#might plant some more annuals around the roses this year too

[jedi-bird]

Kitty memorial garden is officially set up among the roses. I didn't always have the option or the money to bring home all of my cats ashes but I wanted a way to remember them. I bought the big one in 2019 after Chloe passed on. The smaller one came home last weekend because it seemed appropriate.

[bffhreprise]

Best Friend For Hire Reprise, 382

 “Slow down!” exclaimed Iris.  “Turn left just up ahead.”

 I nodded and complied.  She knew where her boss lived better than any of us, having never visited this suburb befored.  I probably would have missed the break in the endless fence had she not warned me, especially when I was trying to guess the cost of having a large amount of land next to a park in a pricey suburb.  To my surprise, the gate opened for us immediately.

 “He doesn’t care much for security, does he?” I teased, looking around to see if there was some sort of guard who would have opened the gate for us.

 “Mila watches everything, so there’s no need.  There are sensors and cameras all over the yard that let her know if anything is disturbed.” explained Iris matter-of-factly.

 I nodded, but my eyes were locked on our destination in the distance, barely visible through all of the rain.  I had considerably underestimated the size of this place.  I very much doubted that I could even afford to maintain the yard for very many years and could only guess that the property tax had to be immense.

 As my sons grew excited about the bushes, I looked over and stared for several seconds.  Every single bush along the long driveway had been carefully sculpted into characters that I recognized from video games my kids enjoyed.  I could only imagine the amount of time and number of people involved in such artwork, leading me to believe James spent even more on his yard annually than I originally had guessed.  Even the fountain—an immense, two-story affair that was very elaborately sculpted—was immaculate, showing no signs of wear or neglect.  James certainly knew how to make an impression.

 When we stepped inside, passing past two sets of double doors that opened for us, James was descending down one of the staircases which curved up to a balcony on the second floor.  “James!  Thank you for having us.  This is quite a place you’ve got here.  Sorry if we brought the storm.” I told him, gesturing to the weather outside.

 “There’s plenty to see.” he politely agreed.  “Thank you for accepting the invitation.  I thought you might be interested in seeing a little more about my company than most, since you seemed curious during the game.  Mick was supposed to stop by a while ago but apparently didn’t get the time.”

 “This place is awesome!” exclaimed Matt.

 “Sorry, James.” muttered Mick.

 “No need to apologize.  We’ll just review with your family today what I wanted to tell you before.” replied James, smiling at us.

 I suddenly found myself floating as a soft breeze blew at me from inside the mansion.  Looking to my sides, I saw that my family, save for my daughter, were also floating.

 Before I could do more than exclaim in surprise, James spoke up, telling us, “Magic is real, and your family can use it.”

 I stared at them, my mind trying to figure out how he was doing this.  Was this some elaborate prank using a new technology?  “Wh-What…” was all I managed to say before we were gently lowered to the ground.

 “You wanted to know what I was feeding my employees.  I train them physically, mentally, and in magical arts.  We didn’t use spells at the baseball game, but we have numerous advantages that are completely unfair.” explained James.  “For example, I can physically lift your family’s van, though using spells is easier to ensure I don’t compromise the frame.”

 I swore, feeling like I had been had, before my better judgement kicked in.  My family was currently at this boy’s mercy.

 James’ smile broadened as he said, “If you don’t mind coming out back, I’ll ask the wonderful gardener to demonstrate something people tend to grasp more easily.”  Not hearing any argument from us, he motioned for us to follow him and started telling us  “Mirabella and Mike can’t create the electrical discharges like the rest of you.  She has a different heritage, and Mike took after his mother.”

 “How could you possibly know that?” asked Mike in surprise.

 “My secretary ran a background check on Iris prior to her being hired, and she’s so thorough that I feel like she knows everything.  You wouldn’t believe how long she takes to brief me on things.” explained James as he glanced back at my son.  “My concern with Mick is that he and Iris tended to play games with their ability, which caught enough notice for my secretary to file it in the report.  There are some out there who prey on those with abilities such as yours, so being a little more cautious tends to be wise.”

 That sounded far too believable.  I probably should have chewed those two out more often, but I had never believed anyone would have noticed their antics.  “You claim you can lift cars, and you can obviously lift us.  What else can you do, James?” I asked, wanting a firmer handle on whom I was dealing with.

 “So many things, Dad.  James is like a wizard combined with an overly strong fighter from some fantasy novel.” insisted Iris from behind me.

 I glanced back at her, surprised at how serious she looked.

 “I’ve also learned to make a great cup of tea.  My wife can be picky.” insisted James.

 “What’s that smell..?” questioned Mike longingly.

 Now that he mentioned it, I didn’t recognize the smell either, though I was certain it was food.  My mouth was already watering.

 “We’re almost to the kitchen, and Marco’s making you quite the treat.  I’m sure he won’t mind us passing through.  Just be prepared for a few samples.” encouraged James.

 The kitchen was as large as was fitting a house this size, and even there the fanciful engravings didn’t yield.  Every cabinet was beautifully carved, as were the very large table and chairs.

 Marco, the chef, was extraordinarily eager for us to sample “a few things” before we moved onward, despite assuring us that dinner would be ready soon.  Only when James pointed out there was more for us to see before dinner did Marco give way, giving us permission to pass through his kitchen into the garden beyond.

 The rain didn’t reach us as we followed James outside, hitting some invisible barrier and sliding away.

 “I don’t suppose you worry about getting struck by lightning.” I commented as I watched the sky.

 “Worried, no, but I didn’t find that to be pleasant either.” he told me sincerely.

 I stared at him, my eyes searching for any sign that he had ever been struck, but I found nothing, save for how confident he seemed.  

 “If your magic were stronger, you’d actually be able to guide a lightning bolt around you.  Iris has practiced enough that she could knock an assailant down with just the shock.” he commented, making me glance back at my daughter.

 “You can?” questioned Mick excitedly.

 She nodded, grinned, and said, “Yep, though I could take you in a fight without one.”  

 “All trained up now, are you?” questioned Mark, my eldest son.

 Iris laughed, shaking her head.  “You wouldn’t believe the standards here.”

 “I take it that James is the strongest, being the boss.” suggested Mike.

 James shook his head and said, “Not even close.”  Then he pointed to a fortress in the distance and asked “Do you see the keep over there?”

 I nodded along with a couple of my sons.

 “The strongest best friend created that with a stray thought.” claimed James.

 “What!?  No way!” exclaimed Mike.

 Nodding, James said, “She showed up in my office to tell me that she ‘oopsed’ a second after.  She’s been training recently to avoid that type of mistake.  I imagine she’ll be capable of creating a large city in a day on a whim within a few years.  I’d probably spend at least a week on a small town, and that’s if I collected the resources ahead of time.”

 I found the idea mind-boggling.  James seemed humble as he claimed that he could create a small town in a week.

 “You’d take at least a month, man-sla-... er… boss?” announced Emma, turning the statement into a question at the end.  “You get too distracted.  I could handle a village in an hour!”  She was soaked, but grinning.

 Before my eyes, the water soaking her clothes drifted away to join the rain outside.

 “Emma, I’m sure you remember Iris’ father, Grayson.  This is her mother, Mirabella.  From oldest to youngest, her brothers are Mark, Mick, Mike, and Matt.  Everyone, this is my gardener, Emma.”

 “Shouldn’t I be your favorite gardener?” she asked teasingly.

 “Sure.” he conceded.

 “Hear that?  I’m his favorite!” she exclaimed proudly.

 “Do you create villages with a stray thought?” questioned Mike.

 “Nah.  I do this.” she replied, watching us all.  After a couple seconds, wooden buildings rose out of the ground between the garden and the keep.

 “Mine would have functional electricity, plumbing, and the other luxuries people expect these days.” argued James with a smile.

 She stuck her tongue out at him.  Then she said, “My plumbing would work if I created a water tower.  Plants can be very good at guiding water.  As for electricity, I’ve been talking with Jarod about ways to generate a current with plants.  We have plans and stuff!”

 “You mean he had a crazy idea and chatted your ear off.” suggested James.

 “I thought the idea was cool and agreed to try eventually!” she insisted.

 “The idea was actually Maxine’s.  She has some experience with bioengineering from when she considered creating a cyborg army.” corrected Mila, who had discretely joined us without me noticing.

 “You can create cyborgs!?’ questioned Matt excitedly.

 “There has been some tech created here which could be used toward that end, but we’re not experimenting on people.” explained James.

 “I didn’t know you were in the tech industry.” commented my wife.

 James smiled at her and diplomatically told her “My company dabbles in many things to help prepare our best friends for a very large variety of jobs.”

 Grinning, Emma said, “He means to say ‘Yes.  Yes, we are.’  Mua ha ha ha ha!”  She drummed her fingers together while obviously attempting to look like some comic book villain.

James sighed and said, “Emma, mind getting rid of your starter village and showing the Storms how you help the kitchen?”

 “Fiiiine,” she begrudgingly told him, “but I might use some buildings to compliment the topiary when I change things up again.”

 “Sounds fun.” he agreed.

 From there, she started demonstrating how she could make the plants grow, revert to seeds, or provide as much food as she wanted.  She could also force plants to grow beyond their normal proportions and control them as easily as she controlled her own limbs, which led her into demonstrating how she had produced the bats her team had used for our baseball game.  Before she seemed remotely ready to quit demonstrating her abilities, Mila announced that food was ready.

 Instead of eating at the long table in the kitchen, we were taken to a large dining hall with an even more elaborate table.  There were already carts of food waiting nearby, and Mila urged us to help ourselves, since no one here would hesitate when they arrived.

 As we ate, we were entertained with more demonstrations of magic from those who had joined us.  James’ wife, Alma, created elaborate displays of fire and ice.  Ai and Mai created a sort of play with tiny figures made of water acting out their parts just above the table.  Jemal fetched more food for the particularly hungry using nothing but his magic, causing whatever was requested to float through the air.  James himself demonstrated illusions, making us see whatever he wanted while assuring us the magic the others had used was real.  Whether because I had felt myself being lifted earlier or because he had no reason to lie, I believed him.  Iris’ boss was the most interesting, and perhaps the most dangerous, man I had ever met.

[simplybakugou]

These Damn Kids

↝ After some convincing despite how much he despises kids, you managed to get Bakugou to volunteer at a children’s camp with you... 

BINGO SPACE: Camp Counselors

⋆ PAIRING: bakugou x fem!reader ⋆ WARNINGS/TAGS: swearing; fluff ⋆ WORD COUNT: 1955

A/N: another @bnhabookclub​ bingo piece. i honestly missed writing for bakugou so this was very easy to write lmao. the minute someone requested bakugou for this prompt (thank you to the anon who did btw) it had me cracking up at the thought of bakugou having to deal with a bunch of kids. hope you enjoy this!

FULL BINGO MASTERLIST

✐posted 08.08.2020✐

“Can’t believe this shitty girl’s convinced me to come to this stupid fucking thing,” Bakugou muttered under his breath as he drove up the slope into the campsite. 

It was the summer of his second year at U.A. and Bakugou was ready to train and work his body as much as he could before starting his final year. He wanted to prepare so that he would be ready for the chaos that comes with attending a high profile school like U.A. but unfortunately his plans were foiled. You somehow managed to convince him to volunteer at the summer camp for children, which was one of the many things Bakugou hated.

Being a student at Shiketsu High, you were well aware of the kind of rigor and training that is required when attending a hero school. U.A. and Shiketsu would often collaborate and allow the students to intermingle in order to get accustomed to working with students that weren’t from their respective schools as once they became pro heroes, they would be teamed up with other pros that they might not be familiar with. 

When you met the students from class A during one of these school team ups, you immediately gravitated to Bakugou. Having watched and always been fond of the annual U.A. sports festival, you admired Bakugou’s will and ambition, not to mention how he was a powerhouse of a fighter. Initially Bakugou saw you like he saw everybody else, just an annoying extra that would get on his nerves. And although you did find it hilarious when you were able to get under his skin, you caught Bakugou’s eye when you managed to beat Midoriya during a one and one training fight. Needless to say, he didn’t hate you that much.

Since then you managed to get him to agree to go out on a date with you and the rest was history. Now you practically had him wrapped around your finger as he wouldn’t hesitate to beat anyone up that even looked at you the wrong way. It was unbelievable when you imagined how different he was back when you first met him to now. 

Bakugou parked his car in front of the camp site, letting out a big sigh as he was preparing to enter the battlefield of children. He exited the car, making his way through the wooded area as he scanned the many kids and supervisors looking after them. He finally found you as you were sitting on the ground in front of a crowd of about ten children. You had them practically eating out of your palm with the way they were mesmerized by the book you were reading to them.

The corners of Bakugou’s lips rose slightly as he admired how adorable you looked. He knew how much you loved kids, although he could never understand why, and you genuinely seemed content with working with them. 

“Um, excuse me,” a high-pitched voice squeaked from behind Bakugou. 

“What?” Bakugou asked the little boy as he turned around, his natural tone making the child frightened.

“Um, are you that angry guy from U.A.?” He asked, innocently watching him.

“Whoa, I think that’s him!” Another kid said as two other children ran up beside their friend. 

Sooner rather than later a mini crowd formed around Bakugou as all the children peered up at him in awe. Under any other circumstance he would’ve relished the moment of being recognized by such simpletons but the idea of a bunch of miniature humans annoying him as they all were speaking amongst one another as if he wasn’t there was just pissing him off.

“Wait! I think this is the guy that got kidnapped by the League of Villains!” One kid exclaimed, a round of gasps erupting from the crowd. 

“You fucking shit, I dare you to fucking say that again--” 

Before Bakugou ended up assaulting one of the children, and even though you were enjoying yourself as your boyfriend seemed genuinely ticked off, you cupped your hands over your lips as you called out, “Okay! It’s time for lunch!”

The kids let out their excited cheers as they ran towards the common area for lunch. You waved at them, letting a few of them know that you would be joining them soon. You glanced over at Bakugou, a wide grin appearing on your face as you approached him.

You leaned up on your tiptoes, planting a small kiss to his lips as you wrapped your arms around his waist. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Yeah? That makes one of us.”

You chuckled. “I really appreciate you coming here. You’re always working yourself so hard and I thought you could have some fun!”

Bakugou scoffed. “There’s nothing fun about spending a week with some fucking brats.”

“Well, I also wanted to spend some time with my handsome boyfriend, too,” you said, knowing Bakugou well enough to throw in a few compliments to butter him up. “And plus, you might make some new friends here, you never know!”

“I fucking doubt that,” Bakugou muttered.

“Ahem!” A more grown voice mumbled from behind you. 

“Shishikura!” You said as you turned around, greeting your upperclassman as you pulled away from Bakugou.

“You shouldn’t be doing something so indecent in front of children, Y/N,” Shishikura scolded you despite his glare narrowing down at Bakugou.

Bakugou rolled his eyes. “Mind your business, you meat fuck. If I'd known your ass would be here, I wouldn’t’ve come.”

“Well maybe you should go back home then,” Shishikura said, his tone holding as much annoyance as Bakugou’s did. 

“Okay, boys, you can calm down,” you said, laughing as you had gotten used to their hatred for one another and their need to constantly be at each other’s throats. “I’ll be over to help out in a second.”

“Alright,” Shishikura said curtly, turning around as he made his way towards the picnic area where all the children were hanging around.

“Why the fuck is that piece of shit here?” Bakugou grunted, as he was still scowling at the sight of the annoying upperclassman that he encountered during his provisional license exam in his first year.

“Shishikura’s really sweet when you get to know him. You guys just make a big deal of nothing.” You entwined your fingers into Bakugou’s hand as you pulled him towards the direction of the kids. “And plus, he’s the one who told me about this camp in the first place!”

“So it’s that fucker’s fault I’ve gotta stay here for a week?” Bakugou asked, content with being able to blame Shishikura for something.

“No, silly, that was me.” You turned your head to the sound of one of the older supervisor’s calling your name. “I’ll be right back. Just make sure all the kids are eating and getting along!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bakugou muttered, watching as you helped out as much as you could.

Bakugou’s scarlet eyes scanned the area, already deciding that he didn’t really want to be around so many tiny humans as they were scarfing down their meals. While most of them sat at the wooden picnic tables together as they happily consumed their food, one little boy sat all alone. He was picking at his sandwich, barely eating even a crumb. 

“Hey, kid,” Bakugou called out to him. “Why’re you sitting by yourself?”

The little boy looked up at Bakugou, his blue eyes widening at the sight of such an intimidating person. He turned his head back to his sandwich. “No one wants to sit with me.”

Bakugou glanced over to the other kids who seemed jovial as they were enjoying each other’s company and then he glanced back at the little boy. Letting out a sigh, Bakugou sat in front of the boy at the table. “I’ll sit with ya. What’s your name?”

“Ayato,” the boy said in a low tone.

“So none of these little shits wanna hang out with you?”

Ayato’s eyes widened at the sound of Bakugou’s profane language. “Um, I don’t think you’re supposed to be cursing like that.”

“Yeah? There’s a lotta things I’m not supposed to do but that’s not gonna stop me,” Bakugou said with a huff. 

As Bakugou’s eyes wandered amongst the crowd once more, he felt a surge of anger flow through him, more than usual at least, at the sight of Shishikura standing so close to you. He said something to you, causing you to laugh and your features to soften in a way that would normally make Bakugou’s heart melt. Typically he wouldn’t have gotten so upset at the sight of a man being so physically close to you, as he had full trust in you, but the idea of one of the people he despised being that man made him furious.

Ayato followed where Bakugou was glaring so harshly. “Why do you look so mad, mister?”

“See that prick over there?” Bakugou pointed to Shishikura to which Ayato nodded. “I can’t stand him… especially when he’s near my girl.”

“He’s weird and he talks funny,” Ayato said in agreement. “Is (L/N) your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“She’s really pretty and she’s really nice,” Ayato said, a small smile appearing on his lips.

“Damn right she is.” Bakugou decided to take this chance to try and get him to eat something, understanding that he was fond of you. “Well, (L/N) would want you to eat.”

Ayato let out a small sigh, grabbing the sandwich in his hands and taking a small bite, chewing the food before swallowing. He watched Bakugou as he watched you, observing Shishikura carefully and almost letting out a sigh of relief when he finally walked away from you. 

You glanced over at Bakugou, feeling his crimson eyes seer through the back of your skull. You sent him a toothy grin, overjoyed that he had finally spoken to someone. After taking care of things for the supervisors, you made your way towards Bakugou and Ayato, checking up on a few children on the way.

You sat beside Bakugou, resting your head on your hands as you smiled at Ayato. “How’s lunch, Ayato?”

“It’s good!” Ayato exclaimed in a tone that was ten times more enthusiastic than it was with Bakugou. “We were talking about you.”

“You were?” You asked, glimpsing over to your boyfriend.

“Yeah, and we were talking about how weird that meatball shit is,” Bakugou said, earning a giggle from Ayato.

“Katsuki, you can’t curse in front of the kids,” you whispered to him, intending for Ayato not to hear.

“It’s okay, it’s funny,” Ayato reassured.

“See, the kid’s fine with it,” Bakugou said.

Before you could scold him any further, one of the lead supervisors clapped her hands to get the attention of the kids, announcing that they were going to start the next activity soon. Ayato took another bite from his sandwich, jumping down from his seat with the sandwich still in hand. He waved to you and especially to Bakugou. “Thank you for keeping me company, mister.”

“Sure thing, kid,” Bakugou replied back and you both watched Ayato catch up with the other kids and adults.

You smiled at Bakugou, brushing a few stray strands of hair back to place on his forehead. “So you made a friend? I thought all kids were ‘fucking brats?’”

Bakugou narrowed his eyes at you and then peered back to Ayato. “Well… some of these damn kids are alright I guess.”

You laughed, getting back to your feet as you had to drag Bakugou back to the crowd to help the others. Maybe it was due to meeting a ‘tamed’ kid like Ayato, but this week might not be so bad after all...

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[elsanna-shenanigans]

August Contest Submission #13: Icy Justice And Poisonous Roses

Words: ca. 4,500 Setting: Modern AU (Superheroes) Lemon: No CW: graphic violence, mentioned character death, trauma, acid burns, enemies to lovers, poisons

Elsa wasn’t a fan of these formal gatherings. Not that she didn’t enjoy a good party or enjoy dressing up, but mainly because of the sorts of people that were usually in attendance. People who cared more about the money in their pockets than the betterment of others.

Still, Elsa was the most eligible woman in the city and probably the richest woman in this room, so she had to keep up appearances, lest people suspect what she did in the hours she wasn’t running her company or attending gatherings such as this.

She stood by the window, gazing down at Arendelle City, wondering if she was doing enough for this city. Granted, things had gotten better, police reforms, elimination of the more corrupt members of the city’s elite, but still there was suffering in the streets and for every supervillain locked away, someone more powerful and dangerous likely took their place.

It was a long war, a war that Elsa often wondered the point of fighting for. But then she remembered her parents, of the man who had taken them from her, the pain that had caused her, pain that had awoken the power within her.

“Enjoying the view?” a voice spoke to Elsa.

Elsa turned around, seeing an acquaintance of hers, Hans Westerguard, walk over to her, offering her a glass of champagne. She should have been talking to him more tonight, what with this being the fundraiser for his mayoral campaign and Elsa being a major donor.

Hans wasn’t exactly a perfect individual, but considering he was running against candidates that were a mob boss who posed as a philanthropist and a businesswoman who Elsa knew had been supplying tech and resources to supervillains, he was the lesser of three evils.

He had a good sense of justice about him, being the current district attorney. Though, Elsa had hoped he could do more with his position. She hoped that by donating so much to his campaign, she might be able to sway him to enact more progressive policies once he was in office.

Though of course, he had to get into office first.

“Oh, Hans,” Elsa replied, fiddling with her braid and blushing a little. She was good at putting on a shy, flustered dork act, a deliberate act to play up her more casual nature in her secret identity. “I didn’t see you there.”

“You seemed to be staring off into space there,” Hans remarked. “Care for a drink?”

“No, I’m driving myself home tonight,” Elsa responded.

“Really?” Hans remarked. “I’d have figured you’d have gotten your butler to handle it.”

“Kai has the night off, visiting some old girlfriend of his,” Elsa explained. Kai had been working himself too hard down in Elsa’s hideout of late, so she’d given him the night off.

“Fair enough,” Hans admitted, walking up beside her. “So… what do you suspect my chances are?”

“Of what?”

“Winning the election.”

“Oh,” Elsa said. “Well, the election isn’t for another month or so Hans. There’s still plenty of time to go.”

“Yes, but as you’re my largest donor, you must have a lot of faith in me,” Hans stated, looking smugly.

Elsa rolled her eyes. She had to at least humour the man. “Well, since you asked so nicely… I think you’re the city’s best chance. You’ve actually got policies that seem to be what the city needs. The others just want to uphold the status quo that has caused so many innocent people to suffer.”

“Why thank you.” Hans said, sipping his drink “Though I think an endorsement from that wonderful hero Fenris would probably seal the deal for me in this election.”

Elsa chuckled. “I don’t think superheroes are meant to give that sort of political statement.”

“True, but she’s done more good for this city in the last three years than anyone else… well except…” The two of them then saw a woman with short dark hair and wearing a rather snazzy tuxedo walking towards them. Though she didn’t exactly look very comfortable here.

“Commissioner Espinosa, good to see you here!”

“Westergard,” the commissioner replied flatly.

Elsa smiled. Cassandra Espinosa was one of Elsa’s closest friends, one of the few people she shared her secret with. Despite Cassandra being a policewoman, she was actually living up to what a police officer should be, not someone who gleefully enacted brutality on innocent people, values much more like those of her father, the previous commissioner.

“Enjoying the party?” Hans wondered. “You must not get a chance like this often other than maybe the annual policeman’s ball.”

“To tell you the truth, I’m only here because we got a tip earlier that someone might be targeting you tonight,” Cass stated. “You have pretty lax security here.”

“Cass, I’ve helped to put away some of the nastiest criminals in this city, I’ve learned to live with people wanting to kill me. One more threat against my life isn’t going to change that.”

“Mr Westerguard?” someone called to him from the crowd. “The governor wants to talk to you!”

“Oh, excellent,” Hans replied. “Ladies, if you’ll excuse me.”

As Hans left, Elsa and Cassandra stood alone, Cass leaning against the wall and sighing. Elsa leaned close to her, wanting to give her friend some reassurance.

“Good man, but I wish he’d look out for himself more,” she remarked. “Anything on your end, Els?”

“Not exactly,” Elsa admitted. “I’m starting to think tonight might be a quiet night for once.” She smirked playfully. “At least you got to wear your tux again.”

“Yeah well, take a look while it lasts,” Cass grumbled.

“I know my cousin would,” Elsa remarked. “Surprised Raps isn’t with you tonight.”

“Yeah well, after what happened the last time I took her out,” Cass remarked. “I figured it best she stayed at home.”

Elsa sighed. Cassandra was dating her cousin and childhood best friend Rapunzel. A few months back, while the two were on a date, a sniper hired by a mob boss had tried to assassinate Cassandra. They’d failed, but Rapunzel had been gravely injured. Elsa didn’t blame her for wanting to keep her cousin safe.

“Still, aren’t you two planning to tie the knot soon?” Elsa wondered. “You’ve been together long enough.”

“I… I don’t know,” Cass admitted. “It’s hard finding a good balance between her and my work. I’m worried marriage might… complicate things.”

“I know how you feel,” Elsa replied. “It’s why I’ve honestly never had much luck with relationships myself.” That was a lie. There was one woman in the world she still loved… though she was partly ashamed to admit it, even to Cassandra.

Suddenly, the entire building started to shake. Elsa thought there was an earthquake and quickly grabbed onto something. There was panic and commotion across the ballroom, Cassandra grabbing onto a nearby wall for support. Screams and cries filled the room.

“What the fuck is going on?!” Cass shouted.

Elsa tried to reach for her watch, but she found there was no need to, as she then saw several large vines rising up from the side of the building pressing against the windows. She gasped, looking straight at Cass in terror as a dark shadow overwhelmed them.

“CASS LOOK OUT!” Elsa shouted, tackling Cass to the ground as the vine crashed through the window.

All across the ballroom, there was utter chaos as the gigantic vines smashed into the room, knocking people over left and right, firmly entrenching themselves into the walls of the building.

In the middle of the room, the largest of the gigantic vines smashed through the window, a gigantic flower at its tip. As it stopped in its tracks, the large flower burst open, releasing a gas that caused all those around it to cough and splutter. Through the smoke, a figure emerged from the blooming pink flower, a rather revealing woman in a skintight pink and purple outfit with green highlights and long red hair.

“Rosethorn,” Cass whispered.

Elsa blushed and looked away. Anna… why now…

“You gonna deal with her?” Cass wondered.

Nodding reluctantly, Elsa looked at Cass. “Try and keep her distracted, but don’t hurt her too bad… she’s still my sister.”

“Elsa, she’s trying to kill people!” Cass argued in a hushed whisper.

“I can see that but she’s still family!” Elsa rasped.

Cass grumbled. “You know if she was my sister, I wouldn’t hesitate but fine, I’ll make sure I won’t do any permanent damage to her.”

“Thank you,” Elsa said gratefully, before she quickly ran out of the room, Cass pulling her pistol from her pocket.

Elsa rushed out of the bathroom, making her way through the panicking, scared crowds. As she arrived in the room, she looked at herself in the mirror, making sure she was alone.

To think that tonight she’d have to face her sister again. The two sisters had always been close as children, virtually inseparable. But that all had changed one fateful night. Her wealthy parents had taken Elsa out to see a movie, but Anna had to stay home and do her homework.

Anna had been spared in a way, as on their way home from the movies, Elsa and her parents were attacked by a mugger. The mugger had killed their parents without a second thought, gunning them down. In a rage… something had awoken inside of Elsa, a power that no other human had.

As she got older, she learned how to control this power, a power to manipulate ice and snow to her whim. She soon discovered that some people had the rare chance of being born with such powers, people who were later dubbed Metahumans. While Elsa’s had been the power to control ice, Anna’s power was somewhat different.

A few months after the funeral, Elsa had discovered Anna’s powers had awakened as well, the power to control plants and other forms of vegetation. As elated as Anna was at using her new powers, Elsa was worried about her, about them both. At this time, Elsa had decided to hone her powers and train herself in the arts of combat and science so she might one day fight to protect the innocent people of Arendelle City, so that no other child would go through what she and Anna had.

Anna on the other hand… was a different story. Her plant-based powers had made her infatuated with nature. At first, Elsa was glad that Anna was using her love for nature to cope with her parents’ grief. But as they got older, Anna started to get more involved in environmental work.

More than once, Elsa had to bail Anna out of jail for getting involved in protests and the like. She worried Anna was going down a dark path. Yes, protecting the environment was a noble goal… but Anna seemed obsessed. And then one night, Elsa’s worst fears were confirmed when she found Anna attempting to strangle the CEO of one of her business partners.

“Anna let him go!”

“No, he has to pay! All their kind have to pay! They’re choking the planet to death, Elsa, and no one is doing a damn thing about it!”

“And that justifies you being a murderer?!”

“Why do you care? I thought you’d be happy seeing scum like this die, after what happened to our parents!”

“What?! Anna, No!”

And then Anna had used her vine to snap the man’s neck. A fight broke out between them, Elsa blasting Anna with her ice powers… and leaving a permanent mark in the form of a white streak in her hair. Elsa looked down, wondering when this nightmare would end.

She loved Anna, she always had… but at this point she had to accept that her sister was truly dead, replaced by a monster that now called herself Rosethorn.

Pressing a button on her watch, Elsa watched it transform into a device that released dozens of tiny nanobots that she then rearranged and merged with her ice, forming a wolf-themed armour and long cape that completed concealed her body, the symbol of her alter ego, Fenris appearing on her chest.

Elsa looked at her masked face in the mirror, glaring sternly. “This will be the last friend of mine you hurt, Anna. I swear it.”

———————————————————————————-

Anna grinned wickedly as she sat on her throne of vines as her large tendrils wrapped themselves around the building, bursting through the windows of the ballroom. She watched as the pitiful humans ran in fear, taking a certain delight in what was happening.

Rich fools. Their kind loved to pollute and terrorise the environment, now they would know what it was like to be terrorised. The large pods on the side of the vine that Anna was riding on burst open, releasing toxic gas into the room that caused those surrounding the tendril to cough and splutter.

But while watching the humans suffer was delightful, she had a more important goal in mind, one of these pathetic fools in particular. Hans Westerguard was running for his life, trying to make it to a nearby door. However, Anna sent one of her vines forward, blocking his path.

"Now where are you off to, Mr Westerguard?” Anna sultrily remarked, getting off her throne. “We have important business to discuss.”

Hans turned, realising he’d have to hold her off. “What do you want, Anna?”

“Why, my dear, you of course,” Anna said, stroking the underside of his chin with her gloved hand. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

“Look, Anna, I know I’ve made mistakes, but this isn’t right?”

“Isn’t right?!” Anna yelled. “Oh, it is very much right, Mr Distrct Attourney. You lined your pockets with all the greedy fuckers in this town who destroy and pollute the earth around you, who tore up innocent grassland to build a Metahuman prison where I was tortured!”

“They were trying to help you!”

“Help me?! I don’t need help!” Anna growled, wrapping tendrils around his neck. “I’ve dedicated my life to protecting this planet and all of its natural beauty. If that’s so wrong, then I’d prefer not to be right.”

Hans choked and gagged, struggling to breathe. “Anna… Ack!”

“What’s that Hans? I can’t quite hear you over the innocent people you’ve stepped on!” Anna growled. Suddenly, she heard a loud gunshot. A bullet flew through the air and pierced one of the tendrils around Hans’s neck. Anna screamed, feeling the pain like it was one of her own limbs as Hans was freed.

Cassandra, along with a few other out of uniform police officers and security guards, had arrived, taking aim at Anna with their pistols. “Come quietly, Rosethorn!”

“You’d protect him, officers?!” Anna remarked. “Such a deplorable monster who would be better off locked up in jail?”

“Look who’s talking, red,” Cass growled. “Put down the tentacles and I promise you, you won’t get hurt.”

“Dear, dear commissioner,” Anna chuckled. “I have no intention of doing anything of the sort. However

"Then, I’ll take you out as well!” Anna roared, sending another flurry of vines at the officers, the ends of the tendrils opening into mouths full of razor-sharp teeth.

The vines disarmed the other officers quickly, one of them literally disarming one man, spewing blood all over the ground from the severed limb. Not wanting to suffer the same fate, Cass quickly ducked out of the way, unloading a few bullets from her pistol into two of the vines.

However, she wasn’t fast enough, as a third quickly rushed up behind her. But Cass could be attacked by the vine, a blast of icy wind quickly froze the tentacles and a sharp sword made of a mix of ice and metal quickly slashed them apart. Fenris then stood, her wolf-like appearance and glowing blue visor making for an intimidating look.

“Ah, my dear arch enemy,” Anna said with a laugh. “Figured you’d be coming to the rescue of the oppressors.”

“The only person oppressing people is you, Rosethorn,” Fenris stated, pulling out her sword. She looked over at Hans, who was stumbling to his feet. “You alright, Mr Westerguard?”

“Fine, now that you’re here,” he groaned.

Rosethorn cackled. “I think it’s time I dealt with you first, my frozen foe. Let’s see if this will melt your icy armour!” She then sent out one of her tendrils behind Elsa, which shot out a glob of acid.

Hans’s eyes widened. “Look out!” He yelled, to which Elsa was barely able to react in time. Hans then leapt in the path of the glob of acid… and was struck in the face. He screamed and cried out in pain, writhing on the floor as the acid melted his face.

“Hans!” Fenris exclaimed, rushing to his side. She was almost sick at the sight of the injuries on Hans’s face.

“Oh well, I doubt he’ll be running for office anytime soon,” Anna remarked as she jumped onto one of her tendrils. “Time for me to make like a tree and leaf.”

Elsa turned to look at Anna, then she gazed down at Hans, who was still in agony. Cassandra rushed to Hans’s side, looking up at her.

“Go after her, I’ll take care of Hans and the wounded,” she reassured her.

“Thank you,” Elsa replied, before she then got up and rushed after Anna, the latter’s tentacles retracting from the building and coalescing into some kind of gigantic tentacled plant creature that leapt across the rooftops. Elsa stared at the Lovecraftian horror that Anna was controlling, wondering how powerful Anna was now.

Leaping from the window, Elsa used her ice powers to alter the shape of her cape into a pair of icy wings and activated jet boosters in her boots that sent her flying through the sky after Anna. Summoning her ice sword, she slashed through one of the tentacles.

Anna cried out as her creature rocked about from the loss of one of its limbs. “Gah!!”

“Take this!” Elsa shouted, blasting the tentacled creature with her powers. The creature managed to dodge the attack and one of its tendrils wrapped around Elsa, throwing her down onto a nearby rooftop. Anna then leapt down from her creature, summoning blades made of thorns that she slashed at Elsa with.

Elsa brought out her ice sword again, clashing it against Anna’s blade. Anna summoned her tentacles again, trying to attack Elsa with them. Elsa turned around, quickly taking out all the tentacles with ice spikes that brought Anna to her knees with pain, as Elsa quickly blasted her tentacle creature apart with an icy blast.

Reeling from the pain, Anna then screamed in agony her eyes glowing a sickening green as a gigantic tendril burst from the ground beneath them, quickly wrapping around Elsa tightly. The blonde tried to fight, but this tendril’s grip was much tighter, Anna pouring all her strength into it.

“How about a little spin!” Anna cried out, commanding her tentacle to spin Elsa round and round as fast as it could, before launching her into the sky. Elsa screamed as she was flung across an entire city block. She eventually landed though, crashing into an abandoned building a few streets away, smashing through a window.

As she rolled on the floor in pain, Elsa grunted. “Damage report.”

“Nanosuit integrity at 65%,” her suits onboard computer reported. “Minor external and internal injuries, recommend evasive action.”

“No way,” Elsa argued. “Anna’s madness ends tonight one way or another.”

“Where are you?~” Anna called out in a sing-songy voice. Elsa grunted, and rushed into a nearby stairwell, cloaking her retreat with an icy mist. She headed down a nearby stairwell, panting heavily. She was still shaken up from the impact, but she needed to get away from Anna.

If she could lull Anna into a false sense of security, she could jump her and take her out easily. But of course, she needed the essence of surprise first. She looked in the corner of her eyes, watching Anna’s tentacles quickly rushing down the stairs. She ducked into another room to avoid them.

Using the technology in her mask, Elsa scanned the building around her. This was once an office building, which meant large open rooms, not many places to hide.

“Don’t think you can hide from me for long, ” she heard Anna’s voice again. “I’ll always find you, my dear sister.”

Elsa didn’t respond, merely continuing to scan the room. Eventually, she managed to find herself an air vent. It didn’t take much effort to freeze the grate and smash it apart so she could climb inside. Crawling up the vent, Elsa rested and panted. Anna likely wouldn’t be able to find her here.

“What’s the matter, Elsa?” Anna remarked. “Nothing to say to your dear sister?”

“My sister is dead!” Elsa shouted, crawling down the air vent.

“Yeah right, keep telling yourself that,” Anna told her. “You should be grateful I haven’t blown your secret identity by now.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“Because I still carry a torch for you, Elsa,” Anna argued. “Hell, part of me once hoped we could do this together, make the world pay for what it’s done. To itself… to us.”

“I’m not a killer,” Elsa replied, crawling further. She looked through her visor, seeing that Anna was directly in the room below her, vines surrounding her. She had the element of surprise now.

“Neither was Hans, yet he’s just as guilty as one, what with his connections and dirty money,” Anna argued. “No one in this world is innocent, Elsa.”

“Says the woman who just burned a man’s face off with acid!” Elsa argued, crashing through a nearby vent right behind Anna. She rushed up with her ice sword and slashed at Anna, razor-sharp thorns then extending from Anna’s gloves to act as Claws. The two sisters fought one another.

It was surprising how evenly matched they were. Elsa had trained herself to the physical peak, while Anna had enhanced her own strength and agility thanks to her many, many plant-based serums. However, in this particular round, Anna was able to get the upper hand, as her tentacles managed to knock Elsa back, smashing her mask apart. Before it could regenerate, Anna slashed Elsa’s face with her claws.

Elsa grunted as she clutched her cheek in pain, blood oozing from it. Her suit was much too damaged at this point to start regenerating itself, leaving her at Anna’s mercy.

“Don’t think of trying to move, Elsa,” Anna replied, walking closer to her. “My thorns were tipped with poison. Not strong enough to kill you, mind you, oh no, I don’t want to kill my beautiful sister. But it’ll make you as weak as a kitten.”

Tentacles wrapped around Elsa, restraining her to the floor. The tentacles pressed against Elsa’s face, forcing her to look up as Anna stood above her. Elsa felt her heart beating as she gazed at Anna. As she looked into Anna’s eyes, she was reminded of her sister.

How beautiful and sweet she was, how much she wanted to protect her and love her, more than a sister would. But that was a lifetime ago. And yet… part of her wanted this, a part of herself that ashamed Elsa. Anna leaned in, caressing Elsa’s cheek, bringing her face closer and closer.

“You want this, don’t you?” she whispered. “You can still be a hero with me, Elsa. Only you’ll be a hero who actually makes a difference instead of upholding the pathetic status quo.”

“I won’t become… a murderer!” Elsa spat, Anna retreating.

“Why are you so against killing?!” Anna shouted. “Just accept that for things to be right in the world, some people just have to die! The corrupt CEOs, the politicians who line their pockets with dirty money while they let corporations pollute the planet!”

“There are laws, Anna!” Elsa argued. “They can be held accountable for their crimes!”

“And how often does that happen?” Anna replied. “Sure, you’re making change, but it’s not fast enough. The planet is already choking to death and in order to save it, more… radical action must be taken.”

“You don’t think I don’t know that, Anna!” Elsa argued.

“Then why don’t you do something about it!” Anna shouted.

“Because…” Elsa stopped herself.

“Because what?”

Elsa looked down. She had never shared this with Anna, this secret she’d kept buried for all these years. But if she was going to die here… then she should die with Anna knowing how much she never wanted this, for either of them.

“Because… I know what it’s like to feel tempted to take such action,” Elsa replied. “Because I’ve…. I’ve killed before.”

“That’s a lie,” Anna argued. “You said it yourself that you aren’t a killer.”

“No, *that* was the lie,” Elsa insisted. “Do you… do you know what happened to the person who shot our parents, Anna?”

“He… He got away,” Anna said, her voice shaky. “You said the cops found no sign of him. It’s… It’s what started me down this path, of wanting to get my own sense of justice.”

“I… I lied to the police, Anna,” Elsa expressed. “That night, after that bastard shot our parents, something inside of me awoke, something powerful… I lashed out at the guy as he ran and I… I froze him solid and he shattered before my eyes, Anna. The moment I first used my powers… I killed someone.”

“I…” Anna was stunned by the revelation.

“I regretted it, I didn’t want to indulge in the anger that I felt that night,” Elsa expressed. “I didn’t want to become a mindless monster, a killer. I’d be no better than the man I killed, perpetuating an endless cycle of violence. That’s why I did my best to stop you going down that path.”

“And… I failed,” Anna realised, tearing up. “All this time… I thought you didn’t understand me, that you thought I was crazy… but in reality, you cared about me more than anyone.”

“I even pleaded against the rough torture you had in prison,” Elsa expressed. “They wouldn’t listen to me. Don’t you get it, Anna? I love you, more than anyone else in the world… but I can’t let you hurt anyone ever again.”

“I… I love you too,” Anna whispered. She started to cry more and with a flick of her wrist, her vines let Elsa go. “Please… just go.”

“Anna… I can’t go,” Elsa argued. “I need to bring you in.”

“No, I won’t go back to prison again!” Anna argued. “Why can’t anyone have seen that I was doing good… why didn’t you try and help me!” She broke down in tears and wrapped her arms around Elsa. Her villainous persona had completely broken and for the first time in years, Elsa saw her sister again.

Wrapping her arms around Anna, Elsa stroked her sister’s hair, listening to the sound of Anna’s shaky breathing as she held her. God, she hadn’t held Anna like this in… well she’d honestly forgotten it was so long. But to have Anna, her Anna, let her do this… it felt rewarding to her.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” Anna whispered. “I’ve been such a fool… I’ve been going at this so wrong.”

“Shhhh,” Elsa whispered, going fully into her big sister mode. “Everything’s gonna be okay… I’m going to be right here, Anna, like I’ve always been.”

Anna pulled away and the two sisters gazed into each other’s eyes, holding one another close. Both of them felt gravity pulling them together, part of them knowing that they needed the other now. Yes, they had been enemies… but now, perhaps they were something different.

And then… Elsa and Anna leaned in and shared a tender, passionate kiss. Neither of them knew what was in for the two of them next, but at this moment, all they wanted was to be together, as they kept kissing in the light of the moon shimmering through a nearby window, tears streaming down both of their cheeks.

[tookishcombeferre]

Klaus Fanfic: “A Tether”

I wrote a self indulgent thing for the Klaus 2019 fandom. Klaus is a Christmas movie. I’m trying to be sensitive and not post too much Christmas stuff.

But, I really like this movie, and it was an Oscar nom. The art is phenomenal, and I really like the characters.

That being said, obvs you don’t have to read it.

This is sort of a self projection fic? I wrote about Alva reflecting on the Spanish Flu of 1918 in a teacher’s point of view because I am burnt the fuck out.

“I haven’t heard from Jimmy Krum in 2 weeks. I’m worried. He said in his last letter that his family wasn’t doing well. He was trying to help his son apply for some kind of boarding school program in the city that I recommended last year.” Alva ran a hand across her face as she spoke to herself pacing across the floor of the post office attic. “Although, I can’t remember if he said they might wait until he turned 11 next year or not to send him out.”

“And you probably won’t hear from him until I can safely get out there again. I won’t let you go out. You’ve only just recovered.” Jesper opened the hatch to the attic and stuck his head through. “Go rest.”

“Jesper you know I can’t. I’ve been cooped up for so ...” Alva bit back a cough. “And you’re one to talk!”

“Nice save. Really, you are so convincing. I’ve been fever and cough free for a week. You on the other hand ...” He sat next to her, pulled her close, and kissed her temple. “Need to stop worrying. Everyone is fine. You sent enough homework with me to them, before we all boarded up, for two years. I promise.”

Alva sighed, and she supposed he was right. But, it didn’t stop her worrying. Despite the phone being a relatively old invention, most families in Smeerensberg didn’t own one. She couldn’t call and check in on kids the way she’d like to. Sure, some of the more well to do families had a phone, and she made good use of theirs to call those she could call. Jesper had to remind her to slow down often, especially in those first months of the pandemic, when they were still debating boarding up.

The town eventually chose to shut down after Jesper could no longer deliver the mail. He’d only stopped his deliveries when his own children got sick. This had been in late October.

The kids had gotten the flu, somehow, despite all their precautions. Then, for Alva, it seemed that everything really was over. She and Jesper were up at all hours of the night comforting their children. Alva had never seen Jesper cry so hard as she did when he thought he was alone on the phone with his own father. Jesper’s father was lucky enough to be spared the worst of the illness, and he was in sound enough headspace to listen to his son’s terrified sobbing for nearly an hour before Alva finally stepped in. She had listened to him cry begging for the illness to take him instead of his children, and Alva simply cried with him. There wasn’t much else they could do besides try to nurse their children as best they could and cling to one another in desperation.

In about two weeks, the children had recovered enough that they felt safe sending them to live with Espen Krum. Epen’s son had just recovered from the illness and war wounds, and Espen was more than happy to take in two young children that would cheer his son up for sure. Alva remembered how the thought of the two kids living there for awhile made Jesper smile. They both recalled how Jesper mailed the love letters back and forth between young Broderick Krum, the first toy recipient, and Greta Ellingbow during his time in The Great War.

Alva couldn’t help but be thankful that they’d sent the children away before they had the opportunity to see their father in the worst throws of the illness. Alva knew the illness preyed on healthy people almost more than those who had reasons for complications. She shuddered at the images of Jesper’s thrashing as he cried for his father, for her, and for Klaus. He begged her forgiveness as he sat trapped in the memory of all those Christmas Eve’s ago. She stayed with him as he begged Klaus’ understanding, promised he’d changed, and pleaded with her to still love him despite it all. Gone was the loving goofiness of the man who tucked their children in with jokes about stamps and letters. In its place, her strong husband shook with terror, and his fears of abandonment were laid bare before her. It was two weeks of caring for Jesper, and reassuring their children, before Jesper finally recovered enough for her to be satisfied.

It was only then, when she felt certain of his recovery, that her body finally succumbed to the illness. She had little recollection of the two weeks she was tended to by her husband, but he’d assured her that she hadn’t said anything too damning, and on the whole, she was more compliant than when she was healthy. He’d called the children faithfully each night, and he remained by her side all the other moments of the day. He rested with her, and he kept her cool. She still remembered just days ago, in the very first days of December, when she finally woke up and saw his face.

His eyes had sparkled with tears as he looked at her and whispered, “I knew you could do it.”

“Alva? Yoo-hoo?” Jesper waved a hand in front of her face.

Alva blinked herself back to the present moment.

“Sorry. I was just thinking about Lydia and Willem. It’ll be good to have the kids back before the holiday.” Alva leaned into Jesper’s shoulder.

He hummed his agreement. “Yes. Oh! Speaking of which. I have a surprise.”

Jesper helped his wife to her feet and guided her down the ladder and into their living room.

“Surprise!” He placed his chin on her shoulder. “I decorated it while you were sleeping.”

Alva smiled. It was far simpler than most years. The four stockings were hanging on the fire place. The tree was wrapped in a small amount of garland and maybe half of their ornaments were put up. She noticed the cookie plate already waiting with two glasses set out for the annual appearance.

Alva turned and stared at Jesper. “I sometimes wish he was still here. I have so many questions.”

Jesper hummed and pulled her close.

“As do I,” he said in a soft voice.

The two of them stood and surveyed the scene in silence for a few moments. Jesper placed his hands on Alva’s shoulders when they tensed suddenly.

“What is it? If you’re worried about Lydia, I just got word from Espen Krum that she’s had no complications. And, Willem has slept through the night soundly without bothering anybody for the last week.” Jesper reassured. “They’re doing fine. Also, we still do have a phone. I’ll let you pick 3 people to call as a treat. It is St. Nick’s Day after all.”

She blinked at him before face planting into his chest.

“I feel so useless.” She sobbed into his chest.

“Now, why would you think that? You’ve done so much for me, for the kids, and for your students. All through October, you taught every damn day, and made all those stupid work packets to last them until we could go back safe. You gave them book lists. You told them to call you if they had phones and were stuck. You even answered most calls until our own kids got sick. Alva,” he lifted her chin and kissed her forehead. “What more can you do?”

“I-I ... I don’t know.” She sobbed as she fell further into his chest. “I don’t know. But, it’s so hard. I can’t let it go back to the way it was before when the kids here could barely speak and poor Jimmy Krum was 13 and couldn’t write his own name. I can’t let that happen. What if they forget everything?”

“It won’t. You know why?” He wrapped his arms around her waist and swayed her side to side. “Because, you’re the best damn teacher this place has ever seen. You took kids who could barely speak and taught them to be kind, to think for themselves, to report the misdeeds of their parents, and to stand up for themselves. So what, they forget how to write the letter “a?” Or so what, Heather’s daughter still mixes up 0 and 8 like her mom did on her return address most of the time she was a kid? Those are all things that can be retaught. But, you’ve got heart again, now. You’ll make it work.”

Alva felt a fresh wave of tears bring her to her knees. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just ... I want to stop worrying, but I can’t. I want it to be over, Jesper. I want it to be over. I’m so tired.”

“I know.” Jesper knelt next to her. “Do you want me to hold you or will that make it worse?”

“Hold me?” Alva reached out to him.

They sat there on the floor for a long time as Alva clung to Jesper and cried. Jesper just rubbed her back and told her it was going to be okay in the end, but he recognized that it sucked right now. He reminded her she had every right to be sad and stressed, and he let her cry. He told her that she’d carried the weight of their family and town for too long. She had laughed and said they both had, and they both cried. They cried because the house was empty of the two people they loved most apart from each other. They cried because they’d never had the chance to mourn the moment they each thought one almost lost the other.

For, they knew, they would fade into the dark abyss of depression without one acting as the rope to tether the other from being lost in the icy sea.

Eventually, they rose on creaking limbs to sit in their chairs by the window. The two of them cast long glances at the snow outside.

“Do you think he knows? Or will I have to tell him?” Jesper’s voice was quiet and somber, in ways it so rarely was. “I don’t want to tell him that I almost lost you.”

“I don’t know, Jesper. But, something tells me that, somehow, he knows.” Alva patted his hand.

He nodded. “I was thinking that next week I would send for the kids and reopen the post office. Mail for Klaus is likely pretty backed up.”

Alva hummed her acknowledgement. “I think that would be a wise idea. Thank you for waiting that long. I know it’s hard for you.”

“I just ... I’m nervous. But, not about being out there. I just ... I never want you out of my sight again.” He clasped her hand tightly. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t.” She kissed his cheek. “It takes a lot more than that to get rid of me.”

He laughed lightly despite everything. “Good thing I actually want you around then.”

He stood, and they held each other for a moment before sharing a chaste kiss.

The two of them walked to their room, and they nestled down together in each other’s embrace. Tomorrow would find them still snuggled together as the rays of dawn poked through the window.

*******************The End **************************

Some notes on my thoughts about the timeline of events leading up to this/other weird headcanons.

I kind of assumed the movie was set in late 1890ish (based on fashion and some of the tech people had - such as the type of boat, the lack of whaling, and the items on Father Johanssen’s desk - I thought I saw some kind of phone which would have put the film at at least 1876).

Also, women’s fraternities began forming in the late 1860s-1870s. Considering Alva is a graduate of a university of some sort, we can infer that she would have gone to school during a time in which it was at least somewhat more normal to see women being educated. My sorority was founded in 1870 and we’re one of the oldest.

I would assume Alva is about 23-25 during the film considering she probs would have graduated at like 20ish. I thought she said she’d been there for like 3 years or so. So, I kind of assumed she’d graduated in mid to late 1890s and took her job in 1895 (20) and 3 (23) years later wanted to head out.

I also head canon that Alva was a member of the Sami tribe and left on less than great terms to go to the city to be educated. This is why she took the job in Smeerensberg in the first place. The Sami are pretty isolated from the feud and don’t really seem to know about it (to our knowledge). So, it would make sense that she might want to come home and patch things up by teaching nearby. It would also help to explain why she speaks and is able to translate Sami.

The only thing that kills this theory is the lack of cars. I suppose, since, those were invented in 1886? But, cars didn’t fully replace horses until 1907. Also, I’m pretty sure Smeerensberg is exempt from the car rule anyway.

Based on my weird digging into accurate time frames for the movie, I assumed the first Christmas was around 1898. That being said this takes place approximately 20ish years after my thoughts on when the film took place. The fic is set during the height of the Spanish Flu of 1918.

Further timeline clarifications: Alva and Jesper dated for about 3 years. They were married in 1901 (26/29). They had their first child in 1905 (30/33), and they had their second in 1908 (32/35). Klaus died 1910 (34/37) (12 years after the first Christmas in 1898). The original children would be in their 20s-30s ish (I pegged most of them to be about 5 and the oldest at about 13). Therefore, some of the older ones have kids of their own. Jesper and Alva’s kids are 13 (Lydia) and 10(Willem). Alva is approx 43 and Jesper is 46.

[salbidum]

Garden log 4-25-21

I will regret it later if I don’t keep up the garden log even though I don’t feel like it! Because when I look back later on my old entries they’ve been very helpful. Warning in this post for an EYE INJURY, though not a very exciting one

1) Went to the Other Gay Farmer’s plant sale last weekend and bought a fig tree and two elderberry bushes (different kinds so they’ll pollinate). Also bought annual starts: nasturtium, okra, two kinds of peppers, two kinds of basil. Then it promptly dropped below freezing at night and we had to put them in our living room, which made them scraggly and weird before we finally got them in the ground Thursday.

2) Bought an extremely large (maybe too large) tub for the fig - if you are shopping at Lowes etc and just need a large durable tub, look for the ones made for fountains - but haven’t used it yet as we probably need drainage field rocks. 

3) Am now out of potting/planting soil, and kind of pissy as I thought the Costco stuff must be peat-free as they go on about coconut coir all over the outside. It is not! It has peat. I’m not extremely active about avoiding peat but I do try, and now I feel like I’ll have to get other more annoying-to-obtain soil somewhere. Probably frankly the hydroponics shop. 

4) Pulled up such a large amount of wisteria that we decided to sneak it into the yard waste dumpster the landscapers use, and then I tried to throw it over the top and it snaked around and hit me in the face such that I had to go to the optometrist to get my scratched cornea looked at and now I’m on drops. Wear sunglasses or eyeshields when pulling vines I guess. It’s fair of the wisteria to try for vengeance after everything I did - the vines in the tops of the trees are dying now and I feel good about it. 

5) We fenced the rest of the garden bed in the neighbor’s yard in and I went up to the top-of-the-driveway perennial bed and stuck the okra in at random points. Deer often avoid it and it has a bonkers flower so it might do well up there. 

6) Despite cold weather, taro has an inch-long sprout on it, malabar spinach continue to come up but are all still in cotyledon, jacob’s ladder is putting out its second set of blooms, ranunculus could not be more done. Star of bethlehem is feeling pretty done after yesterday’s heavy rains. The tulips are starting to yellow. I think I might dig them up and put them in the freezer this year so they can get their chill hours and bloom again. Maybe I’ll put them in containers next spring so that their commute from outside to freezer is a little simpler. 

7) Today: since we resolved the swampiness behind my downhill neighbor’s unit (it was a leaking meter head, not a natural spring of some kind) I’ve been taking back some of my mulch bags for other purposes (and throwing the mulch on the trail, which I’m sure the neighbors find confusing). I was going to put the Chaotic Elderberry in across the driveway next to the Chaotic Blueberry, but frankly there’s old power line tape kind of randomly appearing from beneath the leaves and I probably lucked out that I didn’t have a problem the first time I dug a hole in the easement. Further up the slope the ground is all tree roots and a nightmare to dig. So I pulled/chopped out a lot of bush honeysuckle, ivy, and smilax, and a multiflora rose - everything but the smilax there is invasive - and then planted the Chaotic Elderberry in a burlap bag full of potting soil set far enough back that hopefully it will not be obvious that it’s new until the roots escape the bag, the bag breaks down, and it’s just a shrub among shrubs.

I put the Lawful Elderberry (the one going in my own yard, that I actually have the right to install) next to the immovable mound of tree roots in my front yard. It’ll be competing with the maple for water and nutrients there, but I do have a longer-term plan of creating a more supportive working environment for that maple, and maybe this’ll help me stay on-goal.

[orbemnews]

The Perseverance of New York City’s Wildflowers In Williamsburg, on a seven-acre park by the East River, spring will soon unfurl in blue blossoms. Cornflowers are always the first to bloom in the pollinator meadow of Marsha P. Johnson State Park, a welcome sign to bees and people that things are beginning to thaw. On Monday, the meadow got its annual mow-down, its grasses trimmed to six inches to make way for springtime blooms. “The mow-down encourages this rebirth and regrowth,” said Leslie Wright, the city’s regional director of the state park system. If New York City has a warm spring, the cornflowers may open up by late April, eventually followed by orange frills of butterfly milkweed, purple spindly bee balm and yolk-yellow, black-eyed Susans that also inhabit the meadow — hardy species that can weather the salty spray that confronts life on the waterfront. Not all of these flowers are native to New York, or even North America, but they have sustained themselves long enough to become naturalized. These species pose little threat to native wildlife, unlike more domineering introduced species such as mugwort, an herb with an intrepid rhizome system. Although cornflowers herald springtime now, they were not here hundreds of years ago, before colonizers forcibly displaced the Lenape people from their ancestral land of Lenapehoking, which encompasses New Jersey, Delaware and parts of Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York State. The Lenape knew spring by another bloom: white tufts of flowers from the serviceberry tree, which powder its branches like snow in April. Today, serviceberries still bloom in Brooklyn, in both Prospect Park and John Paul Jones Park. A wildflower can refer to any flowering plant that was not cultivated, intentionally planted or given human aid, yet it still managed to grow and bloom. This is one of several definitions offered by the plant ecologist Donald J. Leopold in Andrew Garn’s new photo book “Wildflowers of New York City,” and one that feels particularly suited to the city and its many transplants. Mr. Garn did not intend for “Wildflowers of New York City” to be a traditional field guide for identifying flowers. Rather, his reverent portraits invite us to delight in the beauty of flowers that we more often encounter in a sidewalk crack than in a bouquet. “They all share a beauty of form and function that offers testimony to the glory of survival in the big city,” Mr. Garn writes. He asks us to stop and consider the sprouts we might pass every day and appreciate them not just for their beauty, but also for their ability to thrive. More than 2,000 species of plants are found in New York City, more than half of which are naturalized, Mr. Garn writes. Some were imported for their beauty; ornate shrubs such as the buttercup winterhazel, star magnolia and peegee hydrangea all reached North America for the first time in a single shipment to the Parsons & Sons Nursery in Flushing in 1862. Others came as stowaways, as the writer Allison C. Meier notes in the book’s introduction. In the 19th century, the botanist Addison Brown scoured the heaps of discarded ballast — earth and stones that weighed down ships — by city docks for unfamiliar blossoms, as he noted in an 1880 issue of the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. During one July jaunt to Gowanus in Brooklyn, Mr. Brown noted purple sprouts of sticky nightshade, a plant native to South America. He also found violet tendrils of the welted thistle, native to Europe and Asia. The welted thistle did not successfully outgrow the ballast heap to take root in New York City, but sticky nightshade has stuck around. Marsha P. Johnson State Park, which sits on a 19th-century shipping dock and former garbage transfer station, is no stranger to ballast. The docks imported flour, sugar and many other goods until operations ceased in 1983. The state bought the land and, in 2007, reopened the site as East River State Park. In February of 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo renamed the park after the activist Marsha P. Johnson, one of the central figures of the Stonewall riots and a co-founder of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries with the activist Sylvia Rivera. Ms. Johnson, who died in 1992 of undetermined causes, would have turned 75 in August 2020. In January, the state parks department unveiled a proposed $14 million redesign of the park featuring a thermoplastic mural of rainbow stripes and flowers, reported the Brooklyn Paper. Although the state promised to consult with the city’s LGBTQ community, members of Ms. Johnson’s family and the trans community were not consulted and have criticized the proposal. Local residents created a petition — titled “Stop the plastic park!” — for real flowers and natural landscaping instead of the harsh colors of the thermoplastic mural. In response to the outcry, the state is holding workshops in March and April for the public to offer input on the redesign. “I have candles lit always for Marsha and Sylvia, but I’m praying especially hard now that we get a plan that includes lots of flowers,” said Mariah Lopez, the executive director of Strategic Trans Alliance for Radical Reform, or STARR, an advocacy group. Ms. Johnson was known for wearing crowns of fresh flowers that she would arrange from leftover blooms and discarded daffodils from the flower district in Manhattan, where she often slept. In one photo, Ms. Johnson wears a crown of roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, frilly tulips, statice and baby’s breath. Although cumulous clusters of baby’s breath are now a staple of floral arrangements, the species is a wildflower native to central and Eastern Europe. Ms. Lopez and STARR have criticized a proposal for a new $70 million beach scheduled to be built on Gansevoort Peninsula, near waterfronts where Ms. Rivera once lived and Ms. Johnson died. In its place, she suggests a memorial garden for Ms. Johnson, Ms. Rivera and other transgender people. “We will never feed enough people, we will never plant enough flowers, never be good enough to honor Sylvia and Marsha,” Ms. Lopez said. “They cared too much, even when no one cared for them.” Ms. Lopez, who grew up on the Upper West Side near a sooty smokestack, has always longed for more green spaces in the city. Her dream of the park includes a range of verdant and functional spaces: a paved area where people can vogue and hold rallies, a flower garden in tribute to Ms. Johnson, a greenhouse and an apiary for bees. “You can never have enough bees,” Ms. Lopez said. “They aren’t there to sting you. They’re minding their business.” Parts of Marsha P. Johnson State Park will remain closed for construction until June, when the native plantings meadow will be in fuller bloom, replete with the sunny heart-shaped petals of evening primrose, urchin-like heads of purple coneflowers and the drooping red bells of columbine. In late summer, buttery clumps of goldenrod will follow suit. Soon, the garden will also be abuzz with bees, beetles, moths, butterflies and other pollinators. There are several tunneled beehouses, designed to attract native solitary bees, such as carpenter bees, and offer them rest after imbibing nearby nectar. Unlike bumblebees, carpenter bees have no queens or worker castes. In some carpenter bee species, females nest in groups, living alongside their daughters or other adult female bees. The redesign of the park will add a new fence around the meadow, as well as interpretive signs about the pollinators who depend on its wildflowers. “What would happen if there were no bees in the world?” Ms. Wright, the city’s regional director of the state park system, wondered aloud. “We have to protect them. That’s what the function of this sweet little meadow is.” She added that the bees will come when the cornflowers bloom, in warmer, bluer months. Source link Orbem News #citys #Perseverance #Wildflowers #York

[thewitchdump]

Master of Puppets

Gather around folks for the first bout of fighting in this year’s annual LNU Fighting Festival! In the first round we’ll witness a match between fan favorite Diana Cavendish and underdog Chloé Mercier!

Part of @dianacavendishisgay ‘s ZipperAU, Check out their blog for more

The gathered crowd at the Luna Nova University Arena went wild as the voice of professor Chariot Du Nord boomed through the loudspeakers of the massive structure. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to welcome you to our annual fight festival, here at LNU!”

Down below, deep in the bowels of the arena, Chariots’ voice and the following raucous cheers of the crowd were nearly completely swallowed up. Not that Diana minded. She had enough input to deal with, with that damned wire ticking away inside her, administering micro-shocks that were too small to cause harm, but just big enough to be massively irritating.

With a sigh, she rose off the bench that stood in the middle of the changing room between the rows of lockers, and stretched. “It’s almost time now.” She mused while her eyes wandered over to the clock hung above the door.

Another muffled wave of cheers confirmed her speculation. SHe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to block out the annoying ‘tick, tick, tick’ of the wire inside her. “You got this.” she told herself. Despite her best efforts, her heart was beating faster and faster by the second. 

That beating only continued to intensify as she left the changing room and made her way out towards the field. The din of the crowd was transforming from a dull sound to something more harsh and defined with each step she took along the long concrete tunnel.

“Are you ready for the first match?!” she heard professor Chariot yell into the microphone. The way the professor was getting into, put a small smile on her face. That smile only grew as she began introducing her opponent for the match. 

“Here we go, folks! In the red corner we have a newcomer! Everybody, please welcome Chloé Mercier!” 

The sound that came reverberating down into the bowels of the arena was indescribable as the crowd roared full of excitement. Without any thought of her own, her smile only widened.

Damn the wire and it all, this is what she was here for and she would enjoy herself.

“And in the blue corner, we have one of this year’s favorites! Will she be able to keep up with everyone’s expectations, especially after last year’s semi-final upset? There is only one way to find out. Please welcome, Diana Cavendish!”

She felt the cheers of the crowd wash over her as she stepped into the light of the arena. The atmosphere was almost intoxicating, the way it buzzed with excitement and adrenaline. She tried to spot Akko and Hannah among the jubilating masses but to no avail. Then again, she didn’t really need to see them to know that they were watching.

Her opponent was already waiting for her on the field, a grim expression drawn across her features. Diana had seen her on campus a couple times before, but had never really spoken to her. The way the blonde student was looking at her set something within her on edge.

The two of them met in the middle of the arena, gazes leveled against each other. Still smiling, Diana extended her hand towards her opponent. “Let’s have a good match.”

But Chloe simply remained staring at her until she withdrew her hand. What was her problem? She didn’t have any time to think this over before professor Nelson stepped up on the platform with the pair.

“Alright ladies,” her voice had this peculiar drill sergeant quality to it that only a PE teacher could properly pull off “I wanna see a clean fight out here. No excessive force, no striking a downed opponent and most importantly, when I say ‘stop’ you stop whatever it is you’re doing right that instant. Understood?”

Both fighters nodded, their eyes locked in a fierce stare-off. 

“Alright then, Take your stances!”

Diana and Chloé both took several steps back while Nelson vacated the ring. The world seemed to be silent for a split second before the match started, the ticking of her wire and the beating of her heart the only sounds audible to her.

“START!”

Diana took a step towards her opponent, determined to land the first blow. But as soon as her foot touched the ground she froze. Her leg didn’t seem to want to obey her orders as it stayed planted where it was. Distressed, she tried to backpedal but found that she couldn't will any of her limbs to move.

“Now that’s a sight to behold. What’s the matter Cavendish? Did you suffer a sudden bout of stage fright?” A voice suddenly assaulted her ears, so loud that it seemed to be directly inside her head. 

Diana knew in an instant who that voice belonged to. “Get out of my head.” she hissed staring straight at Chloé who was favoring her with a cocky smile as she stepped closer to her immobilized opponent.

“What, are you afraid I might find something that I’m not supposed to, Danny?”

Diana redoubled her efforts to move, fury beginning to build in the back of her mind. But none of her efforts bore fruit. The only thing she achieved was sagging down to her knees.

Chloé who was now standing over her laughed inside her head, her visage twisted into a mocking parody of itself. “You know Cavendish, I have hated you from the moment I first laid my eyes on you.”

She swung her leg out behind her and gave Diana a hefty kick into her abdomen. She gagged and staggered backwards on what little strength her legs still had in them. Chloé went on “You and your little clique of friends think you’re so damn special, completely inconsiderate of anyone outside your little circle.”

“What are you-” Diana started but got cut short when Chloé hit her square in the face with a right hook.

“The great and mighty Diana Cavendish with her flock of groupies and adoring friends. Or should I call them your harem?” Diana took another fist to the face, staggering her closer and closer to the edge of the field. “Did you ever have to work for anything in your life? Did that Cavendish name come included with friends and yes-men? Do you even have any idea what it means to struggle?”

Diana was so astounded for a second that she didn’t even notice the blood running down her nose. “What are you even talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me!” Chloé grabbed her by the chin and forced her head upwards to look her in the eyes again. “I’m gonna show you what struggling looks like!”

The blonde wound up for another punch with her free hand and Diana knew she probably wouldn’t remain conscious through this. At this point she had already given up trying to fight against Chloé’s block in her mind. She closed her eyes and braced for the impact

The sounds from the arena that had been drowned out by her opponent’s monologue inside her head came flooding back over her. The astounded calling of Chariot’s voice over the loudspeakers, the cheers, the shocked gasps, all of it. But one voice in particular seemed to rise above the rest. 

“Kick her ass, Danny!”

“Akko!” Diana whispered, her eyes snapping open to see Chloé’s fist only centimeters from her face. With no time to think her body simply reacted on its own. The arena suddenly was blinded by a flash of lightning, followed by an incredibly loud thunder crack.

Chloé staggered back with a surprised yelp, as the crowd fell silent, mirroring the blonde’s surprise. Diana felt the pressure on her mind fall off to zero in an instant. A smile returned to her face as she rose to her feet, blocking out the pain from her stomach and face.

Her opponent stared at her in shock, cradling her lightning scarred arm. “W-what did you j-just do?”

Now it was Diana’s turn to stride towards her adversary with a cocky smile on her lips. “Oh, not much. I put the positive and negative terminals for a discharge onto my face.”

Chloé staggered back, tears beginning to form in her eyes. “N-no, stay away!”

Diana, now bearing a smile not too dissimilar from Chloé’s just moments before began charging towards her staggered foe with her arms swung out behind her.

“NO!” Chloé screamed as Diana brought her hands together on either side of her head.

“STOP!”

She froze for the second time that match as Nelson's voice boomed out over the arena. Chloé had her fixed in a wide-eyed stare, feeling the electricity emanating from Diana’s palms stand the hairs on her head. She heard the hum of electricity ready to arc over; she smelt the ozone tang of ionizing air around her.

“You know what’s funny?” Diana asked, keeping her hands in position next to Chloé’s head. “You got inside my head and yet you still know absolutely nothing about me.”

She finally withdrew her arms and let the built up charge dissipate from her palms. She used her jacket sleeve to wipe off her bloody nose.

Nelson, who had stepped back into the Arena, made a wide gesture with her arms in Diana’s general direction. “The winner of the first match by TKO is Diana Cavendish!”

Diana let her eyes wander across the wildly cheering crowd as she took in the applause. Chloé took that opportunity to slink off and get some medical attention for her arm without so much as a word to Diana.

Her eyes finally came to rest on two people in the crowd who seemed to be almost jumping out of their seats at the outcome of the first fight. Even from this distance it was hard to mistake Hanna and Akko for anyone else. Waving in the general direction of her two biggest fans she whispered to herself “Thanks you two. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

[bigruntheory]

            “To everything I’ve ever lost, thank you for setting me free.” 

This event happened in Tony William's backyard, Mount Victoria, NSW. Fri 27- Sun 29 November 2020.

This report will swing from serious to joking, but will at all times be genuine with the best intentions; you will just have to try your best to navigate the subtle or dramatic changes for yourself,  bearing that in mind. 

This report is a true (made up on the spot then heavily edited) account of events I experienced within the beating heart of endurance running, the true spiritual home of ultra, the best concept to emerge in running since putting one foot in front of the other:  A Last One Standing Endurance Race. (LOSER)

The Blue Goat Backyard LOSER is a little shorter than the official distance of 6.7 something kms, at just 5.23km a lap, but what it falls short of in distance, it more than makes up for in rugged, uneven, highly technical terrain-  which pretty much makes it Australia’s toughest LOS event. 

Whatever its comparable status, agreed or not, or however you approach it personally, it’s definitely an authentically challenging, scenic course, held within a supportive, fun, party atmosphere: 

 The buzz at the Blue Goat & Fatboy Slim’s Big Beach Boutique II - 

         equally awesome & hazy in my mind- and I was at both. 

These LOS events will work for anyone who enjoys to run.  The Blue Goat Backyard will work for anyone who enjoys to run challenging trails.  And if you don’t like running or trails or a challenge, then they will suit anyone who likes to party while other people do.  So they’re great events for everyone. 

The LOS format will especially suit you if you are on a path to self-discovery, self-transcendence or to just see how far you can personally go and run for, in one go.  You might be surprised to find that in just turning up to have a go, you discover new things about running, runners & yourself.  

 LOS event vibes & hubs will differ somewhat in style, and you can expect them to be as diverse and unique as their hosts-  they should all provide a brilliant gateway for some amazing personal journeys in running & in life.  This one delivered. 

The LOS format, and specifically the way that AAA racing & BMF organise events, means ANYONE of any ability, can come and enjoy the experience of their running lifetime, seeing how far they can go, or set a target of laps or distance and create a PB in a unique, supportive, safe and fun setting.  

When I say party and fun, I mean it. They had the most amazing Britpop and other timeless classics (Creedence/Stones/Beatle’s) blasting out the speaker all day and night; there was also a Robbie Williams song in there.....

Training and attitude will only take you so far- a lairy shirt must do the rest. 

In spite of the bushfires & the pandemic, this event still happened, as seen & predicted by me, which in part is why I felt so deeply that I had to be there. You can’t escape your destiny, really, so you had better make it double awesome when it arrives. 

After last years event ,which slipped under my radar for some reason, Tony’s backyard pretty much got burned to the ground in bushfires which massively damaged the whole Blue Mountains & Hawkesbury areas. There were also floods, which actually helped stop some of the fires but which bought their own destruction. This all happened during the end of 2019 and early 2020, after which everything went tits up, particularly for gyms, trainers & organised racing- due to the reaction to the COVID 19 bullshit pandemic.

                Fun on one of the Blue Goat Bees, earlier in the year.  

Getting involved behind the scene for this years event was great fun.  Seeing it transform gradually until the race day was awesome, it went from burnt sticks, charcoal and indistinguishable trails to looking like a nature trail again by race day.  It still has a way to go, but it’ll get there; it’s still a beautiful course which i parts feels like you are in the Grand Canyon at Blackheath, or the Grose valley, which are only just down the road.  

If I’m correct, I don’t think anyone really thought this event was gonna be on, due to the COVID, but I had no doubt at all… . I knew I had to be there helping out and I knew I had to be there on that starting line and knew I was definitely going there to be the last one standing.  This is not to say that it was time to put my feet up and just waltz in there like it was easy and in the bag - far from it.   I trained hard. Really hard. 

So call me mystic Steve if you like, but months prior to the event I bought a ticket and started manifesting, which is a pretty simple & powerful practice, not to be underestimated at all….it’s very much like goal setting to be honest, except there is a spiritual dimension and much that you can’t explain or prove scientifically.  It works very well with the art of training your body mind & spirit for tough challenges and healing, too, which really go hand in hand. You basically write your story then walk into it. 

                                                                             Law of attraction/ manifestation. 

This write up will cover some matters of running & strategy but mostly matters of the mind, heart & spirit. I present this to the world in genuine gratitude for the experience and I hope that it inspires others to be on that starting corral of an LOS event, wherever that may be, whatever your age, ability or experience.  

                              ��         How does it all work, this LOS?

Every hour on the hour, you have to be ready in the starting corral to go and run your lap, then back in time to do whatever you need to do-put your feet up, go to the loo, refuel or maybe have a banana & dance like no one is watching you- or in my case, like you are Bez from the Happy Mondays - whatever you do, however you roll, you have to be back in the staring corral to go do just one more lap, again.  It’s really as simple as that. One loop, one hour, make of it what you will and what you can; bring out your soul & enjoy!

  Should you do just one lap, you might find yourself in the position of saying, well why not see if I can do just one more? And so it goes…

These events are happening now, they are quite new & fresh and trust me, they will stand the test of time, because as I keep saying, there’s nothing conceptually better than the Last One Standing Format - it really is the Rock n Roll of endurance running & every event that happens has been a living testimony to that in one way or another.  

Even during a global pandemic, nothing could hold the LOS back; in fact it just got stronger & rose to another level.   While other events we imploding, postponing, being moved virtually and seeing reductions in numbers and interest, the annual Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, usually in Tennessee,  went ahead, on a satellite basis, across the world, live on the internet, and made history with record breaking performances & a once in a lifetime twist to the team dynamic; a twist so good, and a global audience buzz so great, that even the satellite event format will definitely go forward in some form or other into 2021 and beyond…..so many benefits to keeping things local and compet8ing more widely.....

      The Australian Team sporting their AURA gear ready to take on the world.

Each country put a team together, which lifted the LOS format into another dimension. Instead of competing against your own team mates & globally in Tennessee, each country had their own teams on their own loops, competing against other teams. So in effect, this bought teams together and made the connection between the assist & the Last One Standing less of a battle of breaking the other down and more of a battle of building the other up, supporting them and remaining strong for the team.  How good is that to see in  competitive endurance running!?

                  Clint Eastwood, still cool after all these years.

I fell in love with the LOS format when I watched the Clint Eastwood Last One Standing, hosted by AAA Racing in Oxley Park Queensland and it was great to watch many of the same familiar faces, with the same party atmosphere, running together and taking on the world at the World Champs.  Massive, genuine kudos to the whole team from the Clint Eastwood  & The Big Dog satellite event, all runners and behind the scenes – and Sam Penny needs special mention for the GoPro awesomeness, without which I may never have had that fly on the wall buzz of being at the event.

So, runners of all ages and abilities, whatever your goal, this is your opportunity to get up and at it & be part of something life-changing, challenging & massively fun, one short lap at a time.

Don’t go thinking you have to be superman, genetically gifted or even an ultrarunner or even a ‘runner’ Basically just ditch any thought or label that creates doubt or fear or holds you back and simply get up and go for it. You just need to be willing to turn up and have a go & enjoy the experience.

        “Anyone can do anything”  Tony Williams, Blue Mountains Fitness.

So, there was this running race my running mates told me about & I can’t remember when I made the decision to be there but it was also around the time a running mate was talking about helping out building trails and tracks and I know this must sound vague and I’m probably getting my wires crossed but I somehow put these two ideas together & they gave birth to the idea that I needed to be at the Blue Goat Backyard. And that’s how it all began….

Thanks to Tony & Alun – the whole BMF & AAA Racing collective , Fabiano & Sean for being on hand to help and support and look after us through the night and day and Keith for the awesome photos- popping up all over the course to catch candid snaps- all the sponsors, too. T8 for the awesome shorts and underpants, Papadino’s for the Pizzas & the prize voucher even made peace with Tailwind and had a recoverite after the event.

Thanks to all the people I met and worked with on the several bees & for all the care, imagination & spirit that put energy into making this happen- the whole event- not just the LOS; all the work that goes into delivering a vision into reality, planting the seed & helping it grow.  

                            Hawkesbury Trail Runners

Massive shout out to the Hawkesbury Trail Runners!  So glad you all came to support the event you fell in love with last year before a period of tragedy hit the area and awesome to see you at the event (well, sort of -in the heat of the moment and the day, socialising was very short lived due to needing to cool down, fuel up and get back out;  and after the event, I puked up & conked out!) Managed to wave and mumble to a few of you and had a chat with regular run buddies Mike & Vicki.

You all did so well, especially in that fierce heat and I’m  quite fond of the memories of just blurting random stuff out in the zone- the Britpop running the event of your lifetime zone….

Congrats to Jackie and Claudio in their runs, had a brief chat with Jackie in the fierce heat....also to Matt & Jen from Plus Fitness running the marathon and half respectively on a tough course in tough conditions.

All any of us really need to do is turn up and make the most of it, and that’s exactly what everyone did; and that’s how a great event works, really, so let’s all do it again next year!  Mystic Steve predict big things happening in the Blue Goat Backyard for 2021…..!

Whilst I was busy running and didn’t get to join in the party for too long & during the later phases and the high heat was stumbling around like a bull in a china shop, it was huge fun singing, dancing &, running all night and day. The energy I drew from Britpop was out of this world!  I’ve never sung & danced at an Ultra or race before to my knowledge. It just got better with every lap!  

Massive thanks for all the runners I had a chitchat with and shared a song joke or story with, however mish mash it all was, it was great fun all night and day - and apologies for the audible fart and swearing- it was quite challenging keeping this under the radar at times.  

 Everyone who stepped up to that course was a winner whatever the goal, distance or outcome. Sorry if I missed you on the day, or if I didn't miss you but wasn't making much sense in the delirium of hot endurance. Here’s some awesome photos:

Rob heads up to the Corral.

It is said, when you blow this horn, Beer & Pizza arrives

The drone, sounds like a swarm of bees.

In all the excitement I forgot to get a t shirt. 

   Got some awesome car stickers though and part of a Goat’s skull. 

When I’m in the zone I often adopt a different persona and mindset-  I’m not the same often reserved introvert as when you see me under normal conditions; I guess the animated extroversion gets magnified , as you’d expect from anyone giving the performance of their life up on stage.  

There are moments of surrender, where I’m in total alignment with higher self, emitting my frequency with a genuine smile & peace into the world and that is where the practice creates the art.....

    Endurance running is all about finding your inner peace, well, sort of....

        I think Alun’s singing Tom Jones here- I’ve zoned out to Oasis classics

I missed the presentation- seems to be a trend of mine (happened after the Hounslow Double when, after accidentally busting in on the elite presentation, did I mention bull in china shop already? I went and nodded off in the car!) That was the inaugural year when Tony took out the first place in the Double by a long, long way.

After it was all over, I puked up then momentarily imploded and had a lie down.

                         Deep relaxation is really good for you.  

The medics gave me ice packs and aimed a big fan on me (was really nice to have a fan at one of my races, actually, i could get used to that) They took good care of me, so thank you for the care and the cups of tea and water I recall there were two of you and you were lovely.  I had a power snooze for a couple of minutes, which I think actually lasted a couple of hours, and I cooled down, which brought me back to life.

Before this, I fondly recall running up to the corral giving the goats a wave the final time and being greeted by everyone going wild.

                                                   Hello gorgeous.

I blurted out a speech, that I know would've made total sense to everyone if it actually left my lips the way it was written by my heart- the former not sure, the latter no doubts.  Basically gratitude, peace & love, keep going, never give up and things will get better- as in running so in life. ❤️

In spite of it being the hottest day of the year so far and genuinely a tough course we had a lot of laughs and fun moments in the middle of it all. Some of it is a Blur but most of it was Oasis and also notable tunes also from the Stone Roses, Muse, Radiohead, Prodigy, Rolling Stones, The Verve, Doves, Manics, REM and many many more

             Music is medicine & I’m so grateful to my musical brothers & sisters.

There were several different events happening at the same time during the heat and middle of the day and it became a little confusing at times with all the different energies going off around the hub, but once back into the peace & calm of focussing on the running every hour, everything made sense and came together. The music fired me up like a second wind every lap, I thought I was dreaming at one point, like I could not have scripted the day better if I’d have sat there and made up my own story about a perfect day out running around with Britpop classics in the background, because that’s exactly what it was like!  

Again, never underestimate the power of manifestation, positive thinking and the art of raising your vibration so that you attract good, positive people & experiences into your life.

I can’t wait to go to Queensland now and join in for an all weekend running party at the Clint Eastwood. I can see myself dancing and singing my way round that course al day and night and day and.....well, if they’ll let me in!

                           Correct, you also swear and sing a fair bit as well.

I’ve said it before I’ll keep saying it and you heard it from me first: There is nothing conceptually better in running than a Last One Standing Endurance Race. It’s the Rock n Roll of endurance running.  It’s raw, simple, pure & true and it happens in the now. It provides a stage for you to give the greatest performance of your life-  every present moment-  every hour, on the hour & all the minutes in between. It really gives you the opportunity to be loud & proud and really turn up, (not just to be fully in the present moment) your training and turn up your performance to the next level.

                                         Turn up, turn it up & BE LOUD!   

As in running so in life; God calls upon you to bring all that you are to the starting corral and step up into the very highest version of yourself. All your experiences, the culmination of physical mental & spiritual training, as you step into space, out past the music (of Britpop!) into the blinding lights, then the darkness & then the many winding turns that lead us to who knows where, because there is no finish, is no end….. the end is just the beginning, of another loop, another lap- another chance to shine.

                            Competitive mindset bypass. There is no finish, there is no competition, there is no advantage to being the fastest runner, no disadvantage to being the slowest. Anyone who can complete a lap in time to be back ready to go out on another, has an equal chance at being the last one standing to complete that beautiful, identical repetition of what we all love: simply running in nature; one foot in front of the other, moving forward, fully grounded in the present moment; putting the practice of our meditative flow state into effect as best we can.  

The reality of endurance trail running is that it is a tough struggle and your achievements are hard earned.   Such is anything worth doing.  And I’m sure anyone who heard me stumbling, swearing singing & shouting through the dark and the day, will  attest that I am not the exactly an oasis of calm- I’m probably more like Oasis the band.

As many of you may already realise or guess from reading this, I don’t take the competitive, type a personality,  or egoic side of running at all seriously.  I do genuinely regard running as part of a spiritual practice. It can at times be done purely as a spiritual practice, like meditation or Yoga or making music. Running can bring us together, individually and collectively. 

Not every time that  run do I run spiritually, just as not every time I sit down do I meditate or every time I pick up my guitar do I make medicine music; sometimes I just make a noise or just sit or just go and run and zone out to music, However, there is a great light to be found  when you just get out into nature and breathe and move gracefully, gratefully and in complete alignment with the flow of the universe and everything in it. 

The Bluegoat track, like a spiritual path, is rocky, uneven, twisting & turning, it requires total concentration & surrender to the process; still you may trip, slip, maybe fall; there will be blood, sweat  & tears….you need to climb & descend, there are milestones, you meet others at different stages in their journeys and there is no finish in sight; there are surprises, tests and you find yourself back at the beginning with each cycle….

There are tears and laughter and moments you don’t even comprehend at the time. It can be dark and ugly and chew you up and spit you out many times, all day long in fact....until you surrender to the process and let go.....Then you may see, there are obstacles and trials, but they are not in your way; the only thing standing in your way is you – and that’s really more of an illusion you created than a real living person, so you just get your unreal self out of the way and let your best self shine-  & shine it does…. 

You can tell this is lap 1 - my legs are the still the same colour as my shirt.

All you need to succeed, at whatever you turn your mind to, is a single-minded determinism- pure focus & intention of putting one foot in front of the other and deciding not to stop until you have succeeded.  May you spirit drive your machine wherever you may roam, knowing within you , is where you are home,.

So now we know the power of manifestation and endurance and the value of community &  service to others, the plan must be created to use apply energy skills to seed & grow something of genuine, lasting value in this world.  So that’s what’s gonna happen….it’s out there in the Universe, God is my witness, momentum is building,  so watch this space….like, not literally here this is just a web page. 

Whilst I train & participate in events during all conditions, phases & biorhythms, I do love a full moon.   Clear full moon nights are magical & highly energetic; Blue Moon rising at the Blue Goat was perfectly poetic!

I'm not knocking a new moon, by polar contrast, or any other phase, but the energy was just right and I guess I was feeling lucky.

Let’s talk about feeling ‘lucky’ as I’ve already stated my predictions and what I positively manifested with my energies & intentions form the moment I made the instant decision to be at this race.  

I basically created my own luck through being completely honest with myself whether this was something I could achieve.

Did I have what it takes to run at an LOS event? Of course, I did, no doubts at all. Why? Not arrogance or confidence, but the format itself.  You can’t really lose in an LOS unless you are the last one standing!  So going to win is going lose, and losing is glorious in all its forms.   There is no shame in the DNF (Did Not Finish) at all if you’ve given your all. The DNF in other events is nothing to strive for or celebrate, but the DNF in the LOSER is a test to see how far you can go….what could be more pure? And the only one who doesn’t get to fully reach their potential on the day; reach the peak of what they can do on that day, during their race time, is the Last One Standing.

I created my own luck by setting my intention and my energy to creating & following a training program that would enable me to achieve my goals.  I visualised being the last one standing for months and I trained like it was in the bag already, because that was what I felt deeply.

I knew it was my time & I had the God given ability to create my story & walk right into it.  I said many times during the event that it was just perfect and that I couldn’t have scripted it better myself.  I stepped into a higher version of myself that I’d created through some very tough training & some heartfelt actions; in another sense it felt like I was on stage performing.  

Apart from key milestones that marked out the path of consistent focus and intuitive training, as I regained fitness from hiatus, there were some very specific and tough challenges that I set myself in order to prepare for a race of this nature. A race that just goes & goes & goes interminably requires you to leave no stone unturned regards you physical body, your mental ability your nutrition plan & your spirit. Someone once said runners don’t’ run with their legs they run with their arms.  I believe runners. once the body is trained sufficiently, run with their minds- and the mind is fuelled by limitless energy & power of the spirit.  

So you go through every motion of training and preparing your physical body and you feed you mind and your spirit with positive thoughts and genuine love for self & for others. If you don’t see this kind of thing in training programs, then you soon will do just as soon as I can get my shit together…..

I’d watched the Clint Eastwood & I’d watched the Big Dog & I fell in love with the concept of the LOS. I fell in love with all the people in the front row. The runners slogging it out in the Clint Eastwood LOS & the Australian team at Bigs Backyard Ultra satellite event. I decided in a moment that I wanted to be part of it, so I made it happen; the moment I’d made my mind up, everything started falling into place and I was sent signs and opportunities that I had to take without a moments thought. I knew that everything surrounding this journey had to be  centered on other, something outside of, larger than self.

 An ex Army bloke from the UK RunGrahamRun was doing a mental health charity treadmill World Record helping blokes with mental health and suicide prevention.  The run was to complete 21  marathons in 7 days – on a treadmill! . He invited teams to rival of beat him in the challenge. So I supported this and set out to do just 7 marathons in 7 days.

This set me up very nicely for the next opportunity in my path, which was to support Mark Avery doing a 20 marathons in 20 days challenge for Gotch4Life and Run4MentalFitness- an Australian blokes charity helping with suicide prevention and setting up places for blokes to engage in ways that deal with the root of bloke issues.  Safe places to share stories, feelings and concerns without judgement. 

Instead of just marathons,  I actually did ultramarathons and also added in a lot of cycling. I know how to listen to my body and push it through adaptations with fasting, nutrition & specifically focussed rotations across all terrains and relevant speeds and intensities.  You are really just calibrating a complex God driven physical body through a series of experiences in order to achieve a specific goal. 

The goal in this instance was conceptually perfect in that it was technically interminable, ie. kind of eternal.  You simply had to train to go as far as you could go; so you had to see how close to the edge you could get to that point in the training, without breaking yourself.   

I genuinely pushed my limits and discovered more about running and endurance than all the hours my studying had taught me, and infinitely more than debating with ultra coaches online could ever have revealed. I trained and pushed harder and longer than ever before and also balanced that with more rest & recovery and fine tuning than ever before. I applied every technique I knew and discovered exactly what nutrition worked best in all situations. 

After all the training and the experience of others doubts, I thought it would be quite amusing to win one of the toughest ultra endurance challenges in Australia while singing and dancing & wearing a lairy pink shirt and cargo shorts I got from Big W, fuelled up with honey water, bananas and hemp and walnut oil .   I had a plan, a 50 hour plan. It consisted of 30 litres of honey water (1kg raw honey per 10l)  25 ripe bananas, 250ml x Hemp seed oil 250ml x Walnut oil, a few vitamin e capsules and  a few coq10 capsules. 

So let that be a cheeky lesson to all you very serious runners in your expensive compression gear, with your gadgets & gimmicks and fancy nutritional products & lord knows what else you use, slogging away to the beat of your watch, as I did before a great meltdown of over training and loss of genuine joy-  in running and in life.  In many ways the way I run today is a result of hard lessons and failures, or going too far too son, and burning out. I’ve been obsessed with a quicker this a quicker that, gotta beat the last time every time.....lets set an unrealistic goal....it slowly takes all the joy out of your passion like all addictions inevitably do. 

Let this light shine on those who talk the talk so readily in their little cliques and so called training groups, especially those who have personally attacked me and tried to shut me down or censor the story of my training and my experiences for reasons best known to their egos and projected issues. I forgive ya. 

 May the light of my achievements and those of my brothers & sisters- everyone walking the walk- everyone saying I can-  illuminate the dark attitudes of the ‘can’t’do this ‘can’t’ do that-  and the put downs and rationalising words of so called science, and disbelief in your training, thinking , fuelling, wider wellness strategies..... genuine experiences......May my brothers & sisters who are in doubt, or disliking, hating, fearing, not loving, put down the ego, and find a better way.  May my walk inspire others to walk the walk and to never say they can’t do something, or be held back by others as to what they think they can or can’t achieve.  And may I long take all my own best advice back to my own heart as well and never forget it.  

Everyone, today, just get outside  and get moving and enjoy what you are doing and be grateful that you can do what you can do; and you’ll find that you can do a lot more and a lot more and a lot more......  

             Genuine footage from an online Ultra running research conference.

 I know what it’s like to lose things, we all do, but there’s no use banging on about that old story; a great spiritual teacher recently told me that I had to put that down and never pick it up again.... and so it is.  So know this - an event that celebrates losing in all its glory is of divine significance when you are running on a spiritual path.  You ether win or your learn ; and in a race/journey with no winners, everybody learns, which is a glorious & pure win win paradox. 

It takes the biggest fear in endurance running - the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish) and turns it into a glorious badge of honour. A badge that says you gave your all. You went as far as YOU could go on that day, in that place. There is nothing to fear in the LOS regarding a DNF.  You really cannot lose.....

......unless you win!? Ooops, well, oh well, I think I can handle it. 

I wasn’t quite ready for my glorious DNF just yet, so I became the biggest LOSER.  And I’ll just have to wait and see where my glorious limits truly lie.....

                    I caught quite a tan out there. 

So, after an extended power snooze I revived myself and had some pizza and some Goat’s pish, and enjoyed the hospitality and company of Tony,Alun & Susannah, thereafter kipping on the sofa for the night, where upon I made a swift exit the next morning, before the England v Wales Rugby came on....I think I might’ve predicted the score and dIdn’t want to hang about for it.

Truth is, I had to get back to talk to my son Jack (also race strategy/challenge consultant) on the phone and then on Zoom and told him the news.. He was pleased I won, and notwithstanding the pep talks about the true nature of taking part, he  rightly likes it when I win.  I think it has a positive effect when your son knows that you’ve gone and done something a bit special, even if it might not make full sense to him now, it may well help him in the future, so that's a win win. I actually asked him during one of the training cycles (20 maras in 20 days) whether I should beat everyone on the leaderboard or let the organiser take the top spot. He said nah, beat him, I don’t think he’ll mind if you win. So that’s what I did.... thanks for the tip matey! 

So here endeth the tale of a fantastic weekend and experience, can’t wait for next year, see if we can get double the numbers starting and smash some course records. Hoping to see more of my running buddies on that starting corral with me having a dance and a song and then heading out onto the endless, beautiful loops of our own personal limits...... anything can and always does happen in a race- sorry journey- of this kind.  

You may be next years LOS, with me to help you to go as far as I possibly can, leaving YOU to do just one last loop and be the biggest LOSER on the day?  You know it makes sense.   Big love from Steve. :)

[solomon-kyla]

The Eruption of Mount Pinatubo

Mount Pinatubo, a volcano, located in western Luzon, Philippines, erupted in 1991 (for the first time in 600 years) and caused widespread devastation. Mount Pinatubo is located about 55 miles (90 km) northwest of Manila and rose to a height of about 4,800 feet (1,460 m) before its eruption.

After two months of emissions and small explosions, a series of major explosions began on June 12. These explosions reached a peak on June 14-16, producing a column of ash and smoke more than 19 miles (30 km) high, with rock debris falling the same distance from the volcano. The resulting heavy ashfalls left about 100,000 people homeless, forced thousands more to flee the area, and caused 300 deaths.

Effects on agriculture:

Many reforestation projects were destroyed in the eruption, with a total area of 150 km2 (58 sq. mi; 37,000 acres) valued at 125 million pesos destroyed. Agriculture was heavily disrupted, with 800 km2 (310 sq. mi; 200,000 acres) of rice-growing farmland destroyed, and almost 800,000 head of livestock and poultry killed, destroying the livelihoods of thousands of farmers. The cost to the agriculture of eruption effects was estimated to be 1.5 billion pesos.

Many farmers near Pinatubo began growing crops such as peanuts, cassava, and sweet potatoes, which are quick-ripening and could be harvested before the threat of lahar floods during the late summer rainy season.

Local economic and social effects:

In total, 364 communities and 2.1 million people were affected by the eruption, with livelihoods and houses being damaged and destroyed. More than 8,000 houses were destroyed, and a further 73,000 were damaged. In addition to the severe damage sustained by these communities, roads and communications were damaged or destroyed by pyroclastic surges and lahar floods throughout the areas surrounding the volcano. Total losses in 1991 and 1992 alone were estimated at 10.6 and 1.2 billion pesos respectively, including damage to public infrastructure estimated at 3.8 billion pesos (c. US$92 million, or $173 million today, adjusted for inflation). School classes for thousands of children were temporarily suspended by the destruction of schools in the eruption.

The eruption of Pinatubo severely hampered the economic development of the surrounding areas. The gross regional domestic product of the Pinatubo area accounted for about 10% of the total Philippine gross domestic product. The GRDP had been growing at 5% annually before the eruption but fell by more than 3% from 1990 to 1991. In 1991, damage to crops and property was estimated at $374 million (or $702 million today), to which continuing lahar floods added a further $69 million (or $126 million today) in 1992. In total, 42 percent of the cropland around the volcano was affected by more lahar floods, dealing a severe blow to the agricultural economy in the region.

What To Do Before, During, And After Volcanic Eruption:

BEFORE THE EXPLOSION:

Evacuate immediately if you live or are staying within the radius of affected areas. Long before the explosion, affected areas would have been given a warning to evacuate the premises by local government units.

Stay tuned to national news and your local community’s channels to be on top of the situation and stay informed with local safety plans and evacuation areas. Whether it’s through local radio, TV news, or official social channels of news outlets, make sure that you’re getting reliable information from trusted sources and not potentially dangerous misinformation from hoax accounts.

Charge your electronics. Keep your mobile devices and power banks charged in case of power interruptions.

Prepare a go-bag in case of evacuation. This should include:

A mask per person (N95 or makeshift)

Copies of personal documents

Phone and powerbank

Flashlights and batteries or candles and matches

3 gallons of potable water per person

3 days worth of non-perishable food

Hygiene and sanitation items

First aid kit and maintenance medication

Extra cash

     5. Know disaster hotlines and other emergency hotlines

National Emergency Hotline: 911

Philippine National Police: 117

PHIVOLCs – (02) 8426-1468 to 79

Philippine Red Cross – 143 or (02) 8790-2300

Bureau of Fire Protection – (02) 8426-0246

National Disaster Risk Reduction And Management Council (NDRRMC) – (02) 8911-5061 to 65 local 100

DURING A VOLCANIC ERUPTION

Use an N95 dust mask to protect yourself from pulmo-respiratory injuries and diseases. If these are unavailable, use a damp handkerchief or makeshift one from an old t-shirt.

Protect your skin and eyes with proper clothing and glasses or goggles. Ashfall is sharp and abrasive, so don't rub if any comes into contact with your skin or eyes.

Secure your pets inside your home. Fine, volcanic ash is harmful for them too.

If you are outside, seek cover immediately in case of rock or ash falls.

If you are inside, stay tuned to the news to keep informed of recent developments. Close all doors and windows. Dampen curtains to keep fine particles from coming through.

If you are driving a vehicle, pull over and stop if there is a heavy ashfall.

Cover food and water containers to avoid contamination with ash.

Wash all utensils thoroughly before eating. Fine ash particles may have settled on them.

Stay away from rivers or streams to avoid lahar flow.

AFTER THE ERUPTION

Do not leave your home or indoor shelters until notified by the local government that it is safe to do so. Evacuate to safer grounds only when notified.

Keep a watchful eye on your kids or loved ones who may be tempted to go out to see what's going on outside.

Wear protection. Use masks, glasses/goggles, long sleeves, pants, and shoes when clearing out ash to protect your lungs, skin and eyes.

Clean your gutters and roof with water after clearing out the ash to prevent corrosion.

Wait for further announcements from LGUs or national news related to the volcanic eruption.

Stay safe everyone!

People’s Memories During the Eruption:

It was the birthday of my wife when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991. We were busy preparing for the scheduled dinner party. We had just begun preparations when darkness came, making us think it was already 6 pm, causing us great worry. I turned on the TV to check out the PBA game. Only then did we find that it was only around 11 am. The party started on time. The men were at the open terrace with wine and pulutan, kilawin, roasted pig, and chicken, among others. By almost 9 pm, we were wondering why all the parked cars were now painted white? We found out that all the cars were covered with ashfall. When we went back to our table, all the pulutan was also covered with ashfall. We had to finish the party early. Twenty years have passed and I still have my ashfall collection, taken from the rooftop of my car. - Joe Nacilla

I would say that the Mt. Pinatubo eruption was the closest Manila ever was to having snowfall, but instead of snow, we experienced volcanic ash. I remember coming that night from my date with my ex-girlfriend, now my wife, when I felt something in my hair. It had ash, as in large amounts of ash, turning my hair literally gray. The next day, I picked her up at UST after her nursing board exam, and commuted around Manila (which looked like a desert covered with volcanic ash) to what we call our “Ash Day Date”. We celebrate that day every year, up to now, as it happens to be our engagement day. To many, the eruption might have been tragic, but for me and my wife, it was the start of a relationship now sealed in marriage for 20 long years. -  Bong Nebrija

As long as I see remnants of our house in Bacolor, Pampanga with only the second floor and the attic showing, the bad memories of Pinatubo will forever be etched in my mind. What once was a very beautiful house with a wide garden full of ornamental plants, and an orchard is now old and neglected. It is where I spent my childhood days. Nowadays, the people of Bacolor live elsewhere in different parts, many in resettlement areas, others in nearby provinces, and some abroad, but on some occasions, many still try to visit their roots. The Pinatubo eruption erased our town from the map. -  Rose Leobrera

It has been 20 years since Mount Pinatubo erupted. Time sure flies. Everyone woke up one morning surprised to see everything covered by fine white sand, which was difficult to wash off. For a time, there was panic-buying in the supermarkets. Then, news of the devastation trickled in through the media. The eruption was so extensive that the dust from Pinatubo caused the world temperature to drop. Thousands perished, and the government continues to waste billions on dikes and dredging, despite recommendations from experts to just move the affected residents to another place. -  Robert Young Jr.

It was a Saturday and I was at the office till 3 in the afternoon. When I got out of the building, it was almost dark. People on the street were covering their heads with handkerchieves. When I got to the street, I felt wet sand hitting me. The following days, we watched over television the devastating effect of lahar, burying some Zambales and Pampanga towns, with many people with their livestock and homes being carried away by lahar flood. Soon, many natives (Aetas) were lining up city streets, begging for food and shelter. -  Germi Sison

What I’ve learned:

The thing that I've learned from this eruption is we should always be aware and prepared at all times. We don't have an idea of what will happen in the future. At least if we are aware and prepare, we can get through to all calamities.

Resources and References:

https://www.britannica.com/science/volcanism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_eruption_of_Mount_Pinatubo

https://coins.ph/blog/what-to-do-volcanic-eruption-tips/

https://www.philstar.com/inbox-world/2011/06/23/698683/what-are-your-memories-1991-mt-pinatubo-eruption

[darkhymns-fic]

All Wrapped Up

Sometimes the comfort of each other's clothing can be more than enough.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Lloyd Irving/Colette Brunel Rating: G Mirror Link: AO3 Notes: For Colloyd Week Day 2: Outfit Swap / Role Reversal, but mainly more about the outfits here! (Also I apparently very much like colloyd and sleeping put together).

--

In his jacket, Colette looked so small. It was one thing Lloyd noticed above all else.

On their annual visit to Iselia, they always went to Dirk’s. The dwarf was usually out on commission work, leaving the house to themselves. Lloyd was used to it, having learned to take care of Noishe, some of the gardening and other household chores that his father expected of him while he was gone. And with Colette, it was double the help!

But this time, they were too weary to do much except go to bed and give Noishe a few pats on the head as the animal snored in his stable. Lloyd had struggled just getting his jacket off, but once he finally did, laying it across the chair next to his small desk, Colette had picked it up immediately.

“Hm? Why’re you taking that?”

She wrapped it around her shoulders, clasping a few buttons near the collar. “It’s my new blanket!” she announced. Then went to curl up on his bed, careful to not knock over any of the potted plants that lined the front wooden headboard. “It’s so warm and comfy.”

“We have actual blankets though! I even brought up several from the closet…” But Colette only poked out her tongue at him, then snuggled more into the red outfit, hands already engulfed by the long sleeves.

In his jacket and in his bed, she looked so tiny that he could have carried her easily in his arms (though maybe not as easily as she could carry him).

His bed was already quite small on its own, having only been meant for himself. But it barely even fit him that well now, his father saying that assessing the height of humans was always a gamble. Standing an even two feet over the dwarf, Lloyd figured that made sense. He didn’t really understand just how tall dwarves grew either!

Lloyd soon climbed into bed as well, dragging along one of the blankets he had retrieved, although it was musty from having been locked away. He coughed away the dust clouds that came as he tried to air it out, eyes occasionally straying to Colette, who seemed to already be fast asleep. The jacket bundled up around her, its white ribbons running down her side to fall over the side of the bed. Her soft breathing was all he heard once he stopped hacking his lungs out.

And still she looked so small.

Lloyd always tried to sleep at a reasonable time when he could, or he wouldn’t be at his best for the next day! These were drilled into him by Dirk, who always expected him to be up as soon as the sun peeked over the horizon. Yet with all that knowledge, Lloyd couldn’t get to sleep, even with the still-dusty blanket on him.

Colette was sleeping throughout his tossing and turning, until finally Lloyd just decided to throw the blanket to the floor in frustration. Sleeping was dumb anyway.

His eyes had long adjusted to the dark in the room; but he had seen the same ivy clinging to his walls a thousand times, even if he hadn’t been home for a year. It was amazing how everything managed to stay the same, the familiar scuff marks on the floorboards when Lloyd first tried practicing with his swords, or his lockbox of picks, knives and tools still staying in that one place on his desk since he last left. He wondered if any old projects he had started on and then abandoned would be in there too.

But these were all things he was bored already of seeing. So he turned on his side, watching Colette sleep. It wasn’t weird. Colette had admitted she did the same thing too!

Her hands were held just beneath her chin, her face pressed into the pillow. The bed was still small, and he tried his best not to crowd her, one of his legs dangling over the side. But maybe he moved in just a bit closer, to get more comfortable, to not wake her up.

Colette, you’re still up.

Hehe…I couldn’t sleep.

The two moons hung in the sky just outside his balcony window. It was strange seeing them there, seeing them light up the night even more so. But they illuminated the room now, falling over Colette, and the gentle way her chest rose as she breathed. It painted his red jacket to a shade of white that could only be seen in the dark. So deeply she slept, eyelashes fluttering slightly, sinking inside dreams that he couldn’t see.

Colette deserved to sleep, after everything, but somehow, he could barely stop himself as he reached out to poke her cheek in curiosity.

“Ah…” Colette uttered in her sleep, her forehead scrunched.

“Uh oh.” Lloyd instantly took back his hand, but it was too late. Colette was already blinking awake, the jacket slipping a bit from her shoulders.

“Lloyd…?” she asked, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Um… good dreams?” he asked with a grin. But that didn’t take away the fact that he had messed up. “Sorry…just couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh…how come?” Colette was still laying on her side, both facing one another within his small bed. “Did you not eat enough earlier?”

“I am kinda hungry…” he said, thinking back to the delicious beef and pork stew they had earlier… “I think it’s just this bed… I feel too big for it now.”

Colette smiled then, though she yawned right after. “Hehe. It’s because you’re growing up.”

“Well, so are you!” Lloyd stated. “Isn’t this bed too cramped for you also?”

“Hm, not really. It feels so comfy.” She hugged the jacket more to herself, eyes half-lidded. “It’s like you’re all around me.”

Lloyd had thought he had gotten over blushing like an idiot, but that was what he did, and the two moons wouldn’t exactly do a good job of hiding it either. “Well, I am actually right here too…”

Colette laughed softly, looking up at him with those tired eyes. Her hands clasped tightly around his jacket to keep her inside. “Maybe you just need something like that though. I’m already getting sleepy again…”

“So I just make you fall asleep!” Lloyd said in a fake-offended tone. “Didn’t know I was that boring.”

“It’s okay. It’s really useful actually! I always have a full night’s sleep when you’re around.”

“Hey…” Lloyd whined. “I was just joking before…”

Another giggle, and that made him laugh too. Something about the night always brought out something in them both, to make them want to keep talking, long after the sun had set. Well, if one didn’t count Colette already falling asleep earlier.

“Well, though?” Colette asked him. “Did you wanna be able to sleep? I bet I have something that can help!”

“Sure, I guess,” Lloyd said, not super concerned with that if it meant he could just hang out with Colette for most of the night. “Or is this just your way of trying to get rid of me?”

“Aw, hehe, you’re silly!” Colette would only say before she turned away from him. He couldn’t tell what she was doing, but it seemed like she was going to reach for something?

“Colette, you totally avoided the question!” he complained. Then suddenly his face was covered, some sort of fabric thrown over him. “Ah!”

“Oh…I guess it’s too small on you?” He heard Colette’s question, before whatever thing was on him was being pulled down over his head. “If we just… Or maybe your head is too big!”

“My head is normal-sized!” he argued back, until he finally could see again, popping through an opening in the fabric. “Gah… Uh, what am I…?” He looked down, the moonlight highlighting the white, glaring off the golden buttons sewn near the shoulders.

Colette was sitting up now, his jacket slipping off her slightly. She looked at him with such pride. “It looks cute on you!”

Just as his red jacket looked so large on her, so did her overcoat, despite its much too small head opening. Its front flaps laid out over the bed, blue streaks cutting through the middle. He felt the other outfittings of the outfit hang off his back, and it also… “Is it always this heavy?”

Colette tilted her head, considering. “Hm, it might be? I guess I never noticed.”

“There’s no way!” he said, but maybe it just took some adjusting. Once he felt more fitted to the overcoat, Lloyd also sat up straight, hands on his waist. “Hm, needs more red,” he stated.

“Oh yeah! Then we can match,” she giggled. “You can keep that one.”

“Really? Well, if you say so.” While it didn’t exactly fit him perfectly, the ends of the overcoat just barely reaching his waist, he could already see a few of its benefits. “It’s super easy to move in!”

“Mm! And it’s also good to keep warm in too!”

“Eh, really? But it’s like all open here!” Lloyd rushed his arms out from underneath the overcoat, unhindered by the flaps. “See?”

“Oh, well with my dress, it keeps me warm. Did you want to have that too?”

“I-I don’t think so,” Lloyd said, another flush to his cheeks. “Also that definitely won’t fit me!”

He wanted to keep talking about silly things with Colette, the night outside rustling from the oak trees that surrounded the house, crickets chirping just underneath his windowsill, but he caught a familiar scent too from what he wore. It’s her, he thought, his chest feeling hot. Like she’s around me…

Colette laid back on the bed again, wrapped in his jacket. She looked up at him with a sleepy, kind of goofy smile on her face. “It’s so warm…”

“Dork,” he whispered, eyes feeling just slightly heavy. “You know…I haven’t really washed that in a while…”

“Mmhmm…”

And just like that, Colette was asleep again, clutching at the pillow she laid on, cheeks pressed so firmly against it. She was cute, and he was tempted to kiss her, but he didn’t want to force her awake again.

Besides, maybe he was finally getting a bit sleepy.

“This would work better…if I was in your room…” he mumbled, laying back down on his side, watching her face. Lips slightly parted, the soft rush of breath that left her in an even rhythm, and the moonlight sliding down her hair and onto the jacket she held.

It was like she was around him, but it wasn’t enough, even with her overcoat on him. So he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close, as slowly as he could so that she wouldn’t wake. Maybe she was dreaming her own good dreams, too. She only slightly shifted but was soon leaning against his chest, her smile peeking through his own jacket collar.

She looked so small, like she’d disappear if he wasn’t too careful. But he had to sleep soon, or he wouldn’t be at his best tomorrow. He had to…and she promised to stay with him. He didn’t have to worry now.

Still watching her as the hour passed, he couldn’t resist another poke on her cheek, half-guided by sleep.

“…Nn…” she muttered, shaking her head. “Lloyd…”

“Sorry,” he whispered, going back to holding her. But he eventually fell asleep too, wrapped in each other’s jackets, wrapped in each other’s arms, the night feeling so warm.

[hortikulturazagreb]

Growing an Edible Surfaces For Beginning Growers

uređenje vrta Zagreb

Landscapes rely on simple care for trees, bushes, perennials, and usually for the home novel reader annuals and potted arrangements to come alongside one another.

uređenje vrta Zagreb

Trees are often your foundations of the surroundings after the home per se. Plenty of fruiting woods that make good factories also make superb landscape trees. Various cherries, apples, pears, apricots, citrus, peaches, pawpaw and apples are prime types. Many are breathtaking a in the spring, attractive in form, and produce delicious berries. There are many cultivars with fruiting trees along with different growth altitudes at maturity, together with all take effectively to pruning and additionally shaping. Fruiting flowers are passed typically as landscape selections in many landscapes when they can be messy, nevertheless this is only a concern if you're not planning to harvest the fresh fruit from them. As edible landscape trees, the majority all fruiting shrubs are excellent panorama candidates.

Some a lesser amount of commonly known although very wonderful surfaces fruit bearing trees and shrubs include crabapples (they make the best jellies and jellies! ), hackberry (jams in addition to jellies), and persimmon (can be used to get anything and are really delicious). Again, just about all take to shaping and they are lovely in type. Crabapples often have superb fall color, for the reason that do hackberry. Persimmon trees hold onto your fruit past leaf drop and are really ornamental in branching structure.

Nut displaying trees are also superior landscape candidates certainly where an large and stately tree is needed. Schokohäutige walnut may come in your thoughts but this would are the only exception inside landscape as they develop a very potent contaminant that kills several species of indoor plants within their root area and beyond. An alternate tree that is make much welcome return in the landscape may be the Butternut. They check a lot like the stately black walnut nonetheless don't possess like potent of a herb growth inhibitor with its root method. The nuts can also be delicious. There are now ailment resistant butternuts offered. Hazelnut blooms as soon as nothing else flower arrangements and sports wonderful foliage in the autumn. They are very small designed for trees, almost plant like in proportion, which are them very vital from a design viewpoint. Pecans and hickory, and some chestnuts could make good landscape woods as well.

There are a lot of flowering shrubs by using delicious edible bounty that are beautiful landscaping specimens, that purchasing for edible landscape bushes may be more involving confusing experience. Because of make the decision making undertaking easier, we've identified a few of our preferred. These shrubs choose to adopt shearing and trimming; have beautiful grow, foliage form along with color, fall shade, and popular edible crops.

Blueberries are generally absolutely wonderful edible landscape plants. They're just not as difficult to nurture as many seem to believe. There are many cultivars that will range in kind and color together with fruiting. From exceptionally small and very small mounded forms so that you can large and sprawling and tall versions, blueberries come in a lot of flavors. Add some peat into each original planting hole and additionally mulch with compost or pine fine needles is all the pH adjustment they need, nothing at all complicated. They all endure adorable and sweetly scented spring bouquets of pink in addition to white. They all get attractive bushy vegetation in a nice good green, sometimes cutting edge growth being green or pink. They both bear delicious green or pink plant in the summer. And they also all glow exceptionally red in the tumble. They are super healthy, doing well in most most climates, even that coldest areas.

Elderberry has come to this forefront as a rather potent and effective natural medicine. You'll find it happens to be a beautiful shrub well suited to the surroundings. There are cultivars to choose from with purple leaves too, making these individuals a striking inclusion to the landscape (especially when planted involving chartreuse colors associated with foliage in various plants). The leaf form is beautiful and unusual. Your flowers are predominantly fragrant and very popular with pollinators. The all berries are easily made into jellies and jellies along with juices. While usually treated as a big perennial, they can get to shrub like ratios in one season plus they need lots of house to spread out. They can be super easy to grow, in addition to being a native vegetable you're doing your native ecology a enjoy by using elderberry within your landscape. You will need to seed more than one elderberry to guarantee good fruit specify. They prefer extensive sun but might tolerate some tone with grace. They just do not like to dry out which means they're not with regard to xeriscaping or parts of the landscape which get dry.

Viburnums are common in the panorama as they are delightful shrubs for all in the reasons we absolutely adore landscape plants- wonderful habit, form, designs, and variance within cultivars. Specifically for your edible landscape, a American Cranberry Rose bush, or Viburnum trilobum, is an especially useful edible landscape plant selection. The blueberries aren't especially consumed fresh, but just as before they are very pleasant as a jelly and jam. Another American native plant, creatures love them additionally. Viburnums can handle a lot more shade than additional shrubs, and tends to make a great understory herb.

Pine typically provides thoughts of colossal tall trees which is fairly accurate to be able to assume- but pinus radiata now comes in countless cultivars that are shrubs in the surfaces that it's dizzying. Mugo pine specifically is normally well suited for landscape benefit from as is very famous. Better too can be, you can get a great once a year crop of mouth watering pine nuts coming from mugo pine! There are a number forms and colorations of mugo this tree, so you'll have a fantastic time shopping for certain evergreen material to fit your edible landscape properly.

Shrub roses are old garden bushes and plants. More voluminous and easier to increase types of roses work nicely in the landscape, together with leave behind extremely edible and fabulous rose hips meant for harvest. Rose body are very high in vitamin supplement C and can be generated into teas and additionally jams. Rose sides make excellent concentrated amounts like rosewater which might then be used around cooking, and even inside homemade cleaning supplements and room fresheners. Roses themselves need aggressive pruning however , otherwise are relatively undemanding. The roses are a delight, and plenty of new cultivars from landscape roses are hardy, disease challenging, and beautiful. Rosa rugosa is a ancient version of an terrific landscape and indigenous rose that's wholesome and disease protected, and leaves behind massive red and yellow hips in the drop.

In warmer zones, rosemary can improve to shrub just like sizes and will make a great shrub. Indeed, rosemary is an imperative in cooking. It's also possible to use rosemary with homemade cleaning products- especially in natural soaps where it is actually scent works well to get masculine (or possibly not of course) aromatic bars and the tiny needles themselves make for terrific exfoliators. Rosemary is normally grown as a perennial, but can naturalize in warm sufficiently areas in excellent sun. It can stand some drying out nevertheless enjoys consistent seepage.

If you thought ones edible landscape possibilities with trees and shrubs ended up being liberating, wait unless you start looking at perennial choices. There are many perennial edibles to choose from, most notably for root usage. Some normal perennial herbs ideal for landscapes include rosemary (mentioned above for a shrub but in many cases can be kept being a smaller perennial), sage, thyme, oregano, chives, ginger (in hot areas), and lavender. Mint is a especially hardy and competitive perennial, but a spreading nature shouldn't always make it a great landscape plant. Mint is better kept planned and planted in pots in addition to contained. Agastache can be described as less common at this point very wonderful organic that makes an excellent landscaping plant. So is usually tough Echinacea which consists of beautiful blooms, that now come in various colors aside from green and white. Cheyenne Spirit is an Echinacea mix with crimson, orange, coral, white, and other colors this warm up the surroundings with long lasting flowers. You can use the blossoms and leaves at all these plants designed for culinary uses as well countless jobs throughout the house.

There are plenty of perennial plant life that are not natural in nature, although offer vegetable meals. Artichoke is a lovely perennial in milder climates. It's very odd and stately mode make for a great focal plant. Harvest that flowers before they will bloom, as be the artichoke you eat. Asparagus, or what we realize as asparagus, happens early in the spring and coil as a thick spear (that's the section we eat), nonetheless leaving some of the spears alone to grow along with develop the rest of the months rewards you using tall and wispy foliage that contrasts and fills within well among many other plants. Edible rhubarb is a large leaved plant that can be collected in the early spring because of its stalks. Super robust, its one perennial crop enjoyed with the coldest of temperatures and is most popular combined with strawberries (another great perennial edible for the landscape) around pies. There is elaborate rhubarb that is also larger and more awesome than the type that is definitely commonly grown inside gardens, and while all those are edible to boot they are larger together with woodier. Various freezing hardy cabbages and additionally kale are really ornamental and provide flavorful and nutritious green vegetables through the season. They will easily reseed for most areas and are terrific at filling in spaces. The blooms any time allowed to bolt within the warm season usually are 4 petaled, quite often yellow or crimson, and very pretty.

Blood plants are often ignored in the landscape while they are typically cultivated with gardens and concerning farms for their results, but if you take a look at strawberries in full poor growing and scattering mounds of attractive green foliage, you will recognize that they also make a excellent landscape ground protect. Many varieties undertake need some fixing measures as they can be good at spreading, however , this can also end up of advantage inside the landscape where clean spots are complicated to cover.

Daylily factories are very popular panorama plants, but not many men and women know that the flower arrangements of daylily are extremely edible and delightful. Mild, crunchy, indeed floral, they are amazing in salads and even on sandwiches. Daylilies are hardy and never picky and are produced everywhere. There are many types and colors in addition to sizes of daylilies. One can spend a week looking at on the internet catalogs of daylilies from breeders. Commonly, most affordable, and the the majority of versatile daylily it's stood the try of time still is actually the Stella D'Oro.

Ornamental annuals could be more than petunias along with impatiens. There are many yearly plants that have edible leaves and think about that work correctly in the landscape. Like pansies and violas have blooms which might be very edible together with beautiful. If a single thing, they make exquisite garnish. Freeze violas in ice cubes and additionally drop a viola filled cube towards a cup of popular or cold dinner for a beautiful emphasis. Candy viola roses in sugar with regard to storage and have used them later on cakes. Pansies and violas go back yearly in most aspects, but they are typically viewed as annuals. These people like full sunrays and in toasty areas benefit from color. They are easily grown up in pots nevertheless naturalize beautifully within borders. Other very ornamental annual roses that work superb in the landscape tend to be nasturtiums and calendula. Nasturtiums can be compact and mounding, and also long and trailing. Calendula is usually lime, daisy-like, and is superb as garnish, around salads, or inside drinks. Both Nasturtiums and calendula can be available in the springtime in flats, although usually are easily immediately seeded into the surfaces. Fun with young ones!

Lettuce can be an definitely stunning leafy landscaping annual, wonderful inside front of the edge. Lettuces come in quite a few colors and shapes and textures. People look best with the cooler seasons, nonetheless can easily be reseeded if thy bolt and become unsightly. Another solution to lettuce of which performs all period long and is nearly as tasty and even more wholesome is orach. Orach is a relative with the common weed "lambs quarters" but is additionally related to spinach. Orach is usually sold since seed, and is available in colors of vibrant pink, red, natural, and chartreuse.

And, we come to vines. Vines offer a clean opportunity to try an item slightly unusual, numerous ornamental landscape vines are also highly edible and beautiful, however , aren't well known. Hops are one superb example. Hops are widely-used in beer helping to make. They are the efficient flowers on a gentle little vine that is definitely well behaved in addition to super hardy. Hops love to climb wall. Another very easy to help care for and sturdy vine that makes delightful food is the kiwi. The hardy kiwi version of the kiwi many of us are familiar with would make smaller fruits, they are certainly mouth watering. Hardy kiwi arrives as male along with female plants, therefore you need both to help make fruit. They often need green foliage this is splashed with smart bubblegum pink. Kiwi vines grow massive, so they need a good sized support- over 10 feet if possible.

There are many edible landscape shrub selections! Not to get overlooked and very valuable, consider putting ones own beautiful landscape to get results for you and your family unit.

[adonis-koo]

Three’s a crowd

| 2 |

↳ Plot: (CEO AU) When your mom’s fairytale life begins to bleed over into your world you’re suddenly caught between two men and one big secret, what was suppose to be a relaxing trip soon begins to spiral out of control. All you wanted was a free vacation...

↳ Pairing: Jungkook/Reader/Jimin, Hoseok/Reader, Taehyung/Reader,

↳ Genre: Smut, angst, drama, angst with a happy ending

Word Count: 4K

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Warning ⚠️ This fic touches on drug use, alcoholism and abuse. Please read with caution if any of these things are triggers for you 🖤

The week had progressed rapidly as it always did. You often found yourself surviving the week more then you ever did live it, it always felt monotonous with the rare exception of something slightly different to your routine. Today however rather then finding yourself on your way to the bakery you were rushing home to get packed at four in the morning. 

Your boss at the ward had let you go early to pack as you had received a text from your mother- who was thrilled to hear you could make it- let you know they were arriving at the airport at six. You had been able to wash small sets of laundry throughout the week thankfully as you packed you figured this would be enough. Right? 

You frowned scratching your head as you looked at the suitcase you didn’t even know your mother owned. You had never actually been on vacation before, outside of a two day trip your mother and you had took to Busan when you were younger. And you weren’t even sure if a weekend trip can count for much. You had been pulling your suitcase to the living room when your mother caught sight of you, smiling brightly as she watched you, “You don’t have to take it out just yet Y/n, Seung will be here soon.”

Finally you set the suitcase down as you turned around, eyebrows rose and lips parted, “Oh, he’s picking us up?”

Your mother turned away slightly pink cheeked before giving another girlish smile you had never seen her wear before, “He insisted, he didn’t want the car out at the airport for that long. He should be here in a few minutes- that’s okay right?” She suddenly rushed as if realizing she hadn’t cleared it with you.

Relaxing slightly you forced a small laugh as you shrugged, it wasn’t that she needed to clear it with you, you just weren’t sure of how to reply at seeing her so giddy, “No it’s fine, we’re just riding together, don’t worry about it mom.”

And you were being honest, it wasn’t a huge deal and it wasn’t her job to ask for your permission for every aspect of her relationship. Not to mention Mr Park was the one paying for this trip, you weren’t gonna fault him wanting to ensure the car didn’t get damaged. It was such a gentlemanly thing to do though you’d be honest you weren’t sure what to think. 

And maybe it was better if you didn’t, it wasn’t your relationship regardless. Just as your mother said Mr Park did show up but you had temporarily forgotten he was a CEO and automatically assumed the sleek matte black car must’ve been the FBI finally finding out you were involved in the drugs your dad was constantly dealing and buying. So you can say you definitely had a sigh of relief when you realized it was just Mr Park.

While you were relieved you were also awkward as you opened the door to be greeted by a minx smile that made you frown instantly. Jimin waved you in, his arm resting on the rest above your seat looking like a predator delighted to see his prey. Swallowing thickly you ignored his suggestive glance as you went to sit down beside him, your parents sitting together across from you as they engaged in conversation obviously excited to be on a trip together.

“So Y/n...” Jimin drew your name out, as if testing it as he glanced directly at you, body turned in your direction with his arm still over your seat, “I take it you haven’t been to Dubai before?”

Well not everyone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth obviously, more people then less couldn’t even afford to go to Dubai much less for a week, pushing the snarkiness that tempted to rise in your voice you gave a tense smile, “No, I’ve never really been on vacation before so I’m looking forward to it. I’m guessing you have?”

Jimin gave a seemingly innocent smile, his black Versace sunglasses covering whatever darker gleam his eyes held as he ran a hand through his silky black locks, “Oh yeah, the Jeon’s always hold an annual party there. I’ve been going since I was a kid, I’ve been for business as well but that’s never as fun.”

“Though this years party will be even bigger since it’s their company’s 30th anniversary, you’ll have fun.” Jimin seemed to be able to talk with ease much better then you, and briefly you wondered if he was an extrovert or if he was just really that invested in trying to get into your pants, “What did you bring to wear?”

You jumped slightly at the feeling of his lips brushing against your ear, your eyes flickering to your mom and his dad, both laughing at something he said. Your face began to feel hot as you shot your gaze to him, “Pardon?”

“For the party.” Jimin laughed angelically as he specified, “What else would I be referring too?”

Pressing your lips into a line you could feel your face becoming hotter as you store him down. Jimin still smiling devilish knowing damn well exactly what else he could be referring too. Looking away you frowned in an unknowning pout as you sighed, “Well I brought a few different dresses but I’m not sure what the dress code will be like...”

“I’ll take a look if you’d like, we can always go out shopping later if needed. I know plenty of boutiques in the area.” Jimin offered casually, arm still wrapped above your seat though he relaxed into his chair, crossing a leg over the other as he glanced back your way.

You frowned before shrugging as you answered, “Well I’d like to, but just the word boutique makes me feel poor.”

Boutique essentially, was just a fancy term for rich people Walmart where they’d throw thousands of dollars away in one whack. You lived on three hours of sleep, cup noodles and energy drinks, not exactly expensive living. Jimin laughed as he dropped his arm around you, ruffling your hair causing you to squirm, swatting his hand away as he placed it back above your seat, “I wouldn’t make you pay. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me now would it? Besides spoiling girls is my favorite activity, you just leave it to me sweetheart.”

Frowning again at his pet name you said no more as you looked out the window, confused and cautious of whatever Jimin was playing at. Maybe he was just being nice? But more then less guys always had a motive, it was just your gut instinct and you’d listen to it above anything else, and right now it was telling you this was most definitely a setup.

Getting to the airport you...You really weren’t sure what you were expecting but getting to ride in a private jet? A little much, not gonna lie. It was luxurious on amounts you hadn’t even thought was possible, boarding was quick and the plane took less then ten minutes to take off. Your suitcase had been put away and now you sat in a plush white cushioned chair seat. 

The plane even had free WiFi and couches towards the middle of the aisle, a lengthy coffee table decorating between both couches. Jimin was sitting on the chair on the other side of he plane, his table though was built more like a desk with a computer and two monitors, he appeared absorbed into whatever he was doing, something work related by the looks of it. Your mother had commented on how she had gotten little rest the night before from excitement, only for Mr Park- who had insisted you call him Seung, suggest lying down. They actually had bedrooms on a plane...

You were still rather overwhelmed as you looked out the large square window, the moment still feeling surreal as you glanced down at your phone, “You look like a lost puppy over there,” Jimin chuckled speaking up, not looking away from his computer as he continued, “It’s cute. There’s another bedroom if you’d like to retire.”

Looking towards him you curved an eyebrow, unsure if you should take it as a compliment or not. It sounded more condescending then anything, “No I’m fine, I’m use to lack of sleepy anyways.”

Jimin finally glanced over at you, giving you a once over before tsking, “That can’t be good for your health. It’s a good thing you got time off. You’ll definitely need this week to rest. Come here.” He signaled you over with a finger pulling towards you.

Furrowing your brows before raising one as you stayed planted in your seat, glancing down at your phone before unlocking it, complaining in your group chat while you replied, “Why?”

“Why not?” Jimin replied, smirking. His legs had spread opened in a relaxed posture and his back had sunk into the seat as he glanced at you, perhaps hoping you’d see it as an invitation. You however grimaced as you looked up from your phone, “Because our parents are dating, isn’t that kind of weird? I don’t know what you’ve been getting at but I’m not sleeping with you.”

It was best to just be honest about this and trouble shoot the problem before anything severe transpired that you might regret. Jimin only chuckled at your response, “Careful princess, I’m like this with all women. Whether our parents date or not you’re not an exception, they’re relationship isn’t any of my business. I’m sure they’d feel the same about about us.”

Pressing your lips together you looked back out the window, “Yeah I guess I could agree to that but I’m still not interested regardless.”

“And you don’t have to be,” Jimin raised his hands in false surrender as he smirked, “I just want some company. It’s a little drafty in here. Even you said so when we first got in.”

Swallowing you sighed, finally getting up from your seat as you walked over, begrudgingly sitting in the love seat beside him as he pulled a blanket over the armrest, opening it and letting lay on top of your laps, “See? That wasn’t so bad.”

Sighing you shrugged loosely, not particularly interested as you glanced back down at your chat, responding to Taehyung who had been wanting to hit the plane up for cash, “Anyways what are you doing?”

“Dabbling in stocks, nothing incredibly fun. But the company sure does make it better.” Jimin replied, sliding closer to you noting you were still looking down at your phone, “You know what would be even better?”

“Hm?” You asked casually, your lips pulling into a brief smile at whatever you were doing on your phone.

You were getting ready to type again when you felt a strong squeeze against your inner thigh making you jump, “Excuse me!? Did we not just set up basic rules!?”

Flustered you felt a pang between your legs regardless as Jimin caged you between his arms, “We didn’t set up anything sweetheart. Are you really sure you don’t want a taste? You won’t be able to stop when you do.”

Red faced you looked away from him as you replied, squeezing your thighs tightly together in hopes of escaping hand was already grabbing the inside, you could barely scrape the answer out with a strain, “Positive...”

Jimin leaned in closer, his smirk widening as he began to stroke the soft skin of your inner thigh with his thumb making you squirm as he watched your face darken in color, drinking up your embarrassment as he replied, “Oh doll keep saying that, I’ll break you eventually.”

You let out a breath of relief when he release your thigh from his grip, sitting back down in his seat as he grinned mischievously at your red face and angry pout, “No, no you won’t. I am not sleeping with someone who could potentially become my step brother.”

Hearing your words seem to jostle is memory as he parted his plump lips, pressing a finger against the side of his cheek as he replied, “Right actually, you haven’t heard have you?”

“What...?” You furrowed your brows cautiously, what was is it you hadn’t heard? Seeing his expression made anxiety gnaw at your stomach, but he only cheekily grinned.

Resting his hand against his chin as he replied, “Get on your knee’s and I’ll tell you angel.”

Groaning you felt your face become hot as you stood up, Jimin however found it hilarious as he slapped his knee, belting out a laugh, “Awh don’t be like that Y/n I was only being half serious. If you really want to know my dad’s planning of purposing to your mom at the end of the week.”

Your back was turned to him but you froze for a second before whipping around, lips parted with eyebrows shot up, “He what!?”

“Yeah it’s why he wanted you to come.” Jimin shrugged loosely, not expecting such a volatile reaction from you, “They’ve been dating a little over, what? Eight months now? Why do you look so shocked?” You could tell it was a genuine question as he knitted his brows together in confusion.

Biting your lip you looked away before frowning, how could he not be shocked? This was all so sudden for you, you weren’t sure how to feel. Just last week you were kicked out of the house by your dad, how were you suppose to cope with a new one, “...Have you known since they met?”

“Yeah? Sort of,” Jimin shrugged as he relaxed into his seat, still not getting what the big deal was, “He didn’t say at first but I could tell. After the first month he finally cracked and told me. Did you just find out?” He rose his eyebrows.

Unable to meet his gaze as your frown deepened, “Yeah...It’s fine, I guess.” Rubbing the back of your neck you eventually sighed as Jimin patiently waited for you to continue, “It’s just a lot to take in. My real dad isn’t exactly grade A material so I wasn’t really interested having a new family...” pressing your lips together you almost felt a wash of guilt wave over you as you sighed, “But you’re right, it is there relationship and my mom deserves to be happy. Anyways I’m going to lay down.”

Jimin only glanced at you curiously as he set his chin back on his hand, finally resigning to smile mischievously, “Sleep well, Y/n.” Sending a wink that made you scowl as you turned around. Making your way towards the back of the luxury jet.

It never occurred to you to ask just where the beds were but it didn’t take you terribly long to find it, collapsing on the surface as you sighed, he was going to purpose to her...Grabbing the pillow you groaned as you flipped over. It had barely been a week and your life was already flipped upside down.

Stretching your arms you took a deep breath breath in before sighing the heat was extremely humid, making your clothes stick uncomfortably to your skin but the sky was an azure blue with big billow clouds making you smile. excitement bubbled in your chest at being in a new place. Just as you anticipated you were escorted to a car as Jimin filled the silence talking, you had finally interrupted as you asked, “Where are we staying?”

“The Fifteenth Dark Ace, it’s the chain of casino hotels the Jeon’s run, its their biggest business. That’s where the party will be hosted,” Jimin explained casually, and for a second despite his predatory remarks and advances you were glad he was here and more then willing to show you the ropes of the upper class world, “We’re on the exclusive list so we’ll be staying on the upper floors of the hotel.”

“While it is a party,” Jimin ran a hand through his hair, as though gathering his thoughts before continuing, “A lot of company’s and businesses are invited to build connections and grow different parts of the industry. It’s all glamour on the outside but you’d be surprised about the dealings that go on inside.”

His words were cryptic enough to make you tilt your head, finally looking up towards him. He said no more though only resigning to look away. Sighing you relaxed back into your seat, listening to your parents conversation and occasionally chiming in, in hopes of not looking too icy with them. It was difficult though due to the fact that they had been dating not for six months. No it was eight months and she took this long to tell you? Furthermore why did she lie to you and say it was six? If they were dating this long why did she say they only made it official the week before she told you?

Unintentionally you clenched your jaw at the thought, finally deciding to just stay out of the conversation as the drive continued. Eventually you did get in and despite everything you had seen, seeing Fifteenth Dark Ace Hotel was beyond breath taking. It towered overhead with glistening lights showing a fashionable but still classy style of welcoming anyone who dared step into the hotel. And honestly it was like stepping into a whole new world. The floors were a peachy water marble tone, coated in gloss and cut into diamond shapes.

Large crystal chandeliers hung over head lighting the massive lobby as people crowded in, nobody but you seemed to even notice the interior as you felt Jimin wrap an arm around you waist. You were still absorbed in the fine interior decorating you didn’t even have time to scowled him as he guided you to the check in behind your parents, chuckling at your reaction as he brushed his lips against your ear, “If you’re amazed by this you’ll have fun when we get up to the ballroom. It’s nothing in comparison to this.”

You didn’t even respond as your lips parted, not even paying attention to his words as you glanced around, the ceiling took on an inspiration of the Sistine chapel with classical art covering the ceiling. Jimin was thankfully there to guide you out of anyone’s possible path as you journeyed up to the front desk.

“Y/n dear, me and Seung are headed for dinner once we check in, would you like to join us?” Your mother had turned around, bubbly and excited, but even she didn’t seem as shell shocked as you at the grand hotel, “We’re always happy to have you as well Jimin!”

You couldn’t even open your mouth, unable to fully register her words as Jimin replied coolly, “It’s okay Ms L/n, you should have the evening to enjoy with my father. Don’t worry I’ll take care of dinner for us.”

Your mother smiled brightly, “Thank you Jimin! Just as much of gentleman as your father.” It was so obvious she couldn’t see the ulterior motives in Jimin’s words. Which ultimately made you come back to reality as you frowned. You didn’t want to go to dinner with them regardless but you never agreed to anything with Jimin.

Jimin only have an angelic smile that could even make the devil fall at his feet, giving a soft laugh as he replied, “Well I can only hope to live up to his chivalry. We’ll see you tomorrow morning Ms L/n! Enjoy yourselves.” Jimin gave one last charismatic smile her way before strolling up to the desk after his father. His father frowning at him briefly as if he caught sight of something, Jimin only curved an eyebrow saying nothing in return before checking in with the receptionist. 

After checking in he lead you to the elevator, punching in the 72 floor, also noticing it was the last. The elevator was glass, out looking the city lights as the machine sped you up floors. Finally taking a moment to notice his hand still curled around your waist you looked up at him huffing, “Is there ever a day when you can keep your hands to yourself?” You pried his fingers off of you as he chuckled, “You were gonna run into everyone if I just let you wander about in the main hall. I was being responsible really.”

Furrowing your eyebrows you crossed your arms as you looked away from him not at all impressed at his cheeky smile. The door finally dinged, sliding open as Jimin took the lead, guiding you down the hallway. There was a little over forty rooms and finally he stopped at 28th, sliding the card into the slot before opening the door, “Here’s your room, I’m at the 22nd if you need anything. Where do you want to go for dinner?”

“I like how you just assume I’m going to dinner with you.” You crossed your arms finally confronting him as you curved an eyebrow slightly annoyed. He was one of those guys huh. His smile just as mischievous as the last as he shrugged, “Most girls usually offer first but I’m a patient man. You aren’t really going to deny me, are you?”

“Afraid I am Park, given how massive the hotel is I’m sure ordering off the room service menu will be just fine.” You smiled raising your brows again, amused at the frustrated pout on his face. Stepping inside the large room as you turned back to face him, “Outside of that rejection. I would like your help for picking something out for the party, if you don’t mind.”

Jimin groaned, running a hand through his hair as he whined obviously frustrated at your lack of cooperation, “Doll you’re killing me... Alright, I’ll see what we’re working with first thing in the morning, alright?”

Nodding you finally bid him goodnight as you closed the door relieved. The day of traveling had admittedly made you sluggish and it was already nearing ten at night. The room was naturally behind huge, in hues of warm dark reds and sleek blacks. Your favorite thing though was the large window wall besides your bed. The business of Dubai’s lights below never ceasing as you walked up to the glass, gently pressing a hand against it in awe.

Noticing your bags beside your bed you eventually got changed into sleepwear before sitting against the wall with a pillow between your arms. Snuggling it as you enjoyed watching the lights below. Everything had been such a whirlwind in experience, but even now it was nice to take a moment to breath and enjoy the moment.

After all, if you’re mother was going to get married again, you might as well enjoy the luxury it was going to come with.

The bed below you sunk nicely against your body as you rolled onto your stomach, nuzzling into the soft, but firm feather filled pillow. Finally with light streaming in from the window wall you cracked open your eyes. You sighed contently, rolling onto your back again as you closed your eyes. When was the last time you got a full eight hours of sleep? 

You had forgotten what it actually felt like to genuinely sleep again as you took a deep breath in. God you could get use to this. Briefly the thought passed your mind of how unfortunate it was you weren’t the one marrying into upperclass. Finally you sat up, stretching your arms over head as you yawned, it was nearing eight o’clock. Checking your phone naturally your groups chat had been active throughout the night as it always had been. 

Smiling you shook your head as you took a minute to talk to them, explaining just how loaded this place was before realizing it was nearing 8:30. Wasn’t Jimin suppose to be here by now? He didn’t specify what first thing in the morning meant though. Finally you sighed after a moment of contemplating you swung your legs off of the bed. Despite the cool air it was still room temperature. You had definitely made a good decision in bringing sleep shorts, the white T-shirt hung loosely to your body as you shrugged it around, grabbing your card key as you went to the door.

Closing the door behind you, you bit your lip, which room was he in again? 32 right? Walking up the hallway a bit further you sighed, rolling your shoulders that had been stiff from sleeping so long. You hadn’t even thought of knocking when you grabbed the handle, noticing it already unlocked. 

You casually strolled in closing the door behind you as you yawned, “What’s taking you so long?” Your morning voice still sleepy and whiney, turning away from the door you continued, “Didn’t we agree- Oh my god!” You weren’t entirely awake before but seeing the shirtless figure turn around, looking absolutely confused made you jump out of your skin.

Water droplets fell from the black fluffy hair of the stranger, a towel still in one hand from drying his hair presumably, “Wrong room?” He didn’t even look the faintest embarrassed as you instantly turned around, running a hand through your knotted hair as you flusteredly stammered out an apology, “I-I am so sorry!”

You just fucking walked in on someone getting dressed! Unable to see his lips that started to curl into an amused smirk sizing you up, you were new. New and someone who wasn’t from around here, or this class, a commoner always stuck out here, “It’s fine, who were you looking for? I know all the guests on this floor so I can redirect you.” Why was he being so polite!? You literally just walked in on him fresh out of the shower!

Awkwardly you turned around with stiff shoulders to face him again, his tongue pressing against his cheek as he gave you a once over, still very much as shirtless as you remembered.

His sweatpants clung loosely to him showing off the underwear band that in opposition hugged tightly against his skin. Oh wow, way to fucking go Y/n, not only did you walk in on someone changing, you walked in on someone really fucking attractive too, “Uh, no it’s okay! Honest mistake- I’m really sorry...!” you began to back away from the extremely attractive person. He was most definitely Korean, thank god since he spoke the language flawlessly, you supposed it was better then running into a foreigner who couldn’t understand you at all and would just ultimately assume you were some pervert.

Taking a step towards you the handsome stranger curved an eyebrow, enough to make you weak in the knee’s before giving a grin, his teeth making it look like that of a bunny as he chuckled, “I should be the one apologizing, I’m making you nervous, aren’t I?” He grabbed the black shirt from the dresser, pulling it over his toned upper body, concealing himself which definitely did make you feel a little more calm, “Better?” His grin turned into a smirk as he walked up to you, a confident air about him that made you want to run right back to your room, holding out a large hand he introduced himself, “Jeon Jungkook, I help run the hotel, I don’t believe we’ve met yet.”

Jungkook, wasn’t sure what he said wrong, but suddenly your pink cheeks turned a deep red as if you realized something, backing away timidly from him as you ran a hand through your hair murmuring something under your breath, “Of course he’s...” giving a nervous smile you sheepishly clasped your hands. Unable to say anything as the door behind you opened, a relievingly familiar voice whined out, “Jungkook you dick why did you say Sejin was still in- Y/n?”

You instantly cowered behind Jimin, who on any other occasion you would’ve scowled at if you weren’t so mortified at what had just happened, you mustered a sheepish smiled as you fumbled, “I- uh may have forgot your room number...”

Jungkook observed you both, licking his lips as his eyes lit up in realization looking at you, but they suddenly fell in an odd manner of pity, “So this is Y/n?”

Noticing that familiar look in Jungkook’s eyes Jimin stop in front of you has he nodded, “Yeah, don’t know why she ended up here but here she is,” He glanced back at you briefly before introducing, “This Jungkook, Jeon’s son and one of my good friends.”

You gave another awkward smile, one Jungkook found rather endearing as he nodded towards you,smirking, that confidence not faltering evening under his friends melting glare, “Yeah we already met, guess I’ll be seeing you around Y/n.” He licked his lips, those dark brown eyes drinking up that embarrassment on your face as you rubbed the back of your neck.

Stammering once more as you felt Jimin’s hands slip around your waist, gripping harsher then normal as you answered, “Y-yeah, I’ll see you around. Sorry again!” You hurriedly said as Jimin dragged you out the door. Taking one last look at the smoldering gaze Jungkook gave you before the door shut. What a way to start up the morning...

Note: Hey babes! So how’s everyone liking it so far? Shits gonna start getting filfthy next chapter 👀 Question: would you guys be interested in a tag list? Hit me up if you’d like to be tagged for when the next part comes out!

[random-imagines-blog]

Under The Rose {Eomer x Reader Oneshot}

Requested by:@rachelcarroll1819 Wordcount: 2701 Summary: You plan a party with your husband Eomer. Your guests include your best friends, Arwen and Samwise, their spouses, and your brother Legolas.

There were many flowers blooming, despite the rough start to Spring. However, it was the roses outside of your Rohan keep that you were looking most forward to. The roses were what set yours apart from all of the other gardens in the area - everyone knew that the ones that bloomed under your touch and care were always more beautiful, sweet smelling and even longer lasting than any other rose in the Kingdom. There were people who came from outside of Rohan to come and see them when they finally bloomed, including your two best friends, as unlikely as they were. If word got to Samwise Gamgee of The Shire, or Arwen of Rivendell, they could be expected to travel to Rohan with their families - King of Gondor included - to celebrate these roses. And you couldn’t forget about your brother, Legolas, who always came to visit you, roses or no.

Eomer walked out of the keep to see that you were looking over your garden, and wrist-deep in the fertile soil. You were never afraid to get your hands dirty, and that’s one thing that your husband loved about you. “The dawn’s barely broken, do you ever let yourself rest?” He asked, sauntering towards you, blonde hair hanging down around his shoulders. “Didn’t you stay up weeding, too?”

“Eomer, it’s almost time,” You said, smiling at him over your shoulder. He knew exactly what that meant. Did you stay up weeding because it’s almost time to hold the annual garden party at your home, yes, of course you did. You knew that the garden wasn’t exactly something that he was interested in, but it was important to you so it was important to him. “Sam might bring something up from his own garden for us, so I need to make some space. His marigolds are always gorgeous, I hope it’s those.” You realized that you were ranting, and Eomer was just looking at you blankly. You chuckled, getting to your feet and wiped your hands on the long skirt you were wearing.

“The riders are on patrol today, and I don’t have any appointments until the afternoon...” He said, suggestively. By the time that you approached him, he had a grin on his face, not just his usual smirk.

“You mean that I get the King to myself for the rest of the morning?” You questioned, raising an eyebrow. Climbing into his arms, he held you securely in his chest and carried you up the stairs, back into the warm castle that you called home. You pressed small kisses into the crook of his neck, and though of course he was on your mind as he so often was, you couldn’t help but think about the invitations you were going to send out to your friends.

He carried you into the bedroom, humming an affirmative to your question and laid you down on the bed. You laid back against the pillows, hair spread out around you. “You know that means I want the Queen to myself all morning,” He said, returning the kisses that you had given before. You closed your eyes and moaned as the sensations spread from the hair on your head to the tips of your curled toes. You quickly got over the distraction of planning the party, and focused on him and him alone.

-

Eomer retreated to the gardens outside once the last of his meetings were over. As he was still dressed in his Kingly attire, and had been sitting down on the throne for the last couple of hours, he was feeling stiff, and was looking forward to a stroll around to loosen up his legs. Something was different though - there was a male voice in the garden with yours, making you laugh. He turned the corner to where the benches were, under the shade of the large, sweet smelling trees.

“Samwise Gamgee,” Eomer said, seeing the mop of curly hair. You beamed up at your husband and motioned him to come and join the two of you where you were sitting. Sam stood up and behind him was revealed a just as pleasant looking woman and four young bairns. “Oh - and ... family.”

“There’s another on the way!” You said, cheerfully, laying your hand on Rosie’s round stomach. You always were a sucker for babies, especially when they were young, so having these children here and knowing that Rosie could burst at just about any second was exciting. With Eomer, children made him soften only slightly - he had a tough childhood himself and no one had ever taken it easy on him, so it was hard for him to remind himself to take it easy on them.

“Something for you  here,” Sam said, fishing around in a sack that he had brought. He pulled out some fresh ears of corn from the Shire, shining as golden as the sun above. You stood up and took one out of his hand. “Usually I’d bring more but we’ve been having trouble with the carrots lately,” He said, sheepishly.

“It’s good enough for us,” Eomer said, taking the sack from Sam. “It’s going to make a good meal, once everyone else gets here.”

“I brought Lembas Bread,” Legolas said, coming around the corner that Eomer had just arrived from. He had been eavesdropping clearly, and came straight for you. Over everyone else, you were the one that your brother cared about the most, and he showed it in the way that his arms lifted you into the air as he hugged you. You laughed joyfully and wrapped your own arms around your pretty, blonde brother, having missed him over the past year. Although that year for you and Legolas had been short, it had been long to all the others, and that way of thinking had begun to rub off on both of you. “Y/N, you’re looking well,” He said, once he put you back down.

“As are you, Legolas,” You said, taking in the never-changing appearance of your big brother. “What a surprise, Lembas Bread,” You teased. Legolas always brought Lembas bread to these gatherings, mainly for Sam to take home for Merry and Pippin.

Legolas and Eomer embraced, but only for half a moment before separating. They had fought together in the Great Battles sure, but there was a discomfort in knowing that they both cared about you above all else. It almost made them competitive with one another - at least on Legolas’s end. You usually had to force Legolas to stand down, and remind him that Eomer was only human, after all.

Aragorn and Arwen were the last to arrive. You stayed standing to greet them, though you did bow down just to tease the King, who always insisted that you didn’t have to bow. He stood with the rest of the men while you and Arwen embraced and kissed each other on the cheek.

Arwen was counted among your two best friends, with Sam being the other. You agreed with your husband that it was an odd mixture of friends, but the core aspects of your personalities were the same. All three of you would die to protect your friends and the ones that you love, that was the main thing. You’d missed them terribly, and it felt amazing to have your favorite people back together again.

-

The next evening was filled with color as the roses finally bloomed at last. You had arranged the large table to be beneath the climbing roses that took over the majority of one of the back walls of the castle. There was an array of red, white and pink, mixing in with the golden buds of the marigolds Sam had brought and that the two of you planted together that morning. This may be the best turn out your garden has ever seen.

Arwen walked noiselessly on the cobbled garden path, holding a large silver pitcher of water for the table. “Is Rosie going to  be able to walk this far?” She asked, setting it on the table.

“Sam will take care of her, carry her down if he has to,” You giggled, picturing Sam crawling on all fours with his pregnant wife sitting on his back. Arwen laughed as well, it sounding like musical bells against the quiet of nature. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she gives birth here in Rohan.”

“Can you imagine, a little newborn hobbit baby,” Arwen sat down at the table, her cheeks glowing with happy thoughts. The others weren’t due down here for another half an hour, but she knew you would be down here making sure that everything was perfect. Most of the food was still in the kitchens, being kept warm, but you already had the large plates of fruits, cheeses and finger vegetables set out for appetizers. She picked a ripe cherry tomato off of one of the plates and ate it without the littlest bit of juice dribbling from her lips. Nothing less from an elf, of course. Or from the Queen of Gondor.

“It’s nice to hear children running around in these halls - it has been much too long,” You sighed dreamily, remembering some of the laughter you heard. You had started the morning playing with the little ones so that Sam and Rosie could get some rest in. Elanor had wormed her way into your heart, and started acting like a little princess straight away.

“As you are my best friend, I’m going to let you in on something...” Arwen said, leaning in to make sure no one else would hear. “Do you remember that vision I had of Aragorn, and our son?” You nodded and leaned forward, craving the good news. “We’ve been trying - but you cannot tell anyone.”

“You’re worried that I would tell your father?” You asked, and she nodded slowly. “He would be happy for you if it happened, we all would. Or should I say will, since it was a vision and is sure to come true.”

Being an elf with a human as a husband, much like yourself, made it very difficult to have children. You’d been thinking about it since you first laid eyes on the rider on the way to Rohan. It seemed fitting that your best friend was having the same contemplations with her own husband. Despite the hardships that would come with trying, you supported her endlessly, and proved that to her with a hug - something that elves did so rarely.

-

You held Sam’s hands when he came out of the castle, ready for dinner, with his wife following along behind him. Tonight was what you were most looking forward to - a great meal, great friends, and the blooming roses overhead. It was a great thing that Eowyn and Faramir were in the city, and agreed to watch all of Sam’s little ones. Having them around was great fun, but also greatly chaotic - you wondered how they could handle it at all.

“Sometimes it’s nice being away from home,” Sam said, “if you’re around the right people.” You smiled at that and let go of his hands to lean in and peck Rosie on either cheek. You loved their round cheeks and their sweet smiles - there was something so happy about the couple that was entirely infectious.

“You know you’re always welcome here, and I hope to visit the Shire one day.” Sam and Rosie looked at each other and both started to laugh, making you furrow your brow in confusion. Without asking, Eomer walked behind you and put his arm around your waist.

“Normally, even humans in the Shire would look odd, but an elf?” Eomer explained on the Hobbits’ behalf. It did make sense and you giggled behind your hand. “Y/N, sometimes you forget that other places aren’t like home, don’t you?”

“Can you blame me?” Getting into your seat at the intimate table that seated seven comfortably, you flushed and put your hand on your husband’s thigh. There was no one looking at the two of you anymore, but rather they were all fixing their plates. “You brought me to a perfect home.”

Working on dinner, the seven of you didn’t have much time for chit chat. You had provided them with a feast with all of the foods that they loved. You were particularly fond of the roast pork and vegetables that you had the kitchens whip up, salted of course with salt from The Shire that Sam had sent by rider a few months before. You also made sure that there was plenty of wine - enough to make everyone’s nose and cheeks go rosy, even Legolas’s and he had a very high tolerance for alcohol. Save for pregnant Rosie’s, of course. All around you, the smell of roses hung in the air, the fragrance enriching the senses to where it even seemed to flavor the food.

In true Kingly fashion, Aragorn and Eomer were attempting to out-eat one another. As always, you and Arwen made fun of them, sneaking more food onto their plates when they were too busy looking at each other competitively. Your husbands would be feeling that later, that’s for sure. There was even some surprise as Sam and Rosie were both keeping up, but were taking their time of it. You, Arwen and Legolas, as the elves, were more picky with how you ate, making your plates look clean and pristine once you have eaten the last morsel but you hadn’t had your plate heaping either.

You called for the maids to come clear the table once all of the food had been eaten, and suggested a walk in the gardens to help the food settle. From when they first arrived, you wanted to have some time with just Arwen and Sam, and this was the first time that it was finally materializing.

“Of course you’re the first one out of the Fellowship to have a baby,” You smiled down at Sam as you and Arwen took smaller steps to match his stride. “A few, in fact, unless - oh please don’t tell me that Pippin has reproduced.” Sam laughed at that and shook his head, his curls flying around his face. “No, not yet, but he might.”

You listened as Arwen and Sam caught up with one another, for they didn’t speak to one another as often as they spoke to you. Being more on the quiet side, Arwen mostly listened as Sam talked about his family, the Shire, the love of his home and his friends, and of course - how much he missed his best friend Frodo Baggins.

You slowed down and a hand caught yours, fingers intertwining. No other person would dare touch you like that other than your husband, so you knew immediately that it was him, and squeezed. You looked to your side to see that he had caught up to you, and under the twilight sky, he looked absolutely beautiful. His hair was loose and flowing past his shoulders, golden as the mane of the horse that he rode. His dark eyes sparkled as they always did when he looked at you - only when he looked at you. Since the moment that you first set eyes on one another in the field, while looking for the two young hobbits Merry and Pippin, a connection had been formed that a dangerous war and the risk of impending death did nothing to sever.

“Having a good time?” Eomer asked you, matching your steps.

You reached just past his ear to one of the rose vines behind him, and plucked a deep red one, narrowly avoiding the thorns. It’s scent was strong, and vibrant. You twirled it between your fingers and caught your husband’s eye once more.

“Nothing in this world could ever be more perfect than tonight has been.” You assured him, and tucked it behind his ear in a teasing manner.

[artelingua]

'We have a once-in-century chance': Naomi Klein on how we can fight the climate crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/14/crisis-talk-green-new-deal-naomi-klein

On a Friday in mid-March, they streamed out of schools in little rivulets, burbling with excitement and defiance at an act of truancy. The little streams emptied on to grand avenues and boulevards, where they combined with other flows of chanting children and teens. Soon the rivulets were rushing rivers: 100,000 bodies in Milan, 40,000 in Paris, 150,000 in Montreal. Cardboard signs bobbed above the surf of humanity: THERE IS NO PLANET B! DON’T BURN OUR FUTURE. THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!

There was no student strike in Mozambique; on 15 March the whole country was bracing for the impact of Cyclone Idai, one of the worst storms in Africa’s history, which drove people to take refuge at the tops of trees as the waters rose and would eventually kill more than 1,000 people. And then, just six weeks later, while it was still clearing the rubble, Mozambique would be hit by Cyclone Kenneth, yet another record-breaking storm.

Wherever in the world they live, this generation has something in common: they are the first for whom climate disruption on a planetary scale is not a future threat, but a lived reality. Oceans are warming 40% faster than the United Nations predicted five years ago. And a sweeping study on the state of the Arctic, published in April 2019 in Environmental Research Letters and led by the renowned glaciologist Jason Box, found that ice in various forms is melting so rapidly that the “Arctic biophysical system is now clearly trending away from its 20th-century state and into an unprecedented state, with implications not only within but also beyond the Arctic.” In May 2019, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services published a report about the startling loss of wildlife around the world, warning that a million species of animals and plants are at risk of extinction. “The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever,” said the chair, Robert Watson. “We are eroding the very foundations of economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide. We have lost time. We must act now.”

It has been more than three decades since governments and scientists started officially meeting to discuss the need to lower greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the dangers of climate breakdown. In the intervening years, we have heard countless appeals for action that involve “the children,” “the grandchildren,” and “generations to come”. Yet global CO2 emissions have risen by more than 40%, and they continue to rise. The planet has warmed by about 1C since we began burning coal on an industrial scale and average temperatures are on track to rise by as much as four times that amount before the century is up; the last time there was this much CO2 in the atmosphere, humans didn’t exist.

As for those children and grandchildren and generations to come who were invoked so promiscuously? They are no longer mere rhetorical devices. They are now speaking (and screaming, and striking) for them selves. Unlike so many adults in positions of authority, they have not yet been trained to mask the unfathomable stakes of our moment in the language of bureaucracy and overcomplexity. They understand that they are fighting for the fundamental right to live full lives – lives in which they are not, as 13-year-old Alexandria Villaseñor puts it, “running from disasters”.

On that day in March 2019, organisers estimate there were nearly 2,100 youth climate strikes in 125 countries, with 1.6 million young people participating. That’s quite an achievement for a movement that began eight months earlier with a single teenager deciding to go on strike from school in Stockholm, Sweden: Greta Thunberg.

The wave of youth mobilisation that burst on to the scene in March 2019 is not just the result of one girl and her unique way of seeing the world, extraordinary though she is. Thunberg is quick to note that she was inspired by another group of teenagers who rose up against a different kind of failure to protect their futures: the students in Parkland, Florida, who led a national wave of class walkouts demanding tough controls on gun ownership after 17 people were murdered at their school in February 2018.

Nor is Thunberg the first person with tremendous moral clarity to yell “Fire!” in the face of the climate crisis. Such voices have emerged multiple times over the past several decades; indeed, it is something of a ritual at the annual UN summits on climate change. But perhaps because these earlier voices belonged to people from the Philippines, the Marshall Islands and South Sudan, those clarion calls were one-day stories, if that. Thunberg is also quick to point out that the climate strikes themselves were the work of thousands of diverse student leaders, their teachers and supporting organisations, many of whom had been raising the climate alarm for years.

As a manifesto put out by British climate strikers put it: “Greta Thunberg may have been the spark, but we’re the wildfire.”

For a decade and half, ever since reporting from New Orleans with water up to my waist after Hurricane Katrina, I have been trying to figure out what is interfering with humanity’s basic survival instinct – why so many of us aren’t acting as if our house is on fire when it so clearly is. I have written books, made films, delivered countless talks and co-founded an organisation (The Leap) devoted, in one way or another, to exploring this question and trying to help align our collective response to the scale of the climate crisis.

It was clear to me from the start that the dominant theories about how we had landed on this knife edge were entirely insufficient. We were failing to act, it was said, because politicians were trapped in short-term electoral cycles, or because climate change seemed too far off, or because stopping it was too expensive, or because the clean technologies weren’t there yet. There was some truth in all the explanations, but they were also becoming markedly less true over time. The crisis wasn’t far off; it was banging down our doors. The price of solar panels has plummeted and now rivals that of fossil fuels. Clean tech and renewables create far more jobs than coal, oil, and gas. As for the supposedly prohibitive costs, trillions have been marshalled for endless wars, bank bailouts and subsidies for fossil fuels, in the same years that coffers have been virtually empty for climate transition. There had to be more to it.

Which is why, over the years, I have set out to probe a different set of barriers – some economic, some ideological, but others related to the deep stories about the right of certain people to dominate land and the people living closest to it, stories that underpin contemporary western culture. And I have investigated the kinds of responses that might succeed in toppling those narratives, ideologies and economic interests, responses that weave seemingly disparate crises (economic, social, ecological and democratic) into a common story of civilisational transformation. Today, this sort of bold vision increasingly goes under the banner of a Green New Deal.

Because, as deep as our crisis runs, something equally deep is also shifting, and with a speed that startles me. Social movements rising up to declare, from below, a people’s emergency. In addition to the wildfire of student strikes, we have seen the rise of Extinction Rebellion, which kicked off a wave of non-violent direct action and civil disobedience, including a mass shutdown of large parts of central London. Within days of its most dramatic actions in April 2019, Wales and Scotland both declared a state of “climate emergency,” and the British parliament, under pressure from opposition parties, quickly followed suit.

Humanity has a once-in-a-century chance to fix an economic model that is failing the majority of people on multiple fronts

In the US, we have seen the meteoric rise of the Sunrise Movement, which burst on to the political stage when it occupied the office of Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful Democrat in Washington, DC, one week after her party had won back the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. They called on Congress to immediately adopt a rapid decarbonisation framework, one as ambitious in speed and scope as Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal, the sweeping package of policies designed to battle the poverty of the Great Depression and the ecological collapse of the Dust Bowl.

The idea behind the Green New Deal is a simple one: in the process of transforming the infrastructure of our societies at the speed and scale that scientists have called for, humanity has a once-in-a-century chance to fix an economic model that is failing the majority of people on multiple fronts. Because the factors that are destroying our planet are also destroying people’s lives in many other ways, from wage stagnation to gaping inequalities to crumbling services to surging white supremacy to the collapse of our information ecology. Challenging underlying forces is an opportunity to solve several interlocking crises at once.

In tackling the climate crisis, we can create hundreds of millions of goods jobs around the world, invest in the most systematically excluded communities and nations, guarantee healthcare and childcare, and much more. The result of these transformations would be economies built both to protect and to regenerate the planet’s life support systems and to respect and sustain the people who depend on them.

This vision is not new; its origins can be traced to social movements in ecologically ravaged parts of Ecuador and Nigeria, as well as to highly polluted communities of colour in the United States. What is new is that there is now a bloc of politicians in the US, Europe, and elsewhere, some just a decade older than the young climate activists in the streets, ready to translate the urgency of the climate crisis into policy, and to connect the dots among the multiple crises of our times. Most prominent among this new political breed is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who, at 29, became the youngest woman ever elected to the US Congress. Introducing a Green New Deal was part of the platform she ran on. Today, with the race to lead the Democratic party in full swing, a majority of leading presidential hopefuls claim to support it, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. It had been endorsed, meanwhile, by 105 members of the House and Senate.

The idea is spreading around the world, with the political coalition European Spring launching a green new deal for Europe in January 2019 and a broad green new deal coalition of organisations in Canada coming together (the leader of the New Democratic party has adopted the frame, if not its full ambition, as one of his policy planks). The same is true in the UK, where the Labour party is in the middle of negotiations over whether to adopt a green new deal‑style platform.

Those of us who advocate for this kind of transformative platform are sometimes accused of using it to advance a socialist or anticapitalist agenda that predates our focus on the climate crisis. My response is a simple one. For my entire adult life, I have been involved in movements confronting the myriad ways that our current economic systems grinds up people’s lives and landscapes in the ruthless pursuit of profit. No Logo, published 20 years ago, documented the human and ecological costs of corporate globalisation, from the sweatshops of Indonesia to the oil fields of the Niger Delta. I have seen teenage girls treated like machines to make our machines, and mountains and forests turned to trash heaps to get at the oil, coal and metals beneath.

The painful, even lethal, impacts of these practices were impossible to deny; it was simply argued that they were the necessary costs of a system that was creating so much wealth that the benefits would eventually trickle down to improve the lives of nearly everyone on the planet. What has happened instead is that the indifference to life that was expressed in the exploitation of individual workers on factory floors and in the decimation of individual mountains and rivers has instead trickled up to swallow our entire planet, turning fertile lands into salt flats, beautiful islands into rubble, and draining once vibrant reefs of their life and colour.

I freely admit that I do not see the climate crisis as separable from the more localised market-generated crises that I have documented over the years; what is different is the scale and scope of the tragedy, with humanity’s one and only home now hanging in the balance. I have always had a tremendous sense of urgency about the need to shift to a dramatically more humane economic model. But there is a different quality to that urgency now because it just so happens that we are all alive at the last possible moment when changing course can mean saving lives on a truly unimaginable scale.

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Every year, I look for important themes in sustainability that will have lasting impact on society, from glaring evidence of global megatrends to inspiring stories of corporate action. The year 2018 brought extreme change — in weather and environmental ecosystems, in political winds and power, and in the expectations of business. It also brought incredible clarity about the scale of our challenges and opportunities.

So let’s start with the big picture before moving to some corporate success stories.

The world’s scientists sound a final alarm on climate

We have about 12 years left. That’s the clear message from a monumental studyfrom the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). To avoid some of the most devastating impacts of climate change, the world must slash carbon emissions by 45% by 2030, and completely decarbonize by 2050 (while, in the meantime, emissions are still rising).

The IPCC looked at the difference between the world “only” warming two degrees Celsius (3.8°F) — the agreed upon goal at global climate summits in Copenhagen and Paris — or holding warming to just 1.5 degrees. Even the latter, they say, will require a monumental effort “unprecedented in terms of scale.” We face serious problems either way, but every half degree matters a great deal in human, planetary, and economic losses.

It wasn’t just the IPCC that told a stark story. Thirteen U.S. government agencies issued the U.S. National Climate Assessment, which concluded that climate change could knock at least 10% off of GDP. Other studies tell us that sea level rise is going to be worse than we thought, Antarctica is melting three times faster than a decade ago, and Greenland is losing ice quickly as well. If both those ice sheets go, sea level rise could reach 200-plus feet, resulting in utter devastation, including the loss of the entire Atlantic seaboard (Boston, New York, D.C., etc.), all of Florida, London, Stockholm, Denmark, Uruguay and Paraguay, and land now inhabited by more than 1 billion Asians.

All of this suggests that business must dramatically change how it operates: companies will need to push well past their comfort zones from areas like politics and policy to engaging consumers to how they make investment decisions.

Entire towns are wiped off the map by extreme weather

This year the weather devastation around the world got, in the words of one colleague, “biblical.” The town of Paradise, California, was effectively eliminated by wildfires (that, yes, are made worse by climate change), killing at least 85 people. Most houses in Mexico Beach, Florida, were destroyed by Hurricane Michael. Unprecedented rains and damage from Hurricane Florence slammed North Carolina and temporarily turned a major highway into a river. Typhoon Mangkhut ravagedthe Philippines and parts of China, killing dozens of people. Incredible heat blanketed four continents this summer, with records falling across Europe and Asia. Venezuela’s last glacier is disappearing. Finally, Capetown, South Africa, is essentially out of water due in part to drought — the city nearly shut off all the taps this year, but has held off “Day Zero” through ongoing restrictions and aggressive citizen action.

The consequences of these extremes are not theoretical. What is the economic cost to an area with no water, or one that’s under water, or burned to the ground? In the U.S. alone, it was $306 billion in 2017, shattering records.

Coral is dying, insects are disappearing, and the fate of major ecosystems looks dim

The world’s top coral expert confirms that at 2 degrees of warming, all coral will die. This will destroy a critical part of an ocean system that provides protein to hundreds of millions of people, helps blunt coastal storm surges, and supports the livelihoods of people working in fishing and tourism.

And it’s not just coral: there’s the death of pacific kelp forests, radical declines in insect populations, and continuing population drops in all mammals and bees.

How does this all connect to business? For some sectors, it’s obvious: the food and agriculture industry will have trouble feeding us without pollinators, and tourism takes a big hit without coral and other wildlife. But more broadly, society will not thrive in a world where entire pillars of planetary support are collapsing. And if society can’t thrive, neither can business.

The U.S. environmental protection system continues being dismantled … from within

The EPA and Department of Interior are reversing years of protections for air, water, and land. In 2018, the Trump administration has opened up offshore waters and rolled back safety rules for drilling, greatly weakened the voice of science in policy, reduced focus on children’s health, and moved to make it easier to build dirty coal plants.

The big question now is whether businesses will push back and go down a cleaner path on their own. It’s easy to see why multinationals might as they face pressure from sub-national regions — California Gov. Jerry Brown held a Global Climate Action Summit which produced many aggressive climate goals from cities and state, for example. Gov. Brown also signed aggressive new laws committing to carbon-free electricity statewide by 2045 and requiring solar on all new homes. So even if U.S. action sputters, governors and mayors who influence local and regional business conditions will be pushing the clean economy and pro-climate agendas.

In pointed contrast to the U.S., the EU backed a proposal to strike no new trade deals with countries not in the Paris climate accord (i.e., only the U.S.), France will shut coal plants by 2021, India just cancelled plans for big coal plants, and China banned 500 inefficient models of cars.

A prominent leader retires, but new leaders step up

For nearly a decade, no business leader has done more to bring sustainability into the business mainstream than Paul Polman, Unilever’s outgoing CEO (Full disclosure: I’ve worked with Unilever). His depth of understanding of our biggest global, social, and environmental challenges, and his commitment to use business as a way to tackle them, has been unparalleled. But it wasn’t just talk. The company also grew throughout Polman’s tenure and the stock outperformed peers and the FTSE index. Luckily, there are other corporate leaders who are stepping up, including Danone’s Emmanuel Faber (see below for more).

But climate isn’t the only area where we’re seeing bold stances. Societal issues more broadly made headlines, too. The New York Times declared 2018 year that “CEO activism has become the new normal,” with prominent voices like Salesforce’s Marc Benioff leading the way. Other notable moments include Nike making Colin Kaepernick — the man who led NFL player protests about police violence against African Americans — the face of its 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign (sales rose quickly). Under pressure from survivors of school mass shootings, Dick’s Sporting Goods stopped selling assault weapons, and other companies cut ties to the powerful National Rifle Association. Kroger celebrated a year of its “End Hunger” initiative. Unilever threatened to pull its substantial ad dollars from Facebook and Google if they didn’t police “fake news and toxic content.” One hundred U.S. CEOs urged action on controversial immigration issues. And more than 100 U.S. companies gave employees time off to vote.

Danone North America becomes the world’s largest B Corporation

A “B Corp” certification requires answering an intensive set of questions on environmental, social, and governance issues. But most importantly, it commits a company to create value for all stakeholders (customers, employees, communities, and so on), not just shareholders.

French consumer products giant Danone has now put 30% of its brands and businesses through the certification process and says that “companies are fundamentally challenged as to whose interests they really serve.” Becoming a B Corp is arguably is a direct statement about whose interests it values most, and it’s and fascinating frontal attack on the dominance of shareholder capitalism.

More investors are viewing climate and sustainability as core value issues

Something is shifting in finance. Vanguard wants CEOs to be a force for good. Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, said that “70% of [UK] banks, who normally have a shorter horizon, are viewing climate as a financial risk—not a CSR one.” Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock, the world’s largest asset owner, encouraged longer-term thinking about environmental, social, and governance issues in a strongly-worded letter to large-company CEOs.

Anecdotally, I’ve talked to leaders at big banks who are now thinking differently about purpose and systemic risk. And in a quieter move, a major real estate investor in Miami began pulling money out of coastal assets to avoid risk of sea level rise. Watch this space.

The clean technology explosion continues and accelerates

Three big clean tech themes wowed me this year.

1) Renewables keep getting cheaper. According to Lazard’s annual analysis of the cost of building new power plants, renewables are now the cheapest. And another global analysis showed that new wind and solar are cheaper than one-third of the coal already on the grid — and will be cheaper than 96% of existing plants by 2030.

2) Corporate buying of clean energy keeps rising. By the end of just the first half of 2018, businesses bought more clean energy than they did in 2017. Companies like Owens Corning (disclosure: a client of mine) are buying enough green energy to pitch their products as cleanly manufactured (which they started doing in late 2017).

3) Electric vehicle sales are exploding, and it’s not just small vehicles: even container ships are going electric. UPS bought its first EV delivery vehicles at price parity to combustion engines, and China is adding nearly 10,000 electric buses to the roads — equal to the size of London’s entire bus fleet – every five weeks.

China rejects the world’s trash

For years, the U.S. had a great deal: When container ships arrived from China with goods, we sent them back filled with our recyclable paper and glass. But starting January 1, 2018, China stopped accepting our trash. The ripples of this move are unpredictable and still moving through the system, but in some regions, materials piled up and prices for recycled content plummeted. In a business world trying to go “circular” (i.e., find a use for everything and eliminate waste), it was a wake-up call about how much waste we still produce.

The battle against single-use plastic heats up, starting (somewhat oddly) with straws

Sometimes weird things hit a tipping point. For a combination of reasons, including a viral video showing a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose, companies waged war on straws this year. Marriott, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Burger King, and the city of Seattle, among others, all banned or are phasing out straws. It was a very small part of a larger conversation about “single-use plastics,” most notably plastic bags, which IKEA and Taiwan are banning as well.

Raising the bar for suppliers

The greening of the supply chain is a perennial story, but there are some noteworthy recent actions. Apple created a $300 million fund to help suppliers in China build more solar, and also partnered with Alcoa and Rio Tinto to develop a better smelting process to make carbon-free aluminum. On the labor side of the supply chain equation, PepsiCo and Nestle cut ties with a palm oil supplier over human rights abuses and Coca-Cola said it would work with the U.S. State Department to use blockchain to fight forced labor.

Meatless options grow plentiful

Given the way most cattle is currently raised, one of the most effective things an individual can do to reduce her carbon footprint is eat less meat. The options to do so are growing, and the rise of products made from non-animal proteins has been remarkable. The Impossible Burger, Beyond Meat, and other brands have made believers out of skeptics (they taste great) and are, as the Wall Street Journal put it, “overrunning grocery meat cases.” In another fascinating move, tech company WeWork went meat-free in its offices and even stopped reimbursing employees on business trips for meat meals.

What comes next…

I’m sure I missed many stories, especially globally (my view is from the U.S.). Predictions are hard, but I’m safe in assuming 2019 will be a bumpy ride again. Ultimately, today’s global political situation is, at best, unpredictable. Brazil now has a strongman-style leader who talks about cutting down the Amazon, but the U.S. just swung its House of Representatives back the other way, giving power to Democrats who want more focus on climate change, inequality, and other sustainability agenda items. No matter what happens politically, it seems clear that companies will continue to feel pressure, internally and externally, to do more on social and environmental issues. While the problems face we are extremely serious, I remain optimistic that companies will be doing more in 2019 than ever before.