#marsh blue violet

[vandaliatraveler]

Spring in the Cheat River Canyon.

From top: lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum); the pendulous green flowers of striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum); sweet white violet (Viola blanda), which loves cool, moist forests; wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), which has been hybridized with a South American species to produce commercial strawberries; marsh blue violet (Viola cucullata), an elegant, gregarious violet found growing in seeps and along streambanks; smooth Solomon's seal (Polygonatum biflorum); great white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum); a West Virginia white (Pieris virginiensis) sipping nectar from a sweet white violet; and broadleaf toothwort (Cardamine diphylla), the larval host plant for the West Virginia white.

Note: this hauntingly beautiful butterfly, a flitting ghost in Appalachia's April forests, is in serious decline because it confuses invasive garlic mustard for its host plant, Cardamine. Garlic mustard is toxic to its larvae. Another example of how an invasive species can wreak havoc on the vital lifecycles of our native ecosystems.

[flawseer]

Jade Mountain Academy students

#Bonus - Faculty chapter

And here, as has been requested, we have the ones in charge of the operation. And so I am left pondering that, over the course of this project, I have drawn essentially all of the arc 1 and arc 2 protagonists... with the exception of Glory. That's pretty weird.

Anyway, here goes:

Sunny

Teaches subject(s) - Art, Cultural Exchange

Additional responsibilities- Founder, chief administrator, student admission, teacher-student relations, Silver winglet guardian

Tribe - Sandwing (partial Nightwing heritage)

Color - Sunrise gold

Relatives - Stonemover (father)

Physical characteristics - bright golden color; green eyes; no venom barb; small stature with slim to average build

Tsunami

Teaches subject(s) - Exercise

Additional responsibilities- "Head of School", security chief, Jade winglet guardian

Tribe - Seawing

Color - Cobalt blue

Relatives - Prince Turtle (brother), Princess Anemone (sister)

Physical characteristics - bent horns; royal wing markings; small burn scar on right side of neck, small cut in wing membrane; large build, long and burly

Clay

Teaches subject(s) - Anatomy

Additional responsibilities- Chief healer, student counselor, Copper winglet guardian

Tribe - Mudwing

Color - Bronze

Relatives - Umber (brother), Sora (sister), Marsh (brother)

Physical characteristics - curly horns; diminished mobility in right hindleg, walks with a limp; very large stature, muscular, heavy, broad

Starflight

Teaches subject(s) - Science, Literacy

Additional responsibilities- Chief librarian, chief accountant, Quartz winglet guardian

Tribe - Nightwing

Color - Midnight blue gray

Relatives - none on site

Physical characteristics - severe burn scarring across face, neck, and chest; blind in both eyes; average size and build

Fatespeaker

Teaches subject(s) - Science, Literacy (assisting)

Additional responsibilities- Assistant librarian, assistant student counselor, inventory

Tribe - Nightwing

Color - Dark violet black

Relatives - none on site

Physical characteristics - curved horns; small silver scales near eyes and along body; smallish stature, slim, slightly underweight

Webs

Teaches subject(s) - History

Additional responsibilities- Assistant healer, assistant accountant, Gold winglet guardian

Tribe - Seawing

Color - Teal green and blue

Relatives - none on site

Physical characteristics - blotty, luminous markings across body, luminous birthmark on left front talon; small puncture scar on tail; medium to large size, gaunt frame

Stonemover

Tribe - Nightwing

Relatives - Sunny (daughter)

Additional notes - Stonemover is neither a member of the Jade Mountain Academy faculty, nor a student, but remains on site as a consultant on various animus-related matters (and also because he is stuck to the floor).

[mousetoe-wc]

I Got bored one time awhile ago and made a list of every prefix plus some into organised sections so I thought I might as well share.

All the ones that aren’t cannon to warriors, yet at lest are bold

Describing names

Colours: red, russet, copper, golden, amber, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, white, gray, black, ebony, dark, pale, silver, brown, tawny, fallow

Pattern, Texture + Size: spot/ted, dapple, speckle, freckle, brindle, patch, mottle, ragged, tangle, kink, bristle, fuzzy, curl/y, wooly, soft, sleek, little, tiny, small, slight, short, tall, long, big, heavy, crooked, broken, half, stumpy, shred, torn, jagged

Actions + Character: flip, pounce, bounce, jump, hop, crouch, down, low, drift, flail, strike, running, fidget, mumble, whistle, snap, sneeze, shiver/ing, shining, flutter, fallen, lost, rush, fleet, quick, shy, sweet, brave, loud, quiet, wild, hope, wish,

Other: claw, whisker, dead, odd, one, spike, fringe, echo, song, hallow, haven

Elements

Time + Weather: day, night, dusk, dawn, morning, sky, sun/ny, moon, storm, lightning, thunder, cloud/y, mist/y, fog, snow, blizzard, ice, frost, dew, drizzle, rain, clear, wind, breeze, gale, shadow, shade, bright, light,

Earth/Water/Fire names: stone, rock, boulder, slate, flint, pebble, gravel, sand/y, dust, mud/dy, meadow, hill, rubble, river, ripple, whorl, float, rapid, shimmer, lake, swamp, marsh, wave, wet, bubbling, splash, puddle, pool, creek, fire, flame, flicker, flash, blaze, scorch, ember, spark, ash, soot, cinder, smoke

Plants

Trees: alder, aspen, birch, beech, cedar, cypress, pine, elm, willow, oak, larch, maple, bay, rowan, timber, bark, log, wood, twig, acorn, cone, seed, spire

Berry/Nut/Fruit/Herb: juniper, elder, sloe, holly, yew, mistle, bramble, hickory, hazel, chestnut, nut, apple, cherry, cranberry, olive, pear, plum, peach, chive, mint, fennel, sage, basil, mallow, parsley

Flowers: aster, poppy, primrose, rose, bluebell, marigold, tansy, pansy, briar, cherry, daisy, dandelion, daffodil, tulip, violet, lily, myrtle, thrift, yarrow, heather, lavender, blossom, bloom, flower, petal

Other: leaf, frond, fern, bracken, sorrel, hay, rye, oat, wheat, cotton, reed, pod, cinnamon, milkweed, grass, clover, weed, stem, sedge, gorse, furze, flax, nettle, thistle, ivy, moss, lichen, bush, vine, root, thorn, prickle, nectar

Animals

Mammals: mouse, rat, mole, vole, shrew, squirrel, hedgehog, bat, rabbit, hare, ferret, weasel, stoat, mink, marten, otter, hog, wolf, hound, fox, vixen, badger, deer, doe, stag, fawn, sheep, cow, pig, lion, tiger, leopard, lynx, milk

Birds: robin, jay, cardinal, thrush, sparrow, swallow, shrike, starling, rook, swift, dove, pigeon, crow, raven, duck, goose, heron, wren, finch, swan, stork, quail, gull, lark, owl, eagle, hawk, kestrel, buzzard, kite, hoot, feather, bird, egg, talon

Fish, Reptiles + Amphibians: pike, perch, pollack, trout, tench, cod, carp, bass, bream, eel, minnow, fin, snake, adder, lizard, turtle, frog, toad, newt

Bug type Names: bug, lady or ladybug, moth, spider, ant, snail, slug, beetle, bee, wasp, dragon or dragonfly, bumble, worm, maggot, cricket, fly, midge, web, honey

Skyclan + Warriorclan: Bella, Billy, Big, Harry, Harvey, Snook, Ebony, Monkey

[dansnaturepictures]

Ten of my favourite photos taken in January 2025 and month summary

The photos are of; Firecrest at Lakeside Country Park, Whooper Swan with Mallards, Shelduck, Greylag Goose and Coot and Ruff with a Mallard at WWT Martin Mere, Great Crested Grebes and chicks at Lakeside, Fox at Pennington, teasel seed heads and willow bracket fungi at Lakeside, sunset at Southport, sun shining through trees at Lakeside and view at Toyd Down.

I had a swashbuckling start to my birdwatching year this month. We had an amazing week off filled with brilliant birdwatching centring on the amazing trip to the north west to visit WWT Martin Mere where between there and Southport where we stayed immersive scenes of masses of Whooper Swans, pristine Pink-footed Geese, Ruffs, Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings, many Shelducks, Pintails, Pochard, Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting, Marsh Harriers a star throughout the month, Fieldfare and Great Spotted Woodpecker were splendid to observe. Treecreeper was seen too a bird I had a phenomenal start to the year for seeing spotting them at a few locations and fabulous Firecrest and stylish Siskins were another two bright birds I enjoyed smashing views of at home especially on patch at Lakeside Country Park. A remarkable five grebe species spotted in the space of six days including stunning views of Black-necked Grebe, Red-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe, dashing ducks rarities Scaup and Green-winged Teal, fantastic views of a rare Lesser Yellowlegs and fine Barn Owl views were other highlights down south. Also starring in the very first days of the year and during the week off were Cattle Egret, Spoonbill and Glossy Ibis, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, Great Northern Diver, Guillemot, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher, Goldcrest, Bullfinch, Greenfinch and Green Woodpecker.

As the month went on I was stunned to see majestic White-tailed Eagle and Long-eared Owls over one extraordinary weekend with Raven, fine Black Redstart and Red-legged Partridge seen too, Grey Partridge and Corn Bunting were fantastic farmland birds to see, Redwing was a great bird to see at Lakeside and the Peregrine pair of Winchester were special to see in the new year. Notable locally also was the extraordinary scene of a Great Crested Grebe pair with adorable humbug chicks already and some movements towards courtship and breeding for others around in our ever-changing world. I really enjoyed doing the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch again this month with Woodpigeon, Blue Tits, Goldfinches and numerous Starlings among the key species I saw. I also enjoyed seeing Grey Wagtail, Redpoll, Ring-necked Parakeet and Little Grebe this month. I’ve been lucky to see an extraordinary amount of birds this month competing well with the numbers my very best past year lists have ended January on.

I started my mammal year well too with fantastic Fox views at Pennington, Sika Deer in Dorset on the way to Weymouth and Portland, Brown Hares and Common Seals in Langstone Harbour key sightings and good views of Roe Deers and Grey Squirrels. I saw some impressive spiders at home and a few Grey Silverfish. There were some interesting plants around with red campion, red deadnettle, white deadnettle, petty spurge, annual mercury, yarrow, ivy, periwinkle, cow parsley, groundsel, gorse, daisy, dandelion, hazel catkins, violet, winter heliotrope, winter aconite, crocus and snowdrops and daffodils hinting of spring pretty species seen flowering. Seed heads including teasel, wild carrot, old man's beard and fleabane, cuckoo-pint and thistle leaves and firethorn and privet berries and rose hips were other appealing plant sights this month. Moss and lichen including fairnose cartilage lichen were good to see. There were some great fungi moments with turkey tail and scarlet elf cups enchanting the woods of Blashford Lakes and willow bracket and birch polypore at Lakeside.

I got to take in some stunning landscapes this month including headland, beach and other coast, wetland and marsh, lakes, river, farmland, heathland and woodland and winter gripped the landscape at times from icy and frosty scenes to dramatic blustery weather. There were some stunning winter sunsets especially in Southport and the New Forest and addictive views of the moon with Mars beside at one point which I thoroughly enjoyed taking in.

[teratocrat]

A single yellow dwarf, unremarkable, of about 1.0218 solar masses. And in its corona, dancing aurora-dragons, ribbons and feathers of nine-colored light, singing and reciting poetry to each other and hitching freezing rides on the asteroids and comets that swing close enough to the star to leap out onto.

One small, dense planet, frosted over with incandescent stormclouds that snow lead flakes onto the slopes of volcanoes whose calderas are choked with galena coral reefs, the bones of colonies of radiation-tolerant extremophilic microorganisms, and where sulfur-swamps coat the lazy tideless beaches of the planet's only ocean, stirred and tilled by people like lanky bundles of black ironstraw, who heap their storehouses high with xanthous dried fusegrass.

One larger, much cooler planet, the calcite gleam of its moon hidden from the surface much of the time by cloudcover. warm, shallow, mildly acidic seas of lavender mucous, tentative marshes of weeping fuschia ferns, translucent lapine blobs with probing antennae that could be eyes or ears or questing tongues, and in the middle of the deepest ocean, a massive gelatinous thing, a superorganism like a rose with its stem plunging down into the volcanic baths of an oceanic rift, a mind from whom all other minds on this planet came and to which they occasionally return, eager to share their stories.

One rocky planet, bitterly cold and with the merest wisps of atmosphere clinging to it. Lifeless, all its water burned off it by baleful solar glare, the vast horizon-spanning saltpan seafloors bone-bare under the violet sky, and its moon hanging above like a clenched fist of black basalt.

An asteroid belt, scattered diamond motes of ice and stone and clay and metals, with three dwarf planets in its embrace, and the largest of them bearing a banner of silver and midnight, a unicorn guarding some alien tree.

A planet one might almost mistake for Earth, for all its snake-necked tortoise-camels and gold-feathered tigermen, for all its gleaming pentagonal ziggurats of diamond and steel, its three space elevators anchored in the emerald forests that girdle the equator, the capital of an interplanetary empire founded at the mouth of an immense river lazily piling hundreds of tons of silt a year into delta marshes, its vast ports berthing wide, flat-bottomed barges hauling iron and salt and sand and cinnabar, barrels of fish and wine and oil and perfumes, tigerman janissaries and scholars and poets and wizards, all tallied and accounted for in the lightning thoughts of supercomputers domesticated by bureaucracy. spaceplanes like silver songbirds or leaping fish ferrying the nobility (who disdain regular shuttle flights from the tips of the space elevators as base transportation for commoners) from the surface of the planet to its moon above, or to any number of gleaming stations in high orbit.

A gas giant, pale as pearl streaked with delicate pink and green pastels, skirted by dozens of captured child-moons, many of them bearing the same unicorn banner, some of them mined for this or that rare earth element, cities buried under the shielding crust of a scant handful, and two of them habitiformed enough to support imperial hunting grounds - managed grasslands or forests full of imported game - and hunting lodges of squat domes and towering spires, mirrored labyrinthine greenhouse-gardens and treasure-vaults of platinum jewelry set with nebula-gems snatched from their condensation-nests in the gas giant's depths.

Another gas giant, the blues and purples of a ripe plum blushing from clouds of midnight-black marbled with gold, icy rings slicing through swirling lunar orbits, merchants and mercenaries and privateers gliding from port to port in their sapphire-hulled ships, out where the empire scrabbles to find purchase. hollowed-out asteroids house cylindrical farms or monasteries of fatalistic leonine faiths or the huddled bodies of wound-down murine clockwork eunuchs, commissioned to advise and amuse some tiger-empress whose phoenix standard had long since faded into obscurity by the time the founder of the unicorn-banner dynasty first rallied soldiers to his cause.

An Earth-sized ball of grey-green ice, glassy smooth surfaces broken up by cryovolcanoes pumping volatiles up from a sooty core to rain down again in miserable pattering drizzles of methane through ammonia blizzards.

An ice giant, the immense azure sphere its inward neighbor might have been were it not for the vagaries of fate as involved in early star system formation, accompanied by seventeen bitterly cold moons whose tides have woven something enormous and ponderous of thought out of the inner sea of supercritical fluids.

a dozen or more dwarf planets of packed stone and ice, swinging through the outer black clouds on vastly elliptical orbits, witnesses to tumbling nickel-iron visitors and alien probes relaying streams of blurry photography and other observations back to some unknown homeworld as they fall endlessly through interstellar space.

[hellscythearts]

100 Character MASS ATTACK for Artfight! (all @s and the bg without all the characters under the cut)

Family Vacation 2023 <3

Atlas and Limber for @logicalbreak

Fragile and Distant Vessel for @jendra82

Peakwing for @HyphaeShade

Kyno for @nico.d.pie

Noli for @polaris-s-creation-void

Rue for @uvpartybomb-stuff

Spiller for @busybuns

Jynx for @flame-shadow

Ipsy for @floppa-whoppa

Timbre and Tick for @muggywort

Jezo and Syna for @deservedlyfluffy

Unati for @hyperfluffed

Nen for @eregore_

Hare for @wandering-the-worlds

Unnamed for @livingmeme

Echo for @trisquiggles

Scint for @scripscrim

Spark for @chrometheraptor

Wiollé for @angelsofu

Aries for @ember_surge

Lost for @kilawolfsblut

The Forgotten for @King_Crow

Tbn and Moth for @lunarkana

Morpho for @snickerdoodlesss

Hum for @brimal-baspid

Maple for @girlkisserr

Akirna for @luluthefox-plays

Elwood for @stardewboba

Clover for @mmelody87

Quartz for @nautical-nova

Panrha for @jolteon

Hollow for @asterrioxs

AZ and Acordis for @wrenchdogs

Tinket for @CrispCheri

Mere for @shark-bytee

Reese for @artxeevee

Lichen for @quiet_skye

Blanket for @pastelcrocodile

Little Fly for @retrocatalyst

Tiny/Inoi for @plyushh

Aether for @sharkrotator

Nymph for @astralabraxas

Valis for @FilletOFish

Hurl for @ingridskogstad

Talos for @tyginartist

Nis for @faceless-dreamer

Calyx for @aur0rakat

Adonis for @inertblue

Wicott for @cerealfluffy

Blue Vessel Kune for @theoddhawk1

Scraps for @evielutionevie

Laurel for @sappedart

Ree for @themgaypigeons

Kai for @devilcatdarling

Lavea for @LisyLupikus

Crotchet for @frogynn

Spider for @ten-times-ten

Marsh for @blu-orb

Wilmore for @zahanh

Violet for @invadermak2016

Bell for @corgiestnerd

Shard for @finalarchivist

Mite for @InvaderBarwib

Ruhi for @artofahma

Predicament for @carrioncomfort

Aila for @jenny626

Quilt for @flightdrawswhatever

Lunge for @tin-pin-artist

Aithenymm for @hoozl

Spring and Fall for @mrsquidgereen

Echo for @cherrppi

Spect for @slimestyx

Doleira for @loud-whistling-yes

Lamp for @

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

🔎 YA Under the Radar 7 🔍

I have been working on this list in the series all year 😂 it just took me that long to read a decent amount of underrated YA - but I got there in the end and I'm pretty happy with the recs on this list 🥰

there are rainbow flags next to LGBT+ rep, wheelchair symbols next to disability rep and koalas next to Australia YA simply because there's a lot of that on this particular list

so take a gander and maybe consider picking up a title or two (or ten) in 2024 to support lesser-known authors and books 😊

Take Me With You When You Go by David Levithan & Jennifer Niven 🏳️‍🌈

Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Brianna R Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum 🏳️‍🌈♿️

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli 🏳️‍🌈

To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames 🏳️‍🌈

It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames 🏳️‍🌈

Scout’s Honor by Lily Anderson 🏳️‍🌈

Grace Notes by Karen Comer 🐨

The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch 🏳️‍🌈

Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew

After Dark With Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis

Blind Spot by Robyn Dennison 🐨

Melt With You by Jennifer Dugan 🏳️‍🌈

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest ♿️

What We Harvest by Ann Fraistat

All Eyes On Us by Kit Frick 🏳️‍🌈

When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey 🏳️‍🌈

The Lightness of Hands by Jeff Garvin ♿️

Then Everything Happens at Once by M-E Girard 🏳️‍🌈♿️

The Buried by Melissa Grey 🏳️‍🌈

Because of You by Pip Harry 🐨

The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl 🏳️‍🌈

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D Jackson

Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June 🏳️‍🌈

Out of the Blue by Jason June 🏳️‍🌈

Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball by Jason June 🏳️‍🌈

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko 🏳️‍🌈

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala 🏳️‍🌈

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

It Will End Like This by Kyra Leigh

Extasia by Claire Legrand

Ryan and Avery by David Levithan 🏳️‍🌈

Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier 🏳️‍🌈

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo 🏳️‍🌈

We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough 🐨

Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over by Miranda Luby 🐨

None Shall Sleep series by Ellie Marney 🐨

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh ♿️

Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall

These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall 🏳️‍🌈

The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall 🏳️‍🌈

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

Mask of Shadows duology by Linsey Miller 🏳️‍🌈

Sugar by Carly Nugent ♿️🐨

All Our Hidden Gifts trilogy by Caroline O’Donoghue 🏳️‍🌈

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton

Accidental by Alex Richards

Some Kind of Animal by Mar Romasco-Moore

Luminous by Mara Rutherford

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford

The Midnight Lie duology by Marie Rutkoski 🏳️‍🌈

Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore 🏳️‍🌈

When You Call My Name by Tucker Shaw 🏳️‍🌈

If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So 🏳️‍🌈

Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon ♿️

Breathe and Count Back From Ten by Natalia Sylvester ♿️

Cold by Mariko Tamaki 🏳️‍🌈

Outrun the Wind by Elizabeth Tammi 🏳️‍🌈

The Weight of a Soul by Elizabeth Tammi

Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas ♿️

Violet Ghosts by Leah Thomas 🏳️‍🌈

The Comedienne’s Guide to Pride by Hayli Thomson 🏳️‍🌈🐨

The Siren, the Song and the Spy by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley 🏳️‍🌈

Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley 🏳️‍🌈

Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken by Nita Tyndall 🏳️‍🌈♿️

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White 🏳️‍🌈

This Is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde 🏳️‍🌈♿️🐨

Where You Left Us by Rhiannon Wilde 🏳️‍🌈🐨

Two Can Play That Game by Leanne Yong🐨

Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

My Garden Flowers Part 3

All photos mine. The small buttercup and evening primrose are edited for colour since the camera didn't catch it and washed it out.

In order of appearance:

In order of appearance:

061. Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare) Didn't do so well the last place I had her in, but she seems happy in this spot, so fingers crossed.

062. Crested Iris (Iris cristata) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

063. Smallflower Buttercup (Rancunculus abortivus) Not much to look at compared with other buttercups but one of the only native buttercups with (limited) edible uses.

064. Smooth Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet. Soon, hopefully!

065. False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosa) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet, but she's growing well so hopefully next year.

066. Blisterwort (Ranunculus recurvatus) I didn't plant that. She just turned up last year. Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet.

067. Fairy Spuds (Claytonia virginica) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet. She's a wee little spud in the ground.

068. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus floridus) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet but she is slowly spreading out.

069. Plantain-Leaf Sedge (Carex plantaginea) Not pictured as I haven't got pictures yet. I should. It's a neat plant. Evergreen, too!

070. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) One of the prettiest plants I've ever seen, from the shape and texture of the leaves to the purplish pink buds to the bright blue bell-shaped flowers. They're spring ephemerals, though, so they're long gone by now. But will emerge next spring!

071. Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) Only lives for two years and reseeds itself. It's a common weed along sidewalks, but its flowers glow yellow in the evening and often remain in bloom at night.

072. Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet. The leaves are really cute, though.

073. Large Toothwort (Cardamine maxima) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

074. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet.

075. Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) A cultivar, not sure which one. I'll get the wild type if/when I can.

076. American Plum (Prunus americana) I was not expecting her to flower this year! Hopefully she will next year too, and without aphids this time so I can have some plums. :)

077. Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) So like I said, I do think New England asters are the prettiest of this genus, but smooth asters are very nice in their own way. Tender bluish leaves, and delicate light purple flowers.

078. Sweet Grass (Hierochloe odorata) Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet. She only flowered one year. Hasn't since. I won't miss a photo next time.

079. Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) What's better than pretty flowers? Tasty pretty flowers!

080-081. Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) Two different cultivars and the red one has died, but I did get my hands on the wild type! That will hopefully bloom this year.

082. Stiff Sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus subrhomboideus) Holds her own against the much more aggressive Nuttall's sunflower. Sometimes called beautiful sunflower. I don't know how one decides which species of a very showy genus gets that name, but I guess she won out.

083. Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) Another one that was hard to choose a photo of. You just hardly believe they're real!

084. Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) I planted her where there's a drip from the eavestrough so she can get very wet when it rains. :) She is not a marigold but instead part of the buttercup family.

085. Nuttall's Sunflower (Helianthus nuttallii) Whenever I am expressing frustration about sunflowers, it is almost always this species. lol Very beautiful but very aggressive.

086. Larkspur Violet (Viola pedatifida) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

087. White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

088. Small Sundrops (Oenothera perennis) Not quite as intensely yellow as some of her relatives but still very bright.

089. Bigleaf Aster (Eurybia macrophylla) You generally grow her for foliage rather than her flowers, but flowering she is! Very drought-tolerant, but spreads more readily in less harsh conditions.

090. Bride's Feathers (Aruncus dioicus) Southern Ontario and surrounding area's evolution really went off on the lacy white flowers, and this species' flowers might be the laciest of them all.

[alaskan-wallflower]

south park characters’ eye colors (in my opinion, i don’t remember if there’s a canon, lmao)

Eric Cartman: probably just blue, like baby blue/very light colored blue

Stan Marsh: dark blue-they almost look black, but when the light shines on the lm it’s like this sapphire color

Kyle Broflovski: lime green fading into darker green at the edges

Kenny McCormick: royal blue. they almost look violet, but if there’s light on them they’re like this royal blueish purple color

Butters Stotch: aquamarine, they’re kinda dull-colored, but when he’s in the light they turn this real sort of color

Tweek Tweak: grey eyed tweek?? anyone?? either grey or like…grey with the slightest hint of green

Craig Tucker: dark blue, you can see they’re blue, unlike stan, but it’s a very dark shade of blue.

Clyde Donovan: auburn in the dark, amber in the light, calling it rn

Tokien Black: extremely dark brown, except when the light shines on them, then they’re more noticeably brown

Jimmy Valner: greenish-yellow, kinda a hazel color but with less brown in there

Wendy Testenburger: black, she wishes they were blue though.

Bebe Stevens: baby blue, darker than cartman’s but much, much lighter than craig’s

Heidi Turner: Grey, nothing else to say lol

[pickerelstripe]

Lexicon Changelog - 8/28/24

I'm back! Recently I've been working on a bio survey for ClayClan territory, which involved fine-tuning my species list. This led to some changes that necessitated a lexicon update. I hope to make some lexicon posts now that there's new content, but I'm also a college student now (yay!) so I don't know when they'll be up.

Added words:

Nanlo, Christmas fern

Kaonan, Common bracken

Kemwo, Cinnamon fern

Mwich, Interrupted fern

Nailu, Royal fern

Eekaon, Broach beech fern

Holfe, Rock polypody

Hossan, Sensitive fern

Oskwen, Sweet white violet

Luwoo, Marsh blue violet

Kiru, Lance-leaved violet

Erfso, Northern blue violet

Raofoo, Ruffed grouse

Kao, triangle

Och, middle

Rran, end

Hossow, meandering; the shape of a slow river, lobed leaves, etc

Removed words:

Ee'earp, Yellow-throated vireo (range conflict)

Pikchikawee, White-eyed vireo (range conflict)

Changed words:

Pail -> Pairru, Blueflag iris Changed to reflect the fact that blueflag iris is toxic to cats, the 'rru' sound sounds similar to growling (a commonality among words for toxic things).

It was really nice to revisit this project! As always, if you have any questions or comments feel free to send an ask.

Also... we passed 200 words! Yay!!! The lexicon is now at 209.

[vandaliatraveler]

It was a dreary Saturday on Chestnut Ridge, but even the bleakest days are brightened by Spring’s dazzling gifts. From top: a wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) grudgingly unfolds its petals in search of sunlight; common sassafras (Sassafras albidum) shows off its yellow-green blooms; smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum), whose pendulous flowers are near to bloom; the magnificent marsh blue violet (Viola cucullata Aiton), a lover of damp stream banks and bogs; heartleaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), whose resplendent flower spikes are matched in beauty by its velvety, luxuriant foliage; and the fragile, sylph-like sessile bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia), whose principle pollinator (Andrena uvulariae) specializes in this wildflower.

[thecourtofindigo]

Melaco Town Pt. I - Natural + Main Areas

MELACO TOWN - MAIN AREA A small, semi-rural town nestled between several large, dense forests and shielded by misty black mountains to its far north. Train tracks run through it, and a freight train runs daily, sometimes at strange late hours.

Melaco Town is an eerie, odd place that becomes darker the deeper one looks at it. It feels quaint, old-fashioned and often abandoned by daylight, but lit up in fluorescent colours, seedy and sinister by night. Many of its citizens are nocturnal and very eccentric, and seem to be hiding dark, unthinkable secrets that they will likely take to their graves.

The weather in Melaco is inconsistent, but always windy and the air bears a chill even in summer. The local soil is of note, being extremely rich, oily and black and sprouting rare flowers that appear nowhere else in the world. Despite its unsettling qualities, the vast stretches of trees and nature around Melaco Town can be quite breathtaking to find oneself in. This quietness and magical aura was part of what drew Alexia and her brother to settle there.

WOODWARD FIELD A huge, grassy, hilly meadow that stretches across eastern Melaco Town to the foothills of the dark mountains surrounding its north side. There are sparse houses, but little else in the field - save for two unusual landmarks.

One is an archway that seems to have once been the gate to something, inscribed with the text "To the land of tomorrow for two - if one again breaks my heart to pieces". Its origin is unknown, but it seems old, is carved of stone and marble, and seems to have once been painted in garish shades of pink, violet, gold and blue.

The second landmark is a marsh spring with deep green water, surrounded by drooping willow trees. Several decayed, moss-laden stone totems jut up from the water. The spring is the haunting ground of two sister nature gods - Tar-Rokka of the Swamp and Tir-Ranna of the Storm.

THE FOREST OF VEILS A mysterious patch of deep woods located a short walk behind St. Martin Street, beyond the train tracks. The trees here have black bark and silver-white leaves and blossoms. The forest floor is also covered with silvery grass and flowers, and no other colour of flora will bloom there.

The forest gets its name from the pearlescent veils and strings of jewels strung up like spiderwebs between the trees - this is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Its treetops are extremely dense, allowing little sunlight in, yet it remains fairly well-lit due to the shimmering plantlife. The forest's sole inhabitant is an ageless, ancient child-eating witch named Wysteria, but there are hints that there was once a native group of beings there - whom Wysteria likely ran off, killed, or ate the last of long ago.

THE DAWNLIGHT BLUSTERS An extremely windy, forested patch of hills on the eastern edge of the town that seem to be perpetually stuck in autumn, painted year-round in bright greens, gold and red. It is a wondrous, beautiful place with an aura of childhood adventure, yet can become quite lonely and wistful, with few houses or people around.

The deepest groves of the Blusters also harbor a sinister place - Jane's Hours Estate - a supposedly cursed Edwardian-era manor that belonged most recently to the Rondo family, all of whom but the youngest member, Robin, met a tragic end there.

Robin Rondo still resides in the Blusters, in a fort of his own design, in the woods on the farthest edge of the Estate. Robin's fort is constructed of wood, scrap metal, bright colourful quilts and miscellaneous "junk", and is surrounded by pinwheels and childlike novelty objects of all kinds.

ABANDONED PARK The abandoned park lies concealed by tall tangles of grass and densely-woven, overgrown trees in a field between Julian's backyard on St. Martin Street and the small barrier of forest behind Goodnight Plaza.

All that remains of the actual "park" are rusted, unusable skeletons of playground equipment and a canopy laced with tiny baby roses. Outwardly, there is nothing special about this area, but upon entering, one can sense a "living force" there, like a massive heart slowly beating just beneath the soil.

Hidden deeply in a thick grove within the park is a disturbing monument of soft, oily scarlet stone that feels like candle wax to the touch. It is made up of a square door in the ground guarded by a statue of a man screaming in great agony, thick blood streaming from his eyes and mouth. Beneath it is the pathway to the Court of Indigo (the Depthless Stair). The monument itself, while worn by time, still serves as a seal to keep the Indigo under their curse - a curse set by a warlock which entails they will die in their natural forms if they touch either sun or moonlight.

One From the Clocks uses this path to stalk the above world for victims to use in his and Kanabiel's experiments (or for cruel pleasure), since he is still part-human and the curse does not affect him.

[valnes941]

Satellite of Cybertron/Chapter 3

It was getting evening.

There was less and less light coming out of the cracks in the ground, the tree-like crystals grew dimmer and dimmer, and the birds' singing became silent.

In the cyan jungle next to the cave, night and tranquility were falling. The entrance to the cave was covered by a large number of dangling dark green metal vines, acting as an improvised door. Fortunately, the temperature here did not vary much during the local twenty-four hours, to the inhabitant herself this model of door reminded her of something oriental. She was inside and nestled comfortably on her side on the makeshift bed. Retracting her wings, she managed to extinguish her fire and plunge the place into a pleasant darkness. Even without her nightlight in the form of a blue crystal, she was well aware that she was looking where the dining room was, her feet could rest against the wall if she wished and her head against the ‘work’ table.

She sighed heavily and rolled over onto her other side. Her glowing violet eyes reflected in an unusually well-polished sheet of unknown metal (it made an excellent mirror). The purple motobot immediately came to mind. A faint smile appeared on her face.

She had mistaken it for a horse the first time she saw it. No, have you seen the local horses? They turn into motorbikes! It wasn't her fault that in her attempt to get to know the local fauna better, she'd managed to catch just him! No wonder she dropped him almost the moment he was in her hands in all his glory.

Remembering now the shocked look on his, what she thought, shocked face made her want to laugh. The humble chuckle could have been well heard by any other creature, had there been one in the cave.

But there was no one. Not a single soul besides herself.

It wasn't as noticeable in the daytime. And yet time passed quickly: watching crystal butterflies and metal plants, catching up with moto-horses, playing with glass hummingbirds… Before she'd been on Cybertron, none of that had happened. Yes, space was empty at times, but the fact that she had a family was reassuring. Her father had been a smug jerk, and her younger siblings had scattered across the galaxy early…. Well, there were a lot of good times. Not bad for a reborn human.

But there were no beds in space. Oh, it took a lot of work to make one. Well, it also took time and a lot of sheep-like animal wool. They're very peaceful creatures. Favoured the local marshes, if you could call them that. She didn't know why they were so untouched by possible predators, but since they were the only creatures with such a feature, she ‘clipped’ a little from each one every couple of days until she had enough. Until then she had to sleep on bare metal.

In the end, she ended up with even a little more - the leftovers made a nice cap for a nightlight. After all, this crystal never stopped glowing, which was a bit of a problem. But the blue light diluted the atmosphere nicely. Green, of course, is kind of supposed to be a calming colour, but not in such quantity. Got it at the foot of the mountains beyond the river.

There was enough of that in there. Has a weird tingling electric flavour and is quite caloric. Gained a couple of pounds before the taste was no longer a novelty.

But it seems the local civilised robots feed on it - distill it into liquid form, maybe add something else - and drink it. At one time, she'd noticed that the resulting ‘clear’ drink was darker in adults than in children. Though, given how wide the Cybertronians' growth range was, it wouldn't be surprising if some of the smaller robots turned out to be adult minicons.

My eyes finally closed, and everything went completely dark. The only thing that could be distinguished was the quiet breathing, which gradually slowed down. Sleep had taken over the place completely.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Far to the west of the cyan jungle, and even from Festus Fax in the forests at the foot of the Manganese Mountains, a dark blue mech, with a triangular red visor covering its faceplate, was moving toward this settlement. His quick but silent stride, his careful gait, made him look like an experienced hunter. But it was getting dark, and it was too dangerous to go any further, especially in such a wild place as this. So it was decided to find a more or less safe place to rest. It was soon found: it was a space between several interlocking crystalline trees - large enough to accommodate him, but with a passage narrow enough to keep anything bigger than him from climbing in. Slowly pulsing cable vines replaced the ceiling to some extent, and some of them dangled in such a way that, when viewed from the side with the proper imagination, one could see a miniature rain of stars.

For some reason he hesitated before entering. Looking up, he put out an arm bent at the elbow, and an imperceptible sound wave erupted from his helmet. It didn't take long for the result to come: the sonicondor appeared almost silently, sitting down on the proposed perch in the form of a manipulator and then rubbing itself against the fur's chest plate. Holding the avinoid, he scrutinised the possible shelter.

The mech nodded satisfactorily, satisfied that there had been no changes since his last time here. He released the sonicondor, covered the entrance from outside and inside with vines, and began to prepare to reload.

Suddenly his chest compartment opened up and two rectangular blocks flew out, transforming into two identical red and purple coloured robots respectively and landing deftly on the servo. The large indigo mech pointed two fingers at them, then pointed at their surroundings and, raising his index finger upwards, outlined a circle in the air with it. The minicons nodded back at him and dispersed in opposite directions, towards the cracks that could become entrances for uninvited guests.

Und Vox vented a sigh of relief: finally some rest. The journey had not been easy, but they were getting by. Their little family had practically returned home almost within a vorn of leaving it. Good old Festus Fax, small and cosy. One can only hope they didn't miss anything important. I wonder how Somnic is doing? Knowing her younger brother Stentor, you can tell she's definitely not bored. The fact that he's best friends with his Furor and Rugit is the best proof of that. In the first few days after their return, no one would dare let their guard down.

These little menaces can make a mess of things even separately, one can only guess what they can do when they reunite again…

Oh, the sparklings will be eager to hear about the journey, and they'll be only too happy to talk about it. The uncharted forests of the Manganese Mountains, the shore of the Rust Sea with the Hydrax Plateau visible in the distance, the Sonic Canyons that respond to every noise with multiple echoes - it took a lot of effort and concentration to capture them at their best.

And yet you have to stop to think. The night was not rubber, and tomorrow they would have to get up early to make it on time.

[violettesiren]

I’ll shake the bees from the thyme-heads for you, and gather mint, bound with coarse strands of grasses, I’ll tempt the marshes for the mirrored iris, and break the thorn-bough’s blossom.

I’ll bring white violets in a moss-lined basket, and with young fern I’ll bind the pale narcissus, I’ll search the rocks for the frail rock-cistus and the rare violets.

O Hyacinth of the swamp-lands, Blue lily of the marshes, How could I know, Being but a silly shepherd, That you would mock at me?

But you will mourn when the white fire flickers out of my face and leaves me staring, mortal; you will be sorry that you took their rose-leaves, scorning my golden crocuses.

O Hyacinth of the swamp-lands, blue lily of the marshes, across the fields I watch the white stars darken; the day comes and the white stars dim and lessen and the lights fade in the city: so in the city do they dim your beauty; only the fields have kept it and the singing of goat-boys who must follow to my piping.

The Shepherd by H.D.

[dansnaturepictures]

Eleven of my favourite photos I took in November 2024 and month summary

The photos are of; Great White Egret at Testwood Lakes, Snow Bunting at Sandy Point on Hayling Island, Cormorant at Lakeside Country Park, white deadnettle and view at Lakeside, Fallow Deer at Bolderwood in the New Forest, Red Admiral and shaggy scalycaps at Lakeside, red campion at Testwood Lakes, a characteristic sun going down whilst out view at this time of year at Pig Bush in the New Forest and the moon out the front.

November was another fantastic month of birds for me with a major highlight coming soon into it getting sensational views of the sumptuous Snow Bunting at Sandy Point and another fine species seen late on with only my third ever Red-necked Grebe seen at Weston Shore today. Other key birds seen this month included the seasonal delight of Redwings, Raven, Green Woodpecker, Ring-necked Parakeet, Greenfinch and Siskin. Glorious Great White Egret views, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Goosander and Egyptian, Greylag and Brent Geese brought a sprinkling of blissful wading birds and waterfowl to observe, evocative of autumn and winter for me. This month I also enjoyed seeing Buzzard, Red Kite, Jays, Kingfisher including at Winnall Moors and Lakeside in another strong month I had for them, Cormorant, Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Mistle Thrush, Blackbirds, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Pied Wagtail and Tufted Ducks and Mute Swans which were especially nice to see on patch at Lakeside and a young one in Winchester respectively. Common Gull was another key bird seen this month with one returning to Lakeside which is always thrilling to see, with Herring Gulls enjoyed there too. I also took pleasure in some great Winchester Peregrine and Grey Wagtail and Lakeside Great Crested Grebe, Coot and Moorhen views this month. A dashing male Sparrowhawk at home was another special bird to see.

I got fine and immersive views of Fallow and Roe Deer this month, seeing a fair few New Forest Ponies, Grey Seal, Grey Squirrels and Brown Rats too. There was still some butterfly interest this month with some great views of a Red Admiral at Lakeside. Bee, wasp and hoverfly including marmalade hoverfly were also nice to see with Grey Silverfish and spiders seen well at home. It was a good month for plants still with a fair bit seen flowering including knapweed, marsh thistle, red campion, herb-Robert, hedgerow crane’s-bill, periwinkle, hedge woundwort, red clover, some early winter heliotrope and violet at and near Lakeside, hogweed, wild carrot, ragwort, petty spurge, dock, white deadnettle, stinging nettle, red deadnettle, groundsel, ivy-leaved toadflax, viper’s-bugloss, scentless mayweed, sea mayweed, oxeye daisy, daisy, dandelion, oxtongue, sow thistle, buttercups, ivy, rock samphire, red valerian, evening primrose, gorse, common heather, bell heather and cross-leaved heath. I enjoyed observing seed heads a lot this month with teasel, fleabane, spear and creeping thistle, wild carrot, hogweed, old man’s beard, purple loosestrife and hemp agrimony standing out and leaves including common toadflax, thistle and ferns. Apple, privet berries, rose hips and holly berries led the way for fruit seen.

Fungi once again played a key role in my month as I was captivated by enigmatic shaggy scalycaps and intricate patterns of turkey tail at Lakeside with the latter seen elsewhere too. Crowded parchment, waxcaps, dung-loving deconica, possible winter russula, pleated inkcap, earthball and parasol in a good autumn I’ve had for them and a notable new one for me seen a couple of times in the New Forest handsome club were other highlights. I also liked seeing moss and lichen including oakmoss. I took in a lot of charming landscape and sky scenes this month again with the splendour of autumnal colour continuing to grip the landscape giving way to morning frost scenes as winter crept in towards the end. Sunsets, sunrises and some great full moon scenes were wonderful to take in this month too alongside lake, wetland, coastal and New Forest woodland and heath vistas. Wishing you all a great December.

[tymberwolf02]

Concept art for Jack Thunder n' Friends.

In the land of Altairus, there is one force that holds all beings together. This force is known by many names, but most call it Anima. Anima is the magical force that flows through all living beings and imbibes them with a magical essence that allows them to perform great feats not possible on Earth. The Sigil of Anima consists of a star with six points with a lightning bolt in the center, representing the essential spark of life that Anima gives to Altairus. The six points represent the six elements of Anima; Air, Water, Dark, Earth, Fire, and Light. This sigil is often carved on the walls of dojos; buildings protected by magical wards made for the express purpose of providing students of magic the opportunity to study and practice. The elements of Anima are not mutually exclusive; they are all the same kind of magic at their core, and many magical occurrences involve more than one element.

The Elements (Clockwise from top):

Air

Sigil: A swirly-topped cloud

Colors: Sky blue, white, azure

Associated beings: Storm gremlins, weather wyverns, tengu, sylphs, wind spirits

Associated powers: Weather control, throwing electricity, creating tornadoes, summoning wind spirits

Associated locations: Tempest Island, anywhere located in the clouds or on top of a tall mountain

Water

Sigil: Three droplets of water

Colors: Indigo, teal, sea green

Associated beings: Mermaids, sea dragons, naga, sea witches, kappas

Associated powers: Hypnotic singing, creating sea storms/tsunamis, purifying/polluting water, commanding sea creatures, healing spells

Associated locations: Anywhere underwater, swamps, marshes, riverbeds, springs

Dark

Sigil: A crescent moon with the dark part on the bottom left

Colors: Black, violet, dark blue

Associated beings: dark elves, satyrs, kobolds, vampires

Associated powers: Commanding night creatures, bending darkness, hypnosis, inflicting/relieving pain psychically, divination, necromancy

Associated locations: Dark forests, underground, anywhere at night

Earth

Sigil: A tree with five branches

Colors: Green, brown, black

Associated beings: Wood elves, trolls, skinwalkers, dryads, gnomes

Associated powers: Shapeshifting, animal speech, healing, inflicting disease, command over plants/animals, finding treasure

Associated locations: Forests, meadows, mountains, any natural location that is fairly undisturbed.

Fire

Sigil: A blazing flame

Colors: Red, orange, yellow

Associated beings: Fire dragons, imps, salamanders, hearth spirits

Associated powers: Pyromancy, immunity to ice powers, temperature control, dispelling flames

Associated locations: Volcanoes, tropical climates, mountains, deserts

Light

Sigil: A sun somewhat resembling a compass rose

Colors: White, yellow, orange, sky blue

Associated beings: High elves, unicorns, valkryies, astrals

Associated powers: Healing, light blades, neutralizing opponents through enlightenment, creating wards

The Null Element (????):

The Null Element, shown on the far left, has a sigil that consists of two question-mark shapes, the left one inverted. While it is similar to the elements of Anima, it is not an element at all. In fact, the Null Element has negative Anima, meaning that rather than emitting Anima, it draws Anima in and consumes it. It is associated with beings known as wendigoes; twisted, empty beings that live their lives in misery, devoid of any ray of happiness, unless they are actively consuming Anima. While Null Element spells can make good copy of spells associated with any of the elements, it can seem attractive for spellcasters to use it; however, using Null spells drains both the user and their surroundings of their Anima, weakening them and lessening their ability to protect themselves from the wendigoes' influence, and tearing holes in the veil between Altairus and the Flipside (the home of the wendigoes). It is for these reasons that using Null spells is highly discouraged and stigmatized throughout most of Altairus - it is an element that promises power and wealth, but delivers on neither, and owns one's soul in the end.