#pre series underwoods

[halechief]

047.   the inside of an elevator that won’t move .

↪     𝑺𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺 : @ovalbound.

he's irritated. claire has learned to read this in him easily over the course of their marriage, without the need for candid speech or significant glances, though those were not beneath him to give. it's palpable, in this moment, and had been from the first handshake of the evening, though he'd been nothing short of suave and inviting, southern charm oozing from all pores as he'd glad handed washington's finest with her on his arm. they don't know any better, cannot tell that the strong grip of his hand is not just rough breeding, but an unwavering promise of his capacity to crush -- after twelve years, claire requires no such proof. she turns to him in the small space they've been afforded, and his eyes are watching the numbered floors displayed at the top of the elevator dwindle and bring them low when she says, quite casually ; ❝  you're brooding.  ❞ they are still averted when he says : i'm not.

her hand reaches out without the need to glance toward her target, and as she presses in the stop button, a sharp note cuts the air, and the elevator slows to a halt. that earns her his gaze, and there is an element of reproach in it that she dismisses without care, a step taken to place herself before him as a hand lifts to the knot of his tie - silk. a gift for their most recent anniversary which had passed not yet a month prior. the subtle henpeck is unneeded, the straightening of the tie a pretense. it is only his undivided attention that she is after. ❝  you are. brooding accomplishes nothing, francis. leave it too long, and it becomes worry. fear, even. ❞ significant glances are not beneath her, either, and as the clear blue of her eyes slide upward from her perusal of the feigned task, it is significance that is seated there inside : we have no use for fear.

❝  ruminating, though . . . that yields results. that, you can leave as long as you like. the longer, the better. the more certain the outcome. we have never lost a race, francis. ❞ her lips curl then, softly, her hold at his tie abandoned, and she turns to unstick the button, her other hand finding his own, wrapping her fingers about his palm as the elevator resumes its sluggish pace.

❝  we aren't about to start now.  ❞

[ticklish-scribbler]

Title: How to Relax After A Life-Threatening Quest Summary: The trio struggles with adapting to normal camp life after the events of The Lightning Thief. Annabeth makes a plan, Grover can smell emotions, and Percy gets tickled within an inch of his life. Word Count: 1851 My gift for @vallee-ace for the @squealing-santa event! I hope you enjoy it :)

The days between the quest’s official end and the end of summer should have fallen away quickly. Going from sleeping minutes at a time in cramped, harsh conditions to a lush, comforting bed with open windows and absolute silence should have been a welcome reprieve. His mother’s letter, scrawled in her familiar script, should have been enough to quiet the nightmares of her petrified face, fading to golden dust.

Only—

“We’re soldiers,” Annabeth said, barely an inch over five foot, when Percy complained about how cold his room feels with no one else around. “We get past it.”

“Uh huh,” Percy said slowly, looking her up and down. “You were so tired you sacrificed the plate instead of the food at lunch today.”

Annabeth’s glare was interrupted by Grover’s panpipes, screeching off key. Percy flinched and looked over—Grover’s was attempting to charm some strawberries into growing, but instead they were cringing into the ground and appeared to be shrinking. Katie Gardener frantically gestured for him to stop. Grover, taking her waving arms as encouragement, blew harder and the already pitchy notes jumped up an octave.

A handful of nearby campers shouted complaints.

“Come on,” Annabeth muttered, already making the trek over to Grover. Percy, who had been hoping to move further away from the piercing sound, followed at a much slower pace.

“Ok,” Annabeth said once the panpipes had been safely confiscated. She looked as serious as she did about anything—which, for her, meant like she was ready to go to war. “Time to take a nap.”

. . .

It was unsurprisingly easy to fall back to quest patterns. Percy’s cabin was a guaranteed place of semi-privacy—they stripped the blankets from the bed and laid them in the corner of the room, with a clear view of the exit and backs comfortably against the wall behind them. There was a brief discussion of setting up a watch, but Annabeth cut down that thought quickly—there wasn’t any actual danger, and the whole point was to catch up on sleep.

Grover collapsed to the side of the makeshift bed with a grunt. Percy half expected to hear snores within seconds, but Grover valiantly opened his eyes and bleated. Percy may not have spoke Satyr, but “hurry up!” was clear enough.

“After you, seaweed brain,” Annabeth said, eyes darting around the room, taking in Percy’s discarded minotaur horn on the ground. Percy knew that she was looking for any missed threats. Once she nodded to herself, satisfied, he joined Grover on the ground.

Grover, who sought heat like a lizard in the desert, immediately latched onto his arm. Annabeth crawled down on Percy’s other side, her sheathed knife carefully going within grabbing distance. Her body laid stiffly, but she always was until sleep forced her shoulders to untense.

It was cramped, and already felt a bit sticky in the summer heat, but infinitely better than the cloying softness of the actual bed.

In the back of Percy’s mind, he knew that if any monsters were to attack while he slept, the two next to him would be there when he woke up. He closed his eyes.

Seconds later, he opened them again.

“Why are you sad?” Grover mumbled, sniffing at Percy’s arm. Percy wondered if he was dreaming of crying empanadas.

“Percy’s sad?” Annabeth repeated, voice groggy from almost-sleep.

“He is not!” Percy insisted, mortified. “Grover is just sleep talking.”

“Why are you sad?” Annabeth asked, ignoring him.

“Satrys can smell emotions,” Grover bleated, blinking awake in offense. He inhaled deeply, more intent. “You are sad!” he exclaimed. “Sadness smells like flat soda.”

“Look,” Percy blushed, “It’s nothing, alright?”

“If it’s nothing, then just tell us so we can deal with it and go to sleep.”

That was Annabeth—always logical, even at her most comforting.

“I hate flat soda,” Grover agreed.

Unable to find a way out of it, and too tired to think of something sufficiently witty to make them lose interest, Percy was left with the uncomfortable feeling of telling the truth.

“It’s just—I never really made friends at any of my schools. And now I have you two, but summer’s ending soon. And I’ll just be back at a new school. Again.”

For a second no one said anything, and Percy’s mortification forced its way through his sleep addled brain.

“But anyway, I’m really tired, so let’s head to bed and—”

“Iris messages exist for a reason,” Annabeth cut in. “I was planning on calling you two on a weekly basis to begin with, but you can call too.”

Percy stared.

“You were planning on calling me?” he repeated dumbly. Annabeth narrowed her eyes.

“Were you not planning on calling me?” she asked.

“Er,” Percy said. “I don’t have golden drachmas?” It was easier than admitting he hadn’t realized he was allowed to call.

“I’ll give you some,” Grover said happily. “Satrys don’t really use them among ourselves, so I’ve got a stash. You better call me too though!”

“We’ll do three way calls,” Annabeth said firmly, like there was nothing to discuss. And maybe there wasn’t.

Warm and settled in a way that had nothing to do with the summer heat, Percy laid down. Grover once again grabbed at his arm, and to Percy’s shock, Annabeth grabbed his other. He felt his face heat up as Annabeth laid her head against him.

Percy couldn’t see Grover’s face, but he felt the satry’s smirk against his skin.

Shut up, he thought fiercely, hoping Grover could somehow smell the thought.

Then Percy felt Grover carefully shift so his hand was delicately placed around Percy’s ribs. Percy froze.

“You know, Percy still smells a little sad,” Grover said to Annabeth, who frowned and glanced up. Percy pressed his lips together, already feeling them twitch. Grover’s fingers, concealed by the blanket, started gently scratching at Percy’s side.

“No, I doN’T!” Percy tried to deny, voice squeaking when Grover gave up on gentle and squeezed. Annabeth’s eyes lit up in understanding. Grover and Annabeth shared a mischievous look that made Percy gulp. “I mean come on, we’re all tired here, aren’t we?”

“I feel wide awake,” Annabeth corrected. “Don’t you Grover?”

“Wide awake,” Grover echoed. “Never less sleepy in my life.”

“And we’d be bad friends if we let Percy go to bed sad,” she continued, poking Percy’s side and making him flinch into Grover.

“Absolutely,” Grover agreed, wiggling his fingers in a way that made Percy jolt right back over to Annabeth.

“Come on,” Percy complained, though the effect was lessened by the boyish giggles that were coming out of his mouth. He felt jittery in an exhilarated sort of way, like he was about to practice sword fighting against a particularly good opponent. “This isn’t fair!”

“You fought the god of war and won,” Annabeth reminded him, grabbing one of his flailing arms and pulling it up over his head. Her nails were short and blunt, but Percy felt them scratch over the cotton of his Camp Half Blood t-shirt and immediately fell into full body laughter. On his other side, Grover began poking up and down his ribs and sides, leaving Percy defenseless to the squeaks and squeals coming from his mouth. “We’re just trying to cheer you up.”

“We can’t let you walk around smelling like sadness,” Grover agreed, smiling himself.

Percy’s witty response—he wasn’t sure exactly what it was yet, but he was sure he’d figure it out by the time his mouth was open—was cut off by his laughter jumping ten decibels. Annabeth’s hand paused on his knees, her own lips twitching.

“Careful or else someone might think you’re ticklish,” she said sarcastically. A jolt went down Percy’s spine.

“I’m not!” Percy insisted, voice clear from laughter during the slight break from tickling, but cracking all the same. Annabeth gave him a look as if he had said something particularly stupid. Grover bleated.

“Really?” Annabeth asked. Percy felt her hand shift on his knee, and his heart skipped a beat when he felt Grover reach over towards his other. “You’re not ticklish. Not at all?”

Percy thought briefly of begging for mercy.

“Nope,” he said instead.

As if they had practiced, Annabeth let go of his arm and dug into his left knee with both hands at the exact moment Grover started scribbling his nails above and below his right knee. Percy’s laughter boomed out of him. His legs kicked out reflexively. His arms shot down and tried to grab at Annabeth and Grover, but they had four hands to hold down his two, and no amount of squirming deterred them.

“Let’s think of this logically,” Annabeth said in the matter-of-fact voice that Percy had originally found irritating and now found endearing. “If I do this,” she squeezed his knee in a series of quick pulses that had Percy screeching, “and you laugh, what do you think that means Percy?”

“It means you’re mean!” Percy somehow forced through his laughter, though it took significantly longer than normal.

“Uh huh,” Annabeth said. “And if Grover—” Grover, abruptly, let go of Percy’s legs and instead reached under Percy’s shirt and scribbled at his stomach, “does that, and you laugh then too, what does that mean?”

It took several seconds for Percy to gather enough breath through his glee to respond.

“It means he’s mean!”

“And what else?” Annabeth said, but Percy let the laughter flow over him and didn’t respond. He felt light and floaty—his mind was further away than it normally was, his entire brain taken up with the feeling of fingers tickling him and the mirth making him squirm around. He was vaguely aware of his friends talking more, but the specific words didn’t reach him. He just laughed and laughed.

“Percy,” Grover chided, drawing the word out just slightly, and it could have been seconds or hours later. At some point the tickling had slowed and he was giggling lightly. “You okay there?”

He nodded before he could think of being dishonest. Both of them had quit tickling him, but Percy could still feel phantom nails on his skin and his laughter hadn’t fully petered out yet. At some point, he must have sat up, and he realized belatedly that he was holding on to Annabeth's hands.

“You two are monsters,” Percy gasped dramatically, falling to his back and making the comforter let out a little puff of air.

“Oh please,” Annabeth scoffed, “I don’t need to smell emotions to see how happy the tickling made you.”

“Monsters,” Percy repeated, steadfastly not meeting anyone’s eyes.

“Well,” Grover said with a quick poke that made Percy squeak, “this monster is exhausted. Goodnight!”

Within seconds, Grover was laying his head against Percy’s shoulders and letting out soft snores. Annabeth sat on his other side but stared at him a moment.

“Still sad, Seaweed Brain?”

“Never been happier, Wise Girl,” Percy said, shooting for a sarcastic tone and missing miserably. Annabeth nodded.

It was the best sleep the three of them had had in a long time.

[twinsarekeepers]

Oh, actually, I’m going to double down on hating y’all bitches who relentlessly criticized the show because the kids saw that shit and are now are doubting their own capabilities.

[rainydaysandcloudyskies]

When you’re wondering if those kids you’re guiding were protecting the seven year old or if she was babysitting them…

I have many thoughts about pre-series Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth, and their journey to camp. We don’t know a ton about what happened on that journey, but I do know that they met Grover on their way to Thalia’s Last Stand…

Headcanon that Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth are three of the reasons Grover has the consensus song memorized in the show… I hope we’ll have many more seasons incoming!

[what-the-fuck-toothless]

PJO TV Episodes

so there's confirmed to be 8 episodes in the new show, what do we think's gonna happen?

My personal theory:

ep 1: Murder of a demonic Pre-algebra teacher and minotaur

ep 2: welcome to camp

ep 3: have a quest!

ep 4: monster hijinks ft. Medusa and the Furies

ep 5: monster hijinks part 2 ft. Echidna and Ares

ep 6: monster hijinks part 3 ft. a zebra and Crusty

ep 6: Welcome to the underworld

Ep 8: Fight with Ares and happily ever after if not for Luke

[aki-bara]

I am not the author. This link has been posted with the author's permission.

I am losing my MIND over this fic. The story is basically a what if scenario where in exchange for protecting Percy, Poseidon helps Thalia and co. make it to camp. Obviously this changes a LOT of things, but it's not all sunshine and daisies! Thalia seems drawn to protect Percy (their are reasons!) and young Percy is just so desperate for friends that he latches onto her immediately as a guardian/protective figure. Seeing them interact like this is so sweet and so touching? At the same time I am terrified of what the future holds for these two and for what it means for the prophecy.

Thalia and Percy sibling bond is something I never knew I needed in my life and now I crave it so much that I am desperate for updates to this series. Please suffer with me.

Unintended Trade by @triscribeaucollection

“Thalia Grace,” said the man, the god, as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. “Your father has just killed someone I cared very deeply for. I’m here to make certain he doesn’t do it again." Shit. Before Thalia or Luke or Grover could react, the god reached behind him, and pulled out- -a kid. A little kid, no bigger than Annabeth. A boy with curly blonde hair, and red-rimmed eyes, who stared at the four of them with the sort of dazed expression that belonged on people just rescued from the wreckage of natural disasters.

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians (General & TV 2023)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: None

Characters: Thalia Grace, Luke Castellan, Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase, Poseidon, Percy Jackson

Relationships: Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson, Luke Castellan & Annabeth Chase & Thalia Grace

Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Sally Jackson (Mentioned), Protective Thalia Grace, Percy Jackson Needs a Hug, Pre-Canon, Protective Poseidon, Poseidon Loves Percy Jackson, Grief/Mourning, Shock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Part 1 of The Trade AU

[brokehorrorfan]

Longlegs will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 24 via Neon. The 2024 horror-thriller will first be available on Digital tomorrow, August 23.

Oz Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel) writes and directs. Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage star with Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby, and Kiernan Shipka.

Special features are listed below.

Special features:

Audio commentary by writer-director Osgood Perkins

On set interviews with writer-director Osgood Perkins and actors Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, and Alicia Witt

The Clues

The Evidence

Dirty + Sweet

Teaser trailer

Theatrical trailer

In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

Pre-order Longlegs.

[lboogie1906]

Arthur Chester Duncan (September 25, 1925 – January 4, 2023) was a tap dancer, called an “Entertainer’s Entertainer,” known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show (1964-82). He was the first African American regular on a variety television program. He performed all over the world, and notably at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

Born in Pasadena, one of thirteen children, he entered show business at age thirteen, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School. He entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy but left to pursue a career in show business.

The weight of this, as well as the weight of being the only Black man on the show, led to him pre-recording his tap dancing, saying he “didn’t take chances.” This confined him and his dance moves, not allowing him to experiment, which is a key element of tap dancing.

The 1989 film Tap featured him in a cameo appearance with other famous tap dancers. He made more TV guest appearances on Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, and The Phil Donahue Show.

In 2004 he was honored at the annual “Tap Extravaganza” in New York City.

In 2006, he was honored for his contributions to tap dance at the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Festival.

In 2017, he appeared on the series premiere episode of the reality talent series Little Big Shots: Forever Young, where he performed a dance and reunited with actress Betty White.

In 2018, he made an appearance on The Talk as part of a surprise for co-host Sheryl Underwood, who performed a tap dance routine with Savion Glover as part of the show’s New Year’s Evolution.

He served in the army as an army private. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[thealmightyemprex]

Sci Fi Month Review 7 : Roger Cormans Fantastic Four

For this review…..We're looking at something special,the unreleased Fantastic Four movie

In this 1994 film Scientist Reed Richards(Alex Hyde-White ) and his companions Sue Storm (Rebecca Staab ),Johnny Storm (Jay Underwood ). and Ben Grimm(Michael Bailey Smith) take a space flight to study a comet,but things go wrong and the four find themselves changed with extraordinary powers and in the clutches of the mysterious figure named Doctor Doom (Joseph Culp )

So Marvel is huge now in mainstream American pop culture ……But that wasnt always the case.I'll just be honest people ,I am hesitant looking at pre Blade/X Men/Spider-Man live action Marvel adaptations cause they can be …Rough .I mean theres some gems ,I will always love The Incredible Hulk TV show starring Bill Bixby and even have a soft spot for the subsequent TV movies based on that show …..But then you have the 1990 Captain America movie ,Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD starring David Hasselhoff and of course,Howard the Duck .One that has always fascinated me is this film because in fandom circles for many years it was infamous for being the Marvel movie so bad ,they never released it (Which isnt the case truth is more complicated and capitalistic ,basically the film was a way to maintain rights ),a film you could only find as bootlegs at conventions,seen as a geeky oddity along the same lines as the Star Wars Holiday Special .Now you can find it on youtube (Which is how I watched it ) ,and having watched it……I think this film is kind of underrated and I am sad it did not get a proper release

So I gotta explain myself :As a kid some of my earliest comic memorie were reading the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby run of Fantastic Four ,and my dad had the complete series of the 90's Fantastic Four cartoon ….So the Fantastic Four have a special place for me .From the pathos of the Things plight ( a man trapped in the body of a monster ),to the sci fi adventure,to the romance of Reed and Susan ,to the grand villainy of Doctor Doom(Heck a slew of great villains),to the feeling of family ,the Fantastic Four appealed to me .....And I am kind of grumpy that Fantastic Four lacks a great adaptation that captures the spirit .Now there is no shortage of Fantastic Four adaptations out there.....But most of them,at least for me,are kind of mid ,specifically the film adaptations have left a lot to be desired .The Tim Story duology has the humor and the four leads relatively right ,but drops the ball in that they dont DO much and completely misrepresent the villains ,and 2015's Fant4stic might be the worst comic book movie I have ever seen .However this film ,while not the definitive film version I crave and not really a great movie .....IS the BEST movie version of the Fantastic Four and a fairly decent super hero film I feel

Now there is a lot I could make fun of ,its very flawed,like keep in mind ....This was produced by Roger Corman ,they didnt have much of a budget ,so the visual effects are a bit cheesy and bad(The CG Human Torch looks like he is straight out of Reboot ) but I dunno I find them charming .The only lack of budget thing that bothered me is the dialogue of Doctor Doom.....In that they didnt either have the money to loop him or think to loop him(HAve him record his lines later ) which is a problem cause Doom is clanking about and is wearing a mask that muffles his speech......So I dont know what the main villain is SAYING sometimes (Credit to Joseph Culp who does project very well so I know 75% of his dialogue but that 25 % is annoying ).My main flaws are the romance elements ,from the creepy Reed falling for Susan who he knew as a child to Ben and ALicia being in love despite meeting ONCE(And even that scene is a bit creepy ).We also have a subplot that frustrates me as the film has two villains ,Doctor Doom of course.....But then you have the Jeweler.Now the Jeweler was supposed to be the Mole Man ,a guy who due to his physical appearence has cast aside society to live underground and was actually the fours first villain.....Till Marvel said "NO you have the rights to this select group of character,not the Mole Man " ,so he was reworked into the Jeweler ....And I think they should have cut him out.Now I like the idea of his subplot ,him falling for Alicia and trying to make her his queen ,inviting Ben who has now become the monstrus thing to joing his group and Ian Trigger actually gives a great performance ,being creepy but also having a sense of sadness (He reminds me of what Tim Burton tried to do with the Penguin in Batman Returns ) ,and while the name is changed,its a good adaptation of the Mole Man .........Pity he adds nothing to the film other then causing the accident that makes the four the four and kidnapping Alicia,things that Doctor Doom couldve easilly done .I mean it folks in the grand scheme of things,the Jewler is pointless,he never fights the Fantastic Four and he just kind of runs off before the third act .I like the performance and the plot idea,but it shouldve been reworked or cut

Thaaaatttt said.....I still like the movie.....BEcause of the Fantastic Four movies.....Its the bonly one to get that Fantastic Four feel to me:A fun lighthearted sci fi adventure and thats what I want from Fantastic Four .The Four feel in character,its accurrate to the source material andits the only one to get Doctor Doom right at ALL(Actually keeping that he is the King of Latveria and hinting at doombots ).Yes the film is low budget but it makes that budget work ,heck the comic accurate sewn spandex costumes for the Four are charming to me because in universe the costumes are made by Susan and they legit look like something she could make herself (An issue I have with a lot of superhero movie costumes ment to be handmade ).Doctor Doom looks like he stepped right out of the comics with the green cloak and tunic combo and metal mask /armor ,I love this look for Doom .The Thing looks pretty good too with an animatronic face that brings to mind the old Jack Kirby design and stunt man Carl Ciafalio gives a good physical performance (THoughI do find it amusing that the Thing is SMALLER then his human persona Ben Grimm,played by Michael Bailey Smith ) .No one in the main cast is bad ,alll these actors are giving it their alll .I have already discussed my soft spot for Ian Trigger as the Jewler, Rebecca Staab is a good Susan ,and Jay Underwood is a suitable Johnny .Michael Bailey Smith is a good Ben Grimm and he also does a decent job voicing the Thing and bringing the appropriate pathos (Though I do wish he had the Things signature Brooklyn accent ).Alex Hyde White might be my favorite Reed Ritchards really selling both the scientist and the leader aspect .Biggest props have to go Joseph Culp,who delivers a great performance despite being in a vfery uncomfortable costume with a mask that muffles his speech,and is able to project well ,make grand gestures (Inspired by real tyrants like Mussolini ) but also make him a fun eloquent villain who still has a sense of humor with a good hero villain dynamic with Reed .Also he is CONSTANTLY evil laughing ,and I dig it

I like this movie ,there is clearly a lot of heart in this movie .....Which makes me sad that the film was mistreated by those at the top.Its not a lost masterpiece ,but it is an highly entertaining B movie that pays tribute to its source material

@ariel-seagull-wings @filmcityworld1 @the-blue-fairie @amalthea9 @goodanswerfoxmonster @themousefromfantasyland @angelixgutz @princesssarisa @theancientvaleofsoulmaking

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Thursday: National Parks

The Power of Scenery by Dennis Drabelle

Wallace Stegner called national parks “the best idea we ever had.” As Americans celebrate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, a question naturally where did the idea for a national park originate? The answer starts with a look at pre-Yellowstone America. With nothing to put up against Europe’s cultural pearls—its cathedrals, castles, and museums—Americans came to realize that their plentitude of natural wonders might compensate for the dearth of manmade attractions. That insight guided the great landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted as he organized his thoughts on how to manage the wilderness park centered on Yosemite Valley, a state-owned predecessor to the national park model of Yellowstone. Haunting those thoughts were the cluttered and carnival-like banks of Niagara Falls, which served as an oft-cited example of what should not happen to a spectacular natural phenomenon.

Olmsted saw city parks as vital to the pursuit of happiness and wanted them to be established for all to enjoy. When he wrote down his philosophy for managing Yosemite, a new and different kind of park, one that preserves a great natural site in the wilds, he had no idea that he was creating a visionary blueprint for national parks to come. Dennis Drabelle provides a history of the national park concept, adding to our understanding of American environmental thought and linking Olmsted with three of the country’s national treasures. Published in time to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park on March 1, 2022, and the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted on April 26, 2022, The Power of Scenery tells the fascinating story of how the national park movement arose, evolved, and has spread around the world.

Leave Only Footprints by Conor Knighton

When Conor Knighton decided to spend a year wandering through "America's Best Idea," he was worried the whole thing might end up being his worst idea. But, after a broken engagement and a broken heart, he desperately needed a change of scenery. The ambitious plan he cooked up went a bit overboard in that department; Knighton set out to visit every single one of America's National Parks, from Acadia to Zion.

Leave Only Footprints is the memoir of his year spent traveling across the United States, a journey that yielded his "On the Trail" series, which quickly became one of CBS Sunday Morning's most beloved segments. In this smart, informative, and often hilarious book, he'll share how his journey through these natural wonders, unchanged by man, ended up changing his worldview on everything from God to politics to love and technology. Whether it's waking up early for a naked scrub in an Arkansas bathhouse or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway, Knighton goes behind the scenery to provide an unfiltered look at America. In the tradition of books like A Walk in the Woods or Turn Right at Machu Picchu, this is an irresistible mix of personal narrative and travelogue-some well-placed pop culture references, too-and a must-read for any of the 331 million yearly National Parks visitors.

Guardians of the Valley by Dean King

In June of 1889 in San Francisco, John Muir—iconic environmentalist, writer, and philosopher—meets face-to-face for the first time with his longtime editor Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. Before long, the pair, opposites in many ways, decide to venture to Yosemite Valley, the magnificent site where twenty years earlier, Muir experienced a personal and spiritual awakening that would set the course of the rest of his life.

Upon their arrival the men are confronted with a shocking vision, as predatory mining, tourism, and logging industries have plundered and defaced “the grandest of all the special temples of Nature.” While Muir is devastated, Johnson, an arbiter of the era’s pressing issues in the pages of the nation’s most prestigious magazine, decides that he and Muir must fight back. The pact they form marks a watershed moment, leading to the creation of Yosemite National Park, and launching an environmental battle that captivates the nation and ushers in the beginning of the American environmental movement.

Walks of a Lifetime in America's National Parks by Robert & Martha Manning

Walk the national parks and find out for yourself why they’re “America’s best idea” and why walking is the richest way to experience and appreciate these iconic places. There can be no better guides than Bob and Martha Manning, longtime Hiking Ambassadors for the American Hiking Society and life-long stalwarts of the National Park System. In this book, the Mannings introduce and describe all the national parks and offer first-hand descriptions of the very best trails that lead walkers to quintessential scenic vistas, celebrated rivers and lakes, majestic waterfalls, outstanding wildlife viewing areas, significant historic and prehistoric sites, and much more. These walks range from short nature trails to half and full-day hikes to backpacking trips. The book is richly illustrated with hundreds of color photographs, and concludes with a wealth of practical advice on how to best visit and hike the national parks.

[finishinglinepress]

NEW FROM FINISHING LINE PRESS: DEEP ENDS by Roberta Schultz

On SALE now! Pre-order Price Guarantee: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/deep-ends-by-roberta-schultz/

Deep Ends explores the fragile balance between treading life’s turbulent waters and mastering a survival float. A father invents his brand of cross-chest carry to save himself and his grandson from drowning in a “current of light and sound.” A mother tosses her young daughter into the deep end of a public pool in hopes she will learn to swim. A daughter becomes a lifeguard, a teacher inspired by Dolly Parton’s “can-do” attitude, and an empowerment drummer. #Family, #grief, #survival, and climate change are the themes in this poet’s second full-length collection.

Deep Ends is Roberta Schultz’s sixth collection of #poetry. Three of her chapbooks were published by Finishing Line Press while her latest chapbook, Asking Price, was chosen by Workhorse Writers for their 2022 series. Underscore, her first full-length collection, was published by Dos Madres Press in 2022. Both song writer and poet, Schultz’s work appears in Women Speak, Vol.7 and 8, Persimmon Tree, Sheila-Na-Gig, Panoplyzine, Riparian, Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Kakalak, Let Me Say This (a poetry anthology with Dolly Parton as the main theme) and other anthologies. She leads drum circles and serves as an Arts in Healing musician.

PRAISE FOR DEEP ENDS by Roberta Schultz

There is breath and heartbeat and sweat in Roberta Schultz’s dynamic collection, Deep Ends. Leave it to a percussionist to create a commanding poetic line: “Open aerobic prayers.” Early in the collection, this line asks for the reader’s participation throughout the entire performance. In these poems woven with water and music, the speaker describes what seems like the sacred secret to drumming: “Breach each silence with a numbered prayer.” And the final poem of the collection is certainly a prayer unto itself. But these are not supplications. These are athletic poems, in the way that the rhythms of water and music are athletic. We are swimming and catching our breath and learning “to survive” among these poem-prayers for reckoning with a woman’s history—known vividly in the way her body knows music. Schultz conducts a full drum circle here—of family, indigenous knowledge, and love for community. She shows expertise with formal poems, including the cento, haibun, sonnet, pantoum, and the title poem inspired by Jericho Brown’s nonce form the duplex. These are poems a reader can dwell in and also hold, the way the heart beats with rattle and stomp and “prehistoric beats.” Schultz shapes standard forms into new vessels for the gene pool her title in part implies. We join her in the “deep end” for glimpses of wisdom, whimsy, pride, and sorrow, reverberating with the speaker’s urge to surface and dive into her life’s creative rhythms over and over.

–Susan O’Dell Underwood, author of Splinter

Roberta Schultz‘s wit in these new poems is funny, down-to-earth, and insightful. Like a light that floats and darts around valleys and hills, she brings a lyrical vision that satisfies with openness, a fresh world view to read and enjoy.

–Phillip Shabazz, author of Flames in the Fire

Roberta Schultz’s full-length collection, Deep Ends, is a rich, cadent journey through family, fear, food, place, past, and future, in which “strange poems rattle.” She depicts members of her family with such great clarity that they seem to stand before us, as in “Documentation,” in which she writes of her grandfather that his “glasses fogged with pride when/my sister & I played ‘Tom Dooley’ after supper.” Schultz also demonstrates humor; in “The Recipe,” she asserts, “We are some sad-ass bad cooks in my family.” Deep Ends shimmers with poignancy as well. On the death of her sister, she feels “feet shuffle slow/over floors peanut shelled in memory of sisters.” And running through the book is music. In fact, Deep Ends swells with song—from “Tlingit Drum,” in which “the drum/opens doors to heartbeats,” to “Drum,” in which “Cadence triumphs over chaos,” reminding us that art has a purpose. As the title implies, this collection encourages us to dive deep and drink from its well of human experience.

–Taunja Thomson, author of Plunge

Please share/repost #flpauthor #preorder #AwesomeCoverArt #read #poems #literature #poetry

[ao3feed-peggysouson]

out of sight never out of mind

by dandeliongirl Dottie takes Daniel. Peggy and Jack would do anything to get him back, and they have half a conversation in the process. Whumptober day 7 written for the prompts: alleyway | radio silence | "can you hear me?"

Words: 1783, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 5 of Whumptober 2023

Fandoms: Agent Carter (TV)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi

Characters: Peggy Carter, Daniel Sousa, Jack Thompson (Marvel), Dottie Underwood

Relationships: Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa/Jack Thompson

Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Pre-Relationship, Pre-OT3, Getting Together, talking about emotions! yay!

read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/50703514

[newmusicradionetwork]

Indie Country Recording Artist Andy Pursell Set To Release New Single “Me Myself And The Tide”

Florida-based singer-songwriter and indie country recording artist Andy Pursell (Southern Dreams Entertainment) announced the scheduled release of his new single “Me Myself & The Tide.”* Written by Victoria Banks, Joe Hanson and Judy Klass, and produced by Mark Dreyer, the track is the second in Pursell’s 2023 waterfall series of releases and will be available via all digital retail outlets and streaming platforms Friday, July 28, 2023. (Presale/pre-save event begins July 14, 2023.) Recorded at Studio 23 Lakeside Recording in Nashville, the track features instrumental performances by award-winning, A-list musicians, including four-time ACM “Steel Guitarist of the Year,” Mike Johnson (Jason Aldean/Carrie Underwood/Jon Pardi/George Strait/Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard), Kevin Grantt (Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Colt Ford/Josh Turner) and Mike Rojas (George Strait/Tim McGraw/Brett Eldredge). The pedal steel opener sets the mood for the easy-does-it Caribbean vibe and storyline. Appropriately dressed with “hey-oh’s,” the beachy tune is a sunset postcard of solo seclusion where the beach and the breeze chase the blues away, and heartache is swept out with the tide. “‘Me Myself & The Tide” is a break-up song, with a first-class, one-way ticket to ‘goodbye’,” said Andy Pursell.“The instrumentation and groove paint the ambiance of sand between your toes, swaying palm trees, ocean sunsets, and a long, tall cool one where you can let the heartbreak go.” I WANT TO BE WHERE THE HORIZON IS WIDE WHAT CAN I SAY OH, IT’S HARD TO FEEL LOW WHEN THE SUN IS SO HIGH SALT ON THE RIM SALT ON THE BREEZE BUT THERE AIN’T NO SALT RUNNING DOWN ON MY CHEEKS FROM A GOODBYE TAKING MY TIME TWISTING A LIME JUST ME MYSELF AND THE TIDE The new track follows the success and momentum of Pursell’s recent single “Right Amount Of Wrong” released in March (AT COUNTRY RADIO NOW). Andy will embark on a radio tour in support of the single (including station visits in his home state of Florida, traveling to Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri). The corresponding “Right Amount Of Wrong” music video, produced by Jered Allen/Crazy Horse Productions and shot at various locations in Pursell’s hometown of Arcadia, FL, premiered on Country Rebel. Read the full article

[spinstrackingsystem]

Indie Country Recording Artist Andy Pursell Set To Release New Single “Me Myself And The Tide”

Florida-based singer-songwriter and indie country recording artist Andy Pursell (Southern Dreams Entertainment) announced the scheduled release of his new single “Me Myself & The Tide.”* Written by Victoria Banks, Joe Hanson and Judy Klass, and produced by Mark Dreyer, the track is the second in Pursell’s 2023 waterfall series of releases and will be available via all digital retail outlets and streaming platforms Friday, July 28, 2023. (Presale/pre-save event begins July 14, 2023.) Recorded at Studio 23 Lakeside Recording in Nashville, the track features instrumental performances by award-winning, A-list musicians, including four-time ACM “Steel Guitarist of the Year,” Mike Johnson (Jason Aldean/Carrie Underwood/Jon Pardi/George Strait/Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard), Kevin Grantt (Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Colt Ford/Josh Turner) and Mike Rojas (George Strait/Tim McGraw/Brett Eldredge). The pedal steel opener sets the mood for the easy-does-it Caribbean vibe and storyline. Appropriately dressed with “hey-oh’s,” the beachy tune is a sunset postcard of solo seclusion where the beach and the breeze chase the blues away, and heartache is swept out with the tide. “‘Me Myself & The Tide” is a break-up song, with a first-class, one-way ticket to ‘goodbye’,” said Andy Pursell.“The instrumentation and groove paint the ambiance of sand between your toes, swaying palm trees, ocean sunsets, and a long, tall cool one where you can let the heartbreak go.” The Read the full article

[newmusicweekly]

Indie Country Recording Artist Andy Pursell Set To Release New Single "Me Myself And The Tide"

Florida-based singer-songwriter and indie country recording artist Andy Pursell (Southern Dreams Entertainment) announced the scheduled release of his new single “Me Myself & The Tide.”* Written by Victoria Banks, Joe Hanson and Judy Klass, and produced by Mark Dreyer, the track is the second in Pursell’s 2023 waterfall series of releases and will be available via all digital retail outlets and streaming platforms Friday, July 28, 2023. (Presale/pre-save event begins July 14, 2023.) Recorded at Studio 23 Lakeside Recording in Nashville, the track features instrumental performances by award-winning, A-list musicians, including four-time ACM “Steel Guitarist of the Year,” Mike Johnson (Jason Aldean/Carrie Underwood/Jon Pardi/George Strait/Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard), Kevin Grantt (Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Colt Ford/Josh Turner) and Mike Rojas (George Strait/Tim McGraw/Brett Eldredge). The pedal steel opener sets the mood for the easy-does-it Caribbean vibe and storyline. Appropriately dressed with “hey-oh's,” the beachy tune is a sunset postcard of solo seclusion where the beach and the breeze chase the blues away, and heartache is swept out with the tide. “‘Me Myself & The Tide” is a break-up song, with a first-class, one-way ticket to ‘goodbye’,” said Andy Pursell.“The instrumentation and groove paint the ambiance of sand between your toes, swaying palm trees, ocean sunsets, and a long, tall cool one where you can let the heartbreak go.” I Read the full article

[quotes121sworld]

7th Heaven stars Jessica Biel and Beverly Mitchell reunite at the premiere of Cruel Summer

7th Heaven stars Jessica Biel and Beverley Mitchell reunite on the red carpet at the premiere of Freeforms Cruel Summer

By Brian Gallagher for Dailymail.com Published: 00:27 EDT, Jun 1, 2023 | Updated: 00:27 EDT, Jun 1, 2023 --> --> --> More than 15 minutes after "7th Heaven" went off the air, Jessica Biel and Beverley Mitchell reunited on the red carpet on Wednesday.Biel, 41 - who was "reproposed" by husband Justin Timberlake - and Mitchell, 42, were all smiles as they posed together on the red carpet at the premiere of Freeform's 'Cruel Summer.'Biel serves as executive producer of the hit series, whose second season starts on June 5th.Biel appeared in a black top underneath a black suit coat at the red carpet event held at the Grace E. Simmons Lodge in Los Angeles on Wednesday.Her auburn hair was tied back in a bun and she wore silver earrings set with diamonds.

Red carpet: Biel, 41 - who was "reproposed" by husband Justin Timberlake - and Mitchell, 42, were all smiles as they posed together on the red carpet at the premiere of Freeforms Cruel Summer

Heaven: More than 15 minutes after '7th Heaven' went off the air, Jessica Biel and Beverley Mitchell reunited on the red carpet on WednesdayShe also wore a black fringed skirt and black leather knee high boots for the red carpet look.Mitchell came out wearing a black shirt tucked into blue velvet pants and a matching blue velvet jacket.For the event, she wore gold necklaces, bracelets and a black smartwatch.The actress completed her look with black shoes for the red carpet event. Cruel Summer is the highest-rated series in Freeform history and returns for its second season. The anthology series features a brand new cast and a new mystery. Set in an idyllic coastal town in the Pacific Northwest, the next chapter of Cruel Summer follows the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Approaching the story from three different timelines around the year 2000, the season twists and turns as it follows the early friendship between Megan, Isabella and Megan's best friend Luke, the blossoming love triangle and the mystery that will affect their entire future lives should. The series stars Sadie Stanley, Lexi Underwood, Griffin Gluck, KaDee Strickland, Lisa Yamada and Sean Blakemore. Paul Adelstein will return.

Jessica's Look: She also wore a black fringed skirt and black leather knee high boots for the red carpet look

Beverley's Look: Mitchell stepped out in a black shirt tucked into blue velvet pants and a matching blue velvet jacketCruel Summer is from the Entertainment One (eOne) studio and was created by Bert V. Royal, with Elle Triedman as showrunner. Executive producers include Triedman, Bill Purple, Tia Napolitano and Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple of Iron Ocean Productions. Biel will next be seen in Ursa Major with Kid Cudi and Xochitl Gomez, which is currently in pre-production.Mitchell comes from the 2022 series. It remains realistic with Beverley Mitchell. Share or comment on this article: Read the full article