jungle planks, mycelium, and mud brick stairs create the patio of the building. Two Jack-o-lanterns sit on either side of the birch double doors. The flat roof is a smooth brown log on the bottom, and smooth orange log on top. Smoke puffs from the chimney. On the mycelium is a small cut copper table with white chairs and a large, brown and orange, wool umbrella.

The second picture focuses in more on this section of the patio. The umbrella shaft is made of end rods, there are three chairs, and the 3x6 window is banded with orange planes in the middle. A windowsill of jungle wood holds an orange tulip, brown mushroom, and another orange tulip. Also seen is an acacia wood fence railing.

The third picture shows the interior of the cafe. The ceiling is covered in lanterns and glow berry vines, there’s a flaming skull painting and several barrels on the wall, a kitchen area with three brewing stands and two ovens made from smokers with iron trapdoors o top is behind a counter of dark oak planks with smooth quartz slab tops. Inlaid in the counter is a cash register, and on top is a cake. Above the two ovens is a vent hood. There’s three seating areas: one for two by the window, complete with a candle, one for four in front of the bookcase beneath the stairs, which also has a normal and a carved pumpkin, and three candles, and finally a barely visible booth behind the jungle wood railing in the loft. The loft is made from acacia slabs and the staircase is mud brick.

The fourth picture shows the wall to the left from the entrance. There is a pentagon shaped window, once again banded with orange panes. In the corner is a brown cat bed with a Siamese sitting on top, and barely visible is the kitchen floor: orange and white smooth sandstone, checkered.

The fifth picture is of the booth in the loft. Stone brick seats and the table is made from nether brick wall with orange carpet on top. It’s right up against the jungle wood railing.

The sixth picture is a close up of the cat. She has an orange collar, but her name, Pumpkin, refused to show up. She looks into the camera.

The final picture is once again the outside of the building, this time from the front angled down. The main difference here is that the angle of the building this time allows you to see the chimney emitting smoke from the top. It’s made from a campfire, andesite wall, and dark oak trapdoors.

End ID.

[holiday-and-tour-packages]

Top 5 Hidden Gems in Thailand That Are Worth Exploring

Thailand is renowned for its vibrant cities, stunning beaches, and bustling tourist attractions. However, beyond the well-known spots, there are hidden gems scattered across the country waiting to be discovered. These hidden gems offer travelers a chance to escape the crowds and experience Thailand's natural beauty, rich history, and local culture in a more intimate setting. From tranquil islands with pristine beaches to ancient temple ruins tucked away in lush jungles, Thailand's hidden gems promise unique and unforgettable experiences.

These lesser-known destinations often boast breathtaking landscapes, secluded beaches, and opportunities for cultural immersion. Whether you're seeking serene natural surroundings, historical insights, or authentic local experiences, Thailand's hidden gems provide a refreshing alternative to the popular tourist hotspots. Exploring these hidden gems allows travelers to delve deeper into Thailand's diverse offerings, away from the usual tourist routes.  

Whether you're trekking through ancient rainforests, snorkeling in pristine waters, or discovering lesser-known historical sites, each hidden gem reveals a different facet of Thailand's charm. So, pack your sense of adventure and curiosity, and prepare to uncover the hidden treasures that Thailand has to offer beyond the beaten path.

Here are some hidden gems in Thailand that are worth exploring.

1. Pai:

The charming town of Pai is tucked away in the foothills of northern Thailand and is well-known for its unhurried pace and breathtaking scenery. Pai, surrounded by hot springs, waterfalls, and verdant valleys, provides a tranquil escape from the bustle of the metropolis. Visitors can unwind by the Pai River or explore the Pai Canyon, a network of slender peaks with magnificent vistas.

Along with a thriving artistic scene, the town features charming street food vendors and handcrafted goods at its local markets. Pai's beautiful scenery and laid-back atmosphere make it a hidden gem that's well worth exploring.

2. The Lanta Islands:

The Andaman Sea is home to the Koh Lanta series of islands, which are renowned for their immaculate beaches and peaceful ambiance. In contrast to more well-known islands like Phuket or Koh Samui, Koh Lanta has maintained its natural attractiveness and is still comparatively undeveloped. Travelers can hike through lush woods to see secret waterfalls, explore remote beaches, or go diving or snorkeling in pristine waters.

In addition, the island has welcoming fishing communities where you can sample real Thai food and culture. For those looking for a more sedate and genuine Thai island experience, Koh Lanta provides a tranquil haven with its laid-back vibe and breathtaking surroundings.

3. Historical Park of Phimai:

Situated in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Phimai Historical Park is a historic Khmer temple complex that dates back to the eleventh century. Phimai Historical Park, which is frequently eclipsed by Cambodia's more well-known Angkor Wat, provides an insight into Thailand's rich past and architectural legacy. 

The Phimai Sanctuary, a stunning sandstone temple encircled by lush vegetation and historic moats, is the park's major draw. Explore the beautifully preserved ruins, take in the dexterous stone carvings portraying Hindu gods, and discover the temple's historical significance in the area. For those who love history and want to discover some of Thailand's lesser-known cultural treasures, Phimai Historical Park is a hidden gem.

4. The National Park of Khao Sok:

Southern Thailand's Khao Sok National Park is a hidden jewel known for its gorgeous freshwater lakes, limestone cliffs, and ancient jungles. Numerous animal species can be seen in the park, such as gibbons, elephants, and uncommon bird species. Along the park's vast network of paths, visitors can go on guided jungle hikes to see secret waterfalls, explore limestone caves, and go wildlife-watching. 

Cheow Lan Lake, a charming reservoir encircled by towering limestone karsts, is one of the park's highlights. Guests staying in jungle resorts or floating bungalows might wake up to mist-covered mountains mirrored in peaceful seas. For those looking for off-the-beaten-path excursions, Khao Sok National Park provides a perfect natural setting and life-changing experiences.

5. Nan:

The little village of Nan is situated in northern Thailand and is well-known for its breathtaking scenery, historic temples, and rich cultural legacy. Frequently disregarded by travelers in favor of busier locations like Chiang Mai or Pai, Nan provides an insight into traditional Thai architecture and way of life. The town's well-preserved temples, such as Wat Phumin, with their distinctive Lanna-style architecture and well-known murals illustrating regional folklore, are open to visitors.

Nan is also encircled by breathtakingly beautiful natural features, like picturesque rivers, rice farms, and rolling green hills. Tourists can enjoy a boat ride down the Nan River, visit local markets offering handicrafts and mouthwatering Northern Thai cuisine, or rent bicycles to explore the area. Nan is a hidden gem that offers genuine cultural experiences in a tranquil setting.

Conclusion

Exploring Thailand's hidden gems offers a rewarding experience for travelers seeking something off the beaten path. These lesser-known destinations, from tranquil islands to historical sites tucked away in jungles, provide a glimpse into Thailand's diverse landscapes and cultural heritage. Unlike popular tourist spots, hidden gems allow for quieter, more immersive experiences where you can connect with nature and local traditions. When planning your trip to Thailand, consider including these hidden gems in your itinerary. Many Thailand tour packages and Thailand holiday packages now offer options to explore these less frequented areas, ensuring you get a well-rounded experience of the country.

Whether you're drawn to the natural beauty of places like Khao Sok National Park or the historical intrigue of Phimai Historical Park, there's something to captivate every traveller’s interest. By venturing beyond the usual attractions, you not only avoid the crowds but also support local communities and sustainable tourism efforts in Thailand. These hidden gems often offer opportunities to engage with local culture, try authentic cuisine, and unwind in serene surroundings. Embrace the spirit of discovery and uncover the hidden treasures that make Thailand a truly magical destination for travelers seeking adventure and authenticity.

[radar-of-minecraft]

Minecraft Items Challenge Attempt 2: The Bountiful Update: Part 1

Welcome to the Bountiful Update, this is another one of the most played old versions of Minecraft if you want to play a version of the game that has really shitty combat. It's also the last update before an extremely long time with no updates, and the first update in the Microsoft Era

New world selection screen. Still no world thumbnails.

Oh goodie, my skin is complete!

My Alpha Slabs have broken, and will remain that way until Update Aquatic.

After the time I spent fishing last update, I think I might have too many saddles.

This update added a bunch of new Wood Blocks, so I thought it would also add better signs, but apparently those weren't added until Village & Pillage

New Collection Section out of Red Sandstone.It was either this or prismarine, which would be a better choice, but it would stop me from building the Collection Section until after I've raided an ocean monument.

I then crafted up all of the new Stone blocks, and I have to say the crafting recipes for Diorite, Andesite, and Granite have to be the most obscure recipes in the game

Up next is banners, only the 16 basic ones instead of the 12.7 quattuordecillion types that you can make with dyes, I built a little cow pen because I've noticed that animals are spawning less and less frequently around my base, and I want a consistent source of food for when I get to bigger updates like The Combat Update and those that make up Modern Minecraft

Also, my nether portal is broken, unfortunately it will not stay that way for long, when I go into the nether for Magma Blocks in the Frostburn Update the portal will fix itself

In this post I added the Birch Fence, Birch Fence Gate, Birch Door, Spruce Fence, Spruce Fence Gate, Spruce Door, Jungle Fence, Jungle Fence Gate, Jungle Door, Acacia Fence, Acacia Fence Gate, Acacia Door, Dark Oak Fence, Dark Oak Fence Gate, Dark Oak Door, Cut Red Sandstone, Red Sandstone Stairs, Red Sandstone, Red Sandstone Slab. Chiseled Red Sandstone, Diorite, Andesite, Granite, Polished Diorite, Polished Andesite, Polished Granite, Armor Stand, Iron Trapdoor, Chiseled Stone Bricks, Coarse Dirt, Slime Block, White Banner, Light Gray Banner, Gray Banner, Black Banner, Brown Banner, Orange Banner, Yellow Banner, Lime Banner, Green Banner, Cyan Banner, Light Blue Banner, Blue Banner, Purple Banner, Magenta Banner, Pink Banner, and Red Banner.

Up next I raid an Ocean Monument, before swimming was added, this is going to be hell.

[that-dinopunk-guy]

Adventures on a public Conan Exiles server, day nine

This is gonna be a short one, both because I didn't play long and because I'm very tired and want to go to bed.

Anyway, I've been sick of using wood in my furnace, but there's one minor problem: despite the jungle being my favorite biome I don't really set up shop there too often, so I don't know where to find coal there. So I'd have to schlep a ways to get some.

Luckily, I have an ugly horse now!

So I hopped on Car Wreck Face and headed west.

More sandstone foundation eyesores. What's with all the fences? Are you afraid of other players climbing your walls? This is a PvE server, numbnuts! Nobody's gonna steal your shit!

I finally reached the coal spot I was heading towards, only to find some thoughtless dicksnot had built this gigantic castle on top of one of the nodes.

The others were still there though, and I was able to gather 459 coal before heading back.

Eat my dust, you mangy fucker!

I also rammed into a sleeping shaleback and pissed it off.

Cry about it, nerd.

And so...

I have coal in my furnace now.

In other Conan news I hope the next Twitch drop is something cool.

I'm going to bed now.

[salsalvador]

Me and my friends have been playing Minecraft together for the past couple of days and, after trying out mud blocks (specifically the bricks) for a bit, I think they are not only one of my favorite blocks, but one of the most overlooked blocks for Minecraft, period.

The main reason I like mud so much is because it’s a nice brown block that isn’t a wood or dirt, and as such, I think it’s such a good bridge between it and many other blocks, especially sandstone, acacia wood, and jungle wood, blocks I never really bothered with before because I had a hard time finding nice secondary blocks to compliment it, but now with mudstone I have much more of a reason to actually use such blocks, and I’m exited to see what other blocks I can use with mudstone with a bit more experimenting, especially since my base is actually going to be a series of smaller, seemingly disconnected, builds that jut out of a eroded badlands pilled, that are actually connected together on the inside, so I can work with a very diverse pallate

It’s especially refreshing as over the past couple of years, my builds have largely been dominated over the same couple of pallates, usually consisting of stone bricks, andesite, deepslate, blackstone, dark oak, oak, spruce, crimson wood, and mangrove, but mud blocks have really given me an incentive to break out of this comfort zone and try new things

Initially I never bothered with mud, largely due to me not really liking the texture of base mud (seriously, I know mud can be purple-ish sometimes, but-), not really understanding how to reproduce it, and an over attachment to mangrove wood (still my favorite wood, fight me lol), but now I kinda regret overlooking it in the past, but I still have some issues with it, mainly it’s reproductiveness

Ok, so, the way you replicate mud, or, hell, make mud obtainable outside of mangroves period, is that you have to take a bottle of water, and use it on a dirt block, a very tedious process, especially in large quantities, especially since (although this may be due to a geyser glitch or an aternos hiccup or something) some of the dirt blocks just outright dissapear from existence instead of converting to mud, it’s something that has happened to me, and my friends also report seeing nothing where the dirt blocks once were, so it’s definately not some lag on my end, I hope, but I see nothing on the wiki that mentions this

That’s it really, actually, while I’m talking about Minecraft blocks, the new cherry wood sucks don’t @ me, the logs are ok but the planks are far too bright, I would have loved a more muted pink, not this blindingly bright shit

[xtruss]

Rock formations called “Hoodoos” fill the Bisti De-Na-Zin Wilderness in northern New Mexico. The desert area is rich with fossils from dinosaurs and animals that lived here in ancient times. Photograph By Efrain Padro, Alamy Stock

These Dazzling Rock Formations Stand Where Dinosaurs Once Roamed

In the high desert of New Mexico, these sprawling badlands draw hikers and photographers with otherworldly “hoodoos” and a wealth of fossils.

— By Jennifer Barger | March 31, 2022

At first glance, the windblown sandstone landscape of the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness looks like the most desolate place on Earth, an inhospitable expanse of sky, sand, and oddly shaped rock formations called hoodoos.

But millions of years ago, these badlands, in what’s now northern New Mexico, were a coastal swamp in an inland sea, alive with large trees, reptiles, primitive mammals, and meat-chomping dinosaurs.

The Navajo (Diné)—whose lands intersect and border these 41,170 protected acres—gave the area its dual names: Bisti, meaning a “large area of shale hills,” and De-Na-Zin, from the word for “standing cranes.” The high desert plains surrounding the Bisti/De-Na-Zin are about 6,500 feet above sea level, though the badlands themselves sit 200 to 400 feet below that due to erosion.

Hikers will find many winged sandstone rock formations in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in northern New Mexico. Photograph By Colin D. Young, Alamy Stock

To the Navajo and other Indigenous people, these lands served as a seasonal migration path, sacred grounds, and even a playground of sorts. “My cousins and I would come out here and camp and explore,” says Kialo Winters, founder of Navajo Tours USA, which leads guided trips through the wilderness. “It was a great place for hide-and-go-seek.”

It took millennia for lush wetlands to turn into these otherworldly high desert badlands, where eroded sandstone features can resemble mushrooms, towering chess pieces, or even fried eggs. Here’s how they were formed, what to look for, and how to explore this delicate region without damaging it.

A Fertile, ‘Beast’-Filled Past

Millions of years of erosion formed Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness (Bisti is pronounced bis-tie) in this corner of the San Juan Basin. Once covered in swamps and deltas of the Western Interior Seaway, the area was filled with sediments and organic materials in prehistoric times. At some point, a volcanic eruption blanketed everything in ash. As the sea began to recede about 50 million years ago, dinosaurs, reptiles, and other animals thrived in the wetlands along the resulting riverbeds.

Eventually, the water disappeared entirely, leaving behind embedded layers of sandstone, mudstone, shale, and coal, which were all uplifted with the Colorado Plateau starting around 6,000 years ago. Shortly after that, the last ice age receded, and the waters of its melting glaciers carved away the rock. This formed its distinctive hoodoos and exposed Bisti’s wealth of fossils and petrified wood.

“We know from fossil plants and woods that this was once a jungle with lots of dinosaurs,” professor Spencer Lucas, curator of paleontology at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque. “When animals died here, they would have quickly been buried in sand and mud that preserved them.”

The “Bisti Beast,” a 70-million-year-old fossil skull of a species of tyrannosaur, was discovered in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. It is now on display at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque. Photograph By Marla Brose, Albuquerque Journal/Zuma Wire/Alamy Stock Photo

Scientists have discovered and excavated numerous fossils here in the protected wilderness, which is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior responsible for safeguarding pristine natural areas set aside by the government.

The animals that once roamed these lands include duckbill dinosaurs, ancient turtles, and the “Bisti Beast.” The last, found by a volunteer in 1997, is a 29-foot-long (9-meter-long) “destroyer” dinosaur, a primitive relative of the T. rex. Now on display at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque, Bistahieversor sealeyi was eventually ruled an entirely new species.

Exploring the Badlands

While scientists might come to Bisti to dig for dinos, travelers are lured by the area’s rock formations, those undulating, seemingly abstract forms that create a landscape that resembles both the surface of the moon and a Looney Tunes Wild West backdrop. They’re catnip for nature photographers toting tripods or smartphones.

Shaped by wind and erosion, these spires and hoodoos range from a few feet tall to two stories high. (The term “hoodoo” may come from the Caribbean African “voodoo,” a nod to the formations’ bewitching shapes.)

Top: Nicknamed the “cracked eggs,” these stone formations in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness are popular with photographers. Photograph By Design Pics Inc., Alamy Stock Bottom: A winged hoodoo in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin badlands was formed by millions of years of erosion. Photograph By Jeremy Woodhouse, Getty Images

Some hoodoos are winglike; others resemble hatching eggs. “The erosional features are quite amazing, like natural art forms,” says Lucas. They can be found around “washes”—remnants of those ancient riverbeds—beginning about a mile hike in from either of the two access points to the wilderness area. Both entrances are located less than an hour drive south of Farmington, New Mexico, or an hour-and-a-half drive south of Durango, Colorado.

Due to the delicate nature of the ground and potential damage to the hoodoos, the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness can only be explored on foot or horseback.

“Be mindful to step only on firm ground,” says Winters. “The softer ‘feathered’ ground near the bases of hoodoos represents ongoing natural erosion, and you don’t want to disturb their balance.” Besides keeping your distance from the ground near hoodoos, it’s imperative not to touch them or other ancient fossils like petrified wood or shells.

While dinosaurs haven’t roamed here for about 65 million years, these badlands are surprisingly rich in wildlife, especially birds. You can spot golden eagles, towhees, and ravens in the stark desert skies or jackrabbits and cottontails amid the sand and scrub grass. At night, campers might see coyotes or, more rarely, a giant desert centipede (Scolopendra heros) which can grow up to eight inches long.

The vastness of this wilderness and the no-wheeled-vehicles rule means hikers, horseback riders, and primitive campers often have this BLM land nearly to themselves. There are no marked hiking paths from either of the entrance points to the wilderness, meaning visitors experience nature in a more freeform, less-managed way.

Unfortunately, that also means it’s easy to get lost. Some navigational skills or a guide can help in areas where phone signals are scarce. When exploring here, BLM recommends using a smartphone app or GPS device with a topographic map loaded ahead of your visit.

It’s a good idea to pack a backup of either paper maps and a compass or a second smartphone with maps loaded. BLM New Mexico has created hunting/recreation maps that can be downloaded and used with the free CarryMap App. Topographic maps can also be downloaded.

The high altitude of these desert plains means summer days can be hot and winter nights cold (and sometimes, snowy). This makes spring and fall ideal times to visit, and sunblock, sun hats, and lots of water necessary no matter the season.

[tiramisuouroboros]

Blue In Birch

[mmollymercury]

My headcanon for Bruno's room:

~

I mentioned this really really briefly in chapter 7 of my fic. But I wanted to make an actual post abt my opinion.

So we all know what Bruno's room looks like but I mean his BEDroom. The beds and their placements are varied from room to room. Isabela's was in the centre, shadowed by flowers. Antonio's is still up in the air but due to the general theme of: jungle, I think it's safe to say the hammock in the biggest tree, is his bed:

I bet Pepa isn't happy abt that, everyone actually -

Alma's room is just a copy of her old room, so, basically just normal. Bruno's room looks like it wouldn't even have had space for a bed, HOWEVER a lot of people neglect the fact that this

Is after his disappearance, after he cut himself off and after Casita stopped having access to his room. Therefore, the sand waterfall continued to fall until it made a desert of a once, 'normal' room. Why do I say this? Look at this shot:

His floor is made of wood. This wasn't just a bottomless desert, furniture and a living space probably sat here once and the sand was likely contained.

My headcanon for the furniture in his room:

Sand was always a component of Bruno's room, as we've established, so, (his bed is probably buried under all the sand) I think his furniture was primarily made out of sand/earthly materials. You know those videos were that guy makes little houses in the forest? Not the ones that fake it, the original, legit guy:

Used to watch these so much in middle school

I like to think they looked like that, just sandstone based or sandstone looking:

The butterfly portrait in this one is actually canon, fight me

I think this would suit the general aesthetic of his room, as is the same with the other rooms we have seen.

(also, there's a lot to say abt the people that make these things from digging massive holes in the ground... But I'm just talking abt the way they look and how they'd suit Bruno’s room.)

I also imagine there'd be little huts sprinkled throughout, each manmade and primitive looking. Idk I just like that idea.

[mesa-mineshaft]

upgrade swamps. add better trees and new foliage. give me water hyacinths or give me death.

incorporate mud into the bottoms of the lakes. Bring Back Fireflies- introduce dragonflies with them as well. butterflies and moths, too. make bigger trees more common in forests so their both more realistic and easier to traverse. consider a rare biome called an ancient forest where all the trees are massive [think a jungle, but with less undergrowth and all the trees are oak.] add different undergrowth. add bushes and new grass like flowering grass and prairie grass and clover and ground plants. add more vine types like ivy and leaves like glowberries [wisteria? maybe.] incorporate moss into forests and add more moss types. make petrified oak it’s own wood type and add petrified forests. make jungles That Much More annoying to traverse by adding poisonous plants. add cenotes because they’re cool.

add carnivorous plants that can eat bugs and possibly produce materials from it [firefly = firefly glow, butterflies = butterfly dust, both can possibly be used as a potion ingredients, which could be justified since most carnivorous plants live in swamps. you know what else lives in swamps? yeah]. add more mushroom types. make some of them edible for the funnies. Bring Back the Birch Forest Overhaul [my BABY :wails:]. consider tree limbs that can be cut down with silk touch and used as barriers [around the same thickness as a wall, but they can’t connect to each other, though fences and walls can]. add birds to roost on said tree branches- initially they don’t do anything except add ambience [as they should], but perhaps they can drop special feathers that give effects to arrows [blue = speed, red = damage, etc etc].

bigger birds as well ; flamingos in lakes, hawks in the desert, penguins in frozen oceans. make them all tameable or at least able to perform tasks for you- flamingos can sift through the sand for treasure. penguins can fish for you. hawks can hunt for you. make it rabbits specifically, we all know how hard those are to hunt. you know what, add salt lakes for flamingos. add salt flats. add white beaches around warm oceans. add a rare white desert variant. add more flora to deserts in lush deserts or chaparrals. palm trees and oasises that grow special plants around it. add succulents- not just little echeveria but the big agave and aloe vera as well. add joshua trees and palo verde. make palo verde wood green, just to be special. add arches and hoodoo [these things] and various other sandstone structures. introduce gold panning possibly alongside archeology. add vultures that you can tame to protect you from husks [WHY don’t they burn in the sun. idc if they’re desert zombies. it’s horrible].

add desert poppies. no specific reason i just think they’re neat. add california poppies. make it so they only grow in a specific coastal mountain sub-biome. yes i tried to search up where they normally grow but minecraft is known for being hyper-specific about things so i’ll let this slide. speaking of segways, add yellowstone-style calderas. have them contain a special wildly alkaline water that has the same properties as lava, aka it will kill you if you try to swim in it. you can bottle it if you want to make potions with it. geysers also exist and can send you into the air, though they have a high chance of burning you if your too close to the hole, but you can use it to boost elytra.

consider earthquakes that can knock unsupported blocks down and open cracks in the floor, consider tornadoes and hurricanes that can flood holes with water and break weak blocks [i.e wool, leaves, banners, glass], consider whirlpools that are essentially just free moving bubble columns that are just there to mess with you. add puddles that spawn during rainstorms and underneath dripping water. add intentional seaside caves that have sand lining the floor. actually yknow what just overhaul beaches. make seaside cliffs look cooler. add beach-specific plants like beach grass and ice plants. more types of water plants- different species of kelp and sea grasses. add more ocean fauna. add ocean stacks. add special islands akin to the galápagos islands with weird ass biodiversity. add black sand beaches.

add volcanos and their sub-biomes, like volcanic fields filled with pumice and volcanic valleys with special soil and flowers and volcanic tunnels formed by old lava tubes. add fumaroles and crater lakes and hot springs. add ash and soot that functions similarly to snow that can also be found after a fire. add underwater hydrothermal vents that support special ecosystems. make the oceans deeper come ON bro. make it so it gets darker the further down you go and, unless you have a special helmet enchantment, you start to die from the pressure [ntm suffocation]. add bioluminescent fish like the stoplight loosejaw and anglerfish. add the blobfish but it actually looks normal this time. add rare bone structures similar to the ones in deserts and swamps that are home to bone worms and giant isopods. make it make sense by adding whales.

maybe even sharks. make them neutral like wolves. make some of them like nurse sharks or lemon sharks tameable, and you can use them to herd fish similar to cats and creepers. add whale sharks that you can mount though they are incredibly slow and can’t be controlled. add greenland sharks that do literally nothing except vibe. add seals or sea lions or walruses, which can be passive, neutral, or defensive, in that order. add otters that you can also tame to catch fish and collect treasure. add beavers that build dams and produce special new blocks that resemble broken wood and wood pulp. add grizzly bears. make salmon travel upstream. make fish breedable to produce roe that is a quick, albeit rather poor food source. add rice that grows in shallow water. screw it, sushi. add ducks that function pretty much like water chickens. add more fish to rivers like pike and bass and catfish. make rivers bigger btw. add lotuses and algae and water lettuce and duckweed and maybe even… water hyacinths, perhaps? do you see my visions.

[its-elvie-innit]

You

Are so, so lonely.

It's the first thing you think of when you wake up, hands blistering purple under the snow fall, crusted like coal would be on your first iron ingot, newly formed. It would be your first practice of metalworking, and as you lift up your hand to feel the fingers and watch them move dissociated from yourself, you might feel like that would be for good reason.

It takes you barely a minute to open your eyes [or perhaps over a month- time is slow when you're freezing to death. You hear the Something whisper- to make up for the lifetime you'll miss out on. You think that it might just be an apology] But that minute is over far too soon when they're shut again trying to face the cold drying winds. Your nerves might be dead but that doesn't distract from the sting every flake causes as it lands. The chorus fruit lays still in your hands, juice freezing in the cracks of your palms. This isn't how you want to die, you'd think, and take another bite.

You are so, so lonely.

The desert is a dry, angry place, with drifts and dunes reaching far above your waist and sandstorms that consume you in grating cuts. There is no oasis here. There are no villages, either. You refuse to let the tears come when you think back to four days ago, of the hope that filled your ears like rushing blood and water, at a sandstone monastery with falling bricks and fountains and dogs. You refused to let the scream run your throat like cut fabric, throaty and ashamed when the first door you knocked on in the quiet, quiet village enveloped your fist with rotting wood and dead beetles. The cobwebs had turned to dust. The dogs were dead. The fountain was bare of drink.

You are back in the present, cubes of sand dusting your face and tearing off granules. You have no more food, no more water. The chorus fruit tastes bitter and gritty on your chapped lips, open fruit dusting your tongue with electric currents from somewhere unknown.

Being lonely is not the worst thing you could be.

You have been drifting, for three years now, on an island, in a jungle, in the ocean. You have clung to the driftwood of your old boat that had cracked on the helm of another shipwreck, bloody monsters wringed dry of their soul grasping at your ankles, chewing. The gargled noises that come from wrecked chords sound vaguely like help, but if it was blood they were after, perhaps it was hell. You swim away regardless. You leave your sword stuck in ones throat.

The only thing you have ever known in lonely, is an absence. An abscess, even, of leaking wounds that have no purpose and no partner and no person to wrap the wound. The pufferfish spines in your leg that pump poison through you so you become haunted and weak, the gnawing of monster and animal alike. You see the ruins below the water, of people like you. People who were lonely and wanted someone to come near and wrap that hurt, and filled the lonely with rocks and stones while they waited. They are gone now. You are not. Someday, you will stare at the chorus and wish you were.

The final bite sticks in your hand, juices dry and brittle, skin peeling from the rotted, seeding core. They look ripe enough to plant. You wonder, as the fruit is torn by your teeth like jerky, smell making you revolt as the world shimmers, if you will ever have the want to plant them. If you will ever have the bravery to continue, the stupidity to go on.

A plains biome.

A fucking plains biome.

The trees are sparse, there is water and fire and heat and grass. It is the pockmarked flat terrain that gets to you, the gentle sway of long grass. The seeds in your hand drop with you as your knees hit the floor, a great wracking wraith of a sob. There is a horse in the distance. There is a cow, and a sheep, and too many chickens to count.

You don't know when you will ever fill the lonely. You are tired, but the sky is blue and great and wide. Perhaps you will just sit here and cry for a moment.