#st: silverbow

[illusionswrites]

Swamp creature. All unwashed mouth, all river mud. You overgrown bramble. You outrageous thorn. Unafraid of a little blood. Unafraid of a lot. Opposition trembles before you. Runs away and tells stories of your unholiness. Your dirt and your anger. All your bite. Reputation doesn't precede you; it follows you around with its tail between its legs. It cowers in your shadow. Curse the words of those who tried to bury you. Bless your inability to stay down.

She Of the Woods from Artemis Made Me Do It by Trista Mateer

[silvcrbow]

the somewhat comprehensive history of niya reynaud silverbow

          I keep meaning to actually write out Niya’s book-by-book bio, but I haven’t gotten around to it until now. Canon characters are a part of this, but of course, if we write you’re totally not obligated to follow these plots, this is just Niya’s default & might come up in backstory w/ other muses!

pre-tmi --

          Niya Reynaud grew up in the Shadow World as a mundane with the Sight. There was always speculation around who her father was, but if her mother knew, she wasn’t telling. As long as Niya could remember, she’d lived with her mother, Talia, in a tiny apartment above Madame Bones’ House of Voodoo. As soon as she was old enough to walk she was helping out in the shop with customers of both the mundane and Downworlder varieties. High Warlock of New Orleans, Madame Bones (or “Auntie” as those closest prefer to call her), was an ancient warlock so old her name has been lost to history, and some say even herself. The night of a full moon, Talia was making a last minute delivery in the French Quarter, when she was attacked by a werewolf. Madame Bones brought her home and helped her through her first change. After that, nothing in Niya’s life would ever be the same. Though she’d skimmed the surface of the Shadow World her whole life, having a werewolf parent meant she was thrown headfirst into the chaos. Over five years, she found herself befriending members of the New Orleans pack and the New Orleans vampire clan, warlocks young and old, and occasionally she bumped into Shadowhunters from the local Institute, but they tended to keep to themselves.          Several years later, a werewolf, baring a suspicious similarity to the wolf who’d turned Talia, appears in NYC, attacking and killing several mundanes. The Lightwoods track him across the country to New Orleans, where the werewolf is determined to finish what he started: Opening the Gates of Guinee, and releasing the forces of hell on the mundane world. With the help of the Lightwoods, Niya manages to summon a Loa, protector of Guinee, Maman Brigitte, and convince her to lock the gates. Brigitte agrees, but leaves Niya with a cryptic riddle regarding her own heritage, and a warning: “The gates will open, sooner than you may think. They were always meant to. The boy who wields their power will be a greater threat to this world than anything you’ve ever known. You say you want to protect this world? When the time comes, and you will know, you must answer the call.”

tmi --

           In the year leading up to the Mortal War, Niya keeps in touch with her new Shadowhunter friends. Her family, particularly Auntie Bones, is against the idea of her fraternizing with nephilim. But luckily, a certain warlock in Brooklyn loves his exotic purchases, and Niya is constantly being portaled to the city in order to deliver them. No one could fault her if she stayed a bit longer than necessary. Niya becomes close with the Lightwoods, Mayrse even goes so far as to say that she’d be a good candidate for Ascension, supposing the Mortal Cup ever resurfaced. Though only a mundane, Niya didn’t have to work hard to fit in, she knew way more than average about the Downworld thanks to Madame Bones’ extensive library on the subject, and she wasn’t half bad in a fight. But, more than that, she was good at parties and ever better at charming overbearing parents. Anything to bring a little fun into the stuffy Shadowhunter world.           That all changed when the Mortal War began and Madame Bones banned Niya from leaving New Orleans. Though far removed from the action, the city still felt the repercussions. Tensions were high as locals worried that they would be next. They were the unofficial capital of the Downworld, what if the Circle’s poison spread? The head of the New Orleans Institute, Mariah Rosewain, did her best to dispel these notions. Her family had always been in support of more integration between the Shadowhunters and the Downworld, but her out spoken opinion only drew more attention to the city, and when Sebastian Morganstern began his own crusade, the New Orleans Institute was among the first to be attacked. Niya spent most of this time relegated to working the back room of the voodoo shop, and for a long time she would resent that her family hadn’t let her do more to help. When the Dark War ended, and the Clave sent word that they were looking for new recruits, Niya realized this was what Maman Brigitte had prepared her for, and she decided to join the new class at the Academy.

tfsa --

          The Academy was both everything and nothing like Niya expected. The Shadowhunter-born students were just like every other nephilim she’d met: arrogant, annoying, and occasionally ignorant. But what she hadn’t planned for, was how much she actually liked being there. For once she could fight without someone constantly standing over her shoulder, worrying about her, and she was damn good at it. The first year went by in a blur of bland meals and grueling training sessions. But before the semester came to a close, Talia Reynaud sent a cryptic postcard to the New York Institute baring only a photo of New Orleans’ St. Louis Cathedral and the message, “It’s time she knows the truth.” So Niya was greeted with a Lightwood and a warlock in her dorm room, pulling her through a portal to the city, with hardly a word of explanation. The local Shadowhunters kept a cache of weapons in the loft of the cathedral, but they weren’t the only things hiding there. Niya discovered a letter, that when opened blasted her into a memory of the past.           Lady Mirah of the Seelie Court was known for throwing the most extravagant Mardi Gras balls in New Orleans, and Talia Reynaud had gone to her fair share when she was younger. It was at one of these parties she met a handsome stranger, who wore a masquerade mask that covered one of his eyes. It was love at first sight. Only, Talia had a firm rule against falling in love with Shadowhunters, and the faint scars covering his body proved that he was one. Though he tried to explain, he hadn’t been a Shadowhunter in a very long time, Talia refused to listen. She was so upset she didn’t even noticed his mis-matched eyes, one bright blue and one black. It was for the best, Thomas knew he would have to return to the Wild Hunt in the morning. Months later, he returned to New Orleans, hoping to find Talia. And he did, but he also found a baby girl. Knowing it was too dangerous for him to stay, Thomas left New Orleans forever, but he left behind a letter and his favorite adamas carved bow.            When Niya was finally released from the memory and the faerie magic that put her there, she found the signature at the bottom of the letter, “Your father, Thomas Lightwood.” According to the family tree, he was a descendant of Eugenia, and part of a branch that had been lost to history. It wasn’t hard to see why, Shadowhunters had never been very accommodating to their own who chose to intermingle with Downworlders. So Niya returned to the Academy and floated through the rest of the semester, unsure what to do with this information. It made sense now, her aptitude for weapons and her innate ability to fight. But she couldn’t tell anyone, not with the Cold Peace. She’d heard rumors about how that played out for the Blackthorns. So she pretended she was a mundane, that she was normal. Until summer break came, and a group of vampires decided to stage a coup against Carmen’s reign. Niya found herself tangled in the middle, and it didn’t end well for her. Her only options were to use an amisso rune (with the stele she’d stolen from Jon Cartwright), or be turned. She went for the former, resigning herself to a brutal Louisiana summer wearing long sleeves.           Niya was determined to keep her secret. Though of course her mother and Auntie Bones already knew, so did Carmen and Michelle who’d been there when she used her rune, not to mention the Lightwoods of course, and Magnus. The only people Niya found she was any good at lying to, were her friends at the Academy. Then the day came when Helen Blackthorn was put on display, and Niya realized just what the stakes were for her. If the Clave was willing to do this to someone who’d been raised one of their own, what would they do to a half-breed who’d been raised by Downworlders? So she told her closest friends at the Academy, some of which didn’t take the lies very well. A few days later, on a routine mission, Simon fell through a portal into Faerie, and without thinking twice, Niya dived in after him. She was hit with a feeling she hadn’t felt since her father’s magic had trapped her in his memory. The power that could only be felt by being close to someone who shared your blood. A certain Unseelie Prince, younger brother to Thomas’ father. And someone who wasn’t necessarily thrilled to discover he had another Shadowhunter relative. But Kieran helped her find her way back to the mundane world, where she did her best to repair things with the friends she’d alienated with months of lies. Including George, who she’d always hoped would be her parabatai once they Ascended, but of course, for one of them, that day would never come.           Niya drank from the Mortal Cup, playing the part of a mundane Ascending, and when asked if she would choose a new name, she briefly considered her father’s, but that would raise too many questions. So instead she looked to the adamas bow that she’d taken as her own weapon, and decided, “Silverbow.” 

tda --

          After graduation, Niya was assigned to the San Fransisco Institute, where she was given a roommate: the insufferable Annalissa Youngblood, youngest child of the Youngblood family that ran the institute. To say Niya was unamused with being handed a babysitter at least six years her junior would be an understatement. But she suffered through it, and she did her part, even though she felt like she was missing something. She’d forgotten how to fight without someone by her side. Even though she’d never really had a parabatai, she still felt the loss as if she had. She distanced herself from the Youngbloods, venturing further out, taking missions in partner with the Seattle Institute and occasionally the Los Angles Institute. It was on a mission to the latter, she crossed paths with Kieran again. There would be no cheerful family reunion here, instead just another warning: “The Unseelie King knows you exist, and he won’t let half-breeds taint his bloodline.” The King was the reason Thomas had been taken from his Shadowhunter family and given to the Hunt, and Niya was not eager to find out what he did with his female descendants. So she stuck with the Blackthorns, they needed her help more than the Youngbloods did anyway.           That path eventually led her to the Scholomance, where she intended to craft a plot to kill the King before he could kill her. But there, training with Centurions and Kieran, she gained back the confidence she’d once had in her own abilities, and realized that she wanted more than just survival, Niya Silverbow wanted to be a Centurion. Even if it meant telling the Clave she had faerie blood, even if it meant that she might lose everything, she had to try. Talia Reynaud didn’t raise a quitter.

[miamiroofing162]

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[houstonroofing161]

February 2020 permits

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[phoenixroofing164]

February 2020 permits

Jacobs-Servin LLC 1950 Melrose St. $97,001.32 — Siding and replacement of 54 windows Contractor: Silverbow Roofing Inc. Stonecreek Custom ...

[lenaglittleus]

Alaska Travel Guide | 3 Days in Juneau

I’m finally sharing my very long overdue post from our trip to Alaska! Originally my plan was to share the trip in its entirety in one post, but as soon as I sat down to write this I realized there was no way I could do that.

We covered a lot of ground during our trip to Juneau and Glacier Bay National Park, so rather than cramp it all into one, I thought I’d break it up with this 3 days guide to Juneau and hopefully my guide to Glacier Bay NP coming soon!

For now, I thought we could jump into Juneau.

If I’m being totally honest, Juneau was not on my radar before this trip. I take zero credit for organizing any of this and all credit instead goes to C’s parents who planned it all. We just hopped on board for the ride. It was on C’d dad’s bucket list to visit Glacier Bay and Juneau is the natural launching point for this adventure. We ended up having 3 full days there on either side of our trip to Glacier Bay so we had plenty of time to cover a lot of ground throughout this tiny city.

Before I get into where we stayed, went and ate, I thought I’d give a few tips to anyone travelling to Juneau:

1) BRING A RAINCOAT. I can’t stress this enough. You are in the middle of a rainforest. It will rain. A LOT.

2) The temps are also pretty cool so make sure you bring layers for below your raincoat.

3) Expect a lot of cruises. Juneau is one of the many stops on the Alaskan cruises that come through Alaska in the summer. The main area downtown was definitely created just for them and is full of kitchy shops with a lot of Alaska t-shirts…try to avoid those.

4) Juneau is super walkable so except the day when you head out to the glacier, don’t bother renting a car.

Those are my main tips, but I’ve included some other ones throughout the rest of the post. With that, here’s your Juneau Travel Guide:

WHERE WE STAYED

Juneau is tiny so to be honest, where you stay in town is not a big deal, but be prepared for fewer options and high prices

Four Points Juneau – we stayed here for the first two nights and it did the trick. Not anything to write home about, but nothing to complain about either. Right on the water and walking distance from everything.

Silverbow Inn – definitely more charming than the four points, this was a nice B&B in the middle of town. The owners were super nice and the breakfast was awesome.

WHERE WE WENT

Mendenhall Glacier – definitely the reason people visit Juneau. There’s a couple ways to get there, but if you’re a small group the shuttle is your best bet but for bigger groups consider renting a car for the day (it’s cheaper). Hike around the glacier or shell out for a canoe/kayak ride in the lake or a hike on the glacier. We didn’t do either of these, but honestly the trails around the glacier gave us plenty to do. Stop by the visitor’s center too.

The National Shrine of St. Therese – a beautiful church in the wilderness that feels like it fell from the sky. The property was beautiful and peaceful to walk around

Tram up Mt. Roberts – admittedly we didn’t do this (C and I slept in), but C’s parents did. It offers views over the Gastineau channel and some hiking trails up near the top. Another option if you’re looking for an activity is to hike up and then take the tram down. If you spend $10 each in the gift shop you get a free tram ride down.

Perseverance Trail – there are plenty of trails in the area but this was the one we chose. It’s a nice, easy trail with beautiful views through the rainforest. It’s about a mile walk from town, so factor that in but ended up being around a 5 mile hike without the to-and-from.

Dog Mushing Summer Camp – Maybeeeee the highlight of our trip! But what can I say, I’m a total dog person. If you’ve ever wanted to go dog sledding but are visiting Alaska in the summer, definitely sign up for the dog mushing adventure. The dogs were SO happy to run and we got to pet them, learn more about dog mushing and play with puppies. Day.Made.

Yoga at Rainforest Yoga– For a rainy day activity, I recommend checking out this community yoga spot. They don’t have many classes so check out their schedule, but it’s a warm, local community and my Forrest Yoga class was wonderful!

Alaska Brewery Tour – this is less of a tour and more of a drink and hear the history kind of experience, but it was actually very good! The “tour” costs $20 and includes a shuttle ride to and from their download merchandise store (they don’t have alcohol at that location) and the pours are generous. A good deal and another great indoor activity for the rain.

WHAT WE ATE

Pretty sure we ate everything there is to offer in Juneau! Here are some of our favorites:

Rockwell – We went here twice and loved it! The beer on tap selection is impressive and their menu has a lot of options if you’re travelling with a big group. Loved the brussels sprouts and greens salad!

The Rookery Cafe – Cute cafe that serves up salads, sandwiches and baked goods.

Sandpiper Cafe – The ultimate breakfast restaurant in Juneau, it’s hard to top Sandpiper. The food is so good, though prepare yourself for huge portions. Definitely order anything with their smoked salmon, an Alaskan specialty!

V’s Cellar Door – A Mexican-Korean fusion restaurant in Juneau?! Trust me on this one. Their mix and match rice bowls are insanely good!

The Hangar on the Wharf – Definitely a tourist joint, but the food is actually surprisingly good! Though you really can’t go wrong at a fish spot in Alaska.

The Island Pub – This pizza joint is on Douglas Island right across the channel from Juneau (a 5 minute drive away) and the pizza is delicious. For a post-hike meal, you’re gonna want to hit up this spot.

60 Degrees Coffee – serving up great coffee that can be infused with local Alaskan chaga mushroom. The wellness junkie in me loved this place

Amalga Distillery – a gin and vodka distillery right in the center of town. Drinks are CHEAP ($5!) and delicious so definitely stop by. No food though so heads up but V instagrammable!

Rainbow Foods – Need to resupply? Rainbow is the local area health food shop, which has all your usual grub. Stopped in to pick up some snacks, but they do have a hot bar if you want something quick and healthy to-go.

Stay tuned for my recap from the glaciers and rainforest in Glacier Bay National Park! Coming soon.

Have you been to Juneau? Anything else you would add to this post?

The post Alaska Travel Guide | 3 Days in Juneau appeared first on The Healthy Maven.

from News About Health http://www.thehealthymaven.com/2017/09/alaska-travel-guide-juneau.html

[illusionswrites]

i love you more than the moon above us. i love you more than ursa minor & ursa major combined. i love you more than each & every one of the stars. i love you more than the entire galaxy & all the galaxies they have yet to discover. you, too, are a magnificent, celestial being. i can't imagine not being in the same sky as you.

big sister says from “shine your icy crown” by amanda lovelace

[illusionswrites]

break the rules whenever you find the chance. live a life so fierce, bold, & carefree that people often accuse you of being a witch. you see, society fears nothing more than a woman who's not only aware of her power but also not afraid to use it in any way she sees fit. what could be more fun than constantly keeping them on their toes?

big sister says from “shine your icy crown” by amanda lovelace

[illusionswrites]

Fill your life with women who empower you, who help you believe in your magic, and help them to beleive in their own incredible power and exceptional magic too. Women who believe in each other can survive anything. Women who believe in each other can create armies that will win kingdoms and wars. Remember always, the only people who can save us are each other, the only people who can love us are ourselves.

What I Have Learned About Sisterhood from The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

[illusionswrites]

This will be visceral. There will be no apology. When you are a hunted thing, you long learn that apologies were not built for you. So you learn to become the hunter. Teach your bones the magic. The music. You will be no lamb to the slaughter. So what if you are only human? You can turn brutal people into cautionary tales by raising your voice. You just need to learn the art of thunder. The craft of soft war.

“A War Named You” from Your Heart Is The Sea by Nikita Gill

[illusionswrites]

She finds it difficult to cry. Rage suppresses her tears. She has shed her girlhood, traded her emotions for power. It is easier to be hated than to face not being loved. Easier to be angry than accept sadness. But we all have to let the sorrow out somehow.

excerpt from “Hymn for Hera” from Great Goddesses by Nikita Gill

[illusionswrites]

There is something moon-soaked and dawn-flavoured about her. Something kissed by the wild and loved by lightning. She, the Goddess of storm hunting and wolves and moonlight magic. She, the queen of the forest, of womanhood more brutal than tragic.

"The Moon Goddess” from Great Goddesses by Nikita Gill

[illusionswrites]

When Theseus left me I was not surprised; he did not want a girl who could draw blood in brutal ways, for remorselessness is only seen as pretty on men. He was too mortal for me anyway, and I have spent too much time in the company of darkness to become wholesome when my quiet comes from the corners of a labyrinth that holds the bones of many heroes like him.

excerpt from “Ariadne” from Great Goddesses by Nikita Gill

[illusionswrites]

women do not have to tear each other down to build themselves up. one woman's success is not another's failure, it is a victory. loving one another when the world tells you to stop is not weakness, it is strength.

men gave us the torches to burn ourselves down

[illusionswrites]

the most dangerous humans are the women who realize they don't need anyone after facing the hurricane alone

love, & you by gretchen gomez.

[illusionswrites]

one of the earth's most famous cruelties is how it can just keep turning no matter what may have just shattered us you left and i began counting the days until the smell of you would shake itself free of my clothes but no matter how long ago my house emptied itself of your smile, i've still got walls full of shadows trying to shift into the shape of you

my dearest hurricane by morgan nikola-wren