#saffron yield

[literaryvein-reblogs]

list of "beautiful" words found in a virtual space

I went through my following/followers lists and collected "beautiful" words and phrases from usernames and blog titles to try to include in your next poem/story

Amour Propre - self-esteem

Ephemeral - lasting a very short time

Espiègle - tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness

Forgotten faith - faith that has ceased to be remembered

Jovial - characterized by good-humored cheerfulness and conviviality

Moonstruck sun - a sun affected by the moon

Poetic scars - scars that have qualities of poetry

Psychosomatic - of, relating to, concerned with, or involving both mind and body

Nyctophilia - the condition of being very happy and comfortable in the dark

Orphic - of or relating to Orpheus; mystic, oracular

Pirouette - a rapid whirling about of the body

Reverie - daydream; the condition of being lost in thought

Saffron - the deep orange aromatic pungent dried stigmas of a purple-flowered crocus (Crocus sativus) used to color and flavor foods and formerly as a dyestuff and in medicine; a moderate orange to orange yellow

Strawberry Blonde - a reddish-blond color

Sunflowers & teeth - any of a genus (Helianthus) of New World composite plants with large yellow-rayed flower heads bearing edible seeds that yield an edible oil & hard bony appendages that are borne on the jaws or in many of the lower vertebrates on other bones in the walls of the mouth or pharynx and serve especially for the prehension and mastication of food and as weapons of offense and defense

Thaumaturge - a performer of miracles

The last poet - the last maker of verses

Windows of the soul - windows of a person's total self

Wrath - strong vengeful anger or indignation

Zephyr - a breeze from the west; a gentle breeze

If any of these words or phrases make their way into your next poem/story, please tag me, or leave a link in the replies. I would love to read them!

More: Word Lists

[the-griffons-saddlebag]

💎 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺! Grower's Tape
Wondrous item, uncommon ___ This roll of tape is 1 inch wide and 60 feet long. You can use an action to cut off a length of tape and apply it to a surface. The tape immediately decomposes and turns into fertile soil once it's stuck to a surface. Plants rapidly grow from the soil, becoming fully ripe after 1 hour. Roll on the table below once for every 1 foot of tape used to determine what grows from that stretch of soil. | d6 | Grown Plant | — | 1 | A sickly mushroom. Boiling three of these for 1 hour renders one vial's worth of basic poison. | | 2–5 | A cluster of random crops, which yield either 1 pound of wheat (30%), 1 pound of ginger (30%), 1 pound of cloves (30%), or 1 pound of saffron (10%). | | 6 | A vine grows from the ground to produce 1d4 berries, which function as if created by the "goodberry" spell. | If you use one or more strips of tape to enclose an area, the tape recreates either version of the "plant growth" spell (your choice) for all plants within that area. For example, you can use 20 feet of tape to enclose a 5-foot square, or 30 feet of tape to enclose a 5-foot-radius circle. ___ ✨ Patrons get huge perks! Access this and hundreds of other item cards, art files, and compendium entries when you support The Griffon's Saddlebag on Patreon for less than $10 a month!

[therealvinelle]

I can't justify it, but I feel like you have at least one really good recipes for soup!

My recipe is: Sautee half an onion, diced, in a pot with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon or so of thinly sliced celery until it all starts to sweat. Add three large peeled and diced potatoes. Cover with water and boil until the potatoes are soft and then smash with a big spoon or a potato smasher. Add salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to a medium, chop in some kind of white fish (halibut is best but so pricey), and wait until fish is falling apart and fully cooked (about 20 minutes). Garnish with whatever you'd like, but heavy cream and little bits of bacon can both kick this up a notch. This is anon's fish chowder recipe!

Oh I have many, it depends on what you want.

How about, to celebrate Norway's Minister of Health and Care Services being found guilty of plaguarism a few minutes ago (I'm STOKED), we do a celebratory recipe.

Minor warnings for awkward language as I rarely read English cooking recipes and am not familiar with the linguistic conventions.

Mussels in saffron soup

You need:

2 kg mussels

2 dl dry white wine/apple juice

1 finely chopped clove of garlic

1 finely chopped shallot

Saffron

Parsley (optional)

Thyme

3 dl cream (the creamy kind! Not sure what product that would be in English. The kind you whip to get whipped cream.)

2 tbsp finely chopped chives (for decor)

All the quantities are optional, consider them guidelines.

Wash and scrub the shells. Steam them in white wine, remove from heat once they open. Keep the broth, and let simmer with the garlic, shallot, parsley, and thyme. Add cream, then saffron. Let thicken.

For the sake of not driving your guests to sticky fingered homicide: separate the mussels from their shells (if the shell is closed, very broken, or the flesh is so yielding it feels uncooked, discard the shell. White or pale color is completely fine, as are very small or very large mussels) and serve in a bowl with the soup, keeping a few empty shells for decoration and scatter the chives across the top for a finish. You then print a photo of Ingvild Kjerkol standing outside her house saying "It's not plaguarism, it's text similarities! That's what happens when you use similar methodology." to the entire country, and love life.

God appetitt!

[soteirahere]

Invocation to Hekate Soteira - Peace for the Children of Gaza

Mother Hekate, Goddess of the Liminal Spaces, Hekate Kleidouchos, Keeper of the Keys, Hear the desperate cries of your innocent children in Gaza and the West Bank, echoing through lands and seas. Guide us through the labyrinth of life, unlock the doors we face, Be our compass in the chaos, our sanctuary in this sacred place.

Hekate Kourotrophos, Guardian of the Young, lend your sacred care, Wrap the children of Gaza in your arms, show them love beyond compare. Be their shield in the daylight, their comfort in the night, Be the hope in their eyes, their courage in the fight.

Hekate Atalos, the Tender One, feel the weight of their despair, Hold their hearts within your hands, show them someone cares. Let your compassion be their guide, your tenderness their song, In a world that feels so cold, show them they belong.

Hekate Agrotera, Mighty Huntress, track down peace where it hides, Be their eyes in the forest of fear, their steps where danger resides. Lead them to safety, to havens free from harm, With your bow and arrow, protect them from alarm.

Hekate Antania, Enemy of Mankind, turn your wrath on those who divide, Be the avenger of the oppressed, let justice be their guide. Strike down the walls that imprison them, shatter the chains that bind, Be the sword of retribution, the defender of humankind.

Hekate Brimo, the Angry One, let your fury be their shield, In the battlefield of life, be the power they wield. Turn your rage into a fire, a blaze that lights their way, In the darkest corners of their world, be their break of day.

Hekate Despoina, Mistress of All, make the oppressors yield, Be the authority they respect, the scepter and the shield. Command the winds of change, the tides of time and fate, Be the voice of sovereignty, that the tyrants cannot negate.

Hekate Enodia, of the Paths, guide them through the darkest night, Be the lantern in their hands, the star in their sky so bright. Lead them through the crossroads, where their destiny unfolds, Be the map to their future, the story yet untold.

Hekate Epipurgidia, on the Tower, be their watchful light, Be the sentinel in the darkness, their guardian in the night. From your lofty vantage point, see dangers from afar, Be their early warning, their guiding northern star.

Hekate Gorgo, the Grim, instill fear in the hearts of their foes, Be the terror in their eyes, the nightmare that never goes. Turn your gaze upon the wicked, let them tremble in their sin, Be the face they cannot forget, the conscience from within.

Hekate Khthonia, of the Underworld, where the river of justice flows, Be the keeper of their secrets, the knower of their woes. In the depths of their despair, be the light that never dies, Be the hope that springs eternal, the truth that never lies.

Hekate Kleidophoros, Bearer of Keys, unlock the doors to their salvation, Open the gates of opportunity, the portals to liberation. With each key you turn, unlock a brighter day, With each door you open, show them a better way.

Hekate Krataiis, the Strong, be the pillar of their foundation, Be the rock upon which they build, the core of their determination. In the storms that rage around them, be their anchor in the sea, In the winds that try to break them, be their stability.

Hekate Krokopeplos, Saffron-Cloaked, wrap them in your protective embrace, Be the warmth in their winter, the smile on their face. Clothe them in resilience, drape them in your might, Be the cloak that shields them, in the day and in the night.

Hekate Nyktipolos, Night-Wandering, guard them when the sun takes flight, Be their eyes in the darkness, their senses in the night. Walk beside them in their dreams, be their guide in realms unseen, Be the whisper in the wind, the force that stands between.

Hekate Perseis, Daughter of Perses, bring them through the darkest plight, Be their sword in the battle, their courage in the fight. With your lineage of power, be the magic that they wield, Be the strength in their spirit, the armor and the shield.

Hekate Phosphoros, Light-Bringer, illuminate their path so dim, Be the dawn of their new day, the hymn in their morning hymn. Shine your light upon their road, be their beacon in the dark, Be the spark that lights their way, the fire that ignites their spark.

Hekate Propolos, the Attendant, lead them to safety on a whim, Be the hand that pulls them up, when their hope begins to dim. Guide them through the labyrinth, be their compass and their chart, Be the intuition in their mind, the empathy in their heart.

Hekate Propylaia, Before the Gate, guard the entrance to their homes, Be the keeper of their hearth, the walls made of ancient stones. Stand before their sanctuary, be the lock and the key, Be the guardian of their peace, their security and their glee.

Hekate Soteira, the Savior, in your name this heartfelt prayer roams, Be the miracle they seek, the angel that guides them home. Save them from the perils, that lurk in shadow and in light, Be the wings upon their back, the daybreak to their night.

Hekate Trikephalos, Three-Headed, watch over them from every side, Be their lookout in the front, their rear guard far and wide. With your trinity of vision, see what's hidden and what's known, Be their eyes in every corner, where danger may have grown.

Hekate Trimorphis, Three-Formed, in you their hopes and dreams reside, Be the facets of their soul, where love and fear collide. In your triple aspect, be their past, present, and future, Be the sum of all they are, the editor and the tutor.

Hekate Trioditis, of Three Roads, guide them through choices yet unknown, Be the signpost in their journey, the seeds that they have sown. In the forks that lie ahead, be the wisdom that they seek, Be the courage in their choices, the voice when they are weak.

Hekate Trivia, of the Three Ways, let your wisdom to them be shown, Be the teacher of their life, the mysteries they've known. In the crossroads of their fate, be the lantern in the mist, Be the answers to their questions, the chances they can't resist.

Hekate Adonaea, guide our magic, direct and firm, All that hurts shall be returned. Be the force that shapes their spells, the focus of their aim, Be the power in their words, the sanctity in their claim.

Hekate Nyktipolos, Night-Wandering Queen, open our eyes, allow all to be seen. Be the revealer of truths, the seer of what's concealed, Be the clarity in their vision, the reality revealed.

Hekate Hieros Pyr, Holy Fire, be the flame that never dies, Be the inferno in their soul, the passion in their cries. Burn away the darkness, consume all that's unjust, Be the fire that purifies, the ashes to the dust.

Oh Hekate, let your voice ring out in the celestial halls, Gather the Gods, from their heavenly realms and sacred walls. Implore them to lend their might, their love, their divine grace, To the people of Gaza, suffering in this unforgiving place. With tears in our eyes and hope in our hearts, we pray, Hekate, rally the Gods, guide us toward a better, brighter day.

[talonabraxas]

Planetary Magic: How to Invoke the Magnetic Power of Venus

The archetypal energy of the planet Venus is feminine, sensual and magnetic.

Venus energy is an invocation of the senses. She encourages us to indulge and luxuriate in our physical bodies. By aligning with her energy she helps us to see the riches already inherent in our lives and assists us in drawing our deepest desires to us.

A Brief History of the Planet Venus

The word ‘Venus’ comes from the Proto-Italic *wenos, with its furthest roots in Proto-Indo-European *wen meaning ‘to wish, love’. Venus is the second planet from the Sun, often appearing in the sky as the morning and evening star. Scientists believe that Venus was formed from great swathes of swirling gas and dust around 4.5 billion years ago. The planet Venus may have once held seas in the past. But these primordial waters likely dried up as the planets temperature rose. In true languorous Venusian style, a full day on the planet Venus is longer than its entire year. One magical thing about Venus is her orbit shape. The pentagram or petals of Venus is the orbit that Venus makes when viewed from earth. Venus creates the petals of Venus every eight years.

Why Connect With the Planet Venus?

Venus is far from just the planet of love magic. Connecting to the planet Venus allows you to magnetically attract your deepest desire. In astrology, Venus rules the fixed sign of Taurus and the cardinal sign of Libra. In French, Friday is named for her vendredi ‘day of Venus’. The alchemical glyph of Venus is the circle on top of the cross . Which symbolises spirits descent into matter.

Venus is the source of the power of flavour. Of precious stones, pearls, and of rocks, lapis lazuli and almartach; and of plants, all plants with a good odour like saffron and arhenda, roses and all flowers with a good odour and smell and are pleasant to look at. Among colours, sky blue and gold tending a little to green. --The Picatrix (Circa 1000 CE)

Orphic Hymn to Venus

Heavenly, illustrious, laughter-loving queen, Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien; Crafty, from whom necessity first came, Producing, nightly, all-connecting dame: ‘Tis thine the world with harmony to join, For all things spring from thee, O power divine.

The triple Fates are ruled by thy decree, And all productions yield alike to thee: Whatever the heaven’s, encircling all contain, Earth fruit-producing, and the stormy main, thy sway confesses, and obeys thy nod.

Awful attendant of the brumal God: Goddess of marriage, charming to the sight, Mother of Loves, whom banqueting delights; Source of persuasion, secret, favouring queen, Illustrious born, apparent and unseen: Spousal, lupercal, and to men inclined, Prolific, most-desired, life-giving kind:

Great sceptre-bearer of the Gods, ‘tis thine, Mortals in necessary bands to join; And every tribe of savage monsters dire. In magic chains to bind, through mad desire.

Come, Cyprus-born, and to my prayer incline, Whether exalted in the heavens you shine, Or pleased in Syria’s temple to preside, Or over the Egyptian plains thy car to guide, Fashioned of gold; and near its sacred flood, Fertile and famed to fix thy blest abode; Or if rejoicing in the azure shores, Near where the sea with foaming billows roars, The circling choirs of mortals, thy delight, Or beauteous nymphs, with eyes cerulean bright, Pleased by the dusty banks renowned of old, To drive thy rapid, two-yoked car of gold;

Or if in Cyprus with thy mother fair, Where married females praise thee every year, And beauteous virgins in the chorus join, Adonis pure to sing and thee divine;

Come, all-attractive to my prayer inclined, For thee, I call, with holy, reverent mind.

Goddess Venus by Talon Abraxas

[classicalshorts]

Yellow Varieties

Welcome to this the sixth entry in Cool Colours. Yellow is wonderful and represents rather a unique case in this series' exploration. To look at the word at first glance, you would be forgiven for thinking that our word yellow has no links to Latin whatsoever. You would be both right and wrong, however. There is a link and a rather neat and unusual one. The word yellow is more closely connected to German 'gelb'. But it doesn't look like that either, you say. So, here is a brief glimpse at this lovely colour name's history. It stems primarily from the early German word 'gelwaz', to which the Italian 'giallo' is also related. Both stem ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European (henceforth PIE) word 'ghel-' which meant 'to shine'. Now PIE, is now widely believed to have been an early, now extinct language, from which most European languages and Sanskrit were all born. Now, here comes the Latin link. Latin is also descended from PIE and its word for pale yellow, helvus, comes from the same parent stem as German 'gelb'. So, it is linked to the word, it is just a relative that evolved slightly differently. Also, if you read the Latin helvus, pronouncing the 'v' as a 'w' (as many argue it should be) the connection with our 'yellow' becomes clearer.

Our trip through the colour yellow does not stop there. I have three further Classical terms for yellow for you that bequeathed us words in English. Let us start with Latin.

Have you ever read that you should get more of the vitamin Riboflavin (B2) in your diet? Well, the 'flavin' part of the word comes from the Latin flavus, meaning 'yellow', often a golden or reddish shade of yellow. 'What's a vitamin got to do with 'yellow'?' ,you ask. Well, the flavins are a group of organic compounds, from which Riboflavin is derived, and their colour is, you've got it, YELLOW. They are very important to life. So green might be life, but it appears yellow is, too.

Could your hair be described as 'fulvous'? No, it does not mean it is voluminous (full-vous, get it? Never mind). Again, this rather old-fashioned and probably forgotten word comes from another Latin word for 'yellow', this time fulvus, which denotes a brownish, tawny yellow. It was often used to describe lions.

Lastly, can I ask you if your daffodils betray a xanthic hue? So, we head over to the ancient Greeks for our penultimate yellow word of today. The Greek word ξανθος (xanthos) could denote hair that was blonde or even auburn, so again it can denote a reddish gold.

Crocus is our final shade today. Now, we see crocuses that are pink, blue, and yellow, but Greek word (κροκος) originally referred to the saffron plant, which yields a famous rich yellow colouring. There is even rather a sweet instance of it being used in a Greek text to describe the colour of egg-yolks.

The bright, cheerful colour yellow therefore, not only has a great etymological (i.e. word family) history, but it also has many different variations in Classical terms. EGG-sellent! Okay, there's a reason I'm a classicist not a comedian. I hope you enjoyed this instalment. See you on the next one.

[fatehbaz]

In 1678, a Chaldean priest from Baghdad reached the Imperial Villa of Potosí, the world’s richest silver-mining camp and at the time the world’s highest city at more than 4,000 metres (13,100 feet) above sea level. A regional capital in the heart of the Bolivian Andes, Potosí remains – more than three and a half centuries later – a mining city today. [...] The great red Cerro Rico or ‘Rich Hill’ towered over the city of Potosí. It had been mined since 1545 [...]. When Don Elias arrived [...], the great boom of 1575-1635 – when Potosí alone produced nearly half the world’s silver – was over, but the mines were still yielding the precious metal. [...]

On Potosí’s main market plaza, indigenous and African women served up maize beer, hot soup and yerba mate. Shops displayed the world’s finest silk and linen fabrics, Chinese porcelain, Venetian glassware, Russian leather goods, Japanese lacquerware, Flemish paintings and bestselling books in a dozen languages. [...]

Pious or otherwise, wealthy women clicked Potosí’s cobbled streets in silver-heeled platform shoes, their gold earrings, chokers and bracelets studded with Indian diamonds and Burmese rubies. Colombian emeralds and Caribbean pearls were almost too common. Peninsular Spanish ‘foodies’ could savour imported almonds, capers, olives, arborio rice, saffron, and sweet and dry Castilian wines. Black pepper arrived from Sumatra and southwest India, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, cloves from Maluku and nutmeg from the Banda Islands. Jamaica provided allspice. Overloaded galleons spent months transporting these luxuries across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. Plodding mule and llama trains carried them up to the lofty Imperial Villa.

---

Potosi supplied the world with silver, the lifeblood of trade and sinews of war [...]. In turn, the city consumed the world’s top commodities and manufactures. [...] The city’s dozen-plus notaries worked non-stop inventorying silver bars and sacks of pesos [...]. Mule trains returning from the Pacific brought merchandise and mercury, the essential ingredient for silver refining. [...] From Buenos Aires came slavers with captive Africans from Congo and Angola, transshipped via Rio de Janeiro. Many of the enslaved were children branded with marks mirroring those, including the royal crown, inscribed on silver bars.

Soon after its 1545 discovery, Potosí gained world renown [...]. Mexico’s many mining camps [...] peaked only after 1690. [...] Even in the Andes of South America there were other silver cities [...]. But no silver deposit in the world matched the Cerro Rico, and no other mining-refining conglomeration grew so large. Potosí was unique: a mining metropolis.

Thus Don Elias, like others, made the pilgrimage to the silver mountain. It was a divine prodigy, a hierophany. In 1580, Ottoman artists depicted Potosí as a slice of earthly paradise, the Cerro Rico lush and green, the city surrounded by crenellated walls. Potosí, as Don Quixote proclaimed, was the stuff of dreams. Another alms seeker, in 1600, declared the Cerro Rico the Eighth Wonder of the World. A [...] visitor in 1615 gushed: ‘Thanks to its mines, Castile is Castile, Rome is Rome, the pope is the pope, and the king is monarch of the world.’ [...]

---

For all its glory, Potosí was also the stuff of nightmares [...].

Almost a century before Don Elias visited Potosí, Viceroy Francisco de Toledo revolutionised world silver production. Toledo was a hard-driving bureaucrat of the Spanish empire [...]. Toledo reached Potosí in 1572, anxious to flip it into the empire’s motor of commerce and war. By 1575, the viceroy had organised a sweeping labour draft, launched a ‘high-tech’ mill-building campaign, and overseen construction of a web of dams and canals to supply the Imperial Villa with year-round hydraulic power, all in the high Andes at the nadir of the Little Ice Age. Toledo also oversaw construction of the Potosí mint, staffed full-time with enslaved Africans. [...] Toledo’s successes came with a steep price. Thanks to the viceroy’s ‘reforms’, hundreds of thousands of Andeans became virtual refugees (those who survived) and, in the search for timber and fuel, colonists denuded hundreds of miles of fragile, high-altitude land. [...] The city’s smelteries belched lead and zinc-rich smoke [...].

The Habsburg kings of Spain cared little about Potosí’s social and environmental horrors. [...] For more than a century, the Cerro Rico fuelled the world’s first global military-industrial complex, granting Spain the means to prosecute decades-long wars on a dozen fronts – on land and at sea. No one else could do all this and still afford to lose. [...]

By [...] 1909 [...], mineral rushes had helped to produce cities such as San Francisco and Johannesburg, but nothing quite compared for sheer audacity with the Imperial Villa of Potosí, a neo-medieval mining metropolis perched in the Andes of South America.

---

Text by: Kris Lane. “Potosi: the mountain of silver that was the first global city.” Aeon. 30 July 2019. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

[black-is-iconic]

Twinkle twinkle Little Star

Wishing upon stars and praying to gods has always seemed so… futile. I mean, what is the purpose of a wish? It seems illogical because there is no one out there who can fulfill it. Absolutely no one. However, the feeling of loneliness was overwhelming.

Observing young maidens, who are half your age, parading around the market and flaunting their rings, did sting a bit.

So, here you are, reveling in the radiant silver glow of the moon, placing a string of pearls at the base of the shrine dedicated to the moon god that you had constructed. Along with some other valuable offerings like saffron, silk, and twenty gold pieces.

You feel a bit foolish attempting to appease the gods, but you hope that the extravagant gifts will compensate for your slight skepticism. You didn't anticipate the offering to yield results; you were merely entertaining a passing thought.

Therefore, imagine your astonishment when the sky trembled with a resounding boom. The moon completely obscured the sun, blocking every last beam of sunlight, and a solitary shooting star came crashing down right at your feet.

You cautiously crouched before the blazing orb of light, taken aback by its lack of heat. To your surprise, touching the swirling, fiery smoke felt cool, like a winter river swim.

The star, in response, fragmented into thousands of sparkling shards. From the light emerged a striking man, his skin a flawless pale cream. His jaw was strong, cheeks defined, and eyes sharp and ocean blue.

Tall and well-built, his perfect symmetry lent him an almost otherworldly appearance. Dark curls framed his face, falling in waves to his waist. "Um," you attempted to speak, but words failed as you compared him to the statue.

The man (if that's what he could be called) stood in a rich blue tunic with long sleeves and gold embellishments. A cape of light flowed from his shoulders, fastened by a moon-shaped metal signet. His gaze moved from your home to you, causing you to automatically bow in deep reverence.

The man standing before you regarded you with a penetrating gaze, his eyes deep and consuming, pulling in everything around with a chilling intensity.

Your heart hammered in response, a forceful rhythm that left you questioning its strength. "Hello?" you manage to say, your voice a touch strained from the tension. The man closed the gap, kneeling before you.

"Forgive my sudden intrusion, my lady. I am Giyuu Tomioka, the esteemed first son of the Lunar Lord of Night, commander of the Moon Knights, and the reigning Emperor of the grand sky palace and the moon."

Each title echoed in the silence, making you acutely aware of his stature. His icy gaze softened, assuming a regretful expression. Clasping his hands in supplication, he said, "It's far from ideal, I know, but might I request to stay in your estate temporarily? I find myself…directionless, unable to return home at this moment…"

With an nervous swallow, you turned your gaze upon the man before you. How could you possibly resist him? "Are you a god?"

You asked, your voice steady yet soft, your hand reaching out to the torn fabric of his shoulder, marred with streaks of crimson. Your brows knit together in concern.

"Not exactly," he responded, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes flickering shut intermittently as if fighting off sleep. "But not far off," he added, pulling himself to his feet.

With a shake of your head, you commanded, "You're injured. Please, come inside," just as he collapsed into your waiting arms.

"Ume, Gyutaro, assist me now," you called out to two of your farmhands. Ume dropped her harvest of flowers instantly, rushing over, closely followed by Gyutaro, who swiftly and efficiently carried the enigmatic man - Giyu - into your home.

Without hesitation, you prepared a bath for the man, filling it from the well and testing the water to ensure its temperature was just right.

Once satisfied, you selected the best of your medicinal plants, adding their petals and stems to the water and stirring until the bathwater took on a soothing hue.

"Bring him in, please," you called to Ume and Gyutaro, who promptly carried the man in. You marveled at the expertly applied bandages already adorning him, before easing him into the warm, healing water.

With a practiced hand, you bathed his wounds, ensuring each was well cared for. "You did an excellent job bandaging him," you acknowledged, and Ume looked up at you, her ocean-blue eyes alight with pride. "Thank you, mistress. I learned from the best."

"Now we simply have to wait," you observe, gazing at the man. His face remains tranquil, marred only by the tears cascading down his cheeks.

You cautiously wipe away his tears, flinching as his hand captures yours. Yet, he never stirs, calmly resting his cheek in the palm of your hand, eliciting further tears.

"He's rather attractive," Gyutaro comments, tightly clutching a damp towel as he places it gently on Giyu's forehead.

"Don't be so modest, you're not bad yourself," you respond, causing Gyutaro to blush and stop his complaints, averting his gaze and scratching his cheek.

"It's time to prepare dinner," you say. Ume's eyes sparkle with excitement. "Could we make a vegetable and meat pie?" she asks. You chuckle at her passion.

"We reserve that for special occasions," you remind her, but the suggestion tempts you with the thought of a flaky crust, tender meat, and juicy mushrooms. "Please?" Ume pleads, to which Gyutaro smirks.

"Considering the circumstances, I'd say this qualifies as a special occasion," he adds. You sigh, unable to resist their pleading looks. "Fine, go inform the chefs," you concede, and Ume darts out of the room, cheerfully chanting, "Vegetable and meat pie! We're having vegetable and meat pie!"

As you observe Ume's white locks vanishing behind the corner, a gentle smile graces your face. Seeing her thrive is heartening, especially when you recall the desperate state in which you discovered her two years ago.

Your instinct has always been to assist those in need, offering them shelter, employment, and food, despite the risks involved. You are aware of the potential dangers in opening up your home to strangers, but having additional hands on deck is advantageous.

Your estate, a neutral territory amidst two feuding nations, boasts two hundred and fifty acres of fertile land.

The land's extraordinary productivity, offering bountiful harvests, sweet clean water, abundant wildlife, and vast mineral wealth, has made it desirable to the rulers of both kingdoms.

Despite the persistent rumors of witchcraft and sorcery, you know the land's blessings are nothing short of divine. The rumors, instigated by Kings Obanai Iguro and Sanami Shinazugawa, are nothing new.

Their ruthless attempts to seize your land, like those of their predecessors, have been met with firm resistance. This land is home to not only your numerous servants but also a variety of creatures who roam freely across your domain.

The experience of gathering nuts and berries, only to stumble upon a grazing deer or a pair of frolicking foxes, is beyond compare. Even a pack of wolves once sought refuge in your outdoor pantry from the sweltering summer heat, and although they helped themselves to some provisions, they left small tokens of gratitude around your property.

While these tokens may have been bones, torn fabric, or other miscellaneous items, it is the sentiment behind them that truly matters.

Your shaken from your thoughts when suddenly a knock echo's on the door, normally one of your servants would attend to it.

But the way Ume came flying around the corner, face pale as snow had you you speedily rushing to the door.

You took a deep breath and slowly opened the door only to scowl as you came faze to face with Sanemi, he towered over you glaring down with his piercing lavender hues dressed in his royal regalia, arms crossed and flanked by armed men.

Gyutaro, Kyogai, and Sekido practically flew to your side from there respective places and Sanemi rolled his eyes, "call of your dogs I'm simply here to speak" he spat through clenched teeth. Taking a sniff of the air his cold gaze lit up slightly "Over dinner I presume"

[nutrifood]

 Egyptian food, steeped in history and tradition

 Ful Medames: The Breakfast of Pharaohs

At dawn, Cairo awakens to the aroma of ful medames, a national treasure. Fava beans, slow-cooked with garlic, cumin, and olive oil, emerge from clay pots. Drizzled with tahini and sprinkled with parsley, they fuel the day ahead. Locals gather at street-side stalls, savoring spoonfuls of history. “Egyptian food near me,” they murmur, as if summoning an ancient genie.

 Koshari: The Urban Mosaic

In bustling alleys, koshari vendors orchestrate a symphony of textures. Lentils, rice, and macaroni dance in harmony, topped with spicy tomato sauce and crispy fried onions. A squeeze of lime, a dash of vinegar—each bite resonates with Cairo’s cacophony. “Egyptian food near me,” echoes through the labyrinth, a hunger that transcends time.

 Molokhia: Verdant Elixir of the Nile

From the lush delta, molokhia emerges—a green potion fit for pharaohs. Its leaves, akin to spinach, yield a viscous broth. Garlic and coriander perfume the air as families gather around steaming bowls. “Egyptian food near me,” they whisper, invoking flavors that stretch back to Cleopatra’s court.

 Taameya: The Humble Revolution

In Tahrir Square, where history echoes, taameya vendors fry patties of crushed fava beans. These falafel cousins, fragrant with cumin and herbs, fueled the 2011 uprising. As tourists snap photos, locals queue for a taste. “Egyptian food near me,” they declare, honoring a revolution both political and culinary.

 https://nutriglow1.blogspot.com/2024/05/Egyptian-Food-odyssey.html

Sayadeya: Fishermen’s Bounty

On Alexandria’s shores, sayadeya graces tables. Whole fish, bathed in saffron-infused rice, evoke seafaring tales. Almonds and raisins shimmer like sun-kissed waves. “Egyptian food near me,” murmurs the Mediterranean breeze, as if revealing secrets of ancient mariners.

[morte-par-le-chocolat]

Lussekatter (Swedish Saffron Buns)

For best results, make your saffron milk and start soaking your raisins 1 hour before you would like to start your bread.

Yield: 24 (4 inch long) buns

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 8 minutes

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Swedish

Servings: 24 people

Author: Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere

Ingredients

Prep Ahead

½ tsp saffron threads

2 Tbsp milk

½ c raisins

For the Dough

1 ½ c milk, warmed to 80F

2¼ tsp active dry yeast

¾ c sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ tsp salt

6 -6 ½ c unbleached all purpose flour

For the Egg Wash

1 egg

2 Tbsp water

Instructions

To Prepare

Place the saffron threads in a small bowl and carefully grind them into a fine powder using the back of a spoon (or use a mortar and pestle). Add 2 Tbsp of milk and set the mixture aside for an hour or two, stirring occasionally, to let the saffron dye the milk.

Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Set them aside to plump.

For the Dough

Place the warmed milk in a large mixing bowl. Mix in a few Tbsp of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk and let it stand until the yeast has softened and begins to foam, 5-10 min.

Mix in the remaining sugar, melted and cooled butter, beaten egg, and prepared saffron milk.

Add the salt and flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add just enough flour so that the dough comes together to a knead-able consistency.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead for 5-6 minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Once the dough is smooth and soft, shape it into a ball and place it into a clean, greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place for 60-90 min, until doubled.

Once risen, turn the dough out on the counter and knead it a few times. Divide the dough into 24, roughly even, pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Then, roll each ball into a 6 inch snake. Finally, roll each snake longer, to about 13-14 inches. (This dough has a tendency to spring back on you, which is why we roll it out in stages. Giving it time to relax will make it easier to get your long snake.)

For each snake, spiral the ends in opposite directions to form a scrolled “S”. Place the scrolled “S” onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Drain your raisins and place them on a paper towel to dry. (Pat them dry if necessary.) Put one raisin in the middle of each spiral.

Continue with the remaining dough.

Beat together the egg and water for your egg wash. Brush the mixture on the buns.

Let the buns rise in a warm, draft free place for 20-30 minutes, or until the buns are puffy and have nearly doubled in size.

Near the end of this last rising time, preheat your oven to 425F.

Bake the buns for 8-10 min minutes, until golden.

Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before enjoying the warm rolls!

(These rolls are best if eaten within 2-3 days.)

[oathkeeperoathbreaker]

A Clash of Crowns

The ancient crown of the Kings of Winter had been lost three centuries ago, yielded up to Aegon the Conqueror when Torrhen Stark knelt in submission. What Aegon had done with it no man could say. Lord Hoster’s smith had done his work well, and Robb’s crown looked much as the other was said to have looked in the tales told of the Stark kings of old; an open circlet of hammered bronze incised with the runes of the First Men, surmounted by nine black iron spikes wrought in the shape of longswords. Of gold and silver and gemstones, it had none; bronze and iron were the metals of winter, dark and strong to fight against the cold.

Catelyn I, A CLASH OF KINGS

Small wonder the lords gather around him with such fervor, she thought, he is Robert come again. Renly was handsome as Robert had been handsome; long of limb and broad of shoulder, with the same coal-black hair, fine and straight, the same deep blue eyes, the same easy smile. The slender circlet around his brows seemed to suit him well. It was soft gold, a ring of roses exquisitely wrought; at the front lifted a stag’s head of dark green jade, adorned with golden eyes and golden antlers.

Catelyn II, A CLASH OF KINGS

As he neared, she saw that Stannis wore a crown of red gold with points fashioned in the shape of flames. His belt was studded with garnets and yellow topaz, and a great square-cut ruby was set in the hilt of the sword he wore. Otherwise his dress was plain: studded leather jerkin over quilted doublet, worn boots, breeches of brown roughspun. The device on his sun-yellow banner showed a red heart surrounded by a blaze of orange fire. The crowned stag was there, yes . . . shrunken and enclosed within the heart.

Catelyn III, A CLASH OF KINGS

Trader captains brought lace from Myr, chests of saffron from Yi Ti, amber and dragonglass out of Asshai. Merchants offered bags of coin, silversmiths rings and chains. Pipers piped for her, tumblers tumbled, and jugglers juggled, while dyers draped her in colors she had never known existed. A pair of Jogos Nhai presented her with one of their striped zorses, black and white and fierce. A widow brought the dried corpse of her husband, covered with a crust of silvered leaves; such remnants were believed to have great power, especially if the deceased had been a sorcerer, as this one had. And the Tourmaline Brotherhood pressed on her a crown wrought in the shape of a three-headed dragon; the coils were yellow gold, the wings silver, the heads carved from jade, ivory, and onyx.

Daenerys III, A CLASH OF KINGS

[H]e donned his crown, a band of cold iron slim as a finger, set with heavy chunks of black diamond and nuggets of gold. It was misshapen and ugly, but there was no help for that. Mikken lay buried in the lichyard, and the new smith was capable of little more than nails and horseshoes. Theon consoled himself with the reminder that it was only a prince’s crown. He would have something much finer when he was crowned king.

Theon V, A CLASH OF KINGS

The denizens of Joffrey’s court had striven to outdo each other today. Jalabhar Xho was all in feathers, a plumage so fantastic and extravagant that he seemed like to take flight. The High Septon’s crystal crown fired rainbows through the air every time he moved his head. At the council table, Queen Cersei shimmered in a cloth-of-gold gown slashed in burgundy velvet, while beside her Varys fussed and simpered in a lilac brocade. Moon Boy and Ser Dontos wore new suits of motley, clean as a spring morning. Even Lady Tanda and her daughters looked pretty in matching gowns of turquoise silk and vair, and Lord Gyles was coughing into a square of scarlet silk trimmed with golden lace. King Joffrey sat above them all, amongst the blades and barbs of the Iron Throne. He was in crimson samite, his black mantle studded with rubies, on his head his heavy golden crown.

Sansa VIII, A CLASH OF KINGS

[like-dogs--shianni]

Unusual OC Associations: Variel Lavellan Edition

Tagged by no one, but I liked this too much to miss it! Tagging @isayashai , @ghoulsbeard , @antivantalon , and anyone else who feels like doing this. Answers under the cut :)

Seasoning: Saffron. The plant itself is easy to grow with a little care and yields a violet flower. The spice comes from the plant’s crimson stigmas and has a subtle earthy-sweet flavor. It takes time and dedication to gather saffron, as it does to get to know Variel in her guardedness and depth — proof that many good things take time. Saffron also represents love, healing, and mental strength.

Weather: A warm afternoon just after a heavy rainfall. Sunlight makes the wet streets glitter and the earth bloom with the scent of petrichor. The memory of a storm is fading away and would feel like little more like a dream, if not for the last rumbles of thunder in the distance. The air feels new, refreshed, and the day begs to go play in puddles.

Color: Plum, indigo, pale gold.

Sky: The hazy, diluted, dark blue of the night sky, still peppered with glittering stars, as it begins turning lighter and lighter into dawn.

Magic Power: Aura reading. The ability to sense the "energy" of another, including their emotions, health status, or moral alignment.

House Plants: Moth orchid. Often lonesome, but brings the symbology of beauty and joy to a room.

Weapon: Meteor hammer. A soft weapon that can take opponents by surprise, as it gathers inertia by swinging in various directions before striking. Long-range and dual-ended, it allows to perform defense and offense at the same time. Alternatively, a book thrown at someone’s head.

Subject: Translation. Variel is fascinated by the language and its trappings, the prospect of breaching gaps in understanding by bringing sources of meaning together. Knowledge is lovely by itself, but even better when used to foster connectedness.

Social Media: Wordpress. She has a dozen abandoned blogs from different periods of her life, full of poems, reflections, and unfinished stories.

Make Up Product: Mascara. Variel’s eyes are one feature she likes about herself and play a significant role in her communication style, earnest and moving. Doesn’t hurt to have a little extra oomph when she stares into your soul or resolves conflict with some strategic eyelash batting.

Candy: Fruit confections (aka gummies). A burst of flavor that is almost natural except enhanced for an unbridled sugar rush.

Fear: Becoming untethered. This includes losing the people she cares about, naturally, but also losing herself; to oppression, to expectations, to the confusion of existing. She is caught between wanting to be free and fearing that she will fly into the sun if allowed.

Ice Cube Shape: Ice chips. Delicate, simple, and yet great for staying hydrated + sensory stimulation to bring the mind back to reality.

Method of Long Distance Travel: Caravan. Sitting in the back of a supply cart, journaling anonymously, watching the scenery pass by.

Art Style: Expressionism. Based on subjective perspectives of the world, uses radical distortion and vibrant hues to evoke moods or ideas.

Mythological Creature: Feathered Serpent. In Mesoamerican mythologies, examples include Quetzalcoatl, which represented the duality of body and spirit, life, light, and knowledge.

Piece of Stationery: That one pen that writes with just the right texture to be soothing. Not too thin or scratchy, not so full of ink that it splotches.

3 Emojis: 🕊️🌩️📚

Celestial Body : Supermoon. A celestial body already known for its mysticism becomes even more striking when it is closest to us; but even then, it remains at an unbreachable distance. Associated with the enhancing and deepening of emotions.

[ambisun]

Saffron - Little Rain Oracle

Saffron is one of the most coveted, aromatic, and expensive spices in the world and is primarily used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Carried from Crete, saffron reached India through trade routes where it was used to dye the robes of Buddhist monks. The thin strands of red might seem nondescript, but they yield an intense yellow colour, a strong fragrance, and a delicious flavour that serves as a hallmark of many iconic dishes.

[unattendedsims]

Fabada This traditional Spanish meat and bean dish comes from the Asturias region. Spanish chorizo and morcilla sausages are slowly simmered along with salt pork and serrano ham yielding a rich and hearty saffron-flavored main course! 8 ounces serrano ham cut into 1/4-inch cubes, 8 ounces morcilla sausage or blood sausage sliced 1/2-inch thick, 1 pound dried Asturian fabada beans or dried lima beans, 1/4 pound salt pork, 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads, 8 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage casing removed sliced 1/2-inch thick, 10 cups water, 1 bay leaf

[aikoiya]

LoZ - Desert-Compatible Crops for Gerudo Desert

This is a list of crops that could be grown in the desert as per Google search.

An * indicates an item of my own creation.

Cactus = Voltfruit (Electro), *Prickly Peaches (Chilly & Hydrating), *Desert Aloe (Chilly & Recovery), *Boltshield Houseleek (Lightningproof) & *Sàbaar Fruit (Recovery), Mother of Millions (Erogenous 3) - Sàbaar Fruit grow from Sàbaar, which are essentially Agave Cacti.

Date Palm = N/A.

Tomatoes = Hylian Tomatoes (Hydrating).

Corn = *Zonai Corn (Mighty).

Eggplants = N/A.

Sweet Potatoes = *Shadow Yam (Dark/Warding). - A sweet potato that likes dark spaces such as caves & wells. Originates from the Surface, but grows well in the Depths too.

Cucumbers = *Freshwater Cucumber (Rapid & Hydrating). - Has to be grown in water.

Onions = Stambulb (Energizing). - Note that I treat Stambulbs like both onions & garlic.

Pumpkins = Fortified Pumpkins (Tough), Sunkins (Sunny), & *Ordon Pumpkins (Enduring). - In fact, given the fact that Sun Pumpkins seem to thrive by soaking in sunlight, they might just be more suited to the desert than Hateno.

Beans = *Zonai Cocoagranos (Spicy & Amorous), *Zonai Cofégranos (Energizing), *Pyre Beans (Scorching), *Sheikah Edadaizu (Sneaky), *Kakariko Adzuki, Leaping Limas (Puissant), & *Càrïtàn Beans (Toxic). - Càrïtàn Beans are essentially Hyrulean Castor Beans. Not for consumption. Used more for bathing products while the leaves are fed to Everlost Silkworks (Glow) to produce silk. Sheikah Edadaizu act as both regular soybeans & edamame beans. Though, whether or not Sheikah Edadaizu or Kakariko Adzuki will be allowed to grow there is up for debate.

Carrots = Swift Carrots (Hasty) & Endura Carrots (Enduring). - While the Swift Carrot description says that they are exclusively a Kakariko crop, the Endura Carrot has no such distinction &, in fact, there is a Satori Tree in the Gerudo Canyon, meaning that they have ready access to a source of Endura Carrots as you can always find one growing beneath said trees. It'd be fairly easy to transfer one into the desert & attempt to grow it there. Though it likely would have very high yields.

Radishes = Hearty Radishes (Hearty) & Big Hearty Radishes (Hearty). - Obviously not easy to find, but could be worth the investment.

Lettuce = N/A.

Cabbages = *Water Cabbage (Gills & Hydrating). - Has to be grown in water.

Wheat = Tabantha Wheat. - In my hc, Highland Gerudo already grow Tabantha Wheat, so the Desert Gerudo should have ready access to it.

Squash = N/A.

Figs = *Amorous Figs (Amorous).

Spinach = N/A.

Sweet Peppers = *Bayou Bellpepper. - Has to be grown in fresh water.

Grapes = *Bloodberry Grapes (Chilly/Icy).

Watermelons = Hydromelon (Hydrating).

Pomegranates = Stamegranate (Vitality & Amorous). - Inspired by the Stamina Fruit of SS.

Spices/Herbs = *Wave Saffron (Gills), *Hoy Mustard Greens & Seeds (Spicy), *Sand Cistanche (Vitality & Amorous 3), Gleam Ginger (Sunny).

Flowers = *Starlight Rosemary (Glow), *Rainfall Pansy (Hydrating), *Jànnùlitza flowers (Aerodynamic), *Frostbane Blossoms (Spicy), *Moonblooming Argus (Dawning/Dusky). - Frostbane Blossoms grow from the same bush as Wildberries. And Moonblooming Arguses grow from Voltfruit Cacti at night.

---

Then, add to that the other crops & plants that canonically grow there such as Palm Fruit, Warm & Electric Safflinas (Spicy/Electro), Zapshrooms (Electro), Spicy Peppers (Spicy), Wildberries, Dazzlefruit, & Shock Fruit (Charged/Stormy), & Sundelion (Sunny).

And while these ones don't grow in the desert itself, they do grow in the Gerudo Canyon, thus they are a nearby enough resource to be exploited.

Fire Fruit (Scorching), Ice Fruit (Biting), Splash Fruit (Rapid & Hydrating), Sunshroom (Spicy), Swift Violet (Hasty), Endura Carrot (Enduring), ect.

Plus these other ones of my own creation.

Berry = *Brushberry (Sanddrift & Hydrating). - An evolution of the Wildberry having adapted to the desert.

Mangosteen = *Desert Queen (Chilly).

Pineapple = *Faron Pineapple (Spicy & Hydrating). - Originally from the Faron Jungle, but grows exceptionally well in oases.

Sorrel = *Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding). - Grows well in caves & wells, so as long as it has ready access to water, there should be no issue.

Cave Mushrooms = Brightcaps (Glow), Hearty Truffle (Hearty), & Big Hearty Truffle (Hearty). - Same as the Cavern Sorrel.

Farrow = *Arrōyorice (Sanddrift).

Keep in mind that the Gerudo of BotW & TotK seem to have ready access to what appears to be an infinite supply of running water.

---

Then, add to that, the discovery of the straw grid planting method & you have a recipe for de-desertification.

And for all the non-canon ingredients, go to New Ingredient Ideas: Flora & Fungi.

LoZ Cultural Masterlist

[vickyvicarious]

That the man in the bed was the one whom, to my cost, I had suffered myself to stumble on the night before, there could, of course, not be the faintest doubt. And yet, directly I saw him, I recognised that some astonishing alteration had taken place in his appearance. To begin with, he seemed younger,—the decrepitude of age had given place to something very like the fire of youth. His features had undergone some subtle change. His nose, for instance, was not by any means so grotesque; its beak-like quality was less conspicuous. The most part of his wrinkles had disappeared, as if by magic. And, though his skin was still as yellow as saffron, his contours had rounded,—he had even come into possession of a modest allowance of chin. But the most astounding novelty was that about the face there was something which was essentially feminine; so feminine, indeed, that I wondered if I could by any possibility have blundered, and mistaken a woman for a man; some ghoulish example of her sex, who had so yielded to her depraved instincts as to have become nothing but a ghastly reminiscence of womanhood.

Does... does the Beetle, like, absorb features/abilities from people he - kills? eats? tastes? hypnotizes? siphons blood from using his beetle proboscis?

I assume this has something to do with him being a big ol' creep about Holt's nude appearance, and Lessingham's too... Not to mention getting a little too into what it must be like to be Paul Lessingham's wife after suddenly looking more feminine. Does he also absorb some element of memories or feelings?

Maybe that's what the kiss in the morning was about as well, to some degree?