#manatee divider

[animatedglittergraphics-n-more]

requested by anon

[ellecdc]

Okie but I really would love more Barty x potter sibling reader it just makes me happy I don’t care if it’s smut fluff angst I will read whatever you write please👉🏻👈🏻

love these goofs so much, thanks for your request!

Barty Crouch Jr x Potter!reader who feels really bad for manatees

CW: talking about how it's illegal to interact with manatees and how sad that is (read: it's fluff), fem!reader, reader has long enough hair to push behind her ear

It had taken a bit of coercion on James’ part to convince Regulus to join him up in Gryffindor tower tonight - and by coercion, I mean James batted his eyelashes dramatically and promised lots of cuddles and kisses for Regulus’ ‘trouble’ - but James was feeling quite chuffed as he and his now official boyfriend stepped through the portrait hole of the Gryffindor common room.

Those feelings of chuffedness quickly vanished when he spotted you cozied up in an armchair built for one with none other than Barty Crouch Junior. 

“Who would you rather she be with, James?” Regulus hissed at him, alerting James to the fact that he’d been grumbling aloud.

“Anyone.” He muttered petulantly.

Regulus scoffed in response. “Please; I hardly think you’d believe anyone good enough for your sister.”

James thought that Regulus was quite right. 

“I think you’re quite right.” He admitted aloud before starting towards the two of you. 

“James Fleamont Potter.” Regulus hissed as he grabbed James roughly by the sleeve. “You look at me right now.”

James wrenched his eyes away from you to look at Regulus’ fuming (though no less beautiful) eyes, dividing his attention between two of the people he loved the most in the whole world. 

“James Potter, boyfriend or not I will drown you in the Black Lake and leave you to the sodding squid if you go over there right now.”

James ripped his gaze from where Barty’s hand sat on your knee to look at his boyfriend scandalized. “You wouldn’t.”

“You know I would.” Regulus threatened promised. “Do not fuck around with the only love he receives.”

James fought the urge to whine as he turned his gaze back over to the two of you; you were speaking animatedly, gesticulating wildly as you lamented about something James would have absolutely told you to shut the fuck up about nearly 30 seconds in.

“You can see how much he worships her, Jamie. And I think you should feel grateful knowing that there is truly no one who would be as devoted to her as he is.”

James did whine petulantly at that, even perhaps embarrassingly stomping his foot a little bit, though he would deny it if you asked. “I hate it.”

“Tough.” Regulus said simply, pulling James over to a love seat near the fireplace; close enough to see and hear the two of you, but not close enough that the pair would alert either of you to their presence. “Just be quiet and watch.”

James made a dramatic gagging sound earning him a smack up the back of the head from his boyfriend, but he acquiesced and turned his attention back to the two of you.

You were curled up on Barty’s lap; your back resting against the arm of the chair and your feet tucked under Barty’s thigh that you weren’t currently perched on.

You regularly tried to shove your feet under people that you were sitting with because your feet were always cold; James knew this because he’d swatted at your legs enough times for doing it to him. Barty didn’t seem to mind much though.

He also didn’t seem to mind that you were holding one of his hands hostage in yours as you fiddled and played with the various rings adorning his hands, speaking a million miles a minute and hardly pausing to take a breath.

“I just think it’s so sad. I mean; they don’t know! They don’t know that it’s not safe for them to be around people, but I can’t help thinking; what if they think we’re ignoring them?!” You asked emphatically.

Barty’s eyebrows rose to mirror yours as he raised his free hand to push a lock of hair behind your ear that had fallen in your theatrics.

“It’s because they have no natural predators, you see.” You continued solemnly, earning you an ‘oh, really?’ from Barty. “Many people think that sharks or alligators may pose a threat to manatees; but the species peacefully coexist. So, you know, then all of a sudden there are these long noodly manatee things in the water and the manatees are just like ‘holy shit; that’s a weird looking manatee! I’ve never seen one of those before.’ And then they try to make friends or say hello, but it’s illegal for humans to touch them.”

“Illegal?” Barty queried. “To touch an animal begging you to touch it?”

“Exactly!” You agreed quite loudly, if you asked James. He watched though as Barty’s hand moved back down to your legs and brushed his thumb in soothing circles as he kept his attention dutifully on you. “So they’re asking for pets or saying hello and trying to make friends; and people have to just…keep swimming. I’m sure they believe we must be quite rude, always ignoring them like that.”

You sounded actually quite dejected at the thought; your face falling as you looked down at Barty’s hand in your lap.

“Do you think perhaps there are mermaids where the manatees live?” Barty asked, earning him an eager gasp from you as you seemed to remember something.

“That’s brilliant Barty.” You shouted; and though James expected a cocky expression to grace Barty’s face at being told he was right about something, it never came. In fact, his face remained dutifully lovesick. 

“Did you know that muggles used to believe manatees were actually mermaids or sirens during the late 15th century?”

Barty scoffed at that. “Well they’ve clearly never seen a mermaid before if they believe those sweet things resemble one.”

“Well yes, but I think muggles imagine mermaids differently. More just a beautiful lady living in the water, maybe with a tail; the beauty standards back then idealized curvy women.”

“Obviously, curvy birds are hot.”

“I know!” You agreed quickly. “I’m sure though that if we have mermaids in the sodding Black Lake, surely they have them in the America's?”

Barty was quickly nodding his head at you. “I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that they do, Princess.”

“Yeah?” You asked hopefully.

James watched as Barty’s face broke out in a soft grin as you met his eyes. “Would I ever lie to you?”

You shook your head in response and returned your gaze to your lap where you continued playing with his hand. 

“Maybe the mermaids are friends with the manatees? They look like they’d just love some belly rubs.” You mused.

“Perhaps someone just needs to tell the mermaids to tell the manatees that it’s for their own good.”

You looked back up at that. “Yeah?”

“They could be like our underwater owl; we just travel to…”

“Florida.” You offered for him.

“Florida and find some mermaids to deliver our message.”

You seemed to consider the idea before looking back at him. “I think you might have to do it alone.”

Barty tilted his head at you and squeezed your calf. “You wouldn’t want to come with me to swim with manatees and mermaids?”

You shook your head. “I don’t think I could; if a manatee approached me I would have to pet it and then the manatees would all die and it would be my fault.”

Barty hummed in understanding and brought one of his hands to your chin. “Okay, Princess; I’ll be your oceanic owl.”

“You’d do that for me?”

Barty gently pulled you by your chin to slot your lips together. “I would do anything for you.”

James, having had quite enough of seeing such sickening displays of love thank you very much, turned his very unimpressed glare to Regulus, who was already looking at him with one perfectly arched eyebrow. 

“That’s disgusting.” He grumbled indignantly. 

“Are you telling me you wouldn’t be a manatee’s owl for me? Don’t I deserve that?”

James scoffed derisively at that. “I think it’s very obvious I would; you’re the most deserving person I know!”

“Then doesn’t your sister deserve that too?” Regulus asked gently.

James’ eyes moved back over to where you were now tracing delicate shapes over Barty’s face with your forefinger, yet he still couldn’t seem to force his eyes away from lovingly gazing at you.

“Let me ask you this, Jamie.” Regulus asked, joining James in watching his friend and James’ sister from afar. “Do you think there’s a line you would draw when it comes to how far you’d go for me?”

“No!”

“No?”

“Of course not.” James insisted.

“So you’d kill your mother for me?”

What?

“What?” James asked dumbly.

Regulus smirked. “Would you kill your own mother for me?”

“Erm,”

“Jamie.”

“Yeah?”

“The answer is no; that’s the right answer.”

“Oh thank Godric.” James sighed, holding his head in his hands. 

“But Barty would; Barty would raze the entire fucking earth for Y/N.” Regulus continued. “And even if he wouldn’t,” He continued when James seemed to take issue with that. “How long would you have let her talk about manatees?”

James huffed and crossed his arms petulantly, even though he knew the answer. The answer was that he would have cut her off the second he realized she wasn’t talking about quidditch or pranks.

“She’s very loved, James. And he…” Regulus seemed to take an emotional breath as he watched his oldest friend take your hand and bring it to his lips to press a gentle kiss to your knuckles. “You Potter’s love like no one else I’ve ever known, James.”

James turned his full attention to his boyfriend and took one of Regulus’ hands in both of his.

“You love loudly, and openly, and freely, and everyone around you is better for it. Barty most of all.” 

James let out a sigh and kissed Regulus’ knuckles. 

“Fine.” He relented in faux irritation. 

Regulus chuckled and pressed a shy kiss to James’ shoulder. “Don’t worry James, you Potter’s are in the protection of Slytherin’s now; we protect our own.”

And whether or not James particularly liked Barty, if there was one thing he knew to be true; no one would be able to mess with you with the likes of him around.

[turnstileskyline]

manatee divider by twelvepines on glitter-graphics!!

[autisticlancemcclain]

“You have saved us,” says the dignitary warmly, signalling to the gathered attendants behind them, “and so for the Voltron Team, we have assembled a gift!” They move to the side, and four attendants come forward holding a truly giant box.

Shiro grimaces. “Oh, thank you, but there’s no need —”

“Hell yeah!” Lance says, rushing over to open the box before anyone can stop him. “Presents!”

Keith shares a look with Pidge, who shrugs. Presents are presents. Keith certainly wouldn’t mind a present.

“Double hell yeah!” Lance whoops in delight, voice muffled from where he’s dug so deep into the box that only half of him is visible. “It’s candy!”

The dignitary looks a little embarrassed. “It is perhaps a little childish, but we thought —”

They don’t have time to finish their sentence before the rest of the team cheers, rushing over to join Lance and dig through the box of goodies. Only Shiro hangs back, shaking his head in fond amusement and thanking the dignitary like a Real Adult™️.

(He’s 100% going to wait for them to fall asleep and then stash all the stuff he wants, Keith is sure of it. He’ll probably even sneak into their rooms to steal what they already have, because Shiro is a sugar fiend. He used to eat Keith’s halloween candy. Keith had to set a trap to keep it safe.)

“Do you think we could eat some now?” Lance whispers, grin lighting up his face.

Pidge shakes her head. “No, the atmosphere here isn’t breathable for us, remember? We’ll have to wait until we get back.”

There’s a millisecond of a pause after she speaks, and then Lance’s hand flies up to his visor.

“Dibs on first pick!”

Keith is quick to follow, calling second, and then Allura, and then Hunk and Pidge tie. They quickly play rock-paper-scissors to find out who has to be last while Shiro wraps up with the diplomacy stuff.

Hunk loses. He looks very grouchy about it. Keith tries not too look too smug about his place in line.

Allura is strong enough to lift the box back to the lions on her own once they’re finally finished, and argues that as a fee she should get extra candy if they can’t divide their prizes evenly. Since she has been trained in debating since she could talk, she wins that fight. It doesn’t take away from any of the excitement. None of them can wait to get back to the castle.

The second their lions touch down, they’re all racing down the hangars and to the kitchen, where they all sit in their seats at the table, vibrating in excitement, cheering when Allura finally dumps the box out onto the table. They each then take their turn picking whatever looks the most appetizing, from candies that look like gummies to boxes of treats that look more like pastries. They’re done so fast you would think they were a pack of piranhas devouring a manatee, or something. All of them rip into several of their treats immediately.

“Hey, this pastry thing kinda tastes like gingerbread cookies!”

“Oh my God, I think this is chocolate! Green chocolate. But chocolate!”

“This tastes almost like candied juniberry petals!”

Keith is particularly fond of a tube of jelly-like substance that’s so sour it kind of burns off his tastebuds. He’s also very fond of the face Shiro makes when he tries it. Interestingly enough, a lot of them are making strange faces — the thing about alien candies is that they have no idea what to expect, so they end up trading a lot of things that they picked that they hate but someone else seems to love, for some reason.

“Gross!” Lance exclaims, pouting at a pack of something that looks almost exactly like gummi bears. “Aw, man. Of course blue candy in space doesn’t taste like blue. Tastes like cough syrup. Yuck.”

Keith had nothing against cough syrup. “Let me try.”

Lance happily digs out all the blue gummis from the bag, handing them to Keith, who pops them in his mouth. He then glances over at Lance, raising an eyebrow.

“These do not taste like cough syrup, you dork.”

“They do so!”

“They do not.”

Lance scowls, but his brown eyes are bright with mischief.

“Well, then, what do they taste like?”

“I dunno. Not cough syrup.”

Lance rolls his eyes, lips quirked in a small smile. Keith can’t help but smile back. “Well, you can have all my blue stuff then, weirdo. I don’t particularly enjoy the taste of NyQuil.”

Keith shrugs. “Sounds good to me.”

———

All of them do what they can to make their candies last. Pidge, to absolutely no one’s surprise, runs out first. Keith is decently certain that if you were to chemically test her blood it would be fifty percent sugar and fifty percent caffeine. Lance runs out next, though, probably because he’s dumping all his blue candies on Keith — every movie night, he crawls over whoever he’s sat next to in order to hand Keith the blue candies he comes across. Eventually he cuts out the middle man and just curls up next to Keith every night, handing him the candy directly. It’s nice, except Lance is always freezing, so he hogs the blankets. And sometimes he complains about being cold so much that Keith has to grab his hands and warm them up so he’s finally quiet, or shove his toes under his thighs. Eventually that turns into Lance curling up into Keith instead of just next to him, leaning into his side and shoving his icy fingers under Keith’s shirt, “so your freaky furnace tendencies at least have a purpose, oven boy.”

Keith is a little bit embarrassed to admit that he did not get the hint at all, even a little bit, and Hunk had to pull him aside to explain that Lance was running his hands under cold water before every movie night to have an excuse to put them on Keith. Lance was not, in fact, nearly as scared of horror movies as he pretended to be, either. Nor does he ever comment on the body heat or muscles of anyone else whose space he commandeers, even though Lance rarely ever keeps his hands to himself.

Look, Keith never claimed to be the most socially graceful person on the planet. Er, the universe. How the hell was he supposed to know that Lance liked him, too? Why couldn’t Lance just say something like a normal person?

(Keith is aware that he didn’t say anything either, thanks, but in his defense, he’s not the one who claims to be a casanova, so. That’s on Lance and Keith will die on that hill.)

It doesn’t take long after Pidge and Lance run out of candy for the complaining to finally begin. For a while Lance pouted at Keith until Keith gave in (no it never took long, yes Keith is embarrassed about it, shut up) and gave him some of his candy, but soon enough Keith ran out, too, and then Hunk and Allura, and then they were all sad and snackless. Instead of waiting for another planet to gift them a giant box of goodies, this time, they hit up a space mall (different from last time, since they were banned for life) and went into a candy-shopping frenzy. They used up all their funds picking up every piece of candy they saw off the shelves, and Keith barely convinced Lance to stay out of the fountain this time. (And he means barely. Lance is very good at getting his way, and he’s also become very good at manipulating Keith now that he knows that Keith is possibly a little bit down bad for him. But luckily he’s down bad for Keith, too, so Keith managed to use that to his advantage for once.)

New candy, same drill — Lance opens his bags and immediately starts digging around for the blue stuff, dumping it all into Keith’s lap. Keith happily throws a hard blue candy into his mouth, expecting the tart flavour that Lance hates so much that he makes Keith brush his teeth before kissing him so he won’t have to taste it.

Except this time, there’s no cough syrup (not) flavour — it’s sweet and mild, almost berry-like. Keith raises an eyebrow and eats another one, a gummi this time, but it’s got the same flavour. Huh. Maybe the weird blue flavour was specific to the planet that gifted them the candy originally.

Keith looks as slyly as he can over to Lance. Lance is totally oblivious, curled up under Keith’s arm, passing the blue candies Keith’s way without even looking at them.

Keith grins. Hell yeah. He’s about to score half of Lance’s candy for life. Boyfriend status be damned.

He keeps up the charade for years. No matter what planet they get their candy from, the blue candy never has the strange cough syrup flavour — it really was specific to that one planet. It varies a little from region to region, but mostly any blue candy is something vaguely fruity, often very sweet and mild. They’re delicious, and Keith knows Lance would like them just as much as any other candy he likes.

But, hey. A man is entitled to some secrets, Keith thinks. Besides, Lance makes a face almost every time he picks out a blue candy, handing it to Keith without even pausing to consider. How would he ever know?

———

One day, on a supply stop in a region they’ve never been to before, every single bag of candy available is blue.

Lance pouts. “This sector hates me.”

“I don’t think they’ve targeted you personally, babe,” Keith says, pressing a kiss to his hair.

“It feels like they are! How am I supposed to survive until the next supply run when all my candy tastes like cough syrup?”

“Well, I mean, you don’t have to eat the cough syrup candy.”

Lance scoffs. “What am I supposed to do? Not have any snacks for when I’m too lazy to go get real food?”

“That’s an option, yeah.”

“As if. I’m just going to suffer, I guess.”

As Lance huffily picks out a variety of blue candy, Keith starts to sweat. Oh, no. If Lance is going to force himself to eat what he thinks is going to be cough syrup candy, then he is going to find out the truth.

Keith is about to either have his ass kicked or be sleeping on the common room couch for the next six months. He’s not sure how Lance will ensure that Keith doesn’t just go and find a random bunk to sleep in, but he knows his boyfriend, and ‘Lance’ and ‘impossible’ don’t often exist in the same realm.

Keith is fucked.

“You know, Shiro has a secret stash,” Keith tries as Lance approaches the cashier. “You could probably get some non-blue candy from him.”

Lance flips a dismissive hand. “I definitely will, but who knows how long that will last? I’ll just have to live with it. Plus, maybe my tastebuds have evolved, or something, and I don’t hate them anymore.”

“Yeah,” Keith says weakly, mourning the sleep he is going to lose. “Maybe.”

———

Keith waits in tense anticipation until the next movie night, when they all settle in with their candy and put on some strange flick that they’re all going to talk over anyway. He writes his own obituary in his head as he watches Lance tear open the bag, reach in, and reluctantly pop a candy in his mouth. He chews for a moment, then freezes, looking slowly over to Keith.

“Dearest love of my life,” he says, and Keith knows he’s fucked. “This candy, ever so strangely, tastes of fruit and joy and not cough syrup flavoured misery.”

Keith clears his throat. “That’s — uh, that’s weird, babe. Maybe this region makes blue candy differently.”

Slowly and carefully, Lance sets the bag on a side table, then turns to Keith, smiling sweetly. He reaches over and lays a gentle hand on Keith’s cheek, rubbing his thumb over Keith’s cheekbone. He leans in closely.

“I am going to ask you a question, star of my skies, and please know that I know all seventeen of your tells, so I will know immediately if you lie.” He pauses for a moment, and Keith takes in the full power of Lance’s crazy-eyes.

He hears various people snickering in the background. It’s so wonderful to know how much the team cares about him, the rat bastards.

“Have you been eating my fucking blue candy for four years knowing damn well there’s nothing wrong with them?”

Briefly Keith considers faking a heart attack.

“Perhaps,” Keith says, because he’s already accepted his grave. Gig’s up. Past him is a dumbass, Lance knows all, etc, etc.

To his shock, instead of immediately dragging him to the training room to whoop his ass, or even verbally tearing him a new asshole, Lance’s chin begins to tremble. And then his eyes start to water.

“You — you really did that to me? You tricked me?”

Keith feels like a bucket of cold water was dumped on his head. “Wait, Lance —”

Lance pulls away a little, sniffing. “You could have asked, you know. I love you a lot. I would’ve shared with you.”

Keith is going to go back in time and whoop his own ass. Seriously. Or maybe get someone to whoop it for him, because he is a monster.

“Lance, baby, I’m sorry,” he says desperately, grabbing onto Lance’s hand. “That was mean, okay? I’m sorry. I’ll never do that again. You can have as much of my candy as you want for the rest of our lives. I swear. And all the candy I steal from Shiro, too.”

“Hey,” Shiro says, but Keith ignores him, eyes only on Lance.

He glances over at Keith hesitantly. “Really? For the rest of our lives? You promise?”

Keith holds a hand to his heart. “With the team as my witness.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Lance’s face clears, all traces of tears completely gone.

“Great!” he chirps, tucking himself back under Keith’s arm and turning back to the movie. “Serves you right.”

Keith blinks. Hey. Wait a second. “Did I just get manipulated?”

“Yes,” Lance says easily. He pats Keith’s knee reassuringly. “I’ve known about the blue candies the whole time, babe. You crack your knuckles when you think you’re being sneaky.”

Keith’s mouth opens, then closes again. The snickering he heard from the rest of the team turns into outright laughter.

“It’s okay, babe,” Lance says again, but this time his voice is teasing. “I’ll let you keep the blue ones.”

———

based on this post

[acronym-chaos]

BPGPtropic

[PT: BPGPtropic].

[IDs: two rectangular flags with 13 rectangular lines. Lines' sizes and colors in order from top to bottom are: medium manatee grey, thin comet grey, medium midnight blue, medium comet grey, thin sandy brown, medium manatee grey, thick violet blue, medium manatee grey, thin sandy brown, medium comet grey, medium midnight blue, thin comet grey, and medium manatee grey. On the first flag, the midnight blue lines have a row of squares with spaces between them, overlapping the medium comet grey lines. In the center of the first flag is a midnight blue TV symbol with a violet blue screen outlined twice with the colors comet grey and manatee grey. End ID].

BPGPtropic: a gender related to the "Bad Powers, Good People" trope.

Link to the TVTrope Page: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BadPowersGoodPeople

[ID: A thin purple line divider shaded at the bottom. End ID].

Gendertropic coined by @laughdiamond

@tropicarchive @radiomogai

[hunterwritesstuff]

"Raindrops." Hunter Cruz and Thomas Connor comfort fic

Cw: Grieving, loss of parental figure.

(Divider by @bernardsbendystraws)

Thunder rumbled outside the studio, causing the lights to flicker a few times. Rain trickled down the glass panes of the windows of the building. “I bet this one will win, papa!” Hunter heard his younger self echo in his head.

“I dunno, kiddo! My racer looks just as capable!” His heart ached as he heard his father’s voice respond to his younger self. He just wanted to focus on work. He had to get this done as soon as possible, and the storm already delayed him getting to work by a couple minutes.

His pencil stayed on the scratch paper for minutes at a time, still as a statue. He hated this weather. But he loved it, too. It felt like the sky was crying with him. He didn’t feel…alone.

He sighed, getting up from his desk and walking to the break room. Coffee was always in the break room-it was like an omnipresent God of sorts-and he felt calmer in there.

Thinking about God got him frustrated. It made him think back to his Papa and how people kept telling him that it was “all part of God’s plan that he died out at sea!”. He didn’t buy it for one second.

There’s no God out at sea. It’s survival of the fittest. If you’re weak, you’ll get eaten alive out there. But then why did his Papa have to die out there? He wasn’t weak. He was one of the strongest people Hunter knew.

And yet…one of the kindest. He was strong, but he never failed to be kind or caring to those in need. He was always good with kids. Whenever there were storms like today, he would always be there in the blink of an eye to help Hunter stay calm. 

But he didn’t have his Papa anymore to help with that. His Papa was gone. Now whenever there was a particularly bad storm, he’d have to hide away until it was over. Just ride it out.

He held Manny tight to his chest. That was the last gift his Papa gave him. His most prized possession. He never washed it out of fear of losing his Papa’s smell. It was comforting to him. A small manatee plush, about the size of a small water bottle.

Then a loud crack was heard. Then the building went dark.

The power went out.

Hunter groaned, hiding in the first empty cupboard in the break room that he could find, squeezing Manny close to his chest. He hated this, hated being so afraid.

He just wanted his Papa, he wanted some angel to hear his prayers and bring his Papa to him to help him calm down, feel safe again.

Then he heard footsteps outside his cupboard. Familiar footsteps. Workboots that splashed ever-so-slightly with ink with each step, making a slight squishing noise as well. That wasn’t the only pair. A pair of flats. Dainty feet, small, light, fast. “-eard someone come in here. I think it was him.” One of the two said.

Hunter perked his head up slightly. Allison and Tom. “Alright, thank you. You can go back to the music department, okay? Make sure nothing crazy happens down there while the power’s out. I love you.”

“Love you too.” The delicate footsteps receded. 

A knock came on the cupboard door. Hard, rough, firm. Tom. Hunter merely squeaked in confirmation. “I’m opening up, okay, kid?”

“Mhm…” Hunter peeped softly. Tom opened the cupboard, finding Hunter curled up tightly in it, squeezing his manatee plush in a way that would’ve turned it into paste if it were real.

“Hey, kid…” Tom said softly. “You okay…?” Hunter shook his head no.

“Scary…don’t have Papa…he can’t help me calm down…” Hunter sniffled.

Tom thought for a moment, trying to think of a way to coax the young animator out of the cupboard. Eventually, he thought of a way to coax Hunter out. “May I…?” He asked, looking at Manny.

Hunter whined a moment before nodding. Tom gently grabbed the plush, handling it as though it was a newborn, putting on a funny voice. “Hey, Hunter, it’s me, Manny! I like the water! Don’t you?”

Hunter chuckled sadly. “I mean…I like surfing…”

“Oh wow! That’s soooo cool! Come on! It’s okay to come out! It’s safe! Nothing can hurt ya out here!” Tom said in the same, silly, goofy voice.

Hunter chuckled, rubbing tears out of his eyes, slowly climbing out. “Ohhh, I see. So the big guy who’s saved your life multiple times can’t coax ya out of a cupboard, but the manatee can?” Tom joked.

“Oh, hush…” Hunter smiled sadly.

“Are you seein’ this, Manny? Yeah! He’s got total favoritism! And by the way, you should give Tom AAAALL your barbeque chips! I agree, Manny. Wise words.” Tom teased, alternating voices.

Hunter laughed at the goofiness from the typically serious GENT worker. “You remind me of…” Hunter said as a somber look crossed his face.

“...hey, it’s okay, kiddo. I’m sure your pops is plenty proud of ya, needing a manatee plush to coax you out of a cupboard during a thunderstorm or not.” Tom smiled softly.

“...ya think so…?” Hunter asked sheepishly.

“I know so, champ!” Tom said in the Manny voice again, rubbing the plush against Hunter’s face. 

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Hunter laughed. Tom handed Manny back to Hunter, the young animator hugging the plush tight, Tom smiling warmly at the sight.

Then he held a hand over his heart, plopping into a chair. “T-Tom?!” Hunter asked worriedly.

“Ooh, ow, paternal ping, ow.” Tom grimaced jokingly. Hunter scoffed, elbowing him in the side.

“NOT funny!” Hunter chuckled despite himself.

“Oooooh, ow, paternal ping. Oof…” Tom continued.

Hunter rolled his eyes. “You’re fine.”

“Geez, and I thought I was supposed to be the spoilsport.” Tom scoffed teasingly.

Hunter sighed. “Geez…you’re really good at this…” He chuckled dryly.

“Y’kidding? One of the other guys at GENT-his name is Juno, sweet kid-is pretty much…just like you when it comes to storms. Now, it ain’t my job to ‘parent’ my coworkers, but Juno’s a runner, and if he’s down, productivity drops.” Tom explained. “The poor kid’s scared of his own dang shadow. He jumps at the slightest little sound and movement.”

“Huh…poor guy…” Hunter frowned.

“Yeah, we’re, uh…we’re workin’ on it.” Tom nodded. Looking over at Hunter, Tom pulled him into a one-armed hug. “...It’ll be okay, kiddo.”

Hunter squeaked in surprise at the sudden contact before melting into the hug. “...yeah…”

“Wanna head back out and do raindrop races until the lights come back on?” Tom asked.

“...I’d like that…” Hunter nodded.

“Go ahead, you can call me the name.” Tom smiled, rolling his eyes jokingly.

“...I’d like that…Papa…”

“Of course, son.”

[theblacksuntheory]

Villanelle: The Divide

The sea was not salt the first tide… was man born to sorrow that first day, with the moon―a pale beacon across the Divide, the brighter for longing, an object denied― the tug at his heart's pink, bourgeoning clay?

The sea was not salt the first tide… but grew bitter, bitter―man's torrents supplied. The bride of their longing―forever astray, her shield a cold beacon across the Divide, flashing pale signals: Decide. Decide. Choose me, or His Brightness, I will not stay.

The sea was not salt the first tide… imploring her, ebbing: Abide, abide. The silver fish flash there, the manatees gray.

The moon, a pale beacon across the Divide, has taught us to seek Love's concealed side: the dark face of longing, the poets say. The sea was not salt the first tide… the moon a pale beacon across the Divide.

Art by Cheezemaniac

By Michael R. Burch

[gamebird]

Mammals that have fur: Most of them.

Mammals that do not have fur: Elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, walruses, whales, dolphins, manatees, naked mole rats, that Mexican hairless dog, Sphinx cat, some domesticated pigs

Discounting those last ones as the result of human interference, why do some animals end up with fur and some don't? The ones that are left divide into aquatic or African. There are seals and otters and other aquatic mammals, but those spend a lot of time out of the water as well, so maybe hair is there to allow dual-mode existence.

That logic doesn't hold for the African ones, though. There are furred mammals right alongside the furless ones and while you could argue the hippo is hairless due to being aquatic, it's no more aquatic than an otter and that explanation doesn't work for rhinos or elephants.

[deerydear]

I painted this after I woke up from a dream.

In this dream... We were out in the middle of a pine forest. There was a log cabin where the other men lived. Doctor Lecter and I were visiting.

We talked, and I sat and endured the conversations they all had. I was trapped in my own little iceberg of self-torment.

As if... all Life would send out its feelers towards me, and then stop, shrink up, and go the other direction...

So they all had tea. It was rather dark in the cabin. There weren't a lot of windows, or else most of them were covered up. No candles. Just a thin stream of gentle blue daylight filtering in from the kitchen, somewhere...

This also reminds me of a dream where I poisoned a bunch of people.

They were all sitting around a round table, eating the food I had cooked.

The people started projectile-vomiting copious amounts of black sludge. It reminded me of Sweeney Todd, for whatever reason.

I think of this, because they had a window behind the kitchen table.... with a criss-cross pattern dividing it up into many little windows. The blinds were down, and the sheer shades were closed. It had much the same effect of light as this room with the men.

So, we had been there for a while... and some of the guests were leaving. Soon, I was alone with Hannibal and one other man.

I was slouched over, in a sour mood... I didn't want to be there. I didn't know where I wanted to be, so I let the moment pull me like a current.

One thing led to another, and I took out a flintlock pistol and I shot the other man. I began to gasp for air, panic. Then, Lecter tried to shush me. He wanted me to relax.

Did I tell you that my name was Graham?

Well, at some point.... my memory turns to sludge.

I ran. I unlatched the door, I ran out into the broad daylight. It was so bright outside. I almost had forgotten. The trees were swaying in the wind...

I came to the rocky lakeshore.

A giant animal stuck its head out of the water. It was a Manatee, chewing sea-grass in the familiar manner of a cow. It had a long, long neck... and it looked at me with familiar affection.

This was a long time ago, but in the state I had been in... I was like a Starving Man in the Land of Plenty. Someone would reach out their hands to me, and I would have run away for dear Life. ......Dear Death?

Did I love Death more than Life?

Well, I was in this mind-state. My mind was grasping for some point of familiarity.... something to right itself upon.

Something to feel like I knew something? To be superior in knowledge...

So, in this disconnected state... I grasped onto the two little pinpricks of light that I saw.

It was like there was a burlap bag over my head, and the holes where the lights came in were stars.

I wanted to create a menagerie of constellations.... of MEANING.

but the truth was that I could take the bag off, and see the full glory of the light, and the picture of the world.

So, in my dream, I tried to put two and two together.

I yelled at this gentle giant. I remember I said, "Plesiosaurs ate fish, not plants!"

My reasoning was that I thought this was supposed to be "the Loch Ness monster" and a common theory was that Nessie was a Plesiosaur. You see all the assumptions I had just made about someone in a dream?

Well, that gentle beast recedes.

It stuck its head back in the water..... and OUT EMERGED A WAXY RED FACE, WITH TWO BIG BLACK HORNS!

OH YES, YOU ASKED FOR A PLESIOSAUR, HAVE YOU SURE GOT ONE!

AND IT CHASED ME AROUND THE SHORELINE WITH ITS LONG, TELESCOPIC NECK!

In the commotion, I woke up.

.......

"I actually saw the Loch Ness monster when I was 9" -- Thom Yorke

SOMEONE ELSE SAW IT!

I really felt like it could have gone differently. I felt very agentive in this dream.

I felt that it was trying to show me something about my own mind.

It wasn't that I was trying to find my way out of the burlap bag... I already knew what life was like outside of it.

I wanted to put my pants on my head, and run around like a retard!

I wanted to play pretend. I wanted to find the meaning in that starry sky. I wanted it to be more than just the inside of a burlap bag!

Maybe once before, I had been shoved inside of a bag... but it was for a brief time, but the experience haunted me.

I kept going back, like an autoerotic-asphyxiator... seeking that high I once felt.

Seeking the dark, dark depths, and the light within the dark... but the light of the dark is no different than the light outside.

It all loops around, you see?

[rendellstreet]

A remake of a previous map of Corona I made last year or so, inspired / taking influence from the Bitter Snow series by bestworstcase.

Worldbuilding notes:

Corona

A prosperous member of the Seven Kingdom alliance, whose otherwise pristine appearance is blemished with internal strife and a tumultuous past.

Points of Interest

Equis Border – Corona originally controlled most of Lorraine River and the southwestern coast of Lake Alsace (red line), but lost its territory to Equis in a rather embarrassing war that involved seals, manatees, and a colossal flying squid (black line). It’s a contentious point between the two kingdoms, as Kongsburg lost is outlet to the sea and the Lorraine valley was a major agricultural region. Not helping the matter is the current sovereign, King Trevor, renaming the lake and river after himself in an escalation with his petty, childish feud with King Frederic of Corona.

Kongsburg – The largest city in northern Corona. It’s a major port on the southern shore of Lake Trevor and economically speaking, been feeling the pinch of losing its outlet to the sea. There have been numerous scuffles between Coronan and Equisian ships over fishing rights. Rumors of the colossal flying squid harassing Coronan warships and snatching Coronan fisherman are unconfirmed but steadily growing.

Pingora Mountains – First of the two mountain ranges that split Corona into three parts. The tower Mother Gothel used to imprison Princess Rapunzel lies among the foothills, tucked way in a secret ravine. The region is heavily forested, filled with creatures and supernatural that can be very hostile to humans. Despite that several copper mines and logging sites maintain an active presence.

Herzingen – The capital of Corona and the fourth largest city in the kingdom, after Anburch, Alcorsīa, and Charcāthēn. The island formed the nucleus of Corona from which it has grown from annexing the adjacent coastal settlements and then expanding across the mainland. A defensive wall bisects the island and city into an affluent upper side clustered around the Der Sonne Palace, the seat of the monarchy, and the working class lower side that is connected to shore by the Shampanier Bridge. Beneath the city lies a honeycomb of secret tunnels built by King Herz der Sonne during the War of Unification with Saporia and they are of vital security to the Royal Guard of Herzingen.

Nathair River – The largest river in Corona, the kingdom’s primary breadbasket, and former source of conflict between regional powers. Originally hosting the city-state of Anburch and the Confederation of Wolfsburg-Kassel, both were annexed as Corona expanded over the Pingora Mountains. Now the river is divided between Corona controlling the lower valley and Franconia controlling the upstream and headwaters.

Saporia

A former kingdom that once prospered from its trading routes in the southern continent and abroad.

Points of Interest

Corona Border – The red line indicates where the border fluctuated across Nathair valley, with Corona pushing south to the mountains while Saporia pushed north to stop the encroachment. This ended up being one of the main causes of war between Corona and Saporia. The following union between the two kingdoms stopped the fluctuations and firmly placed the border flushed with Pittsford.

Janus Point – A rocky, steep promontory that stands between Artois and Cuxhaven. An ancient tree stands at its center, surrounded by a stone henge left crumbling from years of neglect. Zhan Tiri used to be worshiped here.

The Havasok – The second of the two mountain ranges that divide Corona into three parts, extending through Franconia and into Ingvarr. Steeper and larger peaks from those found in the Pingoras. The highest seven peaks are known as the Painted Ladies, known inspiring artists worldwide for their untouched beauty. They also formed a natural boundary between Corona and Saporia.

Mount Demanitus – The highest peak in Corona, hosting the ancient Demanitus Device inside. Originally named Zemplén by Saporians, it was renamed to honor Lord Demanitus for defending Corona against Zhan Tiri’s tyranny.

Zsófia’s Pass – A secret mountain passage between Mount Demanitus and Mount Impel that General Zsófia Shampanier used during the Nathair War to circumnavigate Coronan defenses along the river’s south bank, launching a counteroffensive that sliced the valley in half with the capture of Wolfsburg. Later, Shampanier and Herz der Sonne used it launch their conquest of Saporia with their combined armies. The passage was named in her memory.

Artois – Currently the fifth largest city in Corona, was the third after Alcorsīa, and Charcāthēn when Saporia was independent. Situated on the Nathair River Delta, it benefits from being the only major Saporian city not marred with strife and poverty, due its economy not disrupted by Coronan law. Saporians here mostly been assimilated into Coronan society and seen as ‘model citizens’ for others to follow.

Lake Hévíz – The largest freshwater lake in Corona and Saporia, draining into the sea via the Slaná River. Between the lake and the city of Pilsen lies a vast stretch of swampland called Mlaștina Doamnei, infamous for supposedly being Zhan Tiri’s original home in Coronan folklore. There have been several attempts to drain the swamps for practical land use but Saporians fiercely push back each time, citing the concern for ecological conservatism.

Alcorsīa – The second largest city in Saporia. It was once a wealthy city benefiting from being the terminus of several lucrative trade routes, notably the one that serviced Argentum and the other Hellenic states. Following the conquest of Saporia, the city experienced a gradual economic decline as Corona rerouted sea routes to Herzingen and Cuxhaven, the land routes through Charcāthēn, Pilsen, and Artois. It is now known for its destitute and neglected infrastructure, which feeds into growing tide of separatism in Saporia.

Charcāthēn – The largest, oldest city in Corona and the former capital of Saporia. Charcāthēn was sacked and burned in the climax of Corona’s conquest, its riches carted back to Herzingen as spoils of war and chunks of its surviving inhabitants fleeing to Marne and Pittsford, setting up diaspora communities in consequence. The city is a hotbed of Saporian separatism and has been the epicenter of several uprisings against Corona. Today it remains more or less under a military occupation by Coronan forces.

[iworshipsappho]

7, 16, 21 & 28 for the specific asks :D <33

hi avie!! <33 im binge reading fanfiction and watching the match simultaneously- i need to sleep but i also need csk to win-

ANYWAYS thanks for the asks lemme get to them asdhadsjfsf

7. what animal do you look forward to seeing when you visit an aquarium? i've only been to an aquarium twice or thrice but the stingrays and sharks have always been a favourite. ooh i also saw manatees when i used to live in australia. they are the absolute best. i also love eels, axolotls and mudskippers :3

16.thoughts on mint chocolate chip? never had it. wouldn't be opposed to trying tho, i love mint and i love choco chip icecream so combining the two will either be the best thing ever or will leave my taste buds on their deathbed

21. a number that weirds you out? SO MANY NUMBERS! especially prime numbers like- 29, 61, 83, 89- am i just supposed to accept the fact that these don't have any factors??? i cant divide other by one or itself??? bullshit. maths in general is weird but prime numbers are a whole other level fgdfghsdgk. 63 also weirds me out for some reason a lot of multiples of 7 do now that i think about it- oh well

28. last meal on earth? this one is surprisingly easier than i thought it would be - podi dosa & sambar, garlic bread and plain curd. simple and covers most bases i think

💜

[rosegoldenatlas]

sleepy sleepy bedtime

so.

mostly good day today! (i mean not good by normal people standards but like better than my usual)

WENT TO THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM!!! I LOVE THE AQUARIUM SO MUCH IVE BEEN GOING THERE SINCE I WAS A KID AND AAAAAAAAH THE FISHIES

also we were there to watch the deep see tank get fed and it was life changing

also the sea otters got fed while we were there and it was adorable

also i got to pet a deep sea isopod

also: got ears peirced finaly!

so thats nice

i WANTED to buy these GORGEOUS dark blue and black jellyfish earings i found at the museum store but my mother wouldnt let me even though i was gonna pay with my own money (and like i know i cant switch out the earings for a few months to make sure it doesnt get infected but still. angry. they would have been amazing. someday when i am older i shall return and buy them for myself)

oh also i dont think i mentioned it but i blocked my ex a little while back and its so nice and freeing and like they are technicaly my boss so this will probably bite me in the ass but shhhhh

oh also i watched the show KAOS on netflix and i am PISSED that they canceled the second season even though it was AMAZING. i need to kill netflix.

also i have to share a room with my sibling which means i basicaly never get to stop masking and unwind and this is going to kill me i hate them i hate this family so much i need space i need room to breathe i hate everything

anyways. good night sweet prince

stay awesome

Mm bedtime.

YAY GOOD DAY

OOooo fishies :))) I can't say fishies are my favorite (unless we eating good) but I do like jellyfish, sharks, gators, otters, seals, rays (sting and manta) and gators/crocs (manatees lost their spot in the list after I've seen them a bajillion times but for some reason crocs and gators are still cool)

DEEP SEA TANK OHOHOHOOOO I LOVE THE DEEP SEA CRAWLEY GUYS THEYRE SO SILLY

OTTERS SEA PUPPIES <3333

isopods... Mm interesting but ugly.

EARS PIERCED!!!!

(I don't like needles so I could never but I'm glad your happy with it, I bet you would look great with hanging ones. You don't seem like a stud type for some reason idk

JELLYFISH EARRINGS ARE TOP TIER HOW DARE SHE. I WILL MURDER HER FOR YOU.

HAHAHAH BLOCKED BITCH. also ick she's your boss??? Did you date be4 she became your boss or after bc did nobody ever tell you not to date your coworkers? (/hj) it usually ends bad

Oh I've heard of that show!!! I didn't watch bc of said cancelling and such (I would crave for more and it would end badly)

Yeah. I know the feeling. I just got my own room for the first time a few months ago. It was suffocating. But I managed through sheer force of will and 'sleeping a lot' AKA: full body under abt 3 or 4 blankets to get rid of all the light and also to feel heavy on me (I'm used to the heat thank god) and had very quiet breakdowns there. Also we bought this Japanese divider (the cherry blossom one) to divy up the room a little, helped a lot that did(though IG made our tiny room feel even timer but it was a small price)

And you as well

bows down an lightly kisses your knuckles like princes do for the princesses in movies

[naturecoaster]

Crystal River CatBoat Adventure Tour with Crystal River Water Sports

“Shall I bring my big camera?” I asked Mike Engiles, the owner and operator of Crystal River Water Sports as we filled out the paperwork for our CatBoat Adventure Tour. He looked directly at me. “You will get wet.” I had driven through a morning downpour on my way to Crystal River Water Sports, located just behind the Days Inn on US 19 on the north end of Florida’s famous manatee town. Was the weather following me? I wondered. “Are these boats easy to flip?” I’d seen people dump themselves from canoes, kayaks, and river tubes, but Mike assured me these uniquely designed CraigCat compact watercraft were very stable.  CraigCats are top-of-the-line, compact yet comfy powerboats and make the perfect eco-tour craft for Florida’s Nature Coast. Crystal River CatBoat Adventure Tour with Crystal River Water Sports I left the big camera behind, donned a lightweight life vest, and boarded the two-seater CatBoat beside NatureCoaster’s own Diane Bedard. The CatBoat trip we signed up for was a 2.5-hour Adventure Tour. Our guide, Mark, took the bright yellow lead boat and the rest of us boarded the aquamarine mini catamarans.   We were pushed off from the floating boat ramp like launching a kayak. “They’re like go-karts on the water,” Diane told me, taking control of the driving. The drivers were given a lesson in maneuvering around in the lagoon in front of the watersports shop. NatureCoaster Diane Bedard and Crystal River Watersports owner and operator MikeEngiles. Photo by Sally White Boater Safety Education You must be 18 or older and have a Florida Boating Education Certificate or be born before January 1st, 1988, to operate the CraigCats. We were notified of this prior to our arrival and given links to the state-approved boater safety courses in the tour email. The least expensive is $10 and lasts 30 minutes. And once you take the course, your certificate is good for 90 days. This is NOT a captain’s license- that’s a whole other ballgame. If you are a resident, you can obtain a lifetime Boating Safety Education ID Card after taking an FWC-approved course. It costs more but lasts longer. My son had taken the boater safety course along with his hunting safety course via Florida Virtual Schools Outdoor Education Course when he was in high school. It’s free to 12–18-year-olds. It was a class he could do online, counted towards a high school credit, and got him a Boating Safety Education ID Card. Driving the CatBoats The CatBoat is essentially a variation of a mini catamaran with two hulls that look a lot like two surfboards, and a central framework on top. Driving it takes two hands, much like those zero-turn riding lawnmowers. On the side is a throttle that you push forward for forward, neutral, and reverse. There is also a center stick to move the rudder to turn the boat left and right. The seats are really comfortable. It's idle speed and no wake zones throughout King's Bay to provide a safer environment for the manatees. Photo by Sally White. Wildlife in Crystal River Preserve State Park We spotted our first manatee, swimming in the lagoon. It came up for air and then disappeared with a swirl of its tail, beneath the depths. We didn’t want to take a chance of injuring it with our CatBoat’s propeller, so we made sure we gave the manatee plenty of space. We followed Mark and the yellow cat leading the way on the waterway from the lagoon. A neighborhood of houses lines one side of the canal and wild parklands on the other. A no-wake zone, it provided the perfect place to master the mini-cat driving skills and s-curves before reaching the river. We rode under the bridge to the Crystal River Archeological State Park, and entered the Crystal River Preserve State Park lands, spotting our first alligator, who sunbathed in a peaceful little cove. We motored through the canal that divides the Crystal River Preserve State Park from the Crystal River Archeological State Park on the Crystal River CatBoat Tour Adventure. Photo by Sally White. The waterway spilled into two ways. To the right was the Mullet Hole fishing spot in the preserve and their kayak launch point, and to the left was the channel that led to Crystal River. We turned left, taking a scenic ride past limestone ledges and cypress trees that lined the edges of the channel. This waterway runs parallel to the Crystal Cove hiking trail in the preserve. Turtles sunned on logs in the muddy water as we motored past a sailboat moored in another lagoon, safe from the elements. An alligator watched nearby, his body submerged, and only his head showing. Mark pointed out the wildlife along the way, communicating through walkie-talkies that we all had been issued at the start. These lightweight devices hung around our necks on lanyards but required pushing a button to talk back, allowing us to talk without airing our conversations to others on the tour. On the River The trees eventually gave way to a sea of sawgrass lining the channel. In the distance, hammocks of palms rose among the grasses to line the horizon in a scene straight from a Florida Highwayman painting. And finally, we reached Crystal River. The trees ended at a sea of sawgrass at the end of the state park channel. We could see the scenic overlook of the Crystal Cove hiking trail from the water. Photo by Sally White. Crystal River is a town, a waterway, and a state of mind. The spring-fed water glistens under the sunlight, making its 7-mile journey out towards Shell Island and the Gulf of Mexico sparkle. “This is where the fun starts,” our guide’s voice said over the walkie-talkie. “You can go full throttle out here.” He turned left onto the river and picked up speed. We followed, the last in our tour’s CatBoat line, and riding the wake of the others like a tandem jet-ski. These go-kart boats can reach speeds of 25mph!   The fresh-water spray misted us and the boat smoothly cut over the waves like a professional surfer. There was no ‘whomp’ like you get from a motorboat. CraigCats proved to be easy riders. The sun rose higher in the sky. It was destined to be another scorcher of a Florida day, but the breeze and the spray kept us cool. We both had sunscreen on and caps, but should we have needed more sun protection, each boat has a shade canopy as well. Between us, a small cooler with cold water was strapped to the deck, and behind us, a secure lock box was fitted to keep additional belongings. Onto Kings Bay CraigCat boats can run up to 25mph, the perfect speed to zip up the river. Photo by Sally White.  We sped past a trawler and up to the No Wake sign at the entrance to King’s Bay, where our guide waited to explain the next portion of our trip.  The No-Wake zones around Crystal River and throughout Kings Bay protect ecologically sensitive areas and for manatees. We followed the lead boat in an idle past Christmas Island and Pete’s Pier, where Mark gave us a run-down on the story behind the holiday-named island. The former resident of the island didn’t rely on local utilities, because, it was an island, so when the No Name storm swept through, it knocked out all the power in the area. The island lights, run by a generator, were the only lights on around, twinkling like Christmas lights in the night. Pete's Pier and Marina provided a useful waypoint in Kings Bay during our tour up the various waterways in Crystal River. Photo by Sally White. Hunter Springs & Caging the Grass We idled past Hunter Springs where families watched our colorful boat parade from the sandy beach as we curved around the second magnitude spring, one of 30 named springs that feed Kings Bay and Crystal River with its crystal-clear fresh water. Local fifth graders recently aided in planting seagrass in the shallows at the park. Read about it here. The aquatic grass is then caged with circular metal cages which are left in place until the plants establish their roots. Native seagrass provides vital food for manatees, helps water clarity, and provides shelter for the aquatic animals of the river. Save Crystal River partnered with local schools to engage 5th graders in the ecology and restoration of seagrass at Hunter Springs. Photo by Sally White. Just past Hunter Spring, near Jurassic Spring we rounded a small island of trees. Nesting cormorants filled the trees. Other cormorants and anhinga birds dried their wings from their island roosts and watched us idle past. Outside the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge We backtrack to Pete’s Pier, an unmistakable waypoint in the bay, and take another channel under a bridge. This way leads us alongside the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. We reach the entrance into the Three Sister’s Springs, a crystal-clear pool consisting of three spring vents, but closed to boats. Just near the entrance channel into the springs is the famous Idiot’s Delight Spring Basin consisting of the three freshwater main springs that entice the winter gathering for hundreds of manatees. When the gulf water temperatures drop below 64F, manatees must seek warmer water to survive, and they head to the 72F springs. The springs maintain their temperature year-round, but in winter, 72F feels warm. We idled by Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, home to several freshwater springs and the world-famous wintering hole for manatees. Photo by Sally White. These springs around the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge are roped off during the manatee wintering from November to March, depending on the temperatures, but there are no manatees in sight here today. We idle back to Kings Bay, passing kayakers and paddleboarders, and head out of the No Wake zone for some wave-riding down the river. It’s wind, sun, and spray out here, almost like a Jimmy Buffet song. Passing the Chieftain’s Mound at the Crystal River Archeological State Park, the yellow lead CatBoat slows to turn into the channel at the Crystal River Preserve State Park and stops to wait for us all to catch up. Beginning our ride back to the launch point, we keep an eye out for the gators we had seen on the way out, but they have moved on by now. The fallen tree beside the sailboat has become an afternoon turtle haven. Crystal River Watersports CatBoat Tour boats are available for guided tours daily by appointment. Image by Sally White. Mark gives us directions on parking our CatBoats and docks up first. The next boat does a smooth park up the ramp, but both us and the other CatBoat have to try it twice, before doing a perfect slide up the ramp, much like kayaking up a launch. And just in time for lunch as well. Located at 2380 N Suncoast Blvd in Crystal River, (Behind the Days Inn), Crystal River Watersports is one of the area's most established tour operators, with over 20 years of experience. They combine their eco-tours with Florida fun. Read the full article

[frogsandfries]

I even made myself breakfast already!

I put some overnight oats, in my smoothie bottle, in the fridge, and already set out a smoothie for myself to mix in with the oats.

Now I'm procrastinating on taking a shower.

I put some of the smaller pins on my board, but I'm going to let the manatee cure overnight. I don't want to squish or smudge the doming.

My room divider is coming tomorrow, so after work, I'm putting my desk back and I might try to put my artspo boards back up behind my desk. I'm procrastinating on the artspo boards because I feel like I need to try to put them back exactly like they were, even though I know that's not possible. I should just take all the stacks and re-shuffle them and take all the tacks out of the boards. Completely fresh, clean slate. Put the boards back behind my desk and put the printouts back that way.

[forbidden-webzone]