#letters from skylark

[skylarkspinner]

fiber art adventures in egypt

I recently got back from a trip to Egypt & finally got around to organizing some pictures to share. One of the things I was most excited about was seeing what I could find on fiber arts and textiles.

Dropping everything under a read more, 'cause this will be a long post haha

first visit: the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC)

At the time of visiting, they had a special textiles exhibit. It covered Pharonic Egypt all the way up to modern times, although I only had time to check out the dynastic & a bit of the Coptic portion of the exhibit (which was what I was really hoping to see anyways)

Was super excited to see this diorama in person. I knew about it but had never seen good pictures of it. From the little I've seen of ancient Egyptian spinning, spinning with two spindles seems to be the norm rather than a master technique? It also shows up in tomb art, which the exhibit also shared:

They also used a different fiber preparation (splicing to create a rove of fiber, no traditional drafting to my understanding) so that probably made a difference? Regardless I really want to see if I can replicate the technique, especially because their spindles look so similar to modern spindles??

I took so many pictures of spindles, guys, and I fully intend to either have a few replicas made or to learn to make some myself. Also, although they were unlabeled... I'm pretty sure those are beaters for weaving? That was a bit of a trend with this trip, so much stuff was unlabeled :( I would've killed to at least get some date estimates for some of the stuff they had on display. I was nerding out in here though, and my family took a few pictures of how excited I was getting. A bit embarrassing, but eh haha

The exhibit also had a section on natural dyes used with a fun visual;

There was several diagrams specifically describing each dye source, but in the interest of not overloading on pictures I'll just list them out. For blues; woad, Yellows; turmeric, safflower, saffron, or yellow ochre; reds; madder, henna, pomegranate, and kermes. I originally thought kermes was another way to say cochineal, but it only seems to be distantly related.

next visit: Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Center

A small art center dedicated to hand-weaving wool and cotton tapestries. All of their work was museum quality & awe inspiring!!

Was even invited to their back rooms to watch a few of their weavers working; no I don't have room to put a room-sized loom anywhere but heck do I want one now

Our guide that took us through talked a bit about the natural dyes they use (all of their dyes are dyed in house with what they grow in their dye garden!!!) and got excited to hear I was also interested in natural dyes! He seemed a bit disappointed I'd never worked with indigo and. while indigo scares me, I'll take it as a sign that maybe I should try some time this year haha.

final visit; the Egyptian Museum

we really had to rush through this one which was a huge shame because it's packed full of artifacts. Also, the lighting in there is atrocious, so apologies for the not great pictures ahead.

They had a fascinating display of textile tools, more than what the NMEC had;

(Hand for size reference) I want all of these spindles! So badly! But a few of them look so much like a few of the spindles I own already?? A few of them had a spiraling notch, that's so cool? But also, what's going on with the one with two whorls? I have no idea. I'm fascinated.

Look at these whorls!! Although again, I'm a bit confused; the lack of labeling strikes again. Unsure why some of these "whorls" have two holes, or what the metal object with the wooden handle is. The display implies sewing needles, and some of them do look like it, but others.... really don't look like sewing needles. I'm absolutely enchanted by this little whorl though. I think it has birds on it?

More objects that I'm baffled by- the signage doesn't really indicate what some of this stuff is, if it's even known. Also confused by the object wrapped in white string in the right pic; it looks like a distaff but to the best of my knowledge the (ancient at least) Egyptians didn't use distaffs. It probably popped up in later times and was put in this display since it was still relevant, but I'm still not sure.

I have so many more pictures & thoughts but I'll save those for more specific future projects. I've been doing research outside this trip on ancient Egyptian spinning techniques and desperately want to go deeper into that, this trip just solidified how excited it makes me. If you made it all the way through this, many thanks for reading!

Bonus; look at this ancient linen 🥺

[antarcticconfessions]

"I ship Apsley Cherry-Garrard and TE Lawrence, idk how controversial that ship is"

You know about the letter from Lawrence to Cherry?

[da-pu-ri-to-jo-po-ti-ni-ja]

Source:

[notinthislife50]

Chapter 10 - The Party

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

With the new training program starting at the compound, the group decided you would be safer at Stark Tower and you were glad they did. You loved sitting by the big glass windows and staring out over the city.

One Night Tony decided you all needed a team-building party (Tony always had a reason for you all to sit together and drink) but you loved it.

You were standing with Natasha and Wanda at the bar “So have you made a choice yet?” Nat smiled

“No, but I don’t think I will “ you shook your head.

“Why not?“ she seemed shocked.

“Imagine,  me starting to date two men I would get called everything” you scoffed.

“Not by any of us,” Wanda tried to reassure you “It kind of makes sense to be honest, your all super soldiers, you and Bucky have the Hydra thing and Steve has the wanting to protect you and Bucky from everything thing.”

“Wanda is right,  I think we all think it’s inevitable you three will get together like Wanda said it just makes sense.”

You contemplated their words wondering if it was even a possibility to have them both and did any of them, never mind the two of them like you.

You watched Steve and Sam talking on the other floor and watched Bucky arguing with Rocket over something. And you smiled to yourself you couldn’t help it but in the past two months you had fallen for these men.

Natasha squeezed your arm “I'm just gonna go dance with Bruce” and you smiled at her and nodded.

“Go Wanda,  Vision is waiting for you.” you urged.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you alone” She looked worried.

“Wanda I have never felt safer in my whole life,  I'm sure, now go” you smiled hugging her then shoving her in the direction of her boyfriend.

You made your way toward Clint, Tony, Scott, and Thor.

“Is it okay if I sit with you guys for a minute?” you asked unsurely. 

“You know I put a safe in your room so you could actually take that thing off your wrist” Tony laughed.

“What can I say it brings out the colour in my eyes “You smiled back sitting beside Thor.

Clint sat forward and asked, “So,  can you tell us anything that’s in the case?”

“Not even a letter” you smiled back.

“Not even if any of us are in it?” he asked.

“You’re just gonna have to wait on my tell-all memoir “ you whispered back to him smiling.

You sat with the four men and they told you stories all about their missions and stories about each other. Your stomach hurt and tears ran down your face with laughter,  you were laughing so hard that a few people were starting to stare at you,  Bucky and Steve included.

You waved your hand and pleaded “Stop my sides hurt, no more.”

Scott laughed with you “It’s really nice to see how comfortable you are with us all now.”

“Well you all make it so easy” you sincerely said and you meant it, Scott especially had made an effort with you and besides Nat and Wanda, you found yourself sitting with him a lot.

“So skylark, you prefer the tower?” Tony smiled at you.

“Very much so“ you nodded.

“I’m going to have to build you a nest at that window with the amount of time you spend there.” he laughed.

“Why do you sit so much at the window?“ Thor asked.

You went quiet and smiled “It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen”

You felt the awkward tension after that question “Right “ you breathed “I suppose I better be more sociable and say hi to everyone else.”

As you got up and walked towards the window you didn’t see tony slap Thor upside the head.

“She was in hydra trapped in a basement, basement means no windows” he scolded  

[fishrpg]

2024-12-06: South Colorado (Hex 6)

Mountains on the horizon never seem to grow closer, though the rumble of the road beneath you tells you that the journey continues. The way to the southeast is prone to delays.

Notable Feature: Dungeon

Medium dungeon, 18 areas

In the southwestern portion of the state are the ruins of a pueblo village that recently been overtaken by a monster from Colorado's folk history: the Slide Rock Bolter. It's a massive creature that looks sort of like a whale crossed with a slug and a muscular hooked tail that lives on steep slopes and attacks travelers and causes rockslides. Unfortunately for the local population, the Slide Rock Bolter causing trouble here has recently given birth to several young Bolters and the little ones have taken up residence in some of the pueblos built high into the cliffsides.

The ruined village is located at the intersection of several ley lines and is a sought-after site for performing magic (or studying astronomy if you just need clear skies). Mato "Matt" Garcia works as the village's unofficial caretaker, though his day job is as a tour guide who is intimately familiar with the mystical aspects of the area's history. If the party can slay or otherwise evict the family of Bolters from the village, Mato will gift each member a stone etched with a petroglyph that can function as a single-use Shield spell when wielded. Using the stone takes may be done with a bonus action or a reaction, and the magic (but not the petroglyph) fades permanently after use.

Hidden: The Prodigal Daughter

In a squat nondenominational chapel nestled against a hillside, a young hippie hitchhiker is recovering from a less than welcome reception at the last bar she tried to sing for money at. The girl's name is Brenda Walker, and she is badly bruised from being pelted by beer bottles thrown by a drunken audience. She's planning on staying here for a week for her bruises to heal, her room and board provided by doing cleaning and clerical work for the chapel's celebrant, Father Jerry.

Brenda has run away from her home in Seattle because her family joined a new age cult. If the party is going to Seattle, she gives them a letter she would like to be delivered to her parents, who have changed their names to Skylark (mother) and Freedom (Father). She can't call or mail them since the cult does not allow telephones, nor does the cult have a fixed address. Brenda's family know her cult name as Moonbeam, and they will likely offer some reward for information knowing that she is safe.

Hidden: The Radio Operator

A fastidiously maintained modest brick home with several antennas on the roof sits alone in the scrubland, its only company being a small radio tower. The house's owner is Gavin Perry, an engineer by trade who believes in a rational explanation for almost anything. He is dismissive of anything arcane or supernatural, though he has a soft spot in his heart for tommyknockers, the impish creatures who cause mischief in mines.

When Gavin was a child lived in western Montana, he snuck into an abandoned mine and briefly encountered a creature he believed to be a tommyknocker. If the party is willing to explore a certain mine in western Montana and bring back a living tommyknocker if they find one, Gavin Perry will let the party use his extensive knowledge of the radio waves and phone system to call any person in the US (inside or outside The Routes) or perhaps intercept some information from the satellites or military broadcasts that permeate the skies.

Encounter: Goose!

A flock of Canada geese are swooping and biting at a person who has entered their nesting ground. There are far too many geese for one person to fight off, and the geese look like they are winning. Whoever the poor soul is the geese are attacking, they were after an egg. Roll 1d10 to see what was so special about the egg:

1-5: Regular egg mistaken for something later in this list

6: Functions as a potion of healing if hard boiled

7. Grants a +1 bonus to a random stat as long as it is carried and undamaged (until it goes rancid after a week)

8: Belongs to a shapeshifting creature who will grant a favor for its safe return

9: Eventually hatches into a small dinosaur

10: Made of gold

Service Station: Dusty Dave's Gas & Wash

The huge gaudy cowboy mural painted on the outside of the building is indicative of the general theme of the place. Nearly every square inch of the store is covered with some sort of tacky cowboy-adjacent decoration. A woman named Shotgun Sally runs the store (yes, she keeps a shotgun behind the counter), and is always dressed like a practical cowgirl. She's the daughter of the eponymous Dave.

Dusty Dave is getting on in years and barely fits into his cowboy outfit these days. He mostly sticks to maintaining the car wash and making sure every washed vehicle leaves better than when it came in. Each car wash by Dusty Dave comes with an added benefit of increasing the car's reliability. For 24 hours after receiving a wash, the car and its occupants have advantage on any check to avoid car breakdowns.

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: January 24, 2005

Lyrics:

Another summer day

Has come and gone away

In Paris and Rome

But I wanna go home, mmm

May be surrounded by

A million people I

Still feel all alone

Just wanna go home

Oh, I miss you, you know

And I've been keeping all the letters

That I wrote to you

Each one a line or two

I'm fine baby, how are you?

Well I would send them but I know

That it's just not enough

My words were cold and flat

And you deserve more than that

Another airplane

Another sunny place

I'm lucky I know

But I wanna go home

Mmm, I got to go home

Let me go home

I'm just too far

From where you are

I wanna come home

And I feel just like

I'm living someone else's life

It's like I just stepped outside

When everything was going right

And I know just why you could not

Come along with me

That this was not your dream

But you always believed in me

Another winter day

Has come and gone away

In even Paris and Rome

And I wanna go home

Let me go home

And I'm surrounded by

A million people I

I still feel alone

Oh, let me go home

Oh, I miss you, you know

Songwriter:

Let me go home

I've had my run

Baby, I'm done

I gotta go home

Let me go home

It'll all be all right

I'll be home tonight

I'm coming back home

Alan Pei Jei Chang / Amy Skylark Foster Gillies / Michael Steven Buble

SongFacts:

👉📖

Homepage:

Michael Bublé

[thedruidmerlin]

Happy World Naked Gardening Day!

In the late 1800s, a group from Indiana purchased land in Crossville, Tennessee, and established the Pomona Settlement to tend to the apple orchards of the former Pomona Fruit Ranch. The Pomona Settlement drew the attention of locals when it was learned that the women of the group would rise “early in the morning to dance nude in the apple orchards, hoping that the dance would assist the apple-growing process.”

It’s not clear if the nude dancing helped with the apples, but two nudist campgrounds did emerge in Crossville some years later.

In a 1953 essay titled Nakedness in Ozark Folk Belief, folklorist Vance Randolph relays a story about a fisherman who, in the spring of 1920, told him that he had seen a man and woman in a field in Southwest Missouri, just before dawn, “both stark naked, chasing each other up and down like rabbits.” When Randolph mentioned this to a friend who had lived in the area, the friend replied, “Yes, I’ve heard of such doings, it’s supposed to make the corn grow tall.” After subsequently interviewing hundreds of old-timers in the region, Randolph concluded, “There is no doubt in my mind that many early settlers believed that newly cleared fields were benefited by some kind of nude skylarking. Many of them thought that certain crops grew better if the persons who sowed the seed were naked.” Randolph soon uncovered a number of Ozark crop rituals involving nudity, including one in which flax seed was sown by naked farmers chanting, “Up to my ass, and higher too!”

Since then, naked gardening folklore has appeared in a variety of publications. A reader’s letter published in the Spring 1992 issue of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living claimed that “Turnips must be sewn on a summer night when the moon is full with the sower working stark naked in the bright moonlight.”³

In 1967, a New York painter named Robert Dash encouraged his audience to consider the “microclimates” of their gardens, which he believed was essential for understanding the best spots to nurture different plants. According to Dash, there was one sure way to identify these microclimates: “Take your clothes off in midsummer and walk around your garden. Let the air be still, and let it be night. You will at once feel the different temperatures on your skin. These are the microclimates to be observed by your plants.”

Janet Draper, the Smithsonian horticulturist responsible for the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, tells gardeners that the ground temperature, not the air temperature, should be considered when deciding when to plant certain annuals. Her advice? Take the “bare bottom test.” “Sow warm weather annuals when you can sit on the soil with your bare bottom comfortably.”

Happy World Naked Gardening Day!

If you’re the adventurous sort, you might consider getting up early and dancing nude in your apple orchard or grabbing your loved one and running naked around your freshly plowed cornfield like a “pair of rabbits.” Perhaps take a moment that evening to strip down and locate the “microclimates” in your backyard, or find yourself an empty plot of dirt and try the “bare bottom test.” If you’re feeling particularly enthusiastic, revive the old “Up to my ass, and higher too!” chant of the Ozark farmers as you work. It’s not clear if these activities will produce bigger fruit and more colorful flowers, but they’re almost certain to add a little joie de vivre to your gardening.

[mongrelmutt]

My books read list for 2023! For the first time I met my goal of at least one book a week!! 😁

1. "A Conspiracy of Kings" -- Megan Whalen Turner

2. "Thick as Thieves" -- Megan Whalen Turner

3. "Return of the Thief" -- Megan Whalen Turner

4. "Vatican II" -- John O'Malley

5. "The Catholic Church: A Short History" -- Hans Küng, translated by John Bowden

6. "Confessions" and "Letter to Coroticus" -- St. Patrick

7. "Through the Brazilian Wilderness" -- Theodore Roosevelt

8. "The Wind in the Willows" -- Kenneth Grahame

9. "Period: The Real Story of Menstruation" -- Kate Clancy

10. "Star Wars: Padawan" -- Kiersten White

11. "Star Wars: Master and Apprentice" -- Claudia Gray

12. "Deep Down Dark" -- Héctor Tobar

13. "The Lost World" -- Michael Crichton

14. "Provida Mater Ecclesia: Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII Concerning Secular Institutes" (English translation) -- Pope Pius XII

15. "Frankenstein" -- Mary Shelley

16. "Kenobi" -- John Jackson Miller

17. "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" -- Mary Roach

18. "Trigun" and "Trigun Maximum" -- Yasuhiro Nightow

19. "Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution" -- Andrew M. Wehrman

20. "Gay and Catholic: Accepting My Sexuality, Finding Community, Living My Faith" -- Eve Tushnet

21. "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth" -- Beth Allison Bar

22. "Turtles All The Way Down" -- John Green

23. "All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries #1)" -- Martha Wells

24. "Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries #2)" -- Martha Wells

25. "Rogue Protocol (Murderbot Diaries #3)" -- Martha Wells

26. "Exit Strategy (Murderbot Diaries #4) -- Martha Wells

27. "Network Effect (Murderbot Diaries #5) -- Martha Wells

28. "Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot Diaries #6) -- Martha Wells

29. "Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History" -- Erik Larson

30. "The Johnstown Flood" -- David McCullough

31. "The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World" -- Riley Black

32. "Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Think, Talk, and Feel" -- Nancy F. Castaldo

33. "The Rise and Reign of Mammals: A New History from the Shadows of the Dinosaurs to Us" -- Steve Brusatte

34. "Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Dog" -- John Bradshaw

35. "Evolution Gone Wrong: The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work (or Don't)" -- Alex Bezzerides

36. "Immune: A Journey Into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive" -- Philipp Dettmer

37. "Catholicism and ADHD: Finding Holiness Despite Distractions" -- Alex R. Hey, PCAC

38. "The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery" -- Sam Kean

39. "An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us" -- Ed Yong

40. "Lesser Beasts: A Snout-to-Tail History of the Humble Pig" -- Mark Essig

41. "The Mind's Eye" -- Oliver Sacks

42. "Loveless" -- Alice Oseman

43. "The Monkey Trial: John Scopes and the Battle Over Teaching Evolution" -- Anita Sanchez

44. "The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet" -- Henry Fountain

45. "Kiki's Delivery Service" -- Eiko Kadono (translated by Emily Balistrieri)

46. "Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas" -- Jennifer Raff

47. "Ancillary Justice" -- Ann Leckie

48. "An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives" -- Matt Richtel

49. "System Collapse (Murderbot Diaries #7)" -- Martha Wells

50. "Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth's Most Awesome Creatures" -- Nick Pyeson

51. "Howl's Moving Castle" -- Diana Wynne Jones

52. "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" -- Shirley Jackson

53. "Sarah, Plain and Tall" and "Skylark" -- Patricia MacLachlan

54. "The Haunting of Hill House" -- Shirley Jackson

55. "All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings" -- Gayle Boss (illustrated by David G. Klein)

[sereinpetrichor]

rules: pick a song for each letter of your url and tag that many people

Thanks for the tag @bleedingoptimism!!!!

Oh man, here we go for fifteen (but I could do this twice, honestly)

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel

Everybody Wants It by ZEE MACHINE

Rainbow in the Dark by Dio

End of Beginning by DJO

I Don't Care by Fall Out Boy

Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship

Peaches by The Presidents Of The United States Of America

Emerald by Thin Lizzy

Talk It Up by Sammy Rae & The Friends

Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac

I Want To Break Free by Queen

Could Have Been Me by The Struts

Holiday by Green Day

Once Upon Another Time by Sara Bareilles

Rocket Man by Elton John

Now that was fun!

Tag list (if you want): @steddieofficial @eiddets @raynecreates @elextricwarrior @its-steddie-time @nailbathero @peter-pantomime @every1lovesanunderdog @transmascsteveharrington @robbie-verse @itcanbepalped @chiip-skylark @heartdinosblog @ohliooh @resande

[linernotesandseasons]

I saw my first @clementine_was_right show last night 🍊🥰⚡️ I cried a little during and then a whole lot after. “It’s important to be honest. It’s important to be emotional.” The band was new & fresh & loud, with just the right amount of fuzz & feedback. What begin with a ghostly rumble & the crackle of lightning storms on some unknown beach, morphed into an acapella Atlantic City singalong (“everything dies baby that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies someday comes back…”) and then traversed various american landmarks, mountains, beaches, forests, through life & death & back again till we all ended up dreaming of dancing together in a different town. It’s always nice to meet new friends. I guess there’s been something in Clem songs since I first heard them that stuck with me. Something about the way that they sing & talk about life & death. About new friends & old friends, new places & old places, and how we drift between things. Mike said last night that everything is burning, that we live for some years and then we’re dead for some years. I laughed out loud thinking about the meme I read that said “what do you think happens after you die? -well, everything happens after you die, just none of it involves you!” I was reminded of the tender, casual way that another fav songwriter Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief talks about it when she says “Death, like a door, to a place we’ve never been before. Death like space, the deep sea, a suitcase.” I guess it helps to think about death that way. A door to a new place. Heaven. Hell. Home. Highways. If that’s the case, I’d like to start building that new world now. Strung with memories & mundane magic from Clem songs (& @starkstateofmind poetry -more on that later!) Writing you a letter from the bus stop. Watching the lightning take tall walks. Summer and all that light. The constant twilight of a motel room. Bedrock stones. Two redwood trees at the edge of the beach. Jumping off the green bridge at dawn. Sprays of red bud trees in some unmarked canyon. It all adds up to insane glory. I guess sometimes the best way out of the rain… Is straight back down in the river! The Clem 🍊 rolls on forever. (at Skylark Lounge) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq8Oox2LD_M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[skylarkspinner]

current wip! singles, to plied hank, to beginnings of a scarf. think it'll be just about perfect for autumn!

[rhikasa-archived]

A, F, Z, and E for the OC alphabet soup ask game.

( @angsty-prompt-hole )

Thanks for the ask, @angsty-prompt-hole! ♥️ Since I don't have an OC whose name begins with an F, I chose the letter that follows it.

ARLEN IUSCORA

He is the son of King Kyllen and Princess (consort) Avalynn and the younger sibling of Rosalie, but he never got to meet his family since his kingdom was taken over by another, leading to the deaths of his father and sister. He was separated from his mother for his safety, but she died before the two could reunite.

Arlen became a ward of House Garnett, where he met his best friend Isladine, and his identity was kept a secret until he was of age.

He has an undiagnosed heart condition that didn't cause him issues until he was older. In the history books, he has the shortest reign and lifespan of any king, dying at the age of twenty-four to a heart attack about six years after he reclaimed the throne.

ELISVEN SKYLARK

She is the last of six children total born to King Talieisin and Queen Vietna, and she is the twin sister of Aeris. Being born a woman, she was excluded from the line of succession and therefore was never expected to become the monarch.

Elisven is curious by nature and yearns to learn what her brothers are taught, but growing up she was only educated in "accomplishments" such as singing and playing instruments. Her brother Aeris luckily let her in on what he was learning, and she even got a seat in his classes for a time, taking notes for him when his arm was broken.

She becomes the first queen regnant in her kingdom's history, but this doesn't come to her easy.

GARETH ASTRA

He is the oldest brother of Kaylien (Radan's mother). Although he's more of a minor character in the story, he's one of my favorites.

Gareth was dutiful, and he was also loving and devoted towards his family, especially his younger siblings. He was rather protective of them, but never in an overbearing sort of way.

He was the rock of the family, and Kaylien's biggest supporter and confidant. She was utterly distraught upon learning of his death.

ZENOBIA

She was one of the archangels originating from either the first or second age (not quite sure yet, but she's older than most of those around during Guinevere's origin life).

One of the greatest archangels in history, she surpassed nearly all others in terms of power and beauty. She was an exemplary fighter, though this did not come to her naturally.

She is one of the few archangels to ever consider having a romantic relationship with a mortal, and she had many lovers throughout her lifetime, including the founder of the ancient House Harper.

Send me a letter of the alphabet A-Z, and if I have an OC starting with that letter, I’ll tell about them.

[antti-nannimus]

Finnish Original lyrics Evakon laulu Illalla, kun äiti peitti mua nukkumaan, En aavistanut, mitä aamu tuopi tullessaan Yöllä oli metsään tullut julma tykkipatteri, Evakoiden tumma rivi tiellä hiljaa vaelsi Selvään kuului sodan pauhu rajan pinnassa Epävarmuus jäyti karjalaisten rinnassa Varttitunti lähtöaikaa meille silloin annettiin, Naapurimme heinäkärriin kalliit nyytit kannettiin Häipyi rakkaat mannut sekä kotikujan pää, Sinne kattoin päälle oma taivasläntti jää Kyyneleiden määrää en vain enää ole muistanut, Karjalaisten elon tahtoa ei sota suistanut   Meitä vastaan marssi nuoret Suomen soturit, Heitä johti lapsenkasvoiset nuo vänrikit Moni kulki silloin elämässään viime retkensä, Päätä kohden vakaana, kuin aavistaisi hetkensä Tietyömiehet kysyivät, ett' mikä matkan pää A, kuhan päästään perille, se silloin selviää Isäntä se jätti heille vielä porsaslaatikon Lisäsi: "Vot, tässä leivän päälle särvintä viel' on," Asemalla evakoita junaan lastattiin, Virkamiesten kysymyksiin tarkkaan vastattiin Eräs äiti sanoi: "Tässä on mun koko omaisuus, Viisi pientä lasta sekä vielä kahvipannu uus,"   Aamuyöllä pieni veli syntyi junassa, Se oli ryppyinen ja vielä silmät ummessa Lotat toivat taivaanmannaa, kuumaa kauravelliä Tahtoivat he meitä poloisia vielä helliä Kolmen päivän päästä oltiin päätepaikassa, Karjalainen kansa seisoi huutokaupassa Isännät kun evakoita sinne kyytiin mättivät, Viisi lasta sekä äidin sinne tielle jättivät Mekin mentiin siitä kunnantaloon asumaan, Vuoden päästä päästiin omaan mökkiin muuttamaan Kirje tuli isältä: "Mie pääsen pian siviiliin," Tulikin ja kirkon viereen sankarhautaan siunattiin Omaa peltotilkkuaan kun äiti äesti, Niin uuden elon alkamista kiurut säesti Mie istuin pienen veljen kanssa siinä pellon laidalla, Kerroin hälle, kuinka kaunis oli kerran Karjala   Submitted by lucidity on 2018-03-14 Contributors: Samiezoo English Translation A song of an evacuee In the evening as mother was tucking me in I could not foresee what would the morning bring with it A cruel artillery battery had arrived to the forest during the night A dark row of evacuees quietly wandered down the road Sound of war roared clearly from near the border Uncertainty gnawed the hearts of Karelians 1 We were given a quarter of an hour until departure We carried our precious bundles to the neighbours haywagon Our beloved lands and alley were gone There, on top of the roofs our piece of sky is left I have forgotten the amount of tears shed Karelians' will to live was not shaken by war   Young warriors of Finland marched toward us They were lead by baby-faced second lieutenants Many made the last trip of their lives then Determinedly toward the end, as if they anticipated it Roadwork men asked where is the destination Oh, but we will only know once we get there Householder left them a pork casserole as well Said: "Vot, 2 here is some relish with bread" Evacuees were packed into a train at the station Questions from the authorities were answered precisely One mother said: "These are all my belongings, Five little children and a new coffeepot as well."   Little brother was born at night on the train It was wrinkled and eyes still closed Lotta's 3 brought manna from heaven, hot gruel They wanted to nurse us wretches We arrived after three days Karelian people stood at an auction When householders picked up evacuees They left the five children and the mother on the road We went to live in the town hall as well After a year we got to move into our own cabin A letter from father came through: "I will get off the army soon" He did and was buried in war heroes' grave next to the church When mother harrowed her croft, Skylarks accompanied the start of a new life I sat at the edge of the field with little brother I told him how beautiful Karelia was once   1.Karelia is a region in eastern Finland, Karelians it's inhabitants 2.Vot comes from Russian word 'avot' meaning here, there, alright etc. 3.Lotta was a woman working for a voluntary auxiliary paramilitary organisation for women called Lotta Svärd.

Anneli Saaristo - Evakon laulu (English translation)

[renewherself]

Mark Halpin's Labor Day Extravaganza 2023: Two on the Isle

Haloanaka

- Figured out many, many incomplete cryptic crossword clues, including: + Cla[I]ms, diamonds, etc. (SUITS) + [C]Alvin chiefly adores pieces of garlic (CLOVES) + Invoke loud couple of comments from a cow fattened fowl around lower left back of menu (CALL UPON)

Hi'iakaikapua'ena'ena

- Figured out ALPHYSCSSFTNECHCOAORERSNEAKTOHETSHBRT with the rule "Remove all I's and move the last two letters of each word to the front" - Figured out DANDNVIRONMESTRANDOMETIMJSBANDALLJDSANDMEEANDINFLEANDRONTIJR with the rule "First letter shifts backwards in the alphabet by 1, followed by an 'AND'; 2nd-to-last letter shifts forward in the alphabet by 5" - Figured out the rule for MUDULAUFRUMATAUACHINGPLANURTHAUMURALUFAFABLAU being "Replace O with U and E with AU" - Spotted which transformation was one letter off when our end count of total letters was off by one - Figured out GAELIC was incorrect as a solution for DIALECT HEARD FROM IRISH SPEAKERS and the correct answer was BROGUE when the Baudelaire family chain had one incorrect substring

Kamapua'a

- Figured out the solution to "Layered, like some clouds or ore deposits" was STRATOUS - Figured out the solution to "Souvenir from a Broadway show, maybe" was TICKET STUB - Came up with the idea to rotate the blocks of letters in the grid so they read left-to-right, top-to-bottom, and then rotate the pigpen cipher symbols accordingly.

Kanaloa

- Solved 6/7 of the Mouse of Games round, 4/7 of the The Answer's in the Question round, 3/6 of the Broken Karaoke round (the last three that we were stuck on) - Having seen HOPSCOTCH MARIGOLD proposed as an answer, figured out RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHTNING MCQUEEN as another answer, and from there, figured out the games being used were the ones featured in Squid Game - Figured out that the clue phrase USE POST GAME PART meant to remove the names of the games from the answers to create new strings

Kauila

- Figured out the final minipuzzle was not only a list of ingredients used in baking, but specifically ones used to make Turtle Candies (and therefore the missing answer was PECAN HALVES) - Solved the second minipuzzle: Figured out the turtles with red, purple, orange, and blue shells pointed to characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more specifically the Renaissance artists whom these characters were named after. Figured out that eight words from the word bank could be put together to form the names of four famous pieces of art by said artists

Ku

- Figured out the category SETTING from SUN and PLACE - Figured out the puzzle solution from the extracted phrase BIT TOSS

La'ila'i & Keali'i

- Figured out "It makes a surface Rougher" was an ABRADER, "Shelley ode honoree" SKYLARK, "Like a rustic scene or poem" IDYLLIC, "You might order it rare" RIBEYE, "Canine comment" ARF

Lono

- Solo-solved: Figured out that foods had to be paired up and their front halves swapped to create answers to the clues, and that letters were extracted by drawing a line between the paired foods

Maui

- Figured out the Peppers, Brotherhood of Mutants categories - Figured out the extra-word-shaped-like-a-cane mechanic from JUGGERNAUT and JALAPENO - Found a bunch of the words, both before and after categories were known

Mokualli

- Came up with the idea that the answer to the clue "One's full of sewage or wickedness" was a variant of CESSPOOL (CESSPIT) - Figured out the matched answers to the clues "Old geezer" and "Take over" were COOT and COOPT - Figured out the clue that paired with SECOND BASEMEN (and confirmed it was the answer to "Jackie Robinson, et al.) was "Below grade locales" with the answer being BASEMENT - Figured out the clue that paired with SCARE UP (and confirmed it was the answer to "Scrape together somehow, with difficulty") was "Accusation" with the answer being CHARGE

[whataweekmixtape]

WHAT A WEEK NUMBER FOUR

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5G1ijx1fSJpOhilm6sGA5B?si=5cd5b614b2604476

cLOUDEAD - Pop Song

Corinne Bailey Rae - New York Transit Queen

King Tuff - Love Letters To Plants

Alice Phoebe Lou - Lose My Head

Mac Krol - For Some Other Reason

Dehd - No Difference

Steady Holiday - Newfound Oxygen

The Antlers - Tide

Shorty Long - Call On Me

Cut Worms - Ballad Of A Texas King

Juan Wauters feat. Frankie Cosmos - Modus Operandi

Greg Mendez - Maria

Dana and Alden feat. Cinya Khan - Let's Go to Trader Joe's

The Living Tombstone - This Comes From Inside

Aretha Franklin - Skylark

Timber Timbre - Ask The Community

[202206741dci2022]

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

I recently watched ‘Center Players’ adaptation of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen via YouTube. This play has been reviewed by many throughout the decades, so why not bring my opinion to the table? Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead. Although, I do question how much a play over a hundred years old can be spoiled.

This three-act play follows Nora, a housewife who becomes frustrated with her belittling husband and her monotonous role in society. Ibsen’s radical ending and heartrending journey to discovering identity under the constraints of 19th-century society is still applicable to modern audiences. Watching this production made me question the extent to which our society has truly changed over the past 144 years.

[09:16] Center Players Present: A Doll's House Full Play

This production does not align perfectly with Ibsen’s stage directions of the living room; for example, there is no sofa. The room is still identifiable as that of a middle-class family in the 19th century with rocking chairs and mounted paintings, although it is not specifically Norwegian. This lack of precision in the setting means the play was successfully relevant to an audience with vaguely similar homes. A key feature of realism is having realistic sets so the audiences can be, as Egil Törnqvist states ‘invited to mirror itself in what was happening on stage’ (1995:75) and Ibsen was the father of realism. It should be noted that the costumes further determine the setting. The 19th century was a time Victoria and Albert Museum claims to be internationally ‘renowned for its corsets, bonnets, top hats, bustles, and petticoats’ (2016), which the characters can be seen wearing in this production multiple times. By not modernising the set and costume we can understand how radical Nora’s actions in the play's final scene appear to Torvald, who holds conservative views of the role of women in his society. Of course, this 2015 production does not have the same effect on the modern audience as Ibsen intended due to its historical setting and our advancement as a society. Yet, we understand the impact upon reflection of history.

This play is set in one room, the living room. Here, Ibsen is using staging to reflect the confinement and restrictions obstructing 19th-century women. I also find it fascinating that the title of the play is ‘A Doll’s House’. Often, when playing with dolls, we don’t imagine them to be concerned with outer world affairs. Similarly, by staging the play within one room we believe it is normal to see Nora only in this space of domesticity where she fulfils Torvald’s, and society’s, expectations of her as a woman. Throughout the play, we understand that Nora’s character is not as one-dimensional as she seems. Yet, it isn’t until the end of the play that she escapes this room and therefore society’s expectations of her. I think the company’s ability to replicate this staging is effective for modern audiences who also struggle with their identity and feel restricted in a relationship or line of work etcetera.  

[02:10:09] Center Players Presents: A Doll's House - Full Play

Act 3 is particularly conflict-ridden with Torvald finding out about Nora’s forgery of her father’s signature, which afforded her the money she needed to save Torvald’s life, in the letter from Krogstad. The central conflict begins when Torvald says ‘no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves’ which is an implication of the patriarchal society; he fears societal backlash and judgement. Key themes in this play are sexism and identity as Nora risked her social integrity for Torvald, yet he refuses to do the same due to his sex and the societal positioning of men in the 19th century. Once Krogstad returns Nora’s bond Torvald begins to talk as he has throughout the play, belittling his ‘skylark’ (2018:15). Interestingly, Nora is the one to hold the floor in their conversation when they sit down together which was probably rare of a woman in 19th century mixed-sex conversation due to the imbalance of power between genders. She is calm whilst Torvald worries about their marriage and is unable to comprehend her actions. This is likely because she has had an inner conflict for a long time and by now has mentally separated herself from him and their relationship already while Torvald has been living in ignorance of their marriage. He does not understand that there is more to marriage than intimacy, such as being able to discuss serious matters; he becomes almost aphasic when Nora changes her clothes and wishes to leave.

The critical moment of anagnorisis is when Nora acknowledges that she and Torvald don’t truly know each other at all. For example, she had to hide from him the work she was so proud of for fear of what he might think of her. Ibsen is praised for his proto-feminism and identification of the complexity of women’s working lives by Joan Templeton: ‘no other work insists so explicitly on the hypocrisy, waste and sheer stupidity of isolating women from the work of the world’ (1996:23). This play forced audiences to question the value of their own identity and happiness. It continues to be a renowned marker of proto-feminist theatre.

[02:06:04] Center Players Presents: A Doll's House - Full Play

Throughout this scene Nora and Torvald stand apart until Torvald pushes the stereotypical role of women upon Nora, standing closer to her to intimidate her. Mahaffey suggests that Nora and her children do not ‘have the power of autonomous movement’ in Torvald’s eyes, as shown by his desire to subdue her: ‘this makes it impossible for them to … change or grow’ (2010:57). Here, Ibsen recognises the inadequate insistence on the identity and role of women being purely reproductive and nurturing. Mahaffey’s interpretation also recognises the restrictions placed on children; Torvald believes he has control over everything in the house which means that their journeys of self-discovery are impeded.

Perhaps the most passionate stage direction in the play is the iconic door slam. Mangan, quoted in Vorlicky’s book review, states that the door slam was ‘a defining moment in the gender debates of nineteenth-century middle-class culture’ (2005:335). This signifies Nora’s grasp on her future, independence, and therefore identity. For once she has control over her actions rather than being ‘played with’ by her father and husband.

In conclusion, this is a radical play with profound morals and societal issues addressed and performed by an actress with a commanding stage presence. This company successfully transforms a homely domestic space into a tense restrictive territory. I believe that Ibsen’s A Doll’s House will forever stand the test of time in order to stop history from repeating itself and justify how far prevailing beliefs have come.

Bibliography

CenterPlayersNJ (2015) Center Players presents: A Doll's House - full play, [Video]. Available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr3nw7CZvO8&list=PLsXzRh5NMSfUGfmtmZVxdWOzWoxvwkMwU&index=3 [Accessed 18/3/2023].

Ibsen, H. (2018) A Doll’s House. Great Britain: Amazon.

Mahaffey, V. (2010) Portal to forgiveness: a tribute to Ibsen’s Nora. South Central Review, 27(3), 54-73.

Templeton, J. (1996) The death of chivalry: masculine and feminine in ‘A Doll’s House’. Ibsen News and Comment. 16, 23-25.

Törnqvist, E. (1995) Ibsen, A Doll’s House (1989). Between stage and screen: Ingmar Bergman directs. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 69-80.

Victoria and Albert Museum (2016) 19th-century fashion. Available online: http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/0-9/19th-century-fashion/#:~:text=The%20fashion%20of%20the%2019th,the%20back%20of%20the%20silhouette. [Accessed 23/3/2023].

Vorlicky, B. (2005) Review of Staging Masculinities: History, Gender, Performance, by Michael Mangan. Theatre Journal, 57(2), 334-336.