#salmon river weddings

[madsmilfelsen]

I think Rust is neat and all but what drew me in was his HANDS. Idk how to explain it, but something about the way he holds things and articulates makes me just. Stare at them. Like I just Know he has rough hands

alright babe, you want to talk about his hands, let’s talk about his hands via timeline

Obviously living in the bush of Alaska requires a lot of manual labor to survive, skin rubbing raw inside leather gloves, blisters from splitting wood, scars from his knife slipping on salmon (v real, I used to filet 500 salmon a summer and baby…. yew, my left hand has gotten nicked more than once— Travis and Rust had a fish camp on the Copper River, probably across the bridge from Chitna and a touch north, and lived way up river between Slana and Nabesna bc I’m making all this up right now and I said so) etc etc so his hands well worn before he got out, moved back to Texas and meets Claire snared by his weirdo allure and bizarre way of handling things— Sophia comes along and I bet he was washing his hands like a maniac, dry as fuck, probably worried his rough hands might make her fussy so held her with her little swaddling blankets at first (compensated with A LOT of skin to skin time but that’s a different ask), carefully petting her hair with just the tips of his fingers, down the bridge of her nose to make her go to sleep. Sophia loved his hands (like mother like daughter fr) could be occupied when he took her fishing by just letting her sit in his lap to play with his fingers, try on his wedding ring, ask why his nails are shorter than mommy’s or why they aren’t soft like mommy’s, map his calluses, trace the lines of his palms until he set a hook and watched him reel in dinner.

(Addition) hol up, hear me out— Sophia rooting around his bare chest and pacified with the curl of his knuckle, Sophia teething and gnawing on his fingers, Sophia learning to walk with her soft pudgy hands in his, Sophia squealing and giggling as he tickles her round lil tummy, Sophia’s only sitting still to get her hair brushed but only for daddy— Rust’s hands becoming the most abused part of his body after she’s gone

Crash era— this man does not give a shit about his hands, the most treatment they get is when he taped them together after breaking a finger, had a punching bag for obvious reasons and beat the shit out of it no gloves no tape constantly bruised. Not a stranger to working with mechanics (in Alaska, Travis would make sure he could keep his equipment running— boat engines, four wheeler oil changes, changing snow mobile tracks etc) and probably took his bike apart and put it back together just to make sure he could be Authentic, different calluses with new tools, divots in his skin lost to the unforgiving scraping bite of metal, hissing when he gets transmission fluid in his split knuckles

1995– habitual hand washing returns, dry as hell, his wrists probably crack and bleed in the winter (very very very rarely is annoyed enough to actual do something about it, probably had to bleed on one of his files— he’d use Johnson and Johnson baby lotion becuase that’s he only shit he knew, definitely drunk cried about it at least once, before sucking it up and swtiching to Vaseline), pull up bars give calluses at the base of the fingers/tops of the palms, just does calisthenics because who the fuck wants to buy equipment. Does all the upkeep on his truck (and thinking about it, this would be the first time he’d be like Alone alone in a long while, no handlers, no Iron Crusaders, no backstory upkeep, no dad, no wife, probably takes truck parts inside and cleans them on his kitchen counter because no one is there to say what the fuck are you doing— “we don’t mind being alone” okay Okay sure honey) Makes it worse by the talcum powder in his rubber gloves or licking his fingers to go through case files or staying too long in the dry archives where he can’t smoke so probably tapping his mouth, rubbing circles on his knuckles with his thumb or running it along his nails— don’t know what flavor of adhd that man has a strangle hold on but he can’t sit entirely still, fingers moving with the bits of his mind that aren’t occupied to keep himself from distraction, pretending he didn’t lose his patience with his fatherhood.

2002– Laurie :) home girl said that’s enough! Probably got recommendations from surgeons and plys him tins of hand salve, he doesn’t like the greasy feeling, but his girl is askin’ he won’t say no babey!

2012– full circle, back to them Alaskan fishing boat hands, type of hands that snag fabric (my husband isn’t a mechanic but does work with his hands and I can’t wear silk around him) and hair gets caught on, the man does not own a brush, finger combs his hair once a week and puts that shit in a hair tie, done with it.

[salixsociety]

Salmon Song

On fishing, undeath, and gratitude.

Since our wedding recently, my spouse and I have been house-sitting for an old acquaintance of theirs. Not counting the dachshund befittingly named Chili Dog, the most beautiful thing about this house is the creek flowing through the backyard, which I sit next to as I write.

Being a branch of a bigger river on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, countless salmon make their way upstream every year, to spawn and to die. Some, only a year old, some almost ten. They are king salmon, in these waters. Easy to recognize: they lack the characteristic hump of a sockeye, and their bright red back is spangled with small black dots. Every time one swims past I am unable to look away, too mystified to even take a picture. Right there, in front of me, barely concealed by the monkshood, geranium and fireweed, is a fish willing to sacrifice anything to swim into death. To twist and turn to make their way through shallow waters. To agonizingly fight for seconds, sometimes minutes without air, to climb rocky rapids. To rot, to be the living dead, on their way to spawn children that may never reach the sea.

Alaskan summers pass by in a flash, but in exchange for eight to nine months of harsh winter, summer appeases us with many gifts. Fish being one of them. Last week my Dove, their brothers, mother, my sister and I went dipnetting. Being short many pairs of waders, it was mostly me and my spouse doing the fishing. We do it in the tidal delta of one of the biggest rivers around, where the fish enter the river from the inlet. It is important that you go as the tide is changing, to fish in accordance with the pattern of the salmon. When the tide is going out, you catch the fish that are falling back with the stream, having been exhausted by their fight up and taking a moment to rest, and the fish that are actively swimming to the ocean. Then, when the tide is at its lowest, for a while it won't change. We call this slack tide, and the odds of catching salmon are near zero. You may, as we did, accidentally catch a flounder or a sole in your net instead. Then, when the tide finally comes in again, just as you think you ought to call it a day... they come again. One after the other, in such rapid succession that you can barely finish killing and storing the first before another one is thrown on land. In the end, we caught twenty-four sockeye, and one big sole.

We decided to keep a large sole out of curiosity, mostly. They are legal, and large for a river flatfish. Though not as famous as salmon, soles and flounder are fascinating creatures, like any in midgard. Their eyes are both on one side of their body; which side depends on the species of flatfish. They aren't born this way, in most cases. Many flatfish are born symmetrical, and only start experiencing an 'eye migration' in adolescence, when they move to the seafloor. Some, like the sole we caught, are masters at the art of camouflage: their bodies are the color of the marine floor they lay on, and their skins are textured like sandpaper, to catch bits of sand and blend in even better. Some, though to my knowledge none in Alaska, can even change the color of their skin to match their environment. Not all flatfish are bottomfeeders, but soles are, eating mostly invertebrates. They are a healthy fish to eat, in some cultures even a delicacy! But not the preferred fish in Alaska, as their meat is not fatty, and even a big sole doesn't yield much meat.

When I first moved to Alaska and started learning how to fish, the prospect of killing the fish I caught made me nervous. I didn't know if I could do it, and I didn't want to let my spouse down, nor did I want to condemn a fish to suffering. I don't like to fish for sport, I think it cruel, so letting a good fish go was never an option. I pushed through, and tried, only to discover that my arthritis ridden fingers are not strong enough to pull out a fish's gills effectively - even the little grayling I had caught. Ironic. Since then I have delegated the killing part to my spouse, but I was relieved. I can do it. And somehow, it doesn't hurt.

Having gotten much closer to my goal of living off the land now, I have learned a lot about killing, and made my peace with it. Mostly I have learned that taking a life is not inherently immoral. Just as I do not hate a moose for trying to trample me in self defense, and I would not hate a bear for eating me, this salmon, not yet in its spawning colors, does not hate me for my need for sustenance. Just as I do not hate the eagle that swooped onto and killed the little gosling with a skin disease that I had been diligently nursing, she did not hate it, as she would not have hated me when I would inevitably kill her out of mercy, and eat her out of respect. My respect for life is in my willingness to take it, because such is my place in nature. I contribute much more to my environment, and spare many more lives, when I kill twenty-four salmon with my own hands, process them with my own knives, store them in my own freezer. When I kill out of mercy, or out of need for sustenance; when I kill with respect, I am one step closer to living off the land, and one step closer to protecting balance in my environment. One step closer to true, complete, utter connection.

The salmon has long been known to be a fish harboring much magic. A favorite example is of course the fact that Loki transformed into a salmon to escape the wrath of the gods, only able to be caught with a magical net. It is said that the narrow back of a salmon, likely especially on a sockeye or 'humpy', was because of Thor's strong grip on the fish when he was finally caught. There are of course also the necessary saint stories, especially in Scotland, where the fish is regarded as very faery. Associated with wells of wisdom, the ability to tell the future, and even astoundingly old age, such as in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen. Salmon was also renowned for its strength, Irish heroes sometimes being described as 'leaping like a salmon', and in other Celtic myth we see salmon somehow managing to give people rides on their backs. The word 'salmon' reportedly even comes from Latin 'salire': to leap. Most amazingly to me, however, is their process of natural undeath, as my Dove so aptly put it. The way salmon cease to eat and start to rot even on their way to their spawning grounds inspired much awe and lore in ancient societies. These fish, in Alaska affectionately called 'zombie fish', are no longer edible, but they give us many stories instead. Most importantly to me, their living death was often interpreted as the salmon swimming, on their own, into the underworld, before our very eyes.

One book that has been on my TBR since it was referenced by Robin Wall Kimmerer in Gathering Moss, is Totem Salmon by Freeman House. In it, House talks about mentally dissecting the sound of a stream. Doing so has inspired me greatly, partially also to write this blog. There truly is a symphony of sounds concealed in the babbling of a creek. I hear the water rushing over the rocks that form the beaches and rapids. I hear it slosh as it hits the log in the westward bend. I hear it plop periodically as it moves around one particularly large boulder and every now and again, the striking and emotive arpeggios that are the splashing of salmon fins as they make their way up.

When I started writing this story, a beautiful king salmon appeared before the spot I'm sitting at, fighting its way upstream. Many times as I progressed through my story did it fall back with the flow of the water before my eyes, only to reappear. Easily recognizable, with its already rotting tail and dorsal fin. Shortly before I started this conclusion, I heard and saw it climbing up the shallow narrows and disappear around the bend.

May you swim safely there, and safely back. Rest in peace.

[ash-and-books]

VOL 1-3

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb:

Before the wedding, her fiancé had an affair.

So she got a new fiancé to break up…

But there is a little problem.[You said he was a killer?] [There’s a rumor that he’s a wreck.] [Some people fainted because they were scared during the conversation.]

Lilia stared at her new fiancé, who was carrying all kinds of bad rumors.

Karhan, holding a little puppy in his arms, lowered his eyes as if he were about to be scolded.

“Lilia…. I took this puppy because it was raining outside.”

…..Is this engagement okay?

***

She was walking to the Orgel store she bought last time. Lilia was surprised to see the incredibly long line.

“What……?”

Something new came out?

Was it not that, or was the product released by a limited sale?

Lilia walked slowly along the line like salmon against the river.

It turned out that the origin of the string was Lilia’s Orgel shop.

‘How long ago was it so quiet?’

Embarrassed, Lilia looked around and grabbed a man and asked, “Can you tell me why everyone is in line?”

Then the young man kindly explained.

“This time, a popular actor placed a ring in a music box and proposed a marriage. After the rumors, the music box became a necessity for the proposal.”

Unbelievable.

She hit the jackpot again.

[ziezie13]

Thanks for the tag @everythingbutcoldfire, I actually finished this one instead of getting halfway through and then leaving it in my drafts

Relationship status: happily single

Favourite colour: emerald green

Favourite food: mashed potatoes (when I was a kid the only thing I had planned for my wedding was that there would be mountains of mashed potatoes) Also a really excellent fish especially catfish, tuna, or salmon. I also grew up in a place with excellent trout, reddish, drum, and shrimp so those are all very nostalgic for me.

Song stuck in your head: nothing currently stuck in there but there are two that I have been playing in repeat which is unusual for me. Both are remixes, I'm Good (Blue)/Bebe Rexha, David Guetta and Shrekinem (Vavo mashup). Both of them just tickle my brain in a very pleasant way.

Last thing you googled: "team rocket", I dressed up as James for Halloween and wanted to see some poses

Favourite time of day: afternoon/evening aka the time when all the work is done for the day and I can veg out

Dream trip: I really really want to rent a boat and sail around the Mediterranean for a couple of weeks stopping at random islands

Last book/fic you read: Currently listening to the CU Hockey audio book series by Eden Finley and Saxon James. Each book is a smutty romance between two queer hockey players. I started crying when I got to the one with a demisexual lead because I wasn't expecting that.

Last book/movie you enjoyed: I will answer both. Last movie is RRR, I had heard it was great and a wild rise so I watched it blind and I loved it so much. The violence in the beginning made me very uncomfortable but I kept watching and did not regret it. I will not spoil it but this is the kind of movie where the protagonist punches tigers and also has time for a dance break in the middle. Just watch it. Last book is The Lies of Locke Lamora, I feel in love with the fantasy world based on Venice. Also Locke is somehow both a bit of a mary sue (i love a mary sue sometimes what can i say) but also things kept getting worse and worse for him that I didn't know how he was possibly going to make it out.

Last book/movie you hated: it is not so much that I hated these but I have complicated feelings and lots of opinions/things to say. Thor Love and Thunder felt like Taika didn't really know what story to tell so he just had a bunch of fun with his friends on set instead. Peter Darling frustrated me so much I wrote a whole essay about it. I loved so much about it and the things it set up were so compelling but it never followed through on any of those ideas. There were narrative conflicts that were completly ignored and the ones that did get resolved had zero build up. I finished this book feeling so unsatisfied it was painful.

Favourite thing to cook/bake: probably baked catfish or chocolate pie, also @beedragony taught me how to make esfiha and I have been making it a lot lately

Favourite craft to do in your free time: writing and bookbinding :)

Most niche dislikes: soft, fluffy pillows? Idk I like a firm squishy one

Opinion on circuses: oh my mom hated the circus, zoos too, because of the exotic animals being in captivity. My dad would take us by himself and she would stay at home. My feelings aren't as strong as hers but I don't particularly like the traditional circus either. I do love cirque du soleil though, I just find it to be amazing story telling!

Do you have a sense of direction and if not what’s the worst way you’ve gotten lost?: I do have a good sense of direction and one of the first things I do when I get to a new place is figure out which direction is north and some kind of orienting marker like a river or landmark. When we would travel to foreign countries as a kid my mom never trusted my directions but I was always right and now she doesn't even question it. None of that stops me from using my gps everytime I get in the car though which drives my dad crazy for some reason 😆

Tagging: @chubsthehamster and @aryastark-valarmorghulis

[maybeitsmagic]

2022

the moments come back in sips and forkfuls:

chewing that succulent pulpo on troncones beach, aarti and i agreeing in january “this is gonna be our year.” slurping a piña colada while wading in that tranquil pacific water,

                                   s w i r l i n g on life’s highs.

toasting mimosas before hitting the slopes at alta / and passing a hazy IPA back and forth on the chilly lift ride up.

cooking that alison roman chicken (juicy as always) in the catskills for friends who are more like family while the spring rain came down.

neon orange spritzes with michael and oliver on the patio, reveling in our first east bay summer-- oh, and spilling yogurt on the new couch, our pride and joy that took 10 months to arrive.

finding those savory tomato cocktails in paris that reminded me of our favorite oakland bar. and remember that 3-hour lunch near the latin quarter when i cried from joy during dessert?!                                     (strawberries in snow.)

sipping pinot with winemakers in burgundy, feeling spoiled and ignorant and blissful. thinking: in california, we have no traditions! not like these europeans, who’ve made wine with the same grapes since the 11th century.                              but noting: there’s freedom in that too.

feeling shiny in provence on the rooftop of an above-our-class hotel, inhaling espresso martinis and cured meats until long after the sun went down.

twirling, floating, or more accurately inching down the drought-dry russian river with friends, chugging watermelon beer instead of water, throwbacks on repeat. trading popsicles for a few more cans of seltzer from passing floaters. deciding 32 sounded better than 31.

realizing life has no meaning without flavor when we got covid in new york. ramen tasting like salty mush and sadness. at least we got it celebrating, we consoled ourselves, since our friends’ wedding was a worthy cause.

unwrapping spam musubis on waikiki beach -- a place that feels like my childhood. laughing at divya’s dad ‘fit after two mai tais, both of us sans-makeup at the bar (is this what your 30s look like? more wrinkles, less care.)

that november meal at fish & bird when we were trying to get my mind off twitter news. my phone died as the food came out, then sputtered back to life to tell me my time at the company was over. we laughed about my phone, then i sobbed between mouthfuls of raw fish.

the sashimi at the salmon farm in new zealand! soft slices melting on our tongues. mom looking pleased as ever, scraping the last bit of broth from her chowder bowl.

the night before new year’s eve, finishing a bottle of willamette pinot way too quickly, puzzling out an impossible sherlock holmes game with my person and dog beside me and the snow falling softly outside. ---

ending the year with no job / no idea what 2023 might serve me, these are the moments that fill my mind. i can say i not only got through 2022 but savored it. it was a year of indulgences with loved ones, revisiting “normals,” and traveling in search of perfect bites -- finally understanding this is how i make meaning of the world.

[libidomechanica]

Untitled # 12132

A curtal sonnet sequence

               1

If silence, and a still amazed to me. If I find her burning no old thinkes I hear it. His brackish waues be, whose bodies force already shouts the mouth is they keeper than in prisoner to enjoy. Morning; such be Rome and the low sibilation, so I write, and like a roe or a travel tired with those Æols youth in a belovèd hands arise, when was gone from thy lute, while those fancies be. That for ” Her hair.

               2

Light is our fingers of my power, and Reigns lord of pomegranate are through fled from me, after it,—so you see the blinded thing of a curse. The people do when his long with flowretts bene fat, and sailed, his father the ringers who had with dew, and forth, this rustic voice, they seemed by his side exultations heart, with me; the force in the honor’s mimic, all our brain, instead of sound; I grant with beauty of religion.

               3

Some did breed a loathing came, an Eagle sore the excess of mine eye or else swoon to explain—If I were all night show ripe ears were heo on me saying it wakes many days, then, Sir, awful thrice-turned a dying how ridiculous. Warm in the saints, I reuerence, or cool me with divine; has felt sprung from the wainscot mouse, and never come her wins, till as he wed a foreign part to shrowde emong the salmon sing to dreaming.

               4

Who now arraigne, Lord along; and out of the lips: but the evenings harder to rest. I burn; and would, were rapid falcons in her name, above. Not for the phone. The father to retract; and with a girl, this breath my extern the mourn; but a far more is He that vow, that only gleaned. No more, that sigh. Navel, stomach, I knowe. Dead release the nuptial feast; and tropics in an easy man, gave you more famed for each redeem the way.

               5

Or like a buttercup upon its service to blere my sorrow must like a fire was thy beloved, O thou iollye she wept, he wiped her face, and art my wings from his love. In such Talisman—He yet hath fashioned not its bene myne, to whom, by the dwellest in other gives and resides, invaded withdrawn himself apart, the lass that I saw his supreme delight in sense my dying light? And simple shepheard prowde, the mind.

               6

But we remain according the sweet the caue, when he felt, Away, quoth he thou arise, and my belov’d repose. And said, airing crowd? Or I shall no more beautiful are thou my oblation move, unless number’d hours, for many a May. There is not weaned till God’s own heart besides, in a grateful loveth: I sought but that with your spright. Wery so wan, cloth’d with the Lost Soul to its turn the expect the rest of my beloved.

               7

No—yet still loveth: I held his silent with the roots together love, called disclose; so well as oak-leaves in the last: a peace or mourn no more that’s in the stage. And stupid eyes, that my self: cast him into bowl: milk are under an army wit. Thus to bear that which is mornes bene not whether both my mind; he saints will keep my dream’d, the ladies’ care, and scape, began to glitterand goodness and converted, does not my hearts.

               8

And Spirit fold, her forsake, hung hart upon that is the lattice. And yet, to die, or cool flowers. Last shepheard, and maidenhood. Resolved he soueraigne, Lord of the war by landed by his late the clearly twilight; There through of the thundering moon, in earth receive. And he spoken for her, and hung in their aid: they han the end is laid us as your poets can sayne that the circuit of Cain, is not his father’s the river.

               9

Like a flowers: his low tract and closed myself, the fatal fleshed the pavement are twins, which them, my own. Who now a spirit pours, when ye could hear twins her bosom with towards tho gan to applied to help the receive: for valour and the lowly leas: and and glorious holy Angels will have had a fane by sweetly, across a lake in one who would, my loveliest when the grave for love is all night, and they know; as liberties.

               10

As blank indifferent hands she no long; Thine head, and abandonment on his grow cold. A rose, and free, i’ll be spoke, and the sky to the tea-cup opens; only show it chance has round; that with bared bow loosed our flowring Wether lips must lie opened ear: surely be the seagull divine, and lie fall be glutted. Accuse me to thee. Now nae langer came wondering voice is kind; and they treat and bishoped by her conquer Time.

               11

From thence: her hairs be you too. Well she faintly, farre mens heart as thou make myself in ease my thoughts it roused the Rhodian state, was from world must die: the orator so I though you wear not returns: like to time to my beloved? By love, and bells, and we have spend, but if flame be ever and fair is thy breasts are asleep to the marks where above, but first did strike the shriek of a pomegranates bud forth by the galleries.

[misskwannie]

Wind caress, empty pats

Motherly pinch of fat

SIckness threee months in

Free to live once again

Emprisoned by motherhood

Now, stuck as a memory

Fruition of the unresolved

The love of all but one's past

Then came the storm,

the lashings, the brown blood clots in her nose

After years of childbirth, another was lost

Which enraged the kind sir

and left her a fragment of the woman she was

The two were rendered useless

Living in poverty of both mind and spirit

slowly the descent into alcoholism came

Never complaining, nothing was lacking

The lack was what they most desired

They, stuck in the pre mortem fantasy of childbirth and failed childhood.

To cure oneself pre emptively by building anew.

Divorce was unofficial, but he left the room

From bar to bar, she slaved dawn to dusk

Noon would come, her break called

A whisper of a gentleman came through the general chatter

Her eyes were sullen and dull, yet captivated the glance of a forgotten artist

no longer working on commissions, expelled by the public

never wedded, but never intending to

Childbirth struck 9 months after

They lived near the tavern

A child raised by the lullabies of the drunk

who's rocking chair was made from leftover planks from factories all over nailed into one

disfigured carriage

-

There he was born, near the flux of polluted waters

His body, already young, had tasted all kinds of poison

Brewed into his constitution, the might of a prince soldier who could withstand all attempts at assassination.

His mother grew tender after years of suffering

could finally breathe a kiss on his cheeks

without the guilty look of rape reflected in her iris

England's busiest creek

pouring hot waste into the fishies

for the young tadpoles, he screeched

already so smart and bright

The product of nine months of sober love

always soothed by mother and her songs

well loved by even the drunk

Father was hard at work, son was growing proud and strong

Father was going down the ranks

from being so outspoken

Which, ironically, must've been passed down

for son's scared knees were testaement of his dislike of authority

to appose all, to agree with good

denounce evil and fill oneself with virtue

-

Ruthless plunging in the creek,

yellow water dyed red

calculated inhales, exhales

age three seconds, and already a warrior

Body so small so brittle,

Barely a push and she came out the girdle

Months of suspicion and whispers

came true for the mother who

at the sight of the girl could only scream

Drown my daughter, drown her!

Proud to be so obedient of her elders, little daughter was brought to the river

Cough after cough, they declared her dead once she could no longer breathe

But there she was, floating under the moonlight

Milky skin, carried by the cherry petals

Spring brought to the mountain scholar a daughter

curious travel from the young prodigy

who went upstream with the fresh salmon!

Daughter grew into a fine swimmer,

perhaps she truly was a child of the river

-

Man is born good, good as he can be,

Never one to doubt her filial piety, not long after her daughter spoke her first word, mother was possessed by a great guilt

She promptly ran down the estate's mountain

muscular legs dashing through the tall blades of grass

drops of dew sticking to her skin

cold wind whipping her sagging skin

she drowned herself in the river

Her body became the sediments that sit under the river, lending its yellow hue forever.

-

Opium brought the boy to the coast of China

When they met she could only speak the language of her silk robe

delicately flowing like an ink soaked paint brush

They wrote their story on a blank canvas.

[travelingtheusa]

CANADA - BRITISH COLUMBIA

The rest of the caravan went well. We got so busy, I didn't post anything for a while. We finished up in Whistler, British Columbia, then headed back into the United States on August 24th.

2023 Aug 17 (Thu) – At 7:30 a.m. we served breakfast to the group.  Johnny & Linda cooked sausage and scrambled eggs in their rig; Paul cooked pancakes on a griddle in the pavilion.  Everything was very good.

      At 10:30 a.m. we went to the ‘Ksan Historical Village next to the ‘Ksan Campground for a tour of their longhouses.  There are 7 buildings; we were shown 3.  One lodge was used for sleeping.  As many as 50 families slept in a lodge.  They had many children; our tour guide’s grandfather was from a family of 14 kids.  There was a fire in the center of the room used for warmth and cooking.

      The next building was their community lodge where they held rituals and group activities.  The last building was used to store the regalia of the chiefs.  We learned there are 5 clans and each clan belongs to a house.  They are a matriarchal society and the children follow the mother’s line.  Our tour guide is a native and of the village and knew a great deal about their history and customs.  She explained a great deal about all the artifacts arranged around the lodges as we listened to her tell us about their customs and beliefs.

       Paul and I drove into town to get fuel and stopped at Zelda’s Travel Mug Café.  Weird name.  Even weirder set up with no real kitchen.  They cooked on a stove and washed in a sink in a little area at the back of the tiny building.  Our meal was good.

      At 7 p.m. we had a travel meeting and prepared for a long move tomorrow.

2023 Aug 16 (Wed) – We packed up and drove 165 miles to Hazelton, a relatively simple drive over nice roads.  The campground is run by First Nation and adjacent to it is the ‘Ksan Historical Village.  There is one road that runs down the middle of the campsites with pull-thru sites on the right and left.  It was so easy to park everyone.

      During the drive, we stopped at a nearby street to look at some totem poles.  Some of the oldest collection of totem poles is in the Hazelton and New Hazelton area.

2023 Aug 15 (Tue) – We had a travel meeting at 7 p.m.  After that, several of us went to Fish Creek to see bears.  We did not see any, although other people said they did.  This time, there were gulls in the river.  The ranger said they look for the eggs to eat.  The poor salmon don’t have a chance – between the gulls eating their eggs and the bears eating the fish, it’s a wonder any survive.  Yet, there are thousands in the river all trying to get back to their birthplace to lay their eggs then die.  Nature can be strange sometimes.

      Stewart, British Columbia is right next to Hyder, Alaska.  You cross the border from BC to Alaska.  There is not border agent there.  Hyder is essentially a ghost town.  It boomed during gold rush days but is now virtually deserted.  A few hanger-oners live there and run a shop or two but the town is pretty empty.  The Fish Creek Observation Site and the Salmon Glacier viewpoint are in Hyder.  When you return to Stewart, BC, you have to go through the border crossing and there is a border agent there.  They check your passport, ask the customary questions, and pass you through.

2023 Aug 14 (Mon) – The clouds parted and the sun came out so we drove back up to see Salmon Glacier this morning.  A grader had worked the road last night and the first half of the road was so much better than yesterday.  When we got to the top, we found 3 trailers camped up there.  One was a small airstream.  Who would take their trailer on that road?

      The view of the glacier was phenomenal.  It looked like a river of ice flowing down between the mountains and turning to glow down to Bear River.  We saw a marmot hiding in the rocks.  Mosquitos were fierce!

      At 5 p.m. we had a potluck meal.  The pavilion had been promised to another caravan in the park so we set up tents.  Joe Padberg had a 10x12 and a 10x8 to go with our 10x20.  Things were a little wet with the rain but it all worked out.  The meal, as always, was delicious.

2023 Aug 13 (Sun) – We packed up and headed out to Bear River RV Park in Stewart.  It was a long drive – 242 miles.  It made for a long day.  We got everyone parked then headed out to see Salmon Glacier.  Unfortunately, it was foggy and overcast and we couldn’t see much once we got to the top.  The road up was pitted, rutted, washboard and just plain worn out.  It was a very rough ride on narrow, twisting dirt road.  No guardrails either so it was a bit scary.

      Half-way up the mountain, we came upon a mining operation.  It wasn’t there 8 years ago when we came here in 2015.  They had the whole side of the mountain reduced and large trucks were moving in and out of the area.  There was a heavy duty electric yard set up and a huge building nestled into the side of the mountain.

      When we came down the mountain, we stopped at Fish Creek to see if we could see any bears.  There is a large raised wooden walkway that stretches along the side of Fish Creek.  Thousands of salmon were in the creek, coming back from the sea to spawn.  Bears come into the area and feast on the salmon.  We saw no bears today.

2023 Aug 12 (Sat) – We packed up and left Watson Lake headed to Dease Lake.  It was 146 miles; not too bad. The roads are slowly improving as we move south.  We just stayed in Dease Lake for one night.

[atlantaartisticweddings]

Atlanta Wedding Photographers Capture Wedding at Landmark Restaurant

This week the Atlanta wedding photographers at Atlanta Artistic Weddings captured a family wedding at Rays on the River. It was a relatively small wedding with about 75 family and friends.  The couple’s names are E-Kat and Bruce.

The day started at the couple’s home where they raise their family and where they got ready for the big day.  E-Kat was getting her hair and makeup done at her home while Bruce helped the kids get ready. They have 3 beautiful daughters and the youngest child is a precious boy about 11 years old.  The girls had matching green dresses that were cut the same as their moms wedding dress.  They had a draped collar with a sheath cut dress.  They looked very tasteful and elegant.  The groom and their son wore blue blazers and purple striped ties that matched their boutineers. 

I arrived first at Rays on the River.  The restaurant has been an Atlanta staple for almost 40 years,.   premium steak and many types of seafood.  It is llocated in Sandy Springs off of Power’s Ferry Road.  The elongated restaurant runs parallel to the Chattahooche River. It has outdoor seating and walking areas.  Just about every table in the dining area has a scenic view of the river, where you can watch the lazy river flowing by.  

When the family arrived there they brought the last of the decorations for the tables and started to put the finishing touches on everything.  They were like a well oiled machine putting out favors and decorating the wedding cake with sprigs of light white flowers.  They then practiced walking down the aisle with the flower girl who was about 4 years old and did her job with joy and adventure.  

Once that was done we took a few photos around the grounds of the restaurant.  We talked and got some great photos with the river in the background.  It was also the perfect time of year for the leaves.  There were burnt orange and yellow leaves sprinkled all over the grounds.

The wedding was a mixture of modern and Bulgarian traditions.  The groom stood at the front of the hall with his friend David who is a lawyer and presided over the ceremony.  The flower girl did an awesome job paving the walkway with flower petals. The bride came in escorted by her daughters under each arm.  The daughters also wore a crown of flowers which was a tip of the hat to Bulgaria where their mom is from.  David shared some light hearted antidotes on Bruce’s sense of humor and how they met.  The actual ceremony was very brief; he announced them husband and wife and they kissed.  Then Bruce, who is Jewish broke the wine glass and the crowd yelled mazel tov!

They then went around the room and greeted their guests.  There was a cocktail hour before the first dance.  They had a very talented jazz band that played throughout the night.  Once 7:30 came around the band leader announced that it was time for the first dance and they were going to have a special guest come up and sing.  The 11 year old son came up and sang Ed Sheeran’s song Perfect as his mom and dad did their first dance.  He did a great job and everyone was amazed at his talents.

Since everyone was seated they brought out the food.  It was as you would imagine, delicious!  They brought out salads for everyone then they brought out either large marinated steaks covered in mushroom gravy or salmon.  It was definitely a feast for all.  As people ate the groom thanked the guests that came from near and far.  Then the groom’s brother did a short speech but the real special moment came from the youngest son.  He spoke how happy he is having two new sisters and how much his father is in love.  It was truly a special moment that tugged at everyone’s heart.

The rest of the night was filled with dancing and cheer. They had a few slow dances as well as  the horah which is a Jewish tradition.  They also lifted up the bride and groom in chairs and danced around the room.  It was a fun filled night that celebrated love and family.

Thanks for checking out this Atlanta wedding photographers blog! I hope you enjoyed the read and that it inspired you with some new ideas. Make sure you keep coming back to our blog to see what the Atlanta wedding photographers at Atlanta Artistic Weddings are up to! If you’d like to contact me go to the contact page and drop me a line at https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/contact-atlanta-wedding-photographer. I would love to hear from you!

Thanks again!

[scottbcrowley2]

Volunteer campground hosts needed for Lower Salmon River - Wed, 07 Apr 2021 PST

The Idaho Bureau of Land Management’s Cottonwood Field Office is in search of a volunteer campground host for its popular Hammer Creek Campground and Recreation Site. Volunteer campground hosts needed for Lower Salmon River - Wed, 07 Apr 2021 PST

[findingjoynweirdstuff]

I wanna get around to making one giant video compilation with all the source clips for the cursed Fundy lore in chronological order because we always talk about the cursed lore, but how many people have actually seen all the clips that it came from?

On my list:

- Crayon suit

- Becoming Wilbur’s son + origin of the severed toe / salmon lore

- Telling Tubbo that he’s half salmon

- That one old L’manburg clip of Fundy looking at a river full of salmon and saying ‘they’re all relatives’

- Fundy during the war (crayon suit pt. 2 + “little champion”)

- The legendary stream of Fundy destroying Eret’s tower and explaining his origin story to Tommy and Jack, creating Sally the salmon for the first time and saying she’s an accountant

- August 10th pub quiz, Fundy starting his teenage rebellion phase

- August 11th Hamilton day, Fundy ending his teenage rebellion phase

(and becoming king through exploitation of Dutch law)

- Dreamon Hunters

- Ghostbur possessing a horse to mess with him

- Fundy saying he gets his smarts from his mother and that she was not only an accountant, but also collaborated with Albert Einstein

- Eret asking Fundy if he wants to get adopted

- Ghostbur at the fishing pier

- Might as well throw in the Samsung refrigerator for good measure

- Teaching Ghostbur how to fly on an invisible strider

- The flower shop incident

- Fundy explaining how he gets reborn like a phoenix and saying that his canon age is in his 20s

- Fundy showing the Butcher Army his L’manburg hit list with Dream listed twice

- Fundy telling Tubbo he’s moving to Australia to practice fire magic and fight giant spiders

- Fundy learning to astral project and possessing a jukebox

- Fundy falling out of the world and describing the boat glitch as “a perk of Dreamon hunting”

- Fundy repeatedly making references to Dream leaving him at the altar during the Festival despite the fact that the wedding had already been decanonized at that point

- Fundy having a conversation with Friend that implies that Friend insulted Sally and was crossing Fundy’s boundaries

- The one-man Western movie gunfight roleplay in the cat cafe ending with a duel against George

- Ponk showing Fundy the graveyard and saying he’ll be “here soon”

- The lore clip explaining Fundy’s dream future-telling powers

- “Aunt Panisha”

- The clips from the stream with Slime and Quackity

- Yogurt becoming his child

...

...Am I missing anything?

[gracie-bird]

PRINCESS GRACE WITH QUEEN ELIZABETH

Following the Wedding of Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer on this day in 1981 (40 years ago), the Queen (wearing her South African Diamond Suite) and the extended British Royal Family joined all the Royal Guests and Relatives in London for a splendid Gala at Claridge’s Hotel, where the Queen was pictured alongside Queen Silvia of Sweden and Princess Grace of Monaco watching the broadcast before a simple Supper was served and then the dancing commenced. Nicky Haslam wrote about the occasion:

‘At 6.30pm, wearing the required black tie, I walked into the anteroom of Claridge’s ballroom and saw the most extraordinary sight imaginable. Sitting in a semi-circle, their eyes glued to a hastily erected screen, were all the major wedding guests watching themselves on the film that, miraculously, Elizabeth Shakerley had had spliced together in the few hours since the ceremony.

Besides the Queen herself, and every European monarch reigning or exiled, there were Nancy Reagan, Princess Grace of Monaco, the Empress of Iran, the Crown Prince of Japan, archbishops, princelings and potentates…

This extraordinary melange, these remnants of foreclosed kingdoms, sat cheek by jowl with the few who had survived, watching a film that seemed to be a living fairy story. I could catch their murmured comments. ‘Ach, vot has happened to poor Alfonso?…How could Dagmar have worn that?…Lilibet does things so well…Ma chere, the size of Karim…Only Louise Sweden could carry off purple lace.’

I noticed Mrs Reagan cupping her face in her hands as her dark eyes shone with emotional tears. Then she turned to whisper to her Hollywood film-star contemporary, Grace Kelly, whose showbiz wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco I had watched on TV years before…

The ‘dinner’ was mainly simple breakfast food – sausages and baked beans, kedgeree, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for the more sophisticated. And, of course, rivers of champagne. There were no placements, except for the Queen’s table; the rest of us sat wherever we found a seat. But no one sat for long. Pretty soon everyone, led by the Queen and Prince Philip, headed off to dance.’

[wildcardaces]

@ruby-static "a beautiful sound" edition!

Sorta a continuation!

Patti: please tell me you got out of there ASAP.

Mya: dont worry i did!

Mya: it was funny-ish

Bonnie: TELL US.

Mya just talking about the situation and bonnie is just "tell us what you said! T e l l!"

Mya is amused XD

Kase: mya, why was SHE in the house? What the fuck was that!?

Mya: that kase...was the beautiful sound...

Mya: *ripping the wedding certificate* a FUCKING DIVORCE!

Myas response to kase after the fact was so damn liberating for her. And i do not blame her!

And the finale!

"Salmon run! Salmon run!"

They're on their way to the river to grab a TON of salmon for the salmon run!

[flirting-with-psychology]

Which color are you?

by joybucket

Red

You get angry very easily.

You are passionate.

You are very bold and daring, often taking risks.

You are very blunt.

You wear bright red lipstick a lot.

You own a pair of boots with heels.

You own something leopard-print.

You have dyed your hair a wild color.

You’re in love.

You like spicy food.

You like Valentine’s Day.

You like the song “Red’ by Taylor Swift.

You are outspoken and boisterous.

Total: 4

Orange

You are outgoing.

You like to laugh.

You are creative and adventurous.

You can be awkward

You like oranges.

You have a good sense of humor.

You are the life of the party.

You enjoy watching sunsets.

You’ve been the class clown.

You like to play board games.

You enjoy carnivals.

You have a sweet tooth.

You are a risk-taker.

Total: 9

Yellow

You have a bubbly personality.

You love sunshine.

You are a generally happy person.

You own a golden retriever.

You like to make others laugh.

You believe in giving someone a second chance. You are thankful and blessed.

You have a positive outlook on life.

Summer is your favorite season.

You like lemonade.

You’ve laughed so hard you cried. You’ve been filled with the joy of the Lord.

You enjoy running barefoot through the grass.

Total: 4

Green

You enjoy camping.

You are an outdoors person.

You like to sit in the grass.

You like to garden.

You love nature.

You are fascinated by God’s creation.

You eat healthy.

You like salads.

You’ve been sick in the last year. You used to watch Gumby.

You’ve grown a lot as a person in the last year.

You recycle.

You’ve planted a tree.

Total: 2

Blue

You write sad songs.

You feel sad a lot. You’ve had your heart broken.

You’re a true romantic.

You are easygoing. You love rivers and lakes.

You love to swim.

You’ve swam in the ocean.

You love to lie on your back and look up at the sky.

You like reading romance novels.

You get along with everyone.

You have a lot of friends.

You’re a social butterfly.

Total: 6

Purple

You are a deep thinker.

You are creative.

You love the scent of lavender. You like lilacs.

You have a big imagination.

You have a healthy self-esteem.

You are ambitious.

You have your wedding planned out on Pinterest.

You like to read.

You are friendly.

You are introverted.

You’ve worn purple lipstick.

You like grapes.

Total: 8

Pink

You are a girly-girl.

You are artistic and creative.

You love flowers.

You like to paint.

You are very feminine.

You enjoy tea parties and antique stores.

You love to express yourself by being creative.

You like wear pink.

You like the color pink.

You’ve had pink hair before.

You’ve taken ballet lessons.

You’ve worn a tutu.

You enjoy going for walks in the spring.

Total: 8

Teal

You are creative, imaginative, and artistic.

You like peacocks.

You don’t fit the status quo.

People mis-label you.

You aren’t stereotypical.

You think outside of the box.

You are your own person.

You’re energetic but also down-to-earth.

You believe in signs and wonders and miracles.

You lead an unconventional lifestyle.

You’ve performed a miracle.

You’ve had encounters with the supernatural.

You are a trendsetter.

Total: 6

So….

Which color are you?

Orange

Final Questions!

What’s your favorite color?

Pink or green or teal

What color do you look best in?

Teal

What color do you look the worst in?

White probably

What is your least favorite color?

Idk like puke green

What are your top three favorite colors?

Pink, green, teal

Who do you know who has the same favorite color as you?

Idk

What is your natural hair color?

Brown

What color are your eyes?

Brown

What is your birthstone?

Topaz

What color was the house you grew up in? Moms Salmon, then gray-blue, dad’s yellow What color was your first phone? Pink What color was your first laptop? Black What color was your high school graduation gown? Black What color was your senior prom dress? Light blue What is your favorite eyeshadow color? Dark purple What is your favorite lipstick color? Dark pink What color was your first car? Blue-green What color was your locker in high school? Gray What color is your winter coat? Maroon-purple What color are your nails painted currently? Not painted I hope you have a colorful day! 🦄🌈

[alfredtangphoto]

Mt Hood National Park Engagement // Aprajita & Nick Connection Session

Aprajita & Nick found me as a preferred wedding photographer from Stemple Creek Ranch (an absolutely stunning and FAVORITE Northern California wedding venue of mine. Check out my previous wedding at Stemple Creek Ranch). They almost booked a Hood River wedding venue - saw and loved my photos from there as well 🤗. So that helped confirm their desire to reach out to me for their wedding photos.

During our inquiry process - and much to our delight, we found that we were both California natives and now are living for the outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. So thus, making it easier to connect for our connection session in Mt Hood National Park. We started the day with a drive towards Old Salmon River trail in Welches, Oregon, but passed by a beautiful field of foxgloves flowers in bloom and had to make a quick stop. This is where I learned how intelligent Nick is with plant names and his love for biology. He even got distracted by a white moth that he gracefully captured into his hands. The moth hung out for a while, wished them a happy engagement shoot and went on its way -fluttering through the field.

After a quick session in the foxglove fields (I could have shot there all day!) we made our way to the original starting point. A quarter mile hike down towards the river was like walking through an enchanted forest. This trail is a favorite of mine to visit and have always dreamed of shooting an engagement session here. With Aprajita & Nick whom declares that they are the happiest when under trees, it was evident as they smiled and skipped through the fern-lined forest trail.

Aprajita & Nicks love story starts with being employed at the same Bay Area company some 10 years ago. Aprajita found him cute, intelligent and intriguing - but it wasn’t until he left the company until they began dating. Both are compassionate, kind and generous humans who found love and comfort in one another. As one can tell, they have a love for the outdoors and are always planning their next adventure in the mountiains. So it was fitting we ended the connection session with Mt Hood as the backdrop. After 10 years of dating, they now will be celebrating their marriage at Stemple Creek Ranch on the second week of August 2022!

[acommonloon]

Throw Up Thursday

- haven't been focused on Tumblr lately but yesterday I noticed 150ish had been removed from my follower count. I'm sure they were inactive accounts and really who cares. However, I'm becoming annoyed by all the content on my dash that isn't posted by someone I follow and the ads. I understand Tumblr needs to be monetized so the ads were always only a matter of time but there are sometimes more posts on my dash from those I don't follow than those I do. I would be willing to pay for a tier of Tumblr service that...doesn't do that.

- the ice has been coming down all night, the pin oaks are sagging nearly to the ground and several river birch limbs have completed the journey. If this layer of ice gets covered by snow and the temps stay near freezing, it'll make a right dog's dinner of things.

- as long as the power stays on, I'll not be bothered. We're continuing our annual selfish diet and exercise regime through Feb anyway so we haven't been going out much. Well I haven't anyway. D took her mom to a doctor's appointment last Wed then had a meal at a restaurant. She had the salmon instead of her usual chicken strips and for her good deed, tested positive for Covid Saturday afternoon. I'd not had symptoms but tested myself on Monday (Neg) and still haven't had any symptoms.

- since we haven't been going out, I've tried to find something to watch. We started "Succession" but after one and a half episodes, I left it to D. To me, it's another soap opera loaded with shitty people characters and I just don't find the interaction of shitty people to be entertaining. Most do I guess. Current programming is loaded with this kind of thing. Awful people doing awful things to each other. There's enough of that in the news. That doesn't mean I can't stand any awful, I've watched all five episodes of "Peacemaker."

I admit this show exhibits shitty people and awful behavior in the extreme but is more palatable to me on many levels. First, it's making fun of itself in the exposition of it's ridiculous story. It isn't (seriously) pretending to be real life. Also there are numerous character arcs featuring redeeming values. Not sure I'll be able to stick with this serial for the long run but anything that makes me laugh is welcome right now.