#rooftop beekeeping

[joshfutturman]

ੈ♡˳ jhutch char bday headcanons gn!reader

summary: celebrating your birthday headcanons for josh futturman (future man), derek danforth (the beekeeper), mike schmidt (fnaf), billy (burn), clapton davis (detention) and peeta mellark (the hunger games). some suggestive elements, food tw. a/n: happy birthday jhutch!

ੈ♡˳ josh futturman

♡ he'd definitely throw you a surprise birthday party, goes all out with decorations and balloons. ♡ your cake would be personalised and special made, but what you don't know is that he secretly tried to bake you a cake that went so badly that he had to throw it away. ♡ can't stop looking at you the whole day cause he wants to make sure you're enjoying it. ♡ orders your favourite takeaway for dinner. you sit in his lap as you eat it, a movie playing on the tv in his room. but he's not watching the movie, he's just looking at you with those puppy dog love stricken eyes of his.

ੈ♡˳ derek danforth

♡ absolutely spoils you with gifts, anything you want, you got it. there's too many gifts for you to count, and more comes throughout the day. ♡ his limo picks you up and drops you off at a fancy restaurant where he meets you for dinner, littering your neck with kisses in front of the entire place. ♡ surprise! he's rented the rooftop bar for drinks, it's just derek, you and the stars. ♡ he whispers sweet nothings in your ear, talking about how you'll get your real gift later in his penthouse. in bed.

ੈ♡˳ mike schmidt

♡ he works extra shifts for weeks to afford something nice for you. he tries to hide the blush on his cheeks, looking anywhere but into your eyes as he gives you your gift. ♡ he and abby bake you a cake, it's adorable. abby helps you blow out the candles. ♡ you all watch a movie together, bundled up under blankets with takeout pizza. mike can't seem to wipe the smile from his face. ♡ later, mike kisses you senseless in bed, mumbling about how he's so lucky to have you.

ੈ♡˳ billy

♡ he wakes you with feather-light kisses along your neck, whispering 'happy birthday babe' in your ear. ♡ takes you to a drive-in movie, making out with you during the credits. ♡ spends the full day joined to your hip, kissing you and wrapping his arms around you every chance he can get. ♡ pretends he hasn't bothered to get you a cake, but then surprises you later, using one of the lit candles to light his own cigarette with a smirk on his face.

ੈ♡˳ clapton davis

♡ makes you your very own birthday mixtape, filled with songs that remind him of you. ♡ he bakes a cake for you, it's kind of a disaster, but he still presents it to you with a massive smile on his face. ♡ lays with you under the stars as you both talk about your future and listen to your mixtape, hands intertwining. ♡ he presses soft kisses to your face, your nose, your lips, your eyes, your forehead, each time telling you something different he loves about you.

ੈ♡˳ peeta mellark

♡ he greets you with breakfast in bed and flowers with a shy but proud smile on his face. ♡ gives you your gifts shyly, with a flush on his face but an eager smile, hoping you like the personalised presents. one of which is a jar, filled with love notes for you to open every day. ♡ you slow dance in the kitchen after dinner, resting your head into the crook of his neck as he hums to you. ♡ gives you such strong, warm hugs the whole day. the kind that make you feel safe, like nothing bad can ever happen while he's got you.

[happygirl2oo2]

Every reference I could find to Sherlock's love of bees in Elementary, organized by episode number

season 1 episode 1:

Watson, walking onto the Brownstone's rooftop to find Sherlock and surprised to see beehives there next to him: "Um, did you know that honey was dripping through the ceiling?" Sherlock, sitting and looking at his beehives: "Yes. Happens sometimes." Watson: "I take it beekeeping is a hobby." Sherlock: "I'm writing a book. Practical Handbook of Bee Culture with Some Observations Upon the Segregation of the Queen. Up here. I've just started Chapter 19."

season 1 episode 5:

Sherlock, explaining how he knows someone: "We frequent the same beekeeping chat room. He has an impressive collection of Caucasians. Species of bee."

season 1 episode 7:

Watson: "There was a client back here a little while ago who was also interested in beekeeping." Edson: "Sure. You mean Sherlock."

season 1 episode 9:

*Sherlock is wearing a shirt with the writing “Bee 92” on it*

season 1 episode 12:

Sherlock: "Our six weeks together are very nearly up, Watson. In a matter of days, your room will be vacant. I'm very seriously considering turning it into one large apiary."

and

M, about Sherlock torturing him: "You figured out where you're gonna start yet?" Sherlock, looking over his table of torture devices that he brought that is shown to include a few beehives: "I have not. I had hoped to use the bees in some fashion, but then it occurred to me you might be allergic."

and

Sherlock: "Watson, what is it?" Watson: "I called your father last night. Given everything that's happened, I recommended staying on longer." Sherlock: "And?" Watson: "He agreed." Sherlock: "I suppose the apiary will have to wait."

season 1 episode 17:

Crabtree: "Delivery for you, Mr. Holmes." Sherlock: " Thank you, Crabtree, but I'm afraid I c… Oh, my God. Is that…?" Watson: "A bee in a box? Yes, it is. Fairly unimpressive as far as bribes go." Sherlock: "Not if you're an apiculturist. That's an Osmia avosetta. Solitary bee famed for building exquisite nests from flower petals. It's on the verge of extinction. Crabtree, this is exquisite. I cannot accept it. Please, tell Mr. Lydon not to contact me again."

and

[BEE BUZZING] Watson: "Hey, why do you have the box with the bee in it?" Sherlock: "We took Gerald Lydon's case." Watson: "We did?" Sherlock: "Well, frankly I couldn't say no to him. It would have felt like denying a dying man his last wish. We are taking this home, and then we are going to the genetics lab which confirmed his diagnosis."

and

Sherlock: "Close that door immediately!" Watson: "What's up? Sherlock: "I was examining the Osmia avosetta that Gerald Lydon gave me and it got loose." Watson: "Oh, so there's an almost-extinct bee flying around in here?" Sherlock: "Yes, and I would rather it didn't get out."

season 1 episode 19:

Miss Hudson, to Sherlock: "Oh, and I stacked your monographs that you wrote on your desk. I liked the one about queen bees."

season 1 episode 20:

Sherlock: "Another reason to dislike Milverton. He keeps cats." Watson, sarcastically: "Well, he should get himself a real pet, like a beehive." *Sherlock gives her a look*

and

[CELL PHONE RINGING] Sherlock, answering his phone: "Brownstone is on fire, my bees have escaped, and there is a giant comet headed for Manhattan." Watson: "Excuse me?" Sherlock: "The way the evening is going, I thought you could only be calling with more good news."

season 1 episode 21:

Sherlock: "What kind of an allergy requires a medical alert bracelet?" Watson: "Uh, anything that could bring on anaphylactic shock, certain foods, medicine, insect bites." Sherlock: " Exactly. A moment ago, I could have sworn I saw an Africanized honeybee." Watson: "How do you "Africanize" something?" Sherlock: "It's a term to describe a particularly aggressive species. It's odd to… Odd to see them here. They're not native to New York. It's almost as if someone has placed it here on a route known to be frequented by Hillary Taggart." Watson: "So you think he's planning a murder by bee?" Sherlock: "The hive will be facing southeast in dappled sunlight with minimal wind. And here they are, newly formed and flourishing. Oh, yes. And here is the food source. Someone's feeding them sugar water so they multiply even faster." Watson: "Well, it's pretty baroque way to kill someone, isn't it? I mean, cultivate bees, feed them, and then poke the hive with a stick every time Hillary Taggart runs by?" Sherlock: "Well, he might be planning to swipe her with lemongrass oil beforehand, make sure they're attracted to her. It's actually quite a tidy plan. You know, she flees, bees sting-- tragic accident." Watson: "If she's that allergic to bee stings, then she's gonna have an EpiPen." Sherlock: "Well, an EpiPen would work against one or two stings, but how effective is it gonna be against an army of bee assassins?" Watson: "If the man we are looking for is feeding these bees, he's gonna have to come here eventually." Sherlock: "Yeah. Quite soon, I'd imagine, 'cause the sugar water's getting low." Watson: "Ugh, great. So we get to stake out a hive of killer bees."

season 1 episode 24:

[Watson walks onto the brownstone's rooftop to find Sherlock sitting and looking at his beehives with a magnifying glass] Sherlock: "Do you remember the rare bee I was given for proving that Gerald Lydon had been poisoned?" Watson: "The bee in the box, sure." Sherlock: "Osmia avoseta is its own species, which means it should not be able to reproduce with other kinds of bees. And yet, nature is infinitely wily." Watson: "So box bee got another bee pregnant?" Sherlock: "Quite so. Which means, they should be reclassified as an entirely new species. First newborn of which… is about to crawl its way into sunlight." Watson: "Oh, my God." Sherlock: "As the discoverer of the species, the privilege of naming the creatures falls to me. Allow me to introduce you to Euglassa Watsonia." Watson, surprised and then touched: You named a bee after me? You named a bee after me." Sherlock: "Should be dozens more within the hour. If you'd like, I could come and get you once they're all here. Watson: "That's all right. I think I'll just watch."

season 2 episode 12:

[sherlock is shown taking a box out of his beehive]

and

Watson: "You didn't show me these letters. You hid them in a beehive."

and

[sherlock is shown taking the box back into his beehive]

season 3 episode 10:

Barbara: "Barbara Conway. I'm senior vice president of…" Sherlock: "Senior vice president of AgriNext's GMO research division. Quite the corporate monstrosity, AgriNext, hmm? In addition to your dominance in agricultural industries, there is powerful evidence to suggest that your neonicotinoid insecticides are the culprits in the ongoing bee genocide known as colony collapse disorder. Would you care to comment on that?" Barbara: "When you told my assistant you had some questions, was that just a lie to get in and harass me?" Sherlock: "Ms. Conway, are you familiar with the name Clay Dubrovensky?" Barbara: "No." Sherlock: "What about the Wutai Pingtung orchid?" Barbara: "I'm sorry. What?" Sherlock: "You are very good at feigning innocence. Perhaps it's all that lying about the bees."

season 3 episode 11:

Watson: "Can you imagine how she feels when she looks at it?" Sherlock: "I have done. Repeatedly. My name is Sherlock, and I have allowed empathetic thoughts to clutter my mind and reduce the clarity of my perception." Watson: "So you called in the bees to crowd out caring." Sherlock: "To no avail."

season 3 episode 14:

Mr. Joseph: "Mr. Holmes, thank you for agreeing to see me. We've actually met before-- sort of." Sherlock: "You're BeeBeeKing17." Mr. Joseph: "I am. (chuckles) You're a detective. I know from your posts. I have a bit of a problem…" Sherlock: "I'm gonna stop you right there, Mr. Joseph. I can't help you." Mr. Joseph: "You don't know what I'm asking." Sherlock: "I don't need to. In the four years I've frequented your Web site, I've sent you no fewer than 13 letters detailing my proposed solutions to the phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder. You have sent me exactly zero replies." Mr. Joseph: "You know how much correspondence I get?" Sherlock: "I've got no idea. I do know, however, that mine is backed by quality thinking. If you'd bothered to find that out, you wouldn't find yourself without a detective in your hour of need." Mr. Joseph: "Is there some way that I can make this up to you?" Sherlock: "I suppose, if you were to publish my theories on gamma rays as a potential solution to CCD, then I might be able to hear you out." Mr. Joseph: "Gamma rays? They… they've worked in a couple instances, but they… they don't scale as an answer. They're too dangerous. You give John Q. Beekeeper access to gamma rays, he'll melt his face off." Sherlock: "A fact I addressed in my most recent letter." Mr. Joseph: "Fine. Yeah, I'll put it on the site." Sherlock: "I also require that you change your online user name. The cheap punnery of "BeeBeeKing17" is offensive to musicians and apiarists alike. You'll make the change?" Mr. Joseph: "I guess." Sherlock: "Good. So what seems to be the problem?"

season 3 episode 20:

Sherlock (on the other line of the phone): "Watson, you still over there?" Watson: "Yes, I'm still here, because I can't go home, because of you. Why did you bring the bees in the house anyway?" Sherlock, shown to be standing in their kitchen while wearing his beekeeper suit and surrounded by bees: "Varroa mites are a pernicious threat to the colony. I intended a thorough inspection, as well as an application of baker's sugar as a preventative measure. My thoughts were concerned with colony collapse. I failed to see the more urgent threat of table collapse." Watson: "Wait a second. You're not talking about my table, are you? The one that I bought for my apartment?" Sherlock: "Two hours should be sufficient to return the hive to stasis. I'll be in touch."

season 3 episode 23 (the entire episode but especially):

Unnamed cop: "If you guys work for the USDA, why didn't you just say so?" Watson: "We don't. My partner's on a beekeeping message board with a few of their researchers. They asked us to come and have a look, since it's one of their colleagues that died."

and

Sherlock: "You might want to tell your colleague that the apiarist is not a strong suspect. Unnamed cop: "The hell she isn't. She was the only other person out here when this thing happened." Sherlock: " And as far as Watson and I have been able to discern, utterly devoid of any motive-- unlike the soulless corporate golem that is AgriNext." Unnamed cop: "You think a company did this?" Sherlock: "It wouldn't be the first time they'd harbored a killer." Watson: "He's right-- we found one there a few months ago. So what makes you think they did this?" Sherlock: "Elevated levels of Colony Collapse Disorder along the Northeast." Watson: "You putting that on AgriNext, too?" Sherlock: "Everett Keck did. His notes strongly suggest that the company's neonicotinoid pesticides are the cause." Unnamed cop: "So this guy was killed over some dead bees?" Sherlock: "A hundred million dead bees. The regional numbers are so anomalous that an international apiary summit has been convened at Garrison University to discuss the problem this week. Everett Keck's notes suggest he was willing to cut short that debate and lay the blame squarely at the feet of AgriNext."

and

Watson: "Oh… Looks like you opened up a satellite office for the Department of Agriculture in here." Sherlock: "25,000 species of bee-- always much to learn." Watson: "Well, if you're planning on picking up where Keck left off, it might be nice to solve his murder first."

and

Watson: "So you think that Keck tried to kill his boss to cover up poisoning a few bee hives?" Sherlock: "More than a few. I've come to believe that Everett Keck was not just studying Colony Collapse Disorder. Everett Keck was Colony Collapse Disorder incarnate. You might recall my recent concern over varroas in my own hives. These fears were born out of rumblings on BeeCircuit.com. Most of the talk on the spike of this season's colony death rate centered around the spread of deadly mites." Watson: "Okay, but I thought Keck was gonna prove it was pesticides. Sherlock: "That's what his note suggested. That's what he intended to report, but the data suggests that the parasites were appearing in greater than expected numbers everywhere he went." Watson: "You did all this overnight? Sherlock: "You know I outsource arithmetic to Harlan. Okay, so, that's Keck. And there are three other ASI researchers. He found more mites than the others. Many more. According to Harlan, the variance between Keck and his colleagues cannot be explained away by known confounds. The odds that Mr. Keck was not actively spreading varroa mites everywhere he went approaches one in 29,000." Watson: "So, there isn't a spike in Colony Collapse Disorder after all." Sherlock: "Every dead hive is a tragedy. But outside of one nefarious USDA field researcher, no, the CCD baseline would not be inflated at all." Watson: "Why would he do something like this?" Sherlock: "I don't know. I'm fairly certain, however, he had help. The heart attack that almost killed Calvin Barnes occurred whilst Mr. Keck was doing his rounds in Connecticut." Watson: "He had a partner." Sherlock: "We've solved one murder. Now we just have the remaining 100 million."

and

Tara Parker: "No. No way. You can't just write off a global issue because one guy went on a bee-killing spree." Sherlock: "I share your concerns about Colony Collapse Disorder writ large, I do. I have hives of my own. But your degree is in entomology, and, uh, the mathematicians have spoken."

and

Sherlock, excitingly surprised: "His Highness Sheik Nasser Al-Fayed is making an appearance?" Tara Parker: "Supposedly." Sherlock, explaining to Watson: "Nasser is an emir. He's a member of the royal family of Al Qasr in the United Arab Emirates. He's a black sheep. He's not trusted with state business, like his brothers." Griffin Parker, to which Sherlock is shown nodding in approvement: "He's also got the most expensive apiary on the planet. State-of-the-art hives." Sherlock: "He's a recluse. Rumors on BeeCircuit.com are that he never leaves his family's estate." Griffin Parker: "Well, I wouldn't, either. He has almost 1,000 species."

and

Sherlock: "I'm friendly with the moderator of BeeCircuit.com. You deleted your private messages, but he was able to dredge these off the server."

and

Sherlock: "You got away with kidnapping the sheik. You won't get away with what you did to Calvin Barnes. Or millions of bees."

season 4 episode 13:

Trent Garby: "I moved out because of you two. I couldn't take it anymore. The weird noises, the strange smells, the explosions, and the damn bees on the roof."

and

Watson: "Robert Frost said that fences make good neighbors. But maybe that's because there wasn't sound-dampening insulation back then. Since you are rebuilding anyway, we can have it installed for you as a belated housewarming gift. So a quieter home for you, and a neighbor who knows what he's getting into for us." Trent Garby: "You don't even know me." Watson: "We'd like to." Trent Garby: "All right. When I get the insurance settlement, I'll let you know." Watson, giving him a jar of honey: "This is from Sherlock. He wants you to know that bees can be good neighbors, too."

season 4 episode 23:

Bell: "We think he crossed with Krasnov, who was there to steal a barrel of pesticide. There's one missing." Watson: "Clothianidin is used to treat corn crops. I've heard Sherlock rail against the stuff. It's bad for bees. But it is good for explosives."

season 4 episode 24:

Morland, looking at Sherlock's hives: "They stay here even during winter, do they not?" Sherlock: "Excuse me?" Morland: " The bees. This is their home… rain or shine." Sherlock: "Yes, let's talk about bees, instead of the execution you just carried out in Yonkers."

season 5 episode 21:

Sherlock: "You might not know what Mr. Leroux looks like, but I assure you, those photographs of you showing my friend around will have the FBI and Interpol swarming your property like bees."

season 6 episode 8:

Kelsey: "I'm sorry if that sounds judgmental, but… judging you is kind of the whole point of this trip." Watson: "It's okay. I mean, you have to go through your process, right?" Kelsey: "Am I crazy, or did I see a bunch of beehives on your roof?"

season 6 episode 17:

Watson: "He named an inchworm after her?" Sherlock: "It’s not uncommon for scientists to name species after people they care for or admire. I named a honeybee after you. But I, of course, was honoring my work partner."

season 6 episode 18:

Sherlock: "We need to talk about what happens after I die." [cut to them now in the kitchen, with Watson holding a pile of pages] Watson, reading the title: "“The Last Will and Testament of Sherlock Holmes”?" Sherlock: "According to Mr. Horowitz, in three days' time, I am to be riddled with bullets by an unknown assailant in an unnamed part of the city. While I doubt that will happen, reading it did remind me that you should have a copy of the appropriate paperwork to ensure a smooth probate." Watson: "You didn't write all this up today." Sherlock: "No, I wrote it several years ago when we formalized our partnership. I just didn't give you a copy." Watson: "Am I reading this right? You left me everything?" Sherlock: "You're surprised?" Watson: "Uh… I guess I'm touched. Sherlock: " There are some directives in the back that you should review. Watson: "Instructions on what to do with your cerebellum? Sherlock: "Mmm. Also my bees. They will need a proper home."

season 6 episode 21:

Sherlock, walking into the room to find Watson filming a close video of his bees while playing a loud song: "Something I should know?" Watson: "Everyone got back to us while you were out. They said they would look into Agent Mallick if I gave them an up-close view of one of your beehives and put this song on repeat. I mean, I had to get movers to get it down here, but at least we did not have to humiliate ourselves this time." Sherlock: "Oh, you've been humiliated. You just don't realize it. One of the founding fathers of Everyone, StingSquat, is an admitted melissophiliac. He's aroused by bees. You just arranged a sex show with a cast of thousands."

season 7 episode 13:

Sherlock, sounding touched, after seeing that his hives are still in the brownstone after his years away: "You kept the bees." Watson: "I thought Arthur might find them interesting. Plus, the free honey.

[writergeekrhw]

Hi!

First off all I just wanted to say I love Elementary so much, its the only show I ever bought dvds for and I still rewatch it from time to time. Its like thee cozy crime/this is my tv home show! Also the choice for Sherlock to be a beekeeper in New York led me to do beekeeping in the suburbs for a solid 5 years so thank you for that detail!

With that in mind, how was working with the beehives? Where did they come from? Were the bees crawling up out of their cells at the end of season one real or some kind of...robot/cgi maybe? (Having just read about the 3 clives I realize that could bee the case)

I was never in New York when they shot the bees, but they weren't a constant presence. We only used them at the rooftop location, which was in Long Island City somewhere I think. (I never went there). The hives themselves were props. The bee shots were either inserts, stock which we bought, or, in some cases, CGI. I don't think we ever used real bees, but I'm not 100% sure.

[practically-an-x-man]

Director’s Commentary on your favorite Nikoletta/Abner fic?

Ooooh yes! I'm gonna go with The Facts Were These, since I really love how that one came together (and it's got a lot of references to talk about). That's the fifth fic in the series so I don't believe you've read it yet, warnings for spoilers apply.

Link to the ask game here, and to the original fic here

____

La Gatita Amable. One look around the bar told her it wasn’t exactly… well, amable. No outright fights had broken out, but the room was packed to the gills and flooded with chatter so loud Nikoletta could barely hear herself think. The press of bodies all around her made her hackles rise from the moment she stepped through the door.

In total honesty, this is probably one of my favorite ways I've opened a fic. Pulling the Spanish term amable (meaning "gentle") from the canon name of the bar, using it ironically to describe the chaos and clutter inside the bar, and trying to push Nikoletta's discomfort right from the first few sentences, I just feel like this introductory paragraph sets the scene so well.

The second was the dress. Cleo had found it buried at the bottom of the trunk: a crisp goldenrod, sleek fabric (pure polyester, synthetic and safe) layered with delicate lace flowers, that hugged every curve of her body and pulled in tight to a Grecian neckline at her throat. It was exactly the sort of thing Nikoletta would have worn in her prior life, before the shadows. Despite every warning in her mind… it called to her. She couldn’t resist. She wanted a taste of the life she’d left.

I did actually pick out an existing dress for her here! Obviously it's just a random model wearing it, not Nikoletta's faceclaim (Teyonah Parris), but I thought the dress would look really pretty on her and I loved the flower patterning on it. It's one of the rare times I actually picked out a specific article of clothing and described it rather than going from an image in my head (excluding outfits that are already canon, of course)

But… she wished she could lay her head on his shoulder. She wished she could be closer than this. She wished… a lot of things.

The way this fic is structured, there's this flashback scene here followed by a flash-forward to months after Starro. And there are a lot of parallels between the two scenes! Here's the first one: Nikoletta wishes she could rest her head on Abner's shoulder, and that's one of the first things she does in the second scene.

Abner nodded but didn’t speak. His eyes shifted back and forth, refusing to settle on her. Finally, seeming to summon his courage, he held out a hand. “Care to dance?”

The other thing this fic has a lot of is references to Pushing Daisies. This is for good reason, since their first is canonically inspired by the show, but there are a lot of subtler references sprinkled throughout. This is one of those. Abner holding his hand out and asking "care to dance?" is a reference to s1e4 of Pushing Daisies, in which Ned and Chuck dance on a rooftop while wearing beekeeper suits (so they don't touch directly).

Oh, and the title is a reference to Pushing Daisies as well.

She wondered why it was so hard to speak gently. Sharp words she’d mastered. Anything softer than that just felt awkward, like she was stumbling over herself and couldn’t quite find her balance. She remembered being better at this. Maybe she’d spent too long in prison, surrounded by so many barbs and spurs on every side.

The tough thing about writing Nikoletta is the way that she speaks. She, by her nature, speaks a little awkwardly when it comes to gentle moments. She's spent fifteen years keeping up the persona of the Queen of Belle Reve, in which she perceived any softness as a weak point, so she's not used to vulnerability or soft words like this.

But from a writing perspective... how do I write a character speaking awkwardly without it reflecting on my skills as a writer? Where's the balance between "this character speaks oddly because of her background" and "this author can't seem to write realistic dialogue"? I know that choppy dialogue can take a reader out of the fic, but I also know that therapy-speak from a character that wouldn't give a shit about that breaks the illusion just as much. It's just a tough balance to strike, no matter how many times I write for Nikoletta.

“You know, you…” she sighed, “You really shouldn’t do that.” Despite the words, a faint smile crossed his face. Nikoletta had no idea why.

Another line from Pushing Daisies! In s1e3, Ned and Chuck share a kiss through plastic wrap just like the kiss in the scene here, and the first thing Ned says afterwards is "You really shouldn't do that". Abner smiles because he's thinking of the show and realizes she's just quoted it accidentally, which is even more special to him because (as we see in the second scene of this fic) he'd held up that scene as the pinnacle of romance in his mind and now gets to live it himself.

Who would dare to seek out romance with the most damaged person in Belle Reve? She didn't know why he wanted her.

When I wrote this scene, I really hoped this line came across the way I meant it. It's supposed to be a bit of a fake-out, leading the audience to think she's referring to Abner as the "most damaged person" when really it's herself, in a reflection of her own self-hatred. I almost rewrote it or even outright deleted it, because I was worried it would get misread as her being callous towards Abner, but I liked the line so much that I decided to keep it. And nobody's remarked on it yet (though it's not exactly a popular fic...), so I guess we're fine.

She obliged, turning her attention to the washed-out images flashing across the screen. It struck her, for the briefest moment, as an echo of her own life: a dark-haired man, not too dissimilar from Abner himself, sharing a kiss with a shorter woman through a layer of plastic wrap. She could see why he was so connected to this show. “You really shouldn't do that…”

There's those parallels I was talking about! They're watching the same scene they semi-accidentally reenacted earlier in the fic! Technically speaking this is fit weirdly into the fic (it's the third episode of the show, and most of the way through that episode, so Nikoletta had to be really distracted not to have realized it was the same show earlier), but that's one of those little creative liberties that I didn't figure people would notice or take much issue with. Maybe Nik was distracted, or Abner jumped to episode 3 since it's his favorite, or it was being rerun on live TV and they only caught that part of the episode, or any number of other explanations, it doesn't really matter.

“You look like him, too.” she added, brushing the hair out of his face to get a better look. Abner’s brows crinkled. “Tall and sad?”

Not much to add here, I just thought this line was really funny and wanted to draw attention to it XD It was one of the first lines I wrote when I conceptualized this piece, it just made me crack up.

“I saw myself in him,” Abner mumbled after he’d pulled back from her. His eyes darted briefly to the TV as credits rolled across the screen, “Watching it the first time. I always thought that the plastic wrap was the most romantic thing. Y’know, just… wanting to be so close to someone you couldn’t be close to that you came up with any solution you could. And… being loved even though you weren’t normal.”

Honestly, this is a huge running theme in their relationship - two people who aren't exactly "normal", who have both adverse superpowers and mundane personal issues to work through, who fight hard to work through them and stay together despite that. The whole Pushing Daisies comparison was really just luck, too: I love the show and ended up going through a huge hyperfixation with it at about the same time I started writing for Nik and Abner, and figured that Abner would end up seeing himself in Ned, and it ended up fitting together even better than I initially hoped it would.

I'm just... I'm really happy with how this piece fell together. It's one of my best.

[justminawrites]

Of Ribbons and Other Lost Things - Chapter 2: Help Wanted

AO3

1 | 2 | 3 | TBC

Luka Couffaine hadn’t meant to end up at the Dupain-Cheng Bakery on purpose.

He’d bombed his first three interviews, for a bartender (too young), beekeeper (they seemed to be allergic to him) and bassist (he took one look at the bloodstained chipmunk costume and refused to get in), and found himself with a some time to kill before the final one at Le Grand Paris hotel. 

So he aimlessly cycled around the cobblestoned pathways of Paris instead, following musical notes scattered all around city like a giant melodic puzzle, before traitorous muscle memory kicked in, taking him to the one place he was sure he’d be turned away from. 

The bakery was right in the heart of the city; a beautiful, five-story building fortified with an eggshell-white composite of brick and wood, the delicious aroma of bread weaving in and around the neighbouring streets. 

Luka felt his insides curl, the twang! of a broken guitar string, as he stopped his bike outside its freshly-painted doors, and tried to pedal back the way he came.

But his legs stalled as he caught sight of a girl on the rooftop balcony of the building, pacing back and forth in her trademark pink jeans and grey blazer, exaggeratedly waving her arms as though she was in an argument with herself. 

Luka bit his lip to keep from smiling at the sight.

Now, it was no secret Marinette Dupain-Cheng was avoiding him. 

He’d deduced as much when she noticeably stopped coming to Kitty Section’s rehearsals, started pitching her new designs on the group chat instead of actually showing up to their meetings, and even having The Girl Squad deliver the first draft of the clothes she’d sewn. 

But what was a secret was that he’d been avoiding her just as much. 

No one knew besides Jule (because no one knew anything about him besides Juleka), but Luka had found himself taking every precaution to avoid the Dupain-Chengs, from cancelling inner-city deliveries to pulling admittedly dangerous 180s on a busy Parisian street, just because the light hit just right and the girl walking his way could’ve been Marinette with extensions (it was not).

He knew the strain of avoiding both his father and his ex-girlfriend was bound to put him in a tight spot eventually, and karma reared its head one fine day when Luka heard the inevitable click of a door opening and found himself face-to-chest with the broad-shouldered Tom Dupain. 

“Luka,” if Tom noticed how he’d turned three shades whiter, he didn’t say anything, “You must be here for Marinette. Marine–”

“NO!” He yelled hastily, before clamping his mouth shut, much to Tom’s bewilderment.

“Uhm, I mean–” Luka held up his hands in surrender, resisting the urge to glance up at the balcony, “This isn’t.. about Marinette.. at all.”

“Then, did you come to buy a croissant?” Tom asked, arms crossed, curiously casting a glance at the several HELP WANTED flyers filling up his bike’s wicker-basket.

“Uh,” He swallowed, uncomfortable with lying to this hulk of a man, “You wouldn’t happen to be hiring?”

It was a deliberate trap. Luka already knew that the Dupain-Cheng’s bakery was a family-owned business, and as a result they almost never outsourced any work, not even for national holidays like Galette’s Day. So it was a pretty safe bet that the next few moves would proceed like this: they’d kindly (they did everything kindly) offer him a rejection, he would graciously accept it, promise to return for a galette in a few weeks, and cycle away, never to show his face here again. 

“Oh no, we’re not–“ Tom looked ready to refuse, but a strange look came over his face, “–actually, hold on, Sabine’s going to be busy for a few weeks and Marinette’s always drowning in schoolwork these days..”

But it seemed like karma wasn’t done with him quite yet.

“Riiight,” Luka leaned back, not liking where this train of thought was going, “I’ll get out of your hair then, sir.”

Tom opened the door wider with one arm, placing the other on Luka’s shoulder before giving him a vaguely threatening smile.

“Why don’t you come in for a bit, son?”

He paled.

...

“That was way too close, Marinette!”

“I know, Tikki.”

“You know no one can find out about you being Ladybug!”

“I know, Tikki.”

“Were you actually going to tell Alya?”

“I don’t know, Tikki.”

“What do you know, Marinette?”

Marinette Dupain-Cheng stopped her pacing to raise an eyebrow at the red and black-spotted bug’s uncharacteristically hostile tone, which she quickly felt guilty for. 

Tikki was just being cautious; losing Master Fu had a visceral effect on all the kwamis; some more intense than others (Wayzz hadn’t come out of the box once), and she could hardly fault her closest companion for being stiff with her when she didn’t exactly tell her what she was planning on doing.

“I’m sorry,” Tikki said first, flying up from her perch on the balcony railing to nuzzle Marinette’s face, “If you think Alya can be trusted with this kind of secret, I won’t stop you.”

“I know it was hard for you to lose Master Fu,” Marinette sighed accepting the apology with a gentle poke between her antennae, “And I’m nowhere ready to being as good of a Guardian he was, but I need you to trust me, okay?”

“I can’t do this alone, and I can’t tell Chat Noir, in case one of us gets akumatised. I can’t be a full-time Guardian and Ladybug, Tikki. We need a new permanent hero, and Alya is my only choice.”

“But didn’t she reveal her secret identity to you a little too quickly?” 

Marinette pursed her lips at that; her kwami had a point. 

Alya had told her she was Rena Rouge not just with excitement and some air of false pride– like she was a veteran in a field that Marinette had only just been exposed to, but also with resignation. Like she’d given up on Ladybug visiting her at all.

“Well I guess.. if she can’t be Rena Rouge anymore, I’ll just have to give her another miraculous!”

“Won’t she be just as likely to rely on you as before, Marinette?”

“Hmm..” Marinette narrowed her eyes. When she and Chat Noir had first gotten their miraculouses, it was without the safety net of being a ‘temporary holder’. They were forced to make their own decisions, learn their own lessons, and keep their own secrets close to their hearts; from friends, even from family. Master Fu had only joined them when it was clear that they’d fallen into their own rhythm of doing things, and once he was sure they weren’t going to quit on him anytime soon.

“You know, Marinette,” Tikki began, catching onto the idea that was already forming in her holder’s mind, “Nobody knows that Ladybug is the new Guardian of the Miracle Box... or that there is a guardian in the first place.”

It was true; thanks to Queen Wasp’s city-wide akumatisation a month ago, no one had been spared to cover the highlights of Master Fu’s sacrifice in HD clarity. It was as close to a blackout as the city’d gotten to since.. its last mind-wiping akuma?

“You’re right Tikki.. but what if she just tries to return the miraculous to me when she’s done with it?”

“You can always fib a little.”

Marinette gasped exaggeratedly, and the kwami rolled her round, blue eyes. 

“I don’t mean lie, Marinette. You can just tell Alya that if and when the Guardian of the Miraculous decides to hand out a new one to a permanent hero, it’s not your business to interfere in the matter.. or to know their identity.”

“You’re a genius, Tikki!” She said with a smile, “That way, Alya can decide wether or not to accept the miraculous on her own terms, but if she chooses to quit, I’ll still be able to get it back from her!”

As Marinette reached into her sling bag to give her kwami a macaron as a reward, she heard a sudden shout come from below her. Before she could reach over to see who was making a fuss at the bakery so early in the day, Tikki flew into her line of sight to give her a strict look.

“But ShadowMoth knows Alya’s identity now. What if he’s tailing her to see if you give her the miraculous again?”

Marinette felt the grimace before it twisted her mouth. Of course. She’d been so focused on keeping the miraculous safe, that she’d forgotten to consider keeping their temporary holders safe too. And for all she knew, ShadowMoth might just be hiding more information he’d stolen from Master Fu and waiting it out to surprise her in some way. She couldn’t take any unnecessary risks.

“You’ll have to find some way to slip it into her bag in your civilian form,” Tikki continued, “But Marinette, are you really, really sure she can be–“

A buzz interrupted the kwami’s heartfelt warning, and she looked down to see her phone flash with a new message from her bff:

@alya.ladyblogger: guess who’s already waiting for u downstairs??

@alya.ladyblogger: (totally not trying to get u to come faster or anything)

@alya.ladyblogger: hint - he’s vv hot and vv into superheroes (like u!!!)

Marinette ignored the twist of dread in her stomach as she headed down to her room to grab the bee miraculous from a black, egg-shaped slot in the miracle box. 

She wasn’t making a mistake.. right?

...

“You couldn’t have picked a better place! This is the best bakery in Paris– my kids adore their croissants!”

Zoé Lee stepped out of the hired cab, letting the doe-eyed look she’d given the driver, slip off her face to reveal a sly smile. 

The best bakery in Paris, huh? Of course, anything less for the newest Bourgeois princess would be ridiculous.. utterly ridiculous, to quote the saying her mother and Chloé often butchered. 

She knelt down, adjusting the laces on her colourful sneakers so they’d conveniently trip her up when the time came, running a finger over the slightly smudged red-and-black letters she’d scribbled onto the left one last minute. 

I ♥ U. 

What a joke.

But self-deprecating enough to tug at the heartstrings of anyone who had a semblance of sympathy– and there were a few people in particular Zoé planned on tugging. Into her own orbit, or out of Chloé’s, she wasn’t really picky. But her plans began with these sneakers and one delightfully oblivious baker girl. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng. 

Zoé Lee-Bourgeois pushed open the bakery door with a soft chime. Her half-of-a-sister couldn’t even begin to guess what was coming her way.

______________________________________________________________

END NOTES:

Luka: The risk i took was calculated, but man.. am i bad at math.

NEXT CHAPTER ->

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

gert's random fusion aus: pushing daisies

sorry, i just realized i never explained what "pushing daisies" is, and while i'm not going to give the full run-down of every relevant detail--you will find this more compelling if you've seen it/are familiar with it--i'll give the basics real fast. ned is a piemaker who can bring back the dead with a single touch--and kill them again with another. the problem is, if they're alive again for more than a minute, someone else will die in their place. he found this out in the most traumatizing fucked up way possible btw. anyway, his best friend is PI emerson cod, with whom he investigates bizarre murders as, you know, they can interrogate the victim. albeit for one (1) minute only. and then ned brings back his childhood sweetheart/crush, inadvertently killing a corrupt graverobbing funeral director, and they fall in love again--with the caveat, of course, that they can never touch, because if he ever touches her again, she'll die. cue cute shit like kissing though plastic wrap and having clear walls on their bed (?) and that kind of thing. since she's still legally dead, she tries to help her aunts from afar, who have been shut-ins for a while, and there's some other stuff going on too with a waitress in love with ned (olive my beloved), emerson cod's ex-wives (and a child!), and a mystery from ned's past. i think that's all the basics? anyway, on with the show.

Trent Crimm is a journalist, so perhaps it isn’t surprising when he’s murdered. He dies alone, and afraid, and with no one to care. And then he wakes up with Ted Lasso peering down at him, worried, with soft, kind eyes Trent hasn’t seen since he was a teenager. Who knew that his schoolyard sweetheart could bring back the dead? Certainly not Trent. (Although his college friend, Beard, now a private investigator, apparently very much did.)

Now Trent, still legally dead, has to deal with, among other things: the trauma of his murder and identity of his murderer, his ex-wife and daughter (who still think he is dead, and he secretly suspects might be better off without him, even though he misses his daughter dearly), his growing feelings for a man he can never touch again, his father, and also, you know, all the bizarre murders he, Ted, and Beard are roped into investigating.

Also see: Ted struggling with depression, divorce, fatherhood, baking, and his own past (including a dreadful secret he is keeping from Trent), Beard struggling with a femme fatale to his noir detective, and whatever the hell Roy, Keeley, and Jamie are doing in the background with their synchronized swimming act.

Some notes:

Rupert is almost certainly the one who killed Trent, or had him killed. For, you know, knowing things he shouldn't; looking into things he shouldn't, etc. Half wondering if Rebecca should be involved--not as in she helped kill him, but as in she found out about it or was unwillingly involved--because that could make things even more deliciously complicated.

Ted and baking and building community--whether biscuits or pie, charming everyone he meets

(Trent was poisoned, by the way. So that baking thing. Oh boy.)

I do have a lot of feelings about Trent dying alone and being terrified of that happening again even though he refuses to admit it and keeps a cool and steady facade. Cue Ted getting him to be emotionally vulnerable, and also bonding with Beard at a point where they're trapped together in a situation that could kill them.

Ted and Trent's whole dance around each other only gets more exceedingly complicated, because Ted inadvertently broke his heart a decade or two ago, and now he's brought Trent back from the actual dead. Mixed signals, maybe. Regardless, they are very sweet and wholesome 90 percent of the time.

Thinking about that scene where Ned and Chuck dance on the rooftop in beekeepers outfits--Trent trying to find ways to fill the time now that he can't exactly be a journalist, and while he does end up throwing himself into helping Ted and Beard with their cases--he has his own relevant skills, after all--as well as trying to take care of his child and ex-wife from afar, he can't do that all the time: and Ted has bees on the roof, for the honey.

And also just again, them slow dancing like that. ough.

The whole thing with Trent's ex and daughter I'm not married to (haha) considering I don't think he'd actually leave his daughter thinking he's dead (and I think Ted would not be okay with that, too, for obvious reasons) however I'm not sure how else to handle it and I'm also thinking about him genuinely wondering if they're better off without him and then at some point, of course, them finding out, and. painful emotional growth ensues

Ted is also struggling with his own divorce and kid, because he has secrets and he's kind of terrified that Henry will have his ability, or something similar, even though there have been no signs of it so far. He hadn't planned on having kids, and while he could never regret Henry he's scared of what kind of father he'll be and what kind of damage his secret could do.

I'm not gonna lie, the last line of the summary about roy, keeley, and jamie was a bit of a Silly on my part, so I'm not sure if it would have become something, but I do have ideas running in circles in my brain. Something something, working together, triangles are the strongest shape, something something, practicing and being the best you can be?

Episodic format with case-of-the-weeks involving the other characters, such as the players, Rebecca, etc?

I admit, while part of what makes Pushing Daisies compelling is the tragic impossibility of Ned and Chuck's situation and also the complete non-explanation for how, exactly, Ned got to be Like This, I'm a sucker for a fix-it, and some ideas included: Ted giving up his gift (and dealing with the pain it's caused him and not being "useful", that he's worth more than this gift) OR just. really rotating a scene in my head where for [waves hands] plot reasons Ted knows he has to touch Trent again, let him die again (to bring him back? to stop something terrible? because they've learned something about the origins of Ted's ability?) and just. Trent's near tears but in that smiling this has to happen way, and Ted--Ted gets to kiss him, for real, with no plastic wrap between them, just once, and then Trent crumples in his arms and Ted is just. devastated. Now the question is, does he wake up, or is there another way to bring him back?

(This also works so painfully with "Trent being afraid of dying alone again" because... he doesn't. He dies in Ted's arms, surrounded by friends who will miss him.)

Also thought about this ability being connected to Ted's... Issues(TM), namely his forced positivity and repressed depression and shit but that's kind of soup brain right now

ALSO SEE! Beard and Jane have some fucked up shit going on in the background that eventually gets resolved. Beard occasionally slips into noir detective mode, just like Ted and Trent occasionally slip into romcom mode, despite the fact they're all living in vividly colorful murder mystery bizarro world.

I considered Nate as Olive, albeit in a rather different way, but it doesn't quite fit. Also see Rebecca as someone who hires them under false pretenses but then, ah. doesn't?

Ted and his immortal dog he can't actually pet, please

ALTERNATE TAKES:

Trent is a journalist who can bring back the dead for exactly one minute. It’s extremely useful in his line of work, until he comes across the unattended body of the man he fell in love with over a decade ago, and unfortunately, cannot resist temptation. Possibly featuring Roy Kent as a detective he reluctantly assists, because I find that to be a particularly funny duo.

Ted brings back his best friend from the dead. Trent Crimm, investigative journalist, finds out about his ability and decides to do nothing about it. I find this one compelling despite it not being very fleshed out because I just think Trent finding out a very important secret and deciding not to reveal it, and not even use it, even though it could be very useful, and then he ends up befriending Ted anyway and Ted offers to help... meanwhile Ted and Beard are having their own issues w--wait actually. Wait. I just considered. This... this doesn't really fit with the OG Pushing Daisies but it could be compelling regardless. Ted brings back Michelle, and while she's grateful (because, you know, Henry) it fucks up their relationship even further, especially because they can't touch anymore, and while she's not exactly asking him to undo it she didn't ask to be brought back, either. ANYWAY. And Trent and Ted getting into shenanigans. And probably Beard, too, anyway.

Alternatively, something about Roy as Ned and Keeley as Chuck and possibly Jamie as either Emerson Cod or Olive is.... hmmm.... interesting

idk i'll probably have more thoughts on this later but!!! here you go. this au is too big and complicated in my brain to likely ever get a proper full-sized fic, unless i really get hit with an inspiration whammy, but i might write a few snippets. we'll see

[geohoneylovers]

Bee Conservation Techniques: How To Protect Our Pollinators

Bees are an important part of our ecosystem and they are key contributors to maintaining a steady global food supply. Apart from bringing us the sweet yellow treasure we know as monofloral raw honey; these pollinators are also responsible for starting the reproduction cycles of a vast variety of flora.

Unfortunately, the bee population worldwide is decreasing faster than ever mainly due to habitat destruction, use of pesticides, and overall toxic human activities.

The founder of GEOHONEY and the CEO of BA Barry group Mr. Basem Barry has also expressed concern in this regard. According to him 

“Bees are in danger and it is upon us to take immediate action both individually and collectively. It can be as small as growing more flowers and supporting the local beekeepers. Bees have always been doing their part and now it is time for us to do ours.”

This blog explores some of the easiest and most effective bee conservation techniques that anyone can use to protect these precious creatures from going extinct. So keep reading to find out the best ways to protect our pollinators.

The Importance of Bee Conservation

Bee Conservation Techniques

Plant More Bee-Friendly Flowers

Minimize the Use of Pesticides

Give Proper Nesting Places to Bees

Support Local Beekeepers and Organizations

Become a Lazy Gardener

Limit the Use of Artificial Lighting At Night

The Importance of Bee Conservation

Before we look into some effective and easy bee conservation methods, it is better if we discuss a little about exactly why there is a need for you to conserve bees.

Well, for one thing, these bees collect the nectar of flowers and process it in beehives to give us monofloral Honey which is an adored sweetener across the globe. According to an estimate, bees create more than 300 types of honey in different parts of the world.

However, this is not the only thing they do. Bees are also responsible for producing more than a third of all the food in the world. How do they manage that? Well, when collecting nectar from flowers for making monofloral honey, these creatures also collect a yellow powdery substance known as pollen on their legs.

When bees move to another plant or some other flower of the same plant, they drop this pollen inside them which triggers their reproduction cycles. This process is often referred to as Pollination.

This way bees directly impact the growth of a wide range of plants, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs as well as the animals who rely on these things for survival. This shows how vital bees are for our planet making it clear why you need to make bee conservation efforts on your part.  

Bee Conservation Techniques

Following are some effective bee conservation techniques that you can use to protect these pollinators

Plant More Bee-Friendly Flowers

The easiest way to conserve bees is by planting bee-friendly flowers preferably ones that are native to your area. These flowers are favored by the bees and they do not need very high maintenance to thrive.

You can find a suitable place on your rooftop, balcony, lawn, backyard, community gardens, and vacant lots to plant these flowers for bees to feed on. 

Minimize the Use of Pesticides

Pesticides and herbicides are deadly for bees as they contain highly toxic components. You need to avoid using them, especially during the flowering season. This is the time when bees are more active and you need to ensure when they visit your flowers or garden, they get a safe place to collect nectar.

One way to minimize the use of pesticides is to grow native plant species that have evolved in the local ecosystem and are more resistant to native pests.

Give Proper Nesting Places to Bees

You can either buy bee houses or bee hotels from garden centers or you can drill holes in wood or bunch together hollow plant stems or bamboo cans to provide bees with proper nesting places.

This can give bees a safe place for laying their eggs and resting when they are not busy pollinating or collecting nectar for making pure monofloral honey.

Support Local Beekeepers and Organizations

It is a well-known fact that climate change is affecting bees and the local beekeepers and apiarists are the only thing that is standing in the way of these creatures and extinction.

You need to look for local beekeepers and organizations that use sustainable beekeeping practices and are making a conscious effort to conserve bees. By supporting them financially or buying honey and beeswax products from them instead of the isles of some supermarket chains, you can ensure they are able to provide bees with a healthy environment.

Become a Lazy Gardener

Bees love to forage in lazy gardens where there are twigs or leaves scattered that they can use for nesting. About 30% of all bees live in holes in trees or hollow plant stems. By leaving these behind, you can give bees a cozy home where they can rest especially during winter.

Limit the Use of Artificial Lighting at Night

Intense outdoor lights in your lawn or garden can impact the navigation of bees. They also disrupt bee behavior which directly influences their ability to collect nectar and pollinate flora.

You can limit this use by installing motion-sensing lights in these areas. This can provide a more natural and safer environment for bees to pollinate during nighttime.

Conclusion

When it comes to bee conservation, every single step you take matters more than you can imagine. These tiny pollinators need to be protected so that our ecosystem and food supply do not face any disruptions or threats.

By doing very simple things like planting more trees and flowers, avoiding the use of pesticides as much as possible, and providing bees with proper nesting places, you can give them the necessary support and protection that they need to grow and keep doing what good they do for us.

Geohoney is the leading honey brand based in Dubai with over 130 farms equipped with the latest new-tech monofloral initiatives. Our 100% pure, raw, and natural monofloral honey is carefully prepared using single nectar sources which ensures both a high concentration of nutrients and enzymes.

Working with worldwide beekeepers from more than 53 countries Goehoney strives to produce monofloral honey that meets the highest global quality control standards while using environmentally sustainable resources and adhering to socially responsible policies.Visit GEOHONEY today to order from our wide range of pure monofloral honey gathered from farms around the world.

Conclusion When it comes to bee conservation, every single step you take matters more than you can imagine. These tiny pollinators need to be protected so that our ecosystem and food supply do not face any disruptions or threats. By doing very simple things like planting more trees and flowers, avoiding the use of pesticides as much as possible, and providing bees with proper nesting places, you can give them the necessary support and protection that they need to grow and keep doing what good they do for us. Visit GEOHONEY today to order from our wide range of pure monofloral honey gathered from farms around the world.

Blog Source: Bee Conservation Techniques

[ao3feed-sambucky]

Tell It to the Bees (and the birds)

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/fd7WRo8 by ElisabethMonroe Bucky keeps a beehive on the roof of his apartment building. Someone has just built a bird coop there too. It kind of changes everything. Words: 18742, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel) Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson Additional Tags: Beekeeping, Bees, Birds, Bird Coop, Rooftop Bird Coop, Meet-Ugly, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Neighbors, nuisance to lovers, Rivals to Lovers, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Dancing, Sleepwalking, Night Terrors, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Therapy, Misunderstandings, Blood and Injury, Gardens & Gardening, Rooftop Garden, Redwing is an Actual Bird (Marvel) read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/fd7WRo8

[prep4tomoro]

Beekeeping: The Sweetest Hobby of All in Maintaining a Renewable Food Source:

The hobby of beekeeping, also called apiculture, got started on a wide scale in the United States during World War II when sugar was tightly rationed. For many, during this time, what started out as a hobby burgeoned into a cottage industry. It was a very practical pursuit too because the whole family could pitch in, even the smaller children. Today, beekeeping has become one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. Further, some professional beekeepers started out as a small-time hobbyist but then grew into a full-time business because, not only can the honey be sold, but the wax as well and the bees as they multiply -- and bees are very good at multiplying! These are also good for Bartering. And bees can be raised in urban settings (on rooftops) as well as the country. Resources: Beekeeping for Beginners Honey Bee Hive Supplies on Amazon.com Honey: One of the Best foods to have in the Emergency Food Pantry for Health and Sweetening Benefits of Honey Note From Dad [Reference Link]

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Menu]

This blog is partially funded by Affiliate Program Links and Private Donations. Thank you for your support.

[windowjcleaningjobs]

Perth's Top 10 Most Unusual and Fascinating Window Cleaning Jobs in 2024

As Perth's skyline continues to evolve, window cleaners are encountering some of the most unique and unexpected challenges in their profession. From collaborating with beekeepers to cleaning underwater-themed restaurants, these tasks highlight the diversity and unpredictability of window cleaning in our city. Here are the top ten most unusual and interesting window cleaning jobs in Perth for 2024, showcasing the skill and adaptability of our local professionals.

1. Collaborating with Bees on a Rooftop

In East Perth, a team of window cleaners found themselves sharing a high-rise workspace with a swarm of bees. Their mission was to clean the windows without disturbing the bees while coordinating with an apiarist to safely relocate the swarm. Using low-noise equipment and moving cautiously to prevent vibrations, the cleaners worked meticulously alongside the beekeeper. Their combined efforts ensured both the successful cleaning of the windows and the safe relocation of the bees, demonstrating professionalism and environmental stewardship.

2. Refreshing Windows of a "Haunted" Heritage House

A heritage property in Fremantle, famous for its ghostly tales, required a thorough window cleaning. The team reported strange noises and flickering lights during their work, adding an eerie atmosphere to the task. Approaching the job with curiosity and caution, they worked in pairs and ensured they finished before dusk. Despite sudden temperature drops near certain windows, they remained focused and restored the sparkle to the old house, earning commendations for their courage and dedication.

3. Upside-Down Cleaning for Charity

To raise funds for a local charity, a group of professional window cleaners performed their duties upside-down while harnessed to a skyscraper in Perth's CBD. After weeks of extensive training to perfect their techniques and ensure safety, they used specialized harnesses and controlled movements to prevent smearing the glass. The event not only attracted substantial donations but also provided onlookers with a thrilling spectacle, turning a routine job into an exciting community event.

4. Maintaining an Underwater-Themed Restaurant's Illusion

A trendy restaurant in Scarborough with an underwater theme required window cleaners to preserve its oceanic illusion. The windows, coated with a special blue tint, needed careful cleaning to remove grime without damaging the effect. Working during off-hours to avoid disturbing diners, the cleaners used specialized microfiber cloths and unique cleaning solutions. Multiple inspections under different lighting ensured the windows remained streak-free and the underwater ambiance intact, contributing to the restaurant's immersive atmosphere.

5. Cleaning Solar Panel-Integrated Windows

In Subiaco, an eco-friendly suburb, window cleaners faced the challenge of cleaning windows integrated with solar panels on a commercial building. These panels demanded specialized techniques to avoid damage and maintain optimal energy efficiency. Using non-abrasive tools and purified water, the cleaners prevented scratches and residue that could hinder the panels' performance. Coordinating with building management to temporarily shut off power ensured safety, resulting in spotless windows that continued to contribute to the building's green energy goals.

6. Navigating the "Sky Garden" Apartments

A luxury apartment building in South Perth featured windows adorned with small gardens, presenting a significant challenge for window cleaners. They had to carefully maneuver around plant beds without dislodging soil or leaves onto the areas below. This task involved meticulous planning, including laying protective tarps on lower levels and using extended tools for hard-to-reach spots. The cleaners even took on some gardening duties by watering plants as they worked, demonstrating adaptability and precision in maintaining both the windows and the greenery.

7. Enduring Extreme Heat During a Heatwave

During Perth's scorching summer heatwave, window cleaners undertook the task of cleaning a major retail building amid temperatures exceeding 40°C. To cope with the extreme conditions, they adjusted their schedules to work during early mornings and late evenings, staying hydrated and using cooling vests. Special cleaning solutions were used to prevent rapid evaporation. Their dedication and resilience ensured the building's windows remained spotless despite the challenging weather.

8. Cleaning Animal Enclosure Windows at Perth Zoo

Window cleaners faced an extraordinary task at Perth Zoo, cleaning the windows of predator enclosures, including those housing lions. With the curious big cats observing and sometimes pawing at the glass, the cleaners had to move carefully to avoid startling the animals. Using extra-long poles to maintain a safe distance, they focused on delivering clean windows while ensuring a calm environment for the animals. This job tested their nerves and skills, emphasizing safety and respect for wildlife.

9. Working on the Giant Public Aquarium

The large public aquarium in Perth required expert window cleaners to maintain the clarity of massive glass panels separating marine life from visitors. This unique environment meant working surrounded by water with marine animals, such as sharks, swimming just inches away. The team used scuba gear for certain sections, working both inside and outside the tanks. Special non-toxic cleaning agents were essential to protect the marine life, combining their cleaning expertise with underwater skills for an unforgettable project.

10. Preserving Art on Window Murals

In Northbridge, a new art installation featured intricate murals painted on windows. Window cleaners were tasked with cleaning these windows without damaging or smudging the artwork. Collaborating closely with the artist, they identified areas requiring extra caution. Using gentle, precise tools, they carefully cleaned around the murals, ensuring the glass remained clear without affecting the art. This meticulous job elevated window cleaning to an artistic endeavor, highlighting their attention to detail and respect for creativity.

Conclusion

Window cleaning in Perth has proven to be anything but ordinary in 2024. From collaborating with beekeepers and working in extreme weather to engaging with wildlife and preserving art, these unusual projects demonstrate the versatility and expertise of window cleaners in Perth. Each task presents its own set of challenges, making no two days the same in this dynamic profession.

[dailynewtips]

Pollinator Heroes: How Urban Beekeepers Are Boosting Bee Populations

As bee populations face serious threats from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change, a new group of heroes is stepping up to save the day—urban beekeepers. These city dwellers are transforming rooftops, balconies, and gardens into thriving bee sanctuaries, supporting local pollinators and boosting biodiversity. Urban beekeeping is more than a trend; it’s a crucial part of the effort to protect our environment. In this article, we’ll explore how urban beekeepers are making a difference and how you can get involved in the movement.read more

[panayotis1948]

Urban Beekeeping Starting Your Own Rooftop Hive

[bendragonj]

The Buzz in the Concrete Jungle: Urban Beekeeping's Rise

Urban beekeeping is making a comeback in cities worldwide, from New York to Tokyo. Historically practiced in ancient civilizations, this sustainable hobby is gaining traction due to growing environmental awareness and concerns over declining bee populations.

Why Bees in Cities?

Urban environments offer diverse and pesticide-free foraging grounds for bees. Rooftop gardens, parks, and balconies provide a rich supply of nectar and pollen, making cities surprisingly suitable for beekeeping.

Benefits

Biodiversity: Bees enhance urban green spaces by pollinating various plants.

Education: Beekeeping projects teach urban dwellers about the importance of pollinators.

Local Produce: Urban beekeepers produce honey and beeswax, supporting local food movements.

Community: Beekeeping fosters community engagement and discussions about sustainability.

Overcoming Challenges

Cities are noisy and polluted, and finding hive locations can be tricky. However, green rooftops, urban gardens, and supportive city councils are helping overcome these challenges. Technology also aids with resources and community connections.

A Sweet Future

Urban beekeeping is more than a trend; it's a sustainable solution for enhancing biodiversity and reconnecting with nature. In the heart of bustling cities, bees are proving that even small creatures can make a big impact.

[nclson]

foggy gets everyone a little jar of honey from the new york rooftop bees for valentines day bc he read that saint valentine is the pstron of beekeepers as well !

[george275]

Exploring Methods of Apiculture: Techniques and Strategies

In discussing methods of apiculture, one must consider both rural and urban settings. Urban beekeeping, a growing trend in cities, uses methods of apiculture that are adapted to smaller spaces and closer proximity to human habitation. This includes rooftop hives and balcony beekeeping. Conversely, rural methods of apiculture often involve larger apiaries and a focus on pollination for agricultural crops. Both urban and rural methods of apiculture contribute significantly to biodiversity and the pollination of plants. Moreover, these methods of apiculture are essential for the production of honey, beeswax, and other bee-related products.