#salt creek falls

[travelbinge]

By Shortstache

Salt Creek Falls, Oregon, USA

[cascadianights]

Time and Fires March On

[stochastique-blog]

false

Salt Creek Falls, OR

[nayaesworld]

11:11

Biker!Terry Richmond x Charlie

—

—

Friday was usually an extremely busy day at the diner, but as the day dragged on Charlie had only served her regulars and a few families passing through the small town. She was scheduled to work 3pm-12am today and had only gotten through two hours so far. Her favorite coworker was off so it was just a new girl named Dawn and the two night cooks Dj and Trey. The diner was empty once again and she sat quietly behind the counter on a stool, eyes running left to right as she read the new fantasy book from the library. Illustrations of a black witch uncovering the history of her ancestors occupied her head as she flipped page after page hungry for more. The local news station on the small flatscreen sent out an advisory for a thunderstorm that would be rolling in later that evening. That explained the gloomy skies and empty diner at least. Charlie and Dawn filled salt shakers and sorted the silverware,mugs, and glasses. And when they finished chatting about pop news and hair care routines, Charlie was warming up to the girl slowly and when she clocked out at 10:30 she actually had started to get bored without conversation.

Charlie balanced two cups of coffee and a large platter of flapjacks in her hands. Her favorite regulars, an older black couple in their 50’s that treated her like family more than her own father sometimes. The Leflore’s had welcomed her with open arms her first year at the diner. She reminded them of their late daughter Kamryn and she remembered vividly Tammy Lefore bawling her eyes out to her one day in the plush booths of the diner. Tammy and Aubrey typically came in later because they loved to help her get to the end of her shift and look out for her. Silver Creek was a small town and everyone knew everyone for the most part but crime had picked up in the last year and it wasn’t always safe after dark. She sat with them and they told her about their upcoming trip to Cozumel Mexico. They would be gone a week and Charlie pouted at the news, she loved seeing and talking to them but a whole week would be gray without them. But promises of souvenirs and gifts kept her sadness at bay.

They bid their see you laters and she watched their sleek white Cadillac truck pull out of the parking lot. And like clockwork the rain began to come down hard. She bussed her tables and secured her tips into her apron, she loved the rain, it was peaceful and serene on some days but nights like this one it was thunderous and loud. But above the heavy tinkling of the rain was a sound she was becoming acquainted with…the sound of that Sapphire black Bonneville Bobber. He came into the diner every night at 11:11 on the dot, how strange that she even remembered the growl of his bike when she hadn’t seen the man in at least a month. How even stranger it was that she felt eager to see him…he barely talked when he had been there in the past, just grumbling here and there before he ate his fill and left. She fingered her passion twist out of habit as her eyes watched him park his bike and job into the diner,built muscles bunched beneath his wet leather jacket as a mug hung on his stoic chiseled face. He shrugged out of the jacket and hung it on the coat rack near the door. She opened her mouth to greet him but her words got caught in her throat as he pulled out a chair from the bar top and sat directly in front of her.

“Hell my little dove..long time no see.” He extended his arm out, a singular red rose in his hand gifted from him to her. She pricked her thumb on a thorn and shook her hand at the slight pain, a tiny bead of blood falling down onto the counter. She excused herself before rushing to the back of the diner for a bandaid.

His hands tapped anxiously against the bartop, his eyes trying their best to not drop down and lay upon the tiny droplet of blood…the smell was intoxicating, and before he could stop himself his index finger had swiped the blood from the counter and sucked it into his mouth. This was the very reason he had chosen to stay away from the small town, he was afraid of what he might do, afraid of how he would appear to the pretty little waitress. He blinked and shook his head trying to get the black irises to go away, how would he explain the quick change from hazel eyes to black ones��it looked unnatural, unsafe even. When he was sure they had gone back to normal he lifted his head and surveyed his surroundings. Three humans, two males in the kitchen…and her.

When Charlie returned, finger smugly secured by a bandaid she quickly apologized before formally greeting the intriguing stranger whose name she still didn’t know.

“Don’t apologize for bleeding, that’s normal. I should have checked the rose for thorns, that was my fault. I’m Terry by the way.. nice to meet you Charlie.”

Before she could question how he knew her name she looked down at her name tag and giggled softly.

“Well it’s nice to formally meet you Terry, what will you be having tonight.” His knuckles rapped against the counter and he held her gaze.

“A glass of water is fine, I’m on a pretty strict diet at the moment..just came inside to get out of the rain before passing on.” She nodded before grabbing a clean glass and filling it to the brim with chilled water.

“Where are you heading..if you don’t mind me asking.?” She slid the glass of water over to him and watched as he held it up to his nose before drinking it.

“No where specific..might even hang around here for a while, it’s pretty damn scenic up here.”

“Now that I can agree with , it’s a small town but it has its perks. There’s something for everyone here.”

“And what’s here for you…what keeps you here?” The question was one she couldn’t say she’d ever been asked before. People rarely considered her likes and dislikes. Rarely asked her if she was ok.

“Outside of my family and friends, it’s the culture for me. So much damn history embedded into such a little town, so many stories of our people…how they settled here and how hard they had to fight to stay here.” He hummed and seemed genuinely pleased with her answer, gleaming grey blue eyes combing over every part of her face.

“Well aren’t you just a little ray of sunshine…I’d love learn more about the history of this place. It’s so…mystic.” There was that damn grumbling again.

“There’s a library in town not far from here the-“ The loud thud of Terry placing the glass down made Charlie jump.

“I want you to tell me. You are a native after all..I want it straight from the horse's mouth. You seem extremely knowledgeable and I’m very ignorant of your town, I'm afraid.” His eyes drew her in, made her feel fearless.

But she was still apprehensive…and yet she longed to put herself out there to try new things and enjoy new people. Handsome strangers were still strangers and she owned a gun. She could handle her own.

“Ok but under one condition. We take your super cool bike and we go Tuesday..deal?” He shook her extended hand. His thumb rubbing over the back side of her hand softly before she pulled her hand back.

“A deal I can live with little dove.” His bright smile made his eyes crinkle and Charlie found herself hoping to see more of it.

“Why do you call me that..little dove?” Every word he uttered to her made it seem as though he was all too familiar with her, she was curious.

“There’s an air of gentle peace and innocence that surrounds you..perhaps you don’t see it as others do.” Charlie had a hard time listening to people tell her that she was a good person,a good girl. They always used her own kindness and generosity against her. She knew that she could live her whole life by the book only ever doing right by people, and yet still be fucked over…a learning curve indeed.

“I the dove and you the crow I assume…Why the crows?”She gestured to the bold black ink against his honeyed skin enamored her. A beautifully crafted portrait that depicted a murder of crows. Probably the most creative tattoo sleeve she had ever seen.

“We’re taught that crows are scavengers that represent death. That their very presence should place fear in your heart because you or a loved one may be next to die.. but I have come to know these birds as signs of rebirth and cleansing. That they carry the DNA of every dead creature with them wherever they fly, somewhat keeping them alive forever.”

Wow. There was true beauty in an intellectual man. You didn’t see that too often around these parts. Charlie wanted to pick his brain for hours, to learn what interested him, and why he felt so damn intoxicating. But her fear of being perceived held back the many questions she had for the man.

“I like that, it’s poetic. It Means something to you, what a beautiful piece of art to walk with daily.” He thanked her graciously for allowing him to blab on and on about the tattoo telling her that others rarely asked of its meaning.

He inquired about the portraits of people that lined the wall behind her. Pictures of people old and young, from so many backgrounds, some taken inside and outside the diner. It gave the place character and that good ole fashioned charm that you couldn’t get in many places anymore.

“These are our customers, some of these pictures were here before me but all the new ones I’ve taken myself. Just a little ode to the people that keep this place open…if you’d like I could take yours also before we close up.”

By 11:40 Dj and Trey had shut down the kitchen and bid their goodnights. Charlie maneuvered around the diner wiping down tables and sweeping the floor. Terry had slipped away into the restroom to relieve himself before he left and Charlie was heading to the back office to retrieve the camera they used for photos. The rain had since stopped falling and she felt the perfect picture would be best with Terry outside near his bike. The aesthetics of the starry night sky and the shiny black bike would mesh well with his large bulky stature.

“You can loosen up a bit..maybe a big bright smile.” He cocked a thick brow at her and his face stayed unmoved and his bulky arms stayed crossed as he…posed?

Giggling to herself she put the camera up to her eye and snapped the first picture. But when she pulled the camera back from her eye, the only thing in the photo was his bike. The air around her felt cold and constricting. How was that even possible when he was standing right in front of her? She cleared her throat before lifting the camera back to her face. She was sure there was a logical explanation for this.

“Uh the camera was on the wrong setting let’s go again.” She blew cold air out of her nose before placing the camera back up to her face, left eye closed and right eye focused on the smirking man in front of her. The flash went off and it lit up his face..he had to have been on camera this time.

Charlie checked the camera again. A loud gasp leaving her mouth for the second time…he was nowhere in the picture. This was a joke right? Someone had touched the camera and was playing a prank on her. Heavy boots crunched under the gravel coming closer and closer. The tiny hairs on her arm began to raise and her heart thudded loudly in her chest. When he finally stood inches away from her the camera slipped from her fingers and onto the moist ground. Her neck craned to stare into the face of the man. Green eyes seemingly glowing as they captured hers. Every instinct in her was calling for her to run, to save herself from a dark fate. But it was as if she was stuck in place.

“Calm your heart little dove. I promise to never pluck a hair from your pretty little head..we have too much work to do. So much to uncover.” He placed a large hand over her chest,careful to not touch her breast. And let his odd eyes close and feel the rushing of her heart under his hand. He put that fear there.

“Please..I don’t want to die. You can take anything from the diner but please..please. I won’t tell anyone else about this I swear.” Tears fell now. People always made it seem as if death wasn’t anything to fear, that it would come quick and swift without a sound. But Charlie feared it..wasn’t ready for it..so soo much work left to do, so many things in life she had yet to accomplish.

“Nothing in that diner is as valuable as you are..it’s fine time you learned that little dove. It’s fine time you’ve learned your place in this world, I will guide you as you will me.” The hand on her chest was now on her shoulder. And Charlie was never good at riddles, never really liked them. But what did he mean?

“Terry, you don't know me. What makes you think you know anything about my whereabouts in this world…this is crazy talk. I don’t believe you.”

“Do you believe what you saw on your camera then? Is that the only deciding factor between real and fake? You should look harder..I was always in the picture, just not something your fear would let you decipher.” He squatted down to retrieve the camera and dusted the small chunks of mud that stuck to its lenses before placing it back in her hands.

A deep breath. What if she was going crazy, what if Terry had been in the picture the whole time. She was scared to click through the camera and see, but she felt compelled to do so. Click. The first picture..she grappled with what she was looking at. In Terry's place against his bike was a…a creature. Something tall and sinister. It’s green eyes looking directly into the camera, long claws gripping the handles of the bike..just as Terry had. The camera dropped to the ground once more and she took off running towards the diner. She yanked and pulled on the door and yet it was sealed shut, she knew she didn’t lock it she would never be that forgetful. But he was walking closer now, closing the space between them.

“If you come any closer I’ll shoot you. Step any closer and I will blow your damn head off!” Charlie’s back was against the locked doors and she watched the man advance forward not caring for her threat.

“That may have been true if it wasn’t behind the counter in your bag. I said I wasn’t going to hurt you. I only wanted to reveal my true self to you..you’re the first human I’ve shown myself to in 200 hundred years. I trust you.”

It was clear now. He was on drugs, hard ones. No human would be alive for 200 hundred years and as for him knowing the location of your bag..he had to have been snooping around the bar one day while you were preoccupied. This was all a big fucking joke and a waste of Charlie’s time.

“Terry, stop it. You’re human just like me. You eat AND drink just like me..made from flesh and bone just like me. Are you on drugs..if so there’s a really nice rehab center the next city over. They helped a family member of mine once.” Charlie was hell bent on proving to Terry that his line was just heavily deluded, he would be fine once those drugs left his system.

“If you were over 200 years old your heart wouldn’t beat..you wouldn't be standing here right now. See my heart beats and yours will do the same.” Charlie placed her hand to his chest and felt..nothing. She assumed it was faint but when she loved her hand and tried placing it directly on his heart. Still nothing. No beating, just hot skin.

“Why me Terry..you could have done this to anyone else why me. I don’t want to know this..whatever you are. You can’t trust me with this information..I’ll tell everyone.” Charlie knew she was bluffing. She knew even more that someone would label her crazy if she repeated anything from this night.

“You don’t believe that. In your heart you’ll do what’s right every time. Just trust me and I promise I will tell you everything Tuesday. But if you find yourself needing me before then use this. Your father will be here shortly, be safe little dove.” He handed her a small metal oval shaped object, incantations that would summon him were engraved around the edges. His tall form retreated and he hopped on his bike. He shot her a toothy grin before his face disappeared behind his helmet and she watched him until he disappeared into the distance.

Exhaustion gripped Charlie on the road home with her father. Her body was heavy and she felt like she’d worked a 24 hour shift as her eyes drooped and her clammy hands shook in her lap. Rest was what she needed. A hot shower, some tea and her bed but outside of the weariness she felt, her mind drifted to Terry over and over. The fear that gripped her tonight felt foreign, like her body had never felt that afraid her whole life. Would curiosity kill her just as it had done the cat? Or would she be spared by a force she couldn’t see.

They arrived home rather quickly. Her father Hank walked over to open her door and carry in her bags. She took her time stepping out of the car, limbs aching to be stretched and soothed by hot water. She sighed deeply and began walking up the steps of their home. But a loud caw stopped her in her tracks. A lone crow sat in the magnolia tree in her front yard. The shiny onyx feathers dancing with the moonlight and giving the bird a striking appearance. But this crow was no ordinary crow and as she stepped closer she realized its black beady eyes had been traded for green ones..familiar green eyes. It cawed once more at her before it bowed, extended a wing, and flew away. Leaving in its wake a dark feather that she took inside with her.

__

@zillasvilla @luvrsluxe @becauseimswagman1 @writingsbytee @venusincleo @blyffe @rawflwrs @1darknymph @thabiddie23 @tvchi @kenshisluvrgirl @alyssawritcs @ranikyani @23jammy @keehendrixx @ovohanna24 @grlsbstshot @yassbishimvintage @avoidthings @pocketsizedpanther @simplyzeeka @blowmymbackout @kimuzostar @playgurlxoxo @kumkaniudaku @megamindsecretlair @theereina @keyaho @brattyfics @hotgrlcece @henneseyhoe @miyuhpapayuh @uzumaki-rebellion @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @notapradagurl7 @slvt4her

[bettysupremacy]

another request for finnick, just a lil bit of angst as him and her get into a fight and then they make up. angst and then some fluff

love letter to finnick. maybe this is like the before of this

It’s dark in the large bedroom you cave yourself in, and it seems even darker post argument.

Your eyes ache dully, even closed they beg to be soothed. You can’t believe the contents of the last hour, they play behind your eyelids as you pray for comfort. This is the worst. The worst. The watch sitting on your bedside table reads midnight when you pick it up gently.

“Fuck,” it’s cold in your hand, pulling you closer to the real world you’d tried desperately to escape with sleep.

At home in district four, you hear the waves of a homely sea outside your window. Finnick is out there, for sure, swimming in the seas he knows you don’t like him in after dark. Some of the things he said were hurtful, but he said them out of fear. Fear of what would happen to you, to the peace he’d created at the shoreline of district four.

It’s quiet until the creek of your door alerts you. It’s slow, obvious the person behind it wants you asleep, and you know it’s Finnick by the way his feet fall on the hardwood floor.

“Baby?” He whispers. The name feels good at a time like this. You hardly fight, and when you do, it isn’t even really an argument. More of a disagreement.

“Are you awake?”

You contemplate lying and the good that will come from it. Ultimately nothing, but you wait a second anyways, listening to the air in your room shuffle in his wake.

“I’m sorry.” He murmurs, voice cracking. You can hear him bring his hands up, rough palms pressing into his eyes, staving away the tears he knows bound to come.

You turn, hearing the crinkle of the crisp sheets as you face him. He flinches, he didn’t think you were awake.

“I’m sorry,” He says for a different reason now. “I thought you were asleep.”

“No,” You say quietly, for no reason other than a little shame. “can’t sleep alone.”

He steps closer daringly, pulling his shirt off before he crawls under your covers. His hair is wet and smells like salt. Any other day you’d fret over your clean sheets, but now you pull him closer, tangling your hands in his wet hair. You brush it away from his eyes, letting them roam over your face.

“We’ll be fine, Finnick.”

He lets out a strangled breath, burying into your chest. His shoulders shake miserably as he grasps you desperately.

“You heard Beetee,” You’re referencing the phone call you’d gotten after the announcement of the quarter quell. “he’s got a plan.”

You let him cry, never quieting the tears he wish he could quiet himself. It’s scary, definitely, and you can’t imagine how he feels going into the arena with you.

“It’s me and Mags.” You say definitively. “And I’m not letting her in that arena.”

He pulls up, glossy eyes terrified. “You can’t.”

She’s old, nearing the end he wants to say, but he knows it’s not right, he loves the woman.

“I’m not letting her in that arena,” you push slightly. “I can survive, see the plan through, but she’s old, Finnick, she can’t last the games again.”

He nods, defeated. “I’ll keep you safe.”

You say nothing, leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth. Then, “I know.”

He chases the feeling of your lips, kissing you softly. “Me and you.”

“And Beetee, and wiress.”

“Me and you.” He repeats.

“And katniss, and Peeta.”

He laughs quietly, nosing at your cheek. “Stop it.”

“I’m sorry,” you preen. “Me and you.”

[peloblancophoto]

Salt Creek Falls Sunrise

[nyradragon]

Bruises — Ellie Williams

Summary: Ellie comes home battered and bruised and you’re the one to patch her up.

Placement/background: Ellie and the reader share a small house in Jackson for the last couple years.

Warning(s): pre-established relationship, mention of injury’s, mention of fear and discomfort, badly hurt!ellie, caretaker!reader, mention of brief nudity, pure fluff, some smooching, wlw.

authors note: This is kinda like salt on a wound ngl but sometimes we just need a bit of that sting dw you get lots of fluff with it<3 LIGHTLY proofread

reblog’s and feedback would be much appreciated!!<3

You’d hear the soft creek of the rusty front door as you made your way around the kitchen the soft glow of the street lamps streaming through the open windows in the living room.

Rinsing the suds off the small pan you had used for dinner that night you’d peak your head around the corner of the kitchen catching a glimpse of Ellie struggling to pull off her pack as her once tan tank top was drenched in red. The smile dropping from your face as the loud clink of the pan falling into the sink filled the air.

Rushing over to the injured girl without a second thought you’d pat your hands dry on your ratty t-shirt as a gasp fell from your lips.

“Els— what happened”

your words barely a whisper but filled with panic griping onto the girls arm to gently tug her onto the worn down couch you’d push her shoulders slightly to have her sit. Drooping to your knees in front of her you brushed your hands over her blood stained cheek trying to get her attention.

“oh baby..”

you’d hum softly seeing the freckled girls soft eyes meet yours but remaining silent. She didn’t need to speak you could see the pain and fear in them silently begging to be helped as much as she didn’t like to admit it.

Letting out a deep sigh you let your shoulders slump hating to see her like this battered and bruised but this time felt different she looked completely lost— broken.

Getting to your feet again you leaned over placing a soft kiss onto the top of Ellies head letting your lips linger there for a couple moments.

“I’ll be righ—“

before you could finish your sentence Ellie gripped onto your wrist her fingers digging into your skin but not hard enough to hurt. Your brows furrow watching her carefully she looked up to meet your eyes before her voice broke through the silence.

“Please- please don’t leave.”

Her voice sounded strained almost pained as she stuttered over herself. Her eyes were glazed over her fingers on your wrist slightly trembling as the moments passed. You felt the strings tug at your heart as you heard it making you close your eyes briefly and inhale through your nose to try and calm your thoughts.

You’d give her a small nod before tapping your fingers on the hand that was wrapped around your wrist slowly having her fingers intertwine with yours. You’d tilt your head slightly giving her a small smile as you pulled her up with you careful not to hurt her more.

Slowly making your way to your shared bathroom Ellie trudged behind you quietly arm still outstretched behind you as to lead the way for her. Making it into the small space you kept your hand in hers turning so you were facing the freckled girl her eyes not quite meeting yours until you raise your hand to lightly touch her chin lifting it to press a small kiss onto her nose.

You’d pull away slowly trying not to make to much sudden movements so you wouldn’t cause the injured girl in front of you any discomfort. Fingers still lingering together you reached over to the faucet of the tub with your free hand turning it on and dipping your hand under the running water to feel the temperature before dropping the plug to fill the tub.

Ellie would let out a soft whimper as you let go of her rough hand the lose causing her to look up at you with pleading eyes.

“I know baby— i’ll take care of you.”

You’d say quietly bringing your hands down to the hem of her tank top peeling the blood soaked material from her wounded body. You’d inhale sharply as you saw the multitude of small gashes and bruises littered over her skin; you would alway tended to her wounds when she had a hard day on patrol but this time.. this time felt different.

Dropping the tank top to the ground you slowly let your eyes travel over the wounds trying to get a grasp on what she needed. You’d slowly unbutton her jeans sliding them down her legs as you hunched down to help lift each of her ankles to get them off completely before letting your hands slid up the soft skin of her thighs. You stood up again pushing the thin material of her underwear off her hips so they pooled at her feet having her carefully step out of them.

Sighing quietly the only sound in the room was the rush of the water coming from the faucet causing you to glance over at the half full tub. You’d turn off the running water before looking back to your timid girlfriend intertwining your fingers again you nodded your head over to the tub.

“I’m going to need you to step in for me, love. Slowly please..”

You’d help her step in hearing a soft hiss fall from her lips as the water washed over her open wounds. You felt her fingers press tightly against yours as she sat further into the tub a small sigh of relief escaping her as the warm water loosened her aching bones.

Lifting her battered hand to your lips you left a lingering kiss to the skin causing the freckled girl to give you a weak smile.

“i’m just going to get a clean rag, bug. I’ll be one second.”

“Mm— o-okay.”

Ellie’s voice was raspy, soft but broken. She’d give you a small nod giving your hand a tight squeeze before dropping hers into the warm water.

You’d rummage through the small cabinet pulling out the first aid kit along with a soft cotton cloth placing the kit on the counter top before dropping to your knees and shuffling closer to the tub.

Dipping the clean cloth into the bath water before ringing it out slightly bringing the cloth up to Ellie’s cheeks. You’d lightly run the cloth over her freckled cheeks causing the girl to wince as you went over a dark bruise coming in on her cheekbone. You lean closer to the girl inspecting the cut under her eyebrow dabbing lightly over it to get a clearer view seeing that it wasn’t deep enough to need stitches.

After the skin of her once stained face was clean you’d press your lips lightly onto her jawline feeling Ellie’s body relax a bit more into the feeling. Keeping her eyes closed she’d pull her legs up to her chest resting her chin on her knees as her lanky arms wrap around her legs.

You’d rinse the cloth in the water again before softly drag the cloth down her scared back causing Ellie to groan as her fingernails dug into the back of her calves not enough to brake skin but enough to ease the pain of the water through open wounds.

“s-sh bug i know it hurts.. here—“

You’d reach out your hand pulling her fingers away from digging into her skin intertwining your free hand with her rough calloused ones.

“hold onto me okay? squeeze as hard as you need.”

A warm smile spread over your lips as Ellie gave you a small nod holding your soft hand between hers tightly. You’d manage to rinse off all the blood on her pale skin tossing the dirty cloth into the sink behind you to wash later.

Sitting up on your knees before you’d reach over to the small handheld shower head and turning on the faucet testing the water temperature. Ellie would be quiet watching your every move, her head remained foggy as the soft hums you let out soothes her worries.

You’d lightly tap Ellie’s chin so she tilted her head up higher letting the shower head come closer to her head you carefully soaked her hair rising any of the grime that might have tangled through her roots. Lowering the shower head and turning it off you reached for the honey scented shampoo that the two of your shared before lathering some in your hands.

Running your soapy fingers slowly through her tangled hair letting them rub at her scalp causing Ellie to moan out softly at the feeling. You could feel the slight sag of her shoulders as they dropped in comfort and bliss as a smile tugged at your lips glad that she’s feeling more relaxed.

As you finished lathering the freckled girls hair you reached over to the plug of the tub having it drain slowly. You’d raise the shower head again to rinse out the shampoo, small hums of content falling from Ellie’s parted lips as you made sure the water stayed out of her eyes.

“Thank you baby..”

The words startled you for a moment growing use to the quiet atmosphere but welcoming the words nonetheless. The green eyed girl would look up at you as you grabbed the fluffy blue towel that was hanging from the door with the most adoring eyes, she was truly head over heels for you.

Ellie stood up slowly from the tub while you wrapped the towel around her small but strong frame her standing a tiny bit taller then normal from the height of the tub.

“Anything for you, bug. I love you.”

You’d lean in whispering the three little words that always had Ellie’s head spinning. She’d be the one to close the gap pressing her soft lips to yours while raising her hand to rest on your cheek. She’d pull away slowly resting her forehead to yours her breathing hitched in her throat as she tried to saviour the moment, saviour you.

“I love you, darlin’.”

[venlazlo]

Mistria VA Fancasts

work was killer, too tired to drawr today.

VA Fancasts under the cut w/ voice samples hehe.

Made in conjunction with my brother and we don't consume that much media so take this with a grain of salt and maybe drop a suggestion.

Nora - Leda Headey [Amelia - Infinity Train]

Holt - Sungwon Cho [Senshi - Dungeon Meshi]

Celine - Erica Mendez [Mia Karnstein - Code:Vein]

Dell - Noël Wells [Kelsey - Craig of the Creek]

March - Zeno Robinson [Hunter - The Owl House]

Olric - Joe Hernandez [Boucheron - Fire Emblem Engage]

Ryis - Marcus Scribner [Bow - She-Ra and the Princesses of Power]

Landen - Luc Roderique [King Harrow - The Dragon Prince]

Juniper - Veronica Taylor [Manuela - Fire Emblem Three Houses]

Valen - Cissy Jones - [Lilith Clawthorne - The Owl House]

Terithia - Cassie Ewulu [Saphir - Fire Emblem Engage] [Bonus]

Balor - Kumail Ali Nanjiani [Howell - Bee and Puppycat]

Hayden - Matt Mercer is just the obvious choice

Errol - J.K. Simmons [Stanford Pines - Gravity Falls]

Josephine - Roz Ryan [Cake the Cat - Adventure Time]

Hemlock - Bruno Campos [Prince Naveen - The Princess and the Frog]

Reina - Brenda Song [Anne Boonchuy - Amphibia]

Maple - Grace Rolek [Connie Maheswaran - Steven Universe]

Luc - Terrell Ransom Jr. [Darwin - The Amazing World of Gumball]

Elsie - Susan Egan [Rose Quartz - Steven Universe]

Adeline - Genesis Rodriguez [Perfuma - She-Ra tPoP]

Eiland - Brian Timothy Anderson [Rosado - Fire Emblem Engage]

Caldarus (Statue) - Glen McCready [Omeluum - Baldur's Gate 3]

Seridia - Mallorie Rodak [Frieren - Frieren] (placeholder i almost put veronica taylor again)

Darcy - Danica McKellar [M'Gann M'Orzz - Young Justice]

Louis - John Michael Higgins [Varrick - The Legend of Korra]

Merri - Elizabeth Grullon [Camila Noceda - The Owl House]

Vera - Kirby Howell-Baptiste [Grace Monroe - Infinity Train]

[netherfeildren]

Vic! I must ask - do you have any erotic romance and/or erotica book recommendations?

LITEROTICA!!!!!!!! my favorite! I am finally finally getting to this, apologies for the delay. I'm not doing blurbs or anything and just going to list them, but I'll include a ⭐️ if they're a favorite. This is a mix of erotica and romance, and don't forget to check trigger warnings carefully for all books!

I'll also mark C for contemporary, HR for historical romance and F for fantasy just for ease of perusing.

In no particular order:

The Crossfire Series, Sylvia Day, C, ⭐️

Scounders of St. James series, Lorraine Heath, HR

Travises series, Lisa Kleypas, C

Little Birds, Anaïs Nin, C, ⭐️

Rules for the Reckless series, Meredith Duran, HR

The Duke of Shadows, Meredith Duran, HR

Bellamy Creek series, Melanie Harlow, C

Things We Never Got Over, Lucy Score, C, ⭐️

A Spy in the House of Love, Anaïs Nin, C, ⭐️

Cloverleigh Farms series, Melanie Harlow, C

The Pale Court duology, Liv Zander, F

Master of Salt & Bones, Keri Lake, CF

Of Flesh & Bone series, Harper L. Woods, F

Promises and Pomegranates, Sav R. Miller, C

The Made series, Danielle Lori, C, ⭐️

At Your Pleasure, Meredith Duran, HR

The Dressmakers series, Loretta Chase, HR

Scandal & Scoundrel series, Sarah Maclean, HR

Victorian Rebels series, Kerrigan Byrne, HR

Wicked Becomes You, Meredith Duran

The Ravenels series, Lisa Kleypas, HR, ⭐️

The Hathaways series, Lisa Kleypas, HR, ⭐️

After We Fall series, Melanie Harlow, C

Anti-Heroes in Love duology, Giana Darling, C

Dark Deam Duet duology, Giana Darling, C

Lord of Scoundrels, Loretta Chase, HR, ⭐️

Love By Numbers, Sarah Maclean, HR,

Girl Meets Duke series,Tessa Dare, HR

Castles Ever After series, Tessa Dare, HR

It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey, C, ⭐️

A Wicked Kind of Husband, Mia Vincy, HR, ⭐️

Playing with Monsters series, Amelia Hutchins, CF, ⭐️

Legacy of the Nine Realms series, Amelia Hutchins, CF

Aspect and Anchor series, Ruby Dixon

Wallflowers series, Lisa Kleypas, HR, ⭐️

The Gilded Age Heiresses series, Harper St. George

Dark Arts series, Bec McMaster, F, ⭐️

Markham Hall series, Sierra Simone, HR, ⭐️

Priest, Sierra Simone, C

The Villain, L.J. Shen

Delta of Venus, Anaïs Nin, C, ⭐️

[whencyclopedia]

Valley Forge

Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army from 19 December 1777 until 18 June 1778, during one of the most difficult winters of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Despite being undersupplied, underfed, and plagued with disease, the Continental Army underwent significant training and reorganization at Valley Forge, emerging as a much more disciplined and effective fighting force.

The Philadelphia Campaign

On 19 December 1777, the exhausted and starving soldiers of the Continental Army staggered into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, a location about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Philadelphia at the confluence of the Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River. It had been a long and difficult campaign. Four months earlier, they had raced down from New Jersey to defend the US capital of Philadelphia from the British army, only to be outflanked and defeated at the Battle of Brandywine (11 September). Following their victory, the British captured Philadelphia, which the Second Continental Congress had only just evacuated. The Continental Army regrouped and, on 4 October, retaliated with a surprise attack on a British garrison at the Battle of Germantown. Although the assault initially got off to a good start, a thick fog caused cohesion between American military units to break down, and the attack quickly lost momentum. When the British counterattacked, the undertrained Continental soldiers broke and fled. For the next two months, the two armies nervously maneuvered around one another. Although several bloody skirmishes were fought, neither side was eager to provoke another major battle.

Gradually, the temperatures dropped, and the bitter December winds signaled that it was time to suspend the campaign and enter winter quarters. The British army moved into Philadelphia, where the officers settled into the abandoned homes of the city's Patriot leaders and spent the winter attending lavish dinners, dancing at elegant balls, and courting Loyalist women. The Continental Army, meanwhile, marched to Valley Forge. The spot had been carefully chosen by the American commander-in-chief, General George Washington, for several reasons. First, its proximity to Philadelphia would allow the Americans to keep a close eye on the British army; attempts by the British to raid the surrounding Pennsylvanian countryside or to march for the town of York, the temporary seat of the Continental Congress, could quickly be challenged. Second, an encampment at Valley Forge would be easy to defend. The camp itself was to be situated on a large plateau surrounded by a series of hills and dense forests, creating a sort of natural fortress. Lastly, the location was beneficial because it was close to a supply of fresh water from the Valley Creek and Schuylkill River, and the abundance of nearby trees could easily be cut down for fuel or to build shelters.

Over 11,000 Continental soldiers filed into Valley Forge on that December day, accompanied by 500 women and children. They were certainly a disheveled lot. The many marches and countermarches they had needed to perform in the last several months had worn down their footwear; now, an estimated one out of every three Continental soldiers went entirely without shoes. Additionally, many soldiers lacked adequate coats to protect against the elements, particularly the incessant rain that had been falling all autumn. Many men owned only one shirt, while others did not even have a single shirt at all. It is unsurprising then that many of these exposed soldiers were already ill when they arrived at Valley Forge; out of the 11,000 men that arrived, only 8,200 were fit for duty.

The situation was made worse by a dangerous lack of food. At the beginning of the Valley Forge encampment, the army's commissary only had 25 barrels of flour, a small supply of salt pork, and no other stores of meat or fish. A lack of sufficient food and clothing was fairly typical of the army's supply department, which had often performed below expectations since its founding in 1775, but the chaos of the recent campaign had only made things worse. In its hurried evacuation from Philadelphia, Congress had failed to ensure the army's supply chain would remain unbroken, thereby contributing to the bareness of the army's food and clothing stores. Thus, it was clear from the start that the coming winter would be a challenging one.

Continue reading...

[trivialbob]

I pedaled 18 miles today on one of my favorite loops through Minneapolis. All of it is on paved bike trails.

All the bicyclists were paying attention. Sometimes, early in the season, there are riders who don't pay attention. They ride two across when other bikes are approaching or they wander down the path like a drunken bumblebee. Not today. It's always a great day when riders are safe and courteous.

The several piles of horse poop on the Midtown Greenway were a bit annoying. I assume it was from police horses. No other horses are allowed on a city bike trail. I don't expect mounted police to carry plastic poop bags, like I have to bring to dog parks, but maybe have a small shovel to push the lumps over into the dirt?

Two minor complaints: First, a few bicyclists using aero bars. Those are entirely inappropriate on urban bike trails with posted speed limits of 10 MPH. Take your carbon fiber bike out to the countryside. Second, runners on the bike paths. Not even Evans Chebet or Usain Bolt should be running down the middle of a bike path.

That is Minnehaha Falls in the short video above. We had a lot of rain around here lately, so the creek and the falls are very full. Sea Salt, the restaurant located in the park by the falls, was very busy. The line to order looked like it was only twelve Swifties short of a sell-out concert.

[reality-detective]

TOP 100 US RIOTED CITIES!

I'm sure if anything goes down from all the people who have crossed over our borders, the Military will have everything under control swiftly. You may want to avoid these cities if anything goes down, and for your safety, please stay away from the military if you see them. This list was pulled and organized from a NY Times recent article listing the top 100 prior-rioted cities, for quick reference. They are 👇

(THOSE WITH * ARE TOP 25 CITIES JUST ISSUED BY THE WHITE HOUSE ON 2/9/24):

Alabama

Huntsville

Mobile

Alaska

Arizona

* Phoenix

Arkansas

Bentonville

Conway

Little Rock

California

Beverly Hills

Fontana

La Mesa

* Los Angeles

* Oakland

Sacramento

* San Diego

* San Francisco

San Jose

San Luis Obispo

Santa Ana

Santa Rosa

Vallejo

Walnut Creek

Colorado

Colorado Springs

* Denver

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Fort Lauderdale

Jacksonville

Lakeland

* Miami

Orlando

West Palm Beach

Georgia

* Atlanta

Athens

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Aurora

Bloomington

Rockford

Indiana

Fort Wayne

Hammond

Indianapolis

Lafayette

Iowa

Des Moines

Iowa City

Waterloo

Kansas

Wichita

Kentucky

Louisville

Louisiana

* New Orleans

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

* Boston

Michigan

* Detroit

Grand Rapids

Kalamazoo

Lansing

Minnesota

Duluth

Minneapolis

* St. Paul

Mississippi

Missouri

Ferguson

Kansas City

St. Louis

Montana

Nebraska

Lincoln

Omaha

Nevada

Las Vegas

Reno

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

Albuquerque

New York

Albany

* Buffalo

* New York City

North Carolina

Ashville

Charlotte

Raleigh

Wilmington

North Dakota

Fargo

Ohio

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus

Dayton

Springfield

Toledo

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City

Tulsa

Oregon

Eugene

Portland

Salem

Pennsylvania

Erie

* Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Rhode Island

Providence

South Carolina

Charleston

Columbia

South Dakota

Sioux Falls

Tennessee

Chattanooga

Murfreesboro

Nashville

Texas

* Arlington

Austin

* Dallas

* El Paso

Fort Worth

* Houston

Lewisville

* San Antonio

Utah

* Salt Lake City

Vermont

Virginia

Fredericksburg

Richmond

Virginia Beach

Washington

Bellevue

* Seattle

Spokane

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Green Bay

Madison

Milwaukee

Wyoming

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

please support this blog

🦇 It Happened One Summer Book Review 🦇

❓ #QOTD What's your go-to summer read?❓ 🦇 Hollywood's It-Girl Piper Bellinger is the paparazzi's beloved wild child. There's always the promise she'll go a bit too far for the Gram, including hosting a rooftop party that lands her in jail after a bad breakup. Hoping she'll learn some sense of responsibility, her wealthy step-father ships her off to her late father's dive bar in the small town of Westport. She's not there for five minutes before she meets grumpy sea captain Brendan, and the two instantly clash. Will Piper reconnect with her past (charting a course for a new future in the process) or can she get back to LA before the end of her three-month sentence?

💜 Despite how much my beloved Booksta girlies adore her writing, I honestly didn't know what to expect from Tessa Bailey (and I'm glad, because I love shaping my own opinions). From chapter one, there's this instantly familiar yet distinct voice that SCREAMS chick-flick rom-com (with Kesha playing at full volume in the background). Piper is Alexis from Schitt's Creek meets Elle Woods ala Legally Blonde. She's vibrant and bubbly and yes, a little ditzy, but after a few chapters, you start to love her for the heart behind it. Brendan is all salt water and deep grumbles, strong yet stuck in his ways. My latest concern with rom-coms lately has been a lack of chemistry. Too many books rush to the smut, forcing two characters to fit when they just don't. Chemistry sparks off the page pretty quickly between these two, though--not in lingering glances, but in actions. Brendan has memory foam installed over a bunkbed so Piper can stop bruising herself. He changes her locks because everyone in Westport has a key to her building. It's not insta-love (but once things progress, these two burn HOT), and I'm grateful for that.

💜 It's the underlying messages that bumped this up to a rare 3.5 stars. People have been putting Piper into a box for too long, telling her she's just like every other girl in LA, that she won't amount to more. Brendan shows her she has so much more to give than she realizes. We start adoring Piper through Brendan, and that's a powerful thing. Meanwhile, Piper recognizes her worth and accomplishes far more than she thought herself capable. There's an underlying theme of guilt and grief from both sides, too; Piper for her late father, and Brendan for his late wife. They heal together and end up stronger for it.

💙 It's the third act that made my star rating falter. Piper clinging to pieces of her past, that lingering what-if of falling back into her comfort zone and old ways--Brendan shouldn't have faulted her for that, turning it into a blowout fight when Piper admitted EARLIER that she didn't know what to do. After that, it's a number of conveniently placed obstacles that keep them apart. Piper's sudden decision to go back to LA felt out of place given her character development, too. Though it wasn't a full third-act breakup, it was enough to feel exhausting.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Emily Henry, Ali Hazelwood, and Hannah Grace.

✨ The Vibes ✨ ⚓ Small Town Romance ⚓ Contemporary Romance ⚓ Schitt's Creek Inspired ⚓ Grumpy/Sunshine ⚓ Opposites Attract ⚓ First in a Duology ⚓ He Falls First

💬 Quotes ❝ I can be in a room full of people that I know & still not feel like I belong. ❞ ❝ This girl. He'd be keeping her. There was no way around it. ❞ ❝ Apparently he enjoyed that now. Being confused & charmed & pulled apart over this woman. ❞ ❝ "I like the things that make you Piper. Don't go changing them now. ❞

[rjzimmerman]

Meet a Family That’s Betting the Farm on a Wild Idea. Literally. (New York Times)

Tyler Faaborg with mushrooms for products to be sold under the name 1,100 Farm. It’s a nod to the number of hogs each barn once held. Credit...Annick Sjobakken for The New York Times

The Faaborgs have started selling medicinal tinctures, plus coffee and salt with mushrooms added. Credit...Annick Sjobakken for The New York Times

For years Rand Faaborg, a father of five in rural Iowa, wanted to get out of hog farming. He just didn’t know how.

He’d built two barns in 1991, a few hundred yards from the family’s farmhouse, and fattened up thousands of hogs at a time. But by 2020, Mr. Faaborg was exhausted and making a fraction of what he’d earned from hogs three decades earlier. He and his wife felt trapped. They didn’t want to raise hogs anymore or live alongside them, yet they had poured half a million dollars into paying off the loans on the barns and replacing the roofs.

“I don’t know that I could even get across how much work we have spent over these decades down here with these buildings,” said Mr. Faaborg, who is 67 and still working a day job in metal manufacturing, as he stood alongside the barns one sunny morning last month. “To just walk away from it, to let them fall to disrepair and bulldoze them down, it would be hard.”

But this summer, with help from a nonprofit group and a leap of faith, the Faaborg farm is in the middle of a noisy, radical transformation. The Faaborgs have traded hogs for mushrooms in an effort to restore balance to the land, and to their lives.

The last of their hogs shipped out in the fall of 2022. Mushrooms for medicinal tinctures and a coffee blend are now being grown in an outbuilding, and a hog barn is being retrofitted to grow specialty mushrooms. Elsewhere on the land, hundreds of native trees have been planted and a pollinator-friendly field has been sown. A sediment-choked creek is set to be restored, and the open lagoon that once held a million gallons of hog waste is being converted into a freshwater pond.

The person driving the changes is Rand Faaborg’s second-oldest son, Tanner Faaborg, 40. He hopes to make his family’s farm a blueprint in the Midwest, to show how people can leave industrial farming, grow environmentally friendly and profitable food, and, in turn, help rebuild hollowed-out communities.

“I want to make rural America a place where people want to live and grow up in,” Tanner Faaborg said. Absent significant changes, he said, the heartland will end up becoming “one big manufacturing plant.”

[peloblancophoto]

Salt Creek Falls Black and White

[life-in-the-garden]

Jar Spell: Spirit's Freedom

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a 2002 animated movie about a young mustang stallion in 19th century western America. After growing up as a wild horse, he is captured by white soldiers of the United States Cavalry and “broken” to bear a saddle and rider before making his escape with a Lakota youth named Little Creek. He bears witness to the abuse that horses suffer as a great railroad is being built, and finally runs free again with his herd after falling in love with a mare named Rain. This jar spell channels Spirit’s yearning for freedom from oppression, abuse, and confinement, and is ideal for anyone seeking emotional help with breaking free from an abusive home, job, or relationship. (Please see the “Notes” section at the end for mundane resources related to escaping abusive situations).

You will absolutely need:

a small vessel with a lid (a pill bottle or spice shaker works just fine)

sealing wax (ideally blue or white) or liquid glue

Once you have your vessel, add some ingredients related to wild horses running free and/or your conception of what freedom means. Some suggested ingredients that you may or may not include depending on your preferences are:

a clipping of hair from a horse’s mane or tail

a feather from a wild bird (for flight and freedom)

1-3 horse-themed bracelet charms but NOT horseshoe charms (horseshoes symbolize being tamed)

sea salt (for the wildness of the ocean)

dried flower heads from flowering weeds (for defiance)

peppercorns and/or ground black/red pepper (for defiance)

Directions:

Cleanse your vessel if it is repurposed or you feel a need to cleanse it, then add your ingredients but do not seal it just yet. In a quiet, private place and with your filled vessel nearby, ponder the nature of your confinement and the liberation you hope to achieve. Ruminate on the steps you will need to take in order to gain your freedom—this could be searching for a new job, locating a place of sanctuary in which to take refuge, reaching out to a friend or loved one for assistance, and much more. Use this time to emotionally fortify yourself.

When you are ready, use the wax or liquid glue to seal the vessel. This seals your intention of escape and liberation from whatever circumstances confine you. If you keep faith to a spirit or deity you wish to call upon for assistance in your endeavor, you may do so at this point. Keep your sealed vessel in a safe place until you have made your escape.

When you have taken flight and made your escape, break the seal and scatter the organic ingredients in a wild, free place. If using inorganic ingredients such as metal or plastic bracelet charms, it is ideal to thank, cleanse, and save the charms for another use.

Notes:

Magic can be a useful tool, but it doesn’t work all on its own. If you make no effort to get yourself out of a quagmire, then of course this spell (and any other) is going to fail. That said, you are not alone in your struggles. Please feel free to use any of the resources below that are applicable to your circumstances.

The United States’ national domestic violence hotline is 800-799-7233. You can also connect to help via SMS by messaging the word START to 88788. Their website is here.

In all 50 states of the USA, as well as in Washington DC and Puerto Rico, you can dial 211 to be connected to a social worker. Please note that calling 211 doesn’t need to be used solely for discussing the escape of an abusive situation; you can also dial this number for general healthcare and mental health resources that are local to your area. You can learn more here.

The United Kingdom’s national domestic violence hotline is 0808-2000-247. There is also an online chat that can be accessed here.