#literary gardener

[namedvesta]

— Rainer Maria Rilke, from Love Poems to God (𝟣𝟫𝟢𝟧)

[jkl-fff]

GUYS, I FIGURED OUT THE BLACK TURTLES!

It's a detail of OTGW that's lowkey perplexed me since the series first aired. What's with the black turtles that appear in every episode? What role do they serve in the story, and what do they represent?

A small, seemingly inconsequential detail, but just the sort to occupy my mind every time I watch the show.

My first train of thought: Are they manifestations of The Beast's power and influence? If not, why does eating one turn Beatrice's dog into a slavering monster? But if so, why is Auntie Whispers purely benevolent despite eating one (and presumably much more)? Why aren't they themselves monstrous and malevolent? But also why aren't they, on the contrary, beautiful and benevolent? They're just ... sorta there, which suggests there's no supernatural nor moral element to them. Yet they're clearly not natural turtles, either ...

My second train of thpught: Are they representations of the Unknown's liminal nature, moving between land and water just as the Unknown is between life and death? Thus a foreshadow and a reminder of the brother's state? It would sorta make sense, given their omnipresence. Mirrored by the brother's Frog, whose amphibious nature is likewise liminal. And the weirdness of turtles specifically for this symbolic role fits the the weird aesthetic of The Unknown. Still, it didn't seem to quite fit.

BUT TONIGHT, I FIGURED OUT WHERE THEY COME FROM! THE OLD GRIST MILL!

WHERE THE WOODSMAN HAS BEEN GRINDING EDELWOOD TREES INTO A DISTINCTIVELY BLACK OIL FOR THE LANTERN!

SOME OF WHICH MUST BE WASHED OFF, LEAKING, OR EVEN SPILLED OUTRIGHT INTO THE STREAM THAT POWERS THE MILL, AND THUS CONTAMINATING THE ENVIRONMENT!

It's pollution. Industrial Revolution era pollution is the reason for the black turtles distinctive color and weird effects on some people, but not others.

[booklover]

My copy of Frankenstein. I reread it about a month ago. Mesmerized by the prose and vision of Mary Shelley again after all those years.

[errolzunic]

Bad people do not win by just hurting you. They win by turning you into the same piece of s*** as they are.

author: errolgarden

[in-tenebris-et-in-solitudine]

Eat Clean

[scorpionsandhoney]

omg i never showed you guys my new pan’s labyrinth/secret garden(1993) tattoo

[gennsoup]

"To rid your gate of demons, first plant peach trees in your garden."

Tang Xianzu, The Peony Pavilion

[verdiesque]

Need to look at creatures as often as possible to stay sane

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

This Poem is a Trick

Just like the garden, this poem is a trick. What seems, at first, so natural and free Is just the clever artist's sleight-of-hand. With all the awkward phrases weeded out, And punctuation paving stones swept clean. Just turn your back a moment, then you'll see: True Nature has a way to claim her own. The poetry they handed you in school To memorize, and analyze, recite, Will cross pollinate and then, bear fruit And Dickinson and Shakespeare will entwine And you'll forget-- Who wrote the one about the hen and the wheelbarrow? Scraps of conversation overheard Will drop, like seeds, from a passing bird Onto the farmhouse roof, And Virginia Creeper, like illuminations In the margins of the page Will curtain down your windows and frame the scene As garden transforms to enchanted wood Where tadpoles, covered in fur, and web-footed mice Swim in the frog pond, And men sprout beards of leaves And goat beginnings end with fish's tails Like the punch-line to some joke. And Red Riding Hood seeks flowers that never grew On her mother's windowsill Where, once upon a time, Rapunzel, her hair cropped short, Banished from her tower, built a house of her own. And did just fine. With her son and daughter toddling at her heels, She harvested acorns for their bread Until the blind, despairing, Prince Stumbled to her door, And carried her home to a royal garden Always tended, never free. I wonder: did she ever crave a taste (as her mother had) Of her own green namesake, That grows, unbidden, amid the stubble of last year's wheat? ...Do you?

[unfortunatetheorist]

Hello! Love your blog :) Hoping you can help me with a quick q. On page 269 of The Slippery Slope, Violet, Klaus and Quigley discover the VFD motto ‘the world is quiet here’ but the narrator (Lemony) describes ‘four tiny words etched over their heads’, not five. Do you think this is a mistake, or is he leaving one out (e.g: ‘the’), or is he deliberately misquoting? The motto is derived from the first line of the Algernon Charles Swinburne poem The Garden of Proserpine: ‘Here, where the world is quiet;’ — so should the real interpretation of the motto be ‘the world is quiet’? Interested to hear your thoughts, thanks!

Hi, @sianitha, thanks for the ask (my Very First Discussion)!

It's definitely an interesting question, for which there can be a few theories:

Lemony is lying, for some bizarre reason.

Lemony is referring to The Garden of Proserpine when he means the actual emblazoned motto.

Either the word 'Here' or the word 'The' got burned from the fire, and Lemony is right.

It's an unnoticed editorial mistake.

Let's see. We know none of it is burned, as Quigley read all five words out.

Lemony is lying, for some bizarre reason.

Lemony is referring to The Garden of Proserpine when he means the actual emblazoned motto.

Either the word 'Here' or the word 'The' got burned from the fire, and Lemony is right.

It's an unnoticed editorial mistake.

Lemony is known for being a bit of a liar, but I think he tells mostly half-truths - when necessary - simply because he can't trust anyone, after having gone on the lam. But in this context, it's unnecessary; he's writing these books to clear his name and the Baudelaires' names, what good would it do him to lie?

Lemony is lying, for some bizarre reason.

Lemony is referring to The Garden of Proserpine when he means the actual emblazoned motto.

Either the word 'Here' or the word 'The' got burned from the fire, and Lemony is right.

It's an unnoticed editorial mistake.

Also, as a volunteer, he'd know his poetry pretty well; well enough to distinguish it from the organisation's motto, even if it is similar.

Lemony is lying, for some bizarre reason.

Lemony is referring to The Garden of Proserpine when he means the actual emblazoned motto.

Either the word 'Here' or the word 'The' got burned from the fire, and Lemony is right.

It's an unnoticed editorial mistake.

And this makes sense when you look at other typos, such as...

...well, as far as I remember, there was one in TPP about Klaus and "her sisters", or something to that effect.

As for the interpretation of the motto, I think it means

"THE WORLD IS QUIET HERE"

i.e. Wherever there is a branch of the V.F.D., the world THERE is quiet. Elsewhere, it's noisy and uncouth.

Hope that helps,

¬ Th3r3534rch1ngr4ph, Unfortunate Theorist/Snicketologist

***EDIT: There's also a fifth option which I hadn't thought of when writing this - the motto reads "THE WORLD'S QUIET HERE". But this also doesn't follow, as Quigley read out 5 words, not 4.***

[firedawnd]

seraphim slum is a reverse hanahaki story.

what i love about Seraphim Slum is how it's a reverse hanahaki story. throughout the game you're seeing Ezekiel hack up flowers, you think it's cause of one of her girls. Macy, Salxire, Oriel, Ezekiel's love is unrequited and desperate and obsessive.

But Then. you realise. no, the plants aren't killing Ezekiel. they're growing out of her. her skin's dirt and sow to a garden. the plants aren't eating Ezekiel alive, they ARE her. tumbling out of her body and crawling out. they're inside of her, not to taunt her cause of a lack of love. but because, wrapped around her ribcage and heart-bones, that's how the plants show their love.

Seraphim Slum isn't an unrequited love story, it's a requited romance between Ezekiel, also known as Lucifer, and Her Eden

[namedvesta]

— Carl Phillips, from Cortège (𝟤𝟢𝟢𝟤).

[ladyofargos]

I suppose there must be one or two people in the world who choose not to like tulips, but such an aberration is scarcely credible. - Anna Pavord

[nopethanq]

Massive Library

Embark on a #literary journey like no other with this expansive #library on a 50x40 lot! Place using BB.MOVEOBJECTS. From the ground floor's sprawling #bookshelves and cozy #study areas to the elegant #staircases leading to a #gallery of priceless #art created by @RINKYDINXX @ORANGEBRAM & @JILL_E_BEANZ each corner exudes sophistication. The second floor offers a haven for #history buffs and #culinary enthusiasts alike, with a temperature-controlled #historical section and a bar. #observatory Ascend to the third floor for a #celestial adventure, equipped with #scientific marvels and a #telescope for #stargazing. Experience the epitome of #knowledge and #luxury in this one-of-a-kind #bibliophile's #paradise.

It took me about three weeks to build and complete this Massive Library build for Sims. I posted it on the Gallery under "Massive Library" under my name NOPETHANQ. This is part of my Newcrest construction project. If I had the spellcaster pack, I'd have added a Doctor Strange basement with lots of sorcery and witchcraft items. But it will remain empty for now. Feel free to tag me if you finish the basement!!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Roses in the Mouth of a Lion Book Review 🦇

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite 80s song OR what are you currently reading? 🦇 Razia Mirza grows up amid the wild grape vines and backyard sunflowers of Corona, Queens, alongside her best friend, Saima. When a family rift drives the girls apart, Razia’s heart is broken. She finds solace in Taslima, a new girl in her close-knit Pakistani-American community, all while trying to manage the religious and cultural expectations of her family. When Razia is accepted to a prestigious high school in Manhattan, the gulf between the person she is and the daughter her parents want her to be, widens. There, she meets Angela, and is attracted to her in a way that blossoms into a new understanding. When their relationship is discovered by an aunty in the community, Razia must choose between her family and her own future.

💜 Razia resonated with me so much. Growing up Muslim, not realizing your sexuality is even an option, then realizing it's wrong, a sin your parents may never accept...it's heartbreaking for a child, for anyone. Muslim communities are tight-knit, breathing truth to the "it takes a village" mentality of raising children. That community can become supportive, empowering, encouraging; a warm, soothing blanket of security. However, it can also become hot, itchy, stifling; it can keep you from recognizing who you truly are. Sometimes you need to leave that security to recognize that person, and who you want to be. Bushra Rehman has done a stunning job of conveying that sense of community while showing us the little ways Razia began feeling like an outsider among the friends and family who raised her. This is the type of book, a potential classic, I wish was required reading (because when has a book with a Muslim, Pakistani FMC ever been considered required reading?).

💙 Raiza is a compelling, real and raw character. The story begins from her childhood, allowing us to see her grow and recognize the woman she wants to become over time. Because of that, there are some pacing issues. However, the prose is so enthralling, almost hypnotic in a sense, that it keeps you going until the end. Though I didn't LOVE the abrupt ending, I understood why it stopped there; everything moving forward would be up to Raiza, perhaps for the first real time in her life.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Evil Eye and The Skin & Its Girl.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🌹 Pakistani-American FMC 🦁 Muslim-American FMC 🌹 Lesbian / Queer 🦁 Female Friendships 🌹 Coming-of-Age Story 🦁 Literary Fiction 🌹 Friends to Lovers 🦁 Sapphic Romance

💬 Quotes ❝ I wanted to be chosen by someone. ❞ ❝ You can’t wait for anyone to teach you. Otherwise you’ll learn all the wrong things. ❞ ❝ Our parents had left their homes and the thread had unraveled, then been woven again with us. This was how it always was, an unraveling and a raveling of the earth, the ground we stood on. Nothing was sacred, everything was sacred, everything changed, everything stayed the same. ❞ ❝ I hate having to lie, but there’s no other way I can make them happy and still live my life. ❞ ❝ But the rest of us, the majority, were children of not- so- rich immigrants. We were the dreams, the ones expected to take our paper airplanes and turn them into rocket ships rising into higher orbits. ❞ ❝ The rumors, not the truth, were enough to destroy a girl’s reputation. ❞

[shutterandsentence]

"Summer's lease hath all too short a date."--William Shakespeare

Photo: Brookfield Zoo, Illinois