#sunflower seed muffins

[vannimamibaking]

Vagabond muffins from Marie Simmons A-Z muffins. I didn’t know this flavor, apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, sesame seed, sunflower seeds and walnuts. As usual a bit healthier versions, half of the flour is whole wheat and it has buttermilk and oil. I used fried apricots instead of the raisins. As it sometimes happens, it was gone before the final cut in half picture …

[fullcravings]

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins with SunButter Swirl (Bakery Style)

[hunger-not-by-number]

pesto, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella, & egg whites on a toasted multigrain English muffin

[sunnami]

the (poly) marauders + lily as reversed tropes.

a/n: i tried moving to a new blog.. possibly got shadowbanned... that other blog is now my dump blog, LMAO. pls enjoy this drabble!

i. academic rivals except it’s two teachers who compete to have the best class.

“It’s driving me mad, Prongs,” says a frazzled Remus Lupin, pacing back and forth in his nearly-empty classroom. Sirius watches from where he sits backwards on a wooden chair—not at all concerned with the woes of his lover, rather preoccupied with the derriere of the DADA professor, hugged beautifully by his trousers. (He makes a mental note to thank Lily and her shopping sprees in Muggle London later. And, thoroughly.) Lily eyes Remus warily, ignoring the way James is tugging at her newly-trimmed hair like a lovesick fourth-year. 

“I’ve fought in the bloody war, what do you mean my ‘pronunciation could do with some work’?” Remus scoffs, a bewildered expression on his flushed cheeks. Then, he points to the basket of lemon poppy-seed muffins, “And, the gall to send me that. Can you believe it?”

“No way,” Lily widens her eyes in mock outrage, gasping for melodramatic effect. “How dare anyone send our sweet, darling Remus homemade muffins?”

Remus dangles the swing handle of the wicker basket by his hand, nose scrunched in disgust as though it could turn him into a werewolf for the second time. “It’s not about the baskets, Lily! It’s a fear-mongering tactic—a threat, if you will. If Gryffindor doesn’t win the house cup, I might as well resign from my post.” 

James chortles, leaning back against his seat to fully stare at Remus. (And what a lovely face he has.) “Don’t you think you’re going overboard there, Moony? We’ve won the bloody thing every year—and if we’re running behind Hufflepuff, I can always give ickle Harry a hundred points for being our son. Quite a feat, wouldn’t you agree?”

Lily smacks him on the arm. “Don’t you dare, James Fleamont Potter!” 

Sirius whistles. “Full name. Yikes. You’re on your own there, mate.” 

James glares at him. “I’ve had my tongue down your throat, don’t call me ‘mate’.” 

Grinning, Sirius diverts his attention back to the pouting werewolf, struck by whatever magical spell you’ve cast on him—and their happy little wedded bunch. (He particularly likes the way you raise your voice when the Weasley twins charm your greenhouse with the colors of maroon and yellow. The upturn of your nose and raw fury in your eyes does something funny to his heart.) “Be honest, Moony, you’re just frustrated because our favorite professor is wearing those bell-bottom jeans that make their legs look just utterly delectable,” he grins salaciously. 

“Can confirm,” replies Lily with a chirpy nod. “The back view is even better.” 

“Well, yes, but that’s beside the point, my love,” Remus splutters with a cough. “It’s a matter of legacy and pride now. If—”

“While I appreciate being the topic of conversation, I’ve come to collect my students’ papers on Hinkypunks and Dugbogs,” you enter the fray with a knock on the door, startling them from their conversation; a wide smile on your face and a yellow scarf around your neck. “You see, I like to give them points myself when they score above a hundred percent. It really motivates them for the end-of-year exams.” 

James beams at your arrival, like a sunflower blooming under sunlight on a summer day. He stretches his arms wide, a space perfectly carved for you. “Come here, darling,” he calls out for his spouse, quickly affirming that the jeans you’re wearing is a blessing to the wizard kind. (He wonders if you’d let him peel it off you tonight.) As you perch yourself atop his lap, James nuzzles the crook of your neck, pressing soft, butterfly kisses to your skin. “How was your day?”

He captures your lips and you eagerly lean into his warmth. “Perfect now that I’ve found you all. Why were you hiding here, anyway?” you ask innocently, fluttering your lashes at Remus. “Did you get my gift, Moony? The elves helped me with it last night.”

“He’s just cross because you’ve become the entire castle’s favorite teacher in your first year,” Lily points out treacherously, flashing her doe eyes at Remus. (Great, now he’s got two pairs of the prettiest eyes on earth staring into his soul. He’s so beyond in love with everyone in this room.) “Not even the Malfoy kid complains about you, and he still grumbles when I have to do my yearly check-ups.”

You laugh knavishly, beckoning him over. “Is it my fault that I’m so lovable?” 

Remus scoffs, yet finds his feet drawn towards you in long, impatient strides. He leans down until the scent of ambrarome and coconut overwhelms your senses. You tug on his duck-printed tie, smiling as he grumbles lightheartedly into your lips, “Not at all, darling.”

“Shall I lock the doors now?” Sirius offers mischievously. “I’ve always wanted to do it in a classroom.”

ii. it’s too hot to cuddle!

“Mmmrgh, Lily, get off, you fiend,” you groan into the sweat-soaked pillow, suffering from one of the worst heat waves Godric’s Hollow has ever seen—swatting your wife away as she throws her leg over your thigh, impishly nibbling on your neck. On any other day, you’d relish the feel of her skin on yours, the tendrils of her flaming red hair tickling your bare arms—or the times you’d wake up to a tangled mess of crimson in your mouth. But today is just not that day.

Lily sniffles. “Ah, woe is me. My own son doesn’t want to hug me anymore, and none of the people I married want to cuddle me on this dreadful—what ever happened to ‘til death do us part’, you traitors?” 

You roll over on the bed to face her with an incredulous glare—the pretty witch has the nerve to smile at you. “Don’t be so dramatic, Lily. Just cast another cooling charm, or something.”

Lily flops onto her side of the king-sized bed, breathless and flushed, arms splayed out like an octopus—wincing apologetically when she hits you in the face by accident. “I already did. We might just have to get naked to put up with this heat.”

James pokes his head through the door, glasses forgone and black hair messily strewn over his eyes; the damp fabric of his white shirt clinging to chiseled, dark skin. (Ah, the joys of marrying an active Auror and former Quidditch prodigy.) “Did someone say get naked?”

“Way ahead of everyone,” says Sirius as he steps out of the bathroom, having taken his fourth shower today, and wearing nothing but his birthday suit, face towel strung over his shoulder and toothbrush in the side of his mouth. 

“Oh Gods, Sirius!” Lily squeals as she throws a pillow at him. “Get back in there and put some clothes on!” 

“What?” he retorts quizzically, swirling around to give everyone a show—and a generous view of his abs and firm backside. And, well, the other thing, too. “It’s not like you haven’t seen any of this before.”

Last to join the party is Remus, who barely spares a second glance to the naked Sirius Orion Black. “Pack your things, I got us a room at a Muggle inn for an hour. Harry’s downstairs waiting for everyone. He says he’ll rip off the stuffed Padfoot’s head if no one accompanies him to the pool later.” 

That is all he says before swiftly exiting the room.

You stare at the spot where he had been standing previously, whispering in awe, “God bless the Remus Lupins of the world.” 

iii. too much communication.

“—and the thing is,” you say through your weepy blubbering, nose swollen and eyes stinging from crying for the last thirty minutes. “When you guys get all secret-ey and start avoiding me, it really makes me feel like shite. And. . . and then—!” you pause to hiccup, breaking down into sobs once more when Sirius gathers you into his arms, laying his love all over your skin, kissing your tears away as he coos into your ear. “And then, Gilderoy Lockhart comes and says that you all hide away in this h-house, or shack, or whatever and meet your secret girlfriend there! I know you said it was just us and you’d never, ever cheat—and I trust you all more than life itself! But I have to know why you disappear from me every month on a particular night. A-Are you tired of me or something?”

Sirius hushes you with his lips, brows contorted—as though he’s in pain because you are in pain. He cradles the back of your neck, placating your worries with whispers of devotion. “Oh, darling, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean for it to get this far. We just wanted to keep you from harm. You’re our world, our entire heart. If you’re hurt, it hurts worse for us, little love.” 

Remus kneels by your feet, grabbing your hands in his; eyes dripping with fondness and warmth. The gold flecks in his eyes glimmering like stars in the night sky. “There’s something you have to know about me, love. We should have told you this long ago—but I was afraid you would look at me differently.”

You end up in another crying fit, overwhelmed by his kindness and sincerity. “I’ve seen you when you had food poisoning, Remus Lupin, I was the one who cleaned your vomit on the floors—nothing on this earth can make me look at you differently.”

Remus chokes, before gathering his bearings, hiding wet chuckles in your lap. “I’m a werewolf, my darling. That’s why we avoid you during full moons. To keep you safe. Your safety is always going to be one of my highest priorities. I’d die before I would let Moony harm a pretty hair on your head.” 

“Is that it?” you croak, whimpers subsiding as relief floods through your veins. “Truly?”

Remus nods. “Truly.”

“Oh, our poor love,” Lily murmurs, delicately running her hand through your hair, a worried knit in her brows. “I’m sorry we let it get to this point. Look at you—you’ll cry yourself sick.” She procures a daintily-embroidered handkerchief from her skirt pockets, gently dabbing at your damp eyes, eyes creased with love. “I’m sorry,” she says once more, pressing her lips to yours until all you feel is her instead of hurt. “No more secrets, I promise.”

James scratches the back of his head with a crooked grin. “Well. . . there is one more. Remember that time you saw a stag in the corridors? That was me. And, the dog trying to get a look under your skirt was Sirius.”

You blink. “What?”

iv. child hero has very involved parents.

Harry James Potter is known as the Boy-Who-Lived, the beloved Chosen One of the wizarding society, if you will. He has a destiny to follow and all that—well, if he could actually do anything heroic.

“What do you mean there’s a basilisk in the castle!” you shriek, a poor vase in Dumbledore’s office shattering to a million pieces. Harry drags a hand down his face—this is going to be a very long night. Suddenly, he regrets writing a letter to home about the happenings in the castle. (How was he supposed to know that all five of his parents would march into Dumbledore’s quarters the moment they heard about the blood on the walls and the petrified students?) “Why haven’t you shut down the school yet? Are you waiting for more students to get hurt?” you press on heatedly, James and Sirius flanking your sides like protective bodyguards. 

“Have you taken any protective measures?” Lily asks worriedly, holding onto Remus’s hand that’s resting on her shoulder. (Honestly, Harry thinks, rolling his eyes inwardly. The lot of you are worse than Molly Weasley at this point.) She turns to Harry, “What about Hermione? Is she safe? Oh, her parents must be worried.”

“You know what,” you say standing up, pivoting on your heel as your flock of lovers follow in suit. “We’re leaving, Harry dear, let’s go.” 

“Go?” the twelve-year-old echoes dumbfoundedly. “Go, where?”

“Home,” you reply with no room for arguments. “Until the matter is resolved, you are staying home. And tell Hermione she’s welcome to stay with us, too. And, Ginny. Ronald, as well. Actually, darling, why don’t you just tell all your friends the Potter manor is open to them whenever.”

Harry thinks you’ve just decided that on a whim, but he knows that Lily and his fathers will go along with whatever you want, regardless.

Your gaze slices to Dumbledore with a low hiss, venomous enough to rival a Slytherin’s taunt. “Fix this or I shall hunt down that basilisk myself.” 

Harry’s shoulders slump. 

So much for fulfilling prophecies and defeating dark lords.

a/n: drabbles are so fun!! this was so fun to write (but not trying to set up another blog.. NEVER AGAIN, I AM STAYING HERE!) i might do some more drabbles since my brain is fried after my last few fics which were long as heck.

[jeonginsleftcheek]

The sun to me

Chapter I. The Seed. Part II.

pairing: hwang hyunjin x afab!reader

word count: 1.2k

chapter summary: a glimpse into the world of y/n, the florist and the dreamer.

warnings: tw for brief description of terminal illness and death of reader's mother

~ Masterlist for the series

~ next part

💐 Daffodil - rebirth and new beginnings.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Your alarm sounds off and you grunt, hand searching blindly for your phone to turn off the shrill sound.

"Shut up."- you mutter as it rings annoyingly and loudly next to your head before you crack one eye open and finally locate the culprit.

You manage to turn off the alarm, blinking a few times before your eyes travel to your window. Warm sunlight barely peeks through your curtains, casting a glow on your face, reflecting the sparkle in your eyes.

You turn your head away, it's too early to stare into so much light and you stretch your limbs, letting out a little noise of satisfaction.

It's going to be a slow morning at your flower shop, you know it because no one has birthdays, weddings, funerals or anniversaries today.

You know Barbara will probably arrive at 9:00 am sharp to buy a new bouquet for her cats even though they could care less but it makes her happy, and making people happy is what makes you happy.

You've always loved flowers, ever since you were a little child, your mother was always in her garden, her gentle hands careful with the stems, careful with the seed, always dirtied with the precious soil.

Always on her knees, working and working away around her flowers, that most of the time you were sure she loved them more than she loved you.

She taught you everything, the symbolism of every flower was etched in your mind, as you would lay your head on your pillow, she'd sit next to you and tell you stories about flowers before you'd drift off into dreamland.

You kept a little flower diary, complete with dried flowers from the garden and the ones you'd find outside, their symbolism written next to them with the most beautiful calligraphy your little hands could come up with.

As you grew taller, the collection of dried flowers grew bigger, your mother grew older and fell sick, too weak to spend time working her life away in her garden.

The flowers withered and so did she, there was nothing you could do as you watched her being lowered into the soil she loved so much, a flower bed made just for her frail body to decompose under.

You didn't cry that day, not even the next day or that week.

You cried when you stepped into the garden, seeing half of the flowers she so carefully nurtured withering away. You were mad, mad at her for leaving you, mad at the universe taking her away from you.

You were mad at the stupid flowers for getting so much of her attention and love.

But you knew nothing else except them, wanting to honor your mother's existence, you got on your knees and worked away in your garden, your hands gentle with the stems, careful with the seed, dirtied with the precious soil stained with your tears.

You opened up a flower shop on the island, the first and only one, making it also a great investement as it became your livelihood.

The flowers were all you knew, but in a way, you felt like they knew you too. Like they spoke to you with some intricate secret language that only you understood.

The bell on the door chimes just as you were spraying your yellow roses with water, humming along to the music playing lightly in the background, lost in thought.

"Good morning, y/n!"- Barbara chirps happily as she walked into your flower shop, 9 am sharp as she always does.

She smiles brightly, her red dress flowing around her chubby frame, patterned with sunflowers, the symbolism of happiness.

That's what she always was to you and everyone else, at least on the outside. Always smiling, her eyes big and sparkly as she talked about all seven of her cats.

Today, it's Muffin's turn, cat number five, he made a mess in her kitchen today, knocking over one of Barbara's potted plants. She even had pictures to show you as proof. You chuckle along as she shows the video of said cat, staring at her like there was nothing wrong, after completely messing up her marble counter.

She asks for a new bouquet, this time it's orange and purple zinnias, of course on your recommendation since you took the time to always do research, even when it comes to flowers that might be poisonous to pets.

Your hands are careful and gentle as you arrange the zinnias together, as Barbara keeps talking your ear off.

"Oh, did you hear?"- the tone of her voice shifts suddenly, becoming eager and suggestive.

Here comes the gossip part, Barbara knows everyone's business on this island, and she butts into it but no one holds it against her, knowing that for a 50 year old woman with seven cats, she's probably just a lonely soul.

"Hear what?"- you ask absentmindedly, grabbing some orange paper to wrap the flowers with it.

"Apparently some celebrity is coming to stay on the island."- she says as if that's somehow gonna save her from her loneliness.

"Oh yeah?"- you feign interest, celebrity culture was not something you cared about, you always thought all of that bling and flashes of the camera were a fake world, set up by soul-sucking people who only exist to make money.

In the eye of the public, celebrities were just puppets on strings, but any other time they were just normal human beings like everyone else.

"Yes, I don't know who it is yet, but oh, I hope it's some handsome actor!"- Barbara swoons and you chuckle, reaching the polished bouquet to her.

"I'm sure you'll find out soon."- you say as she gives you a 10, a special discount for her since she's a regular, but she always adds a few more coins.

"Oh, I'll let you know when I do."- she winks, thanking you before she leaves the shop.

You could care less about some stuck up celebrity.

Right now what needs your attention is your yellow roses so you concentrate on that, tossing out thoughts of Barbara, her cats and the mysterious celebrity.

The wind. It can be a gentle breeze, caressing your skin like a tender lover that brings comfort to your soul, it can be refreshing as it cools you down on a hot summer night, bringing some air into your parched lungs or it can be cold, cold as ice that prickles on your skin, like frostbite, chilling you deep to your very bones.

But in this case, the wind blowing through Hyunjin's hair, as he leans his hands on the railing of the ship, feels like pure and unaldulterated freedom.

The smell of the salty sea fills up his nostrils, the sunlight kisses his cheeks, he listens to the sound of the waves crashing against the hull of the ship like a passionate lover and Hyunjin wants to laugh like a maniac.

No Charlie anywhere in sight, no crooked faces, no baggies of white, no green dollar bills, no beautiful models, no emptiness.

It feels like a new beginning, a rebirth for him.

He has no plans, no deadlines, no itineraries, no maps, nothing but one suitcase and his will to recover.

Recover from the ugly cycle he threw himself in, from all the things that poison his brain, his body and his heart.

As he finally sets foot on land, dragging his suitcase behind him, he no longer feels like Hwang Hyunjin, the artist. Hwang Hyunjin, the celebrity. Hwang Hyunjin, the empty shell of a person.

He feels like someone else, someone he can't wait to discover.

✨Taglist: @moonchild9350 @janepg @velvetmoonlght @hwanghyunjinismybae @jehhskz @laylasbunbunny @porangporangmeong @jeonginslefthand @sapphirewaves @simpforleeknaur @laughatdanger @lixies-favorite-cookie @linavc @quokkacidal @thisaintredwine @m00gyu @yaorzu-blog @skzfelixlove @tajannah-price1 @puccaaak @aft2rsexs @xxkissesforchanniexx @aprilmaejune77 @lilmeowneow @stayjinnie @astrobebba @danihwang882 @kaysungshine @nchhuhi @1810cl @chartrucewhore @babigriin @jisuperboard @alisonyus

[greenwitchcrafts]

February 2024 witch guide

Full moon: February 24th

New moon: February 9th

Sabbats: Imbolc-February 1st

February Snow Moon

Known as: Eagle Moon, Horning Moon, Solmonath Moon, Bear moon, Ice Moon, Wild Moon, Raccoon Moon, Big Winter Moon, Groundhog Moon, Quickening Moon, Storm Moon, Goose Moon, Hungry Moon & Red/Cleansing Moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Aquarius & Pisces

Nature spirits: House Faeries

Deities: Aphrodite, Brigid & Nut

Animals: Otter & Unicorn

Birds: Chickadee & Eagle

Trees: Cedar, laurel, myrtle & rowan

Herbs: Balm of Gilead, hyssop, myrrh, sage & spikenard

Flowers: Primrose

Scents: Heliotrope & wisteria

Stones: Amethyst, jasper, moonstone, obsidian, onyx , rose quartz, topaz & red zircon

Colors: Light blue & violet

Energy:  Astral travel, banishing, beginnings, breaking bad habits, creativity expressiveness, empowerment, energy working to the surface, fertility, forgiveness, freedom, friendships, future plans, growth, healing, problem solving, purification, responsibility & science

February’s full Moon is a “Micromoon” this year. Think of this term as the opposite of a “Supermoon.” It simply means that the full Moon is at its farthest point from Earth (not the nearest point).

The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie(Dakota), wrote that the name used for this period was the Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.” 

Imbolc

Known as: Feast of Torches, Feast of Waxing Light, Oimele & Brigid's Day

Season: Winter

Symbols: Besoms, Brighid's crosses, candles, candle wheels, fertility symbols, fire, ploughs, priapic wands & white flowers

Colors: Black, brown, Earth tones, lavender, light green, orange, pink, red, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: Apricot, basil, bay, carnation, chamomile, cinnamon, dragon's blood, frankincense, heather, jasmine, myrrh, neroli, red sandalwood, sage, vanilla, violet & wisteria

Animals: Badger, cow, deer,groudhog, robin, sheep, snake, & swan

Mythical: Dragon

Stones: Amethyst, bloodstone, citrine, clear quartz, garnet, green tourmaline, hematite, iron, lodestone, onyx, red zircon, rose quartz, ruby, turquoise, yellow tourmaline

Food: Breads, chives, curries, dairy products, grains, garlic, herbal teas, honey cakes, lamb, muffins, onions, peppers, poppy seed cakes, pork, poultry, pumpkin seeds, raisins, scones, spiced wines & sunflower seeeds

Herbs/Plants: Angelica, ashleaf, balsam, basil, bay laurel, benzoin, blackberry, clover, coltsfoot, coriander, dragon's blood, garlic, heather, lemon, myrrh, rosemary, sage, vervain, wheat & witch hazel

Flowers: Celandine, chamomile, iris, rose hips, snowdrop, sunflower, tansy, violets, white flowers & yellow flowers

Goddesses: Anu, Aradia, Arianrhod, Artio, Athena, Branwen, Brigid, Danu, Februa, Gaia, Inanna, Juno, Selene, Sirona & Vesta

Gods: Aegus Mac Og, Bragi, Cupid, Dian Cecht, Dumuzi, Eros, Februus & Pax

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Activation/awakening, animals, beginnings, fertility, healing, hope, illumination, inspiration, light, pregnancy/childbirth, prophecy, transformation, well-being & youth

Spellwork: Air magick, banishings, candle spells, divination, fertility spells, prosperity & purification

Activities:

• Make & light white candles

• Clean/decorate your altar & consecrate your  altar tools

• Go on a walk in nature & look for signs of spring

• Make a Brigid's Cross

• Have a feast with your family/friends

• Give thanks & leave offerings to the Earth

• Set intentions, reflect & look deeper into your goals for spring

• Start a bonfire

• Find Imboloc prayers & devotionals that bid farewell to the winter months, honor the goddess Brigid, as well as seasonal blessings for your meals, hearth, & home.

• Pepare plans for your upcoming garden

• Craft a priapic wand

• Spend time with children celebrating Imbolc by making crafts & or baking

• Practice divination & fire scrying

• Draw a cleansing ritual bath for yourself

• Meditate, reflect & say your farewells to winter

• Cleanse & clean your house to prepare for spring

• Create a Brídeóg: a doll of Brigid made of straw

• Make Bride's bouquet satchets & exchange as symbols of good luck and fertility

• Set aside food & or drinks as an offering to Brigid to invite her in your home

Imbolc is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of spring. Most commonly it is held on January 31 – February 1, or halfway between the winter solstice & the spring equinox. The holiday is a festival of the hearth, home, a celebration of the lengthening days & the early signs of spring. 

The word "imbolc" means "in the belly" and refers to the pregnancy of ewes at this time of year. The term "oimelc" means ewe's milk. Around this time of year, many herd animals give birth to their first offspring of the year or are heavily pregnant & as a result, they are producing milk. This creation of life’s milk is a part of the symbolic hope for spring.

Imbolc is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and it is associated with important events in Irish mythology. It has been suggested that it was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid and that it was Christianized as a festival of Saint Brigid, who herself is thought to be a Christianization of the goddess.

Some use Imbolc to celebrate the longer days which herald the return of Spring & The Goddess's recovery from giving birth to The Sun (The God) at Yule. The God & The Goddess are children symbolizing new life, new beginnings & new resurrections.

Related festivals:

• Groundhog Day-  Is a tradition observed in the United States & Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day & sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den & winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.

While the tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow & the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

•St. Brigid's Day- 1 February. It was originally Imbolc, the first day of spring in Irish tradition. Because Saint Brigid has been theorised as linked to the goddess Brigid, some associate the festival of Imbolc with the goddess. St. Brigid is the patroness saint (or 'mother saint') of Ireland. She is patroness of many things, including poetry, learning, healing, protection, blacksmithing, livestock & dairy production. In her honour, a perpetual fire was kept burning at Kildare for centuries.

A recent campaign successfully established her feast day as a national holiday in 2023.

• Chinese New Year- (February 10th) the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. In Chinese, the festival is commonly referred to as the Spring Festival,- marking the end of winter and the beginning of the spring season. Observances traditionally take place from Chinese New Year's Eve, the evening preceding the first day of the year, to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between January 21st & February 20th.

The Chinese New Year is associated with several myths and customs. The festival was traditionally a time to honour deities as well as ancestors. Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the New Year vary widely & the evening preceding the New Year's Day is frequently regarded as an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.

It is also a tradition for every family to thoroughly clean their house, in order to sweep away any ill fortune & to make way for incoming good luck. Another custom is the decoration of windows & doors with red paper-cuts and couplets. Popular themes among these paper-cuts and couplets include good fortune or happiness, wealth & longevity. Other activities include lighting firecrackers  & giving money in red envelopes.

•  Candlemas- is a Christian feast day on February 2nd commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22-40. 

While it is customary for Christians in some countries to remove their Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night, those in other Christian countries historically remove them after Candlemas.On Candlemas, many Christians also take their candles to their local church, where they are blessed and then used for the rest of the year.

•Setsubun- (February 3rd) Is the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan. The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring.

Both Setsubun & Risshun are celebrated yearly as part of the Spring Festival (Haru matsuri ) in Japan. In its association with the Lunar New Year, Setsubun, though not the official New Year, was thought of as similar in its ritual & cultural associations of 'cleansing' the previous year as the beginning of the new season of spring. Setsubun was accompanied by a number of rituals & traditions held at various levels to drive away the previous year's bad fortunes & evil spirits for the year to come.

Other Celebrations:

• Lupercalia-

In ancient Rome, this festival was conducted annually on February 13th through 15th under the superintendence of a corporation of priests called Luperci. The origins of the festival are obscure, although the likely derivation of its name from lupus (Latin: “wolf”) has variously suggested connection with an ancient deity who protected herds from wolves and with the legendary she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus. As a fertility rite, the festival is also associated with the god Faunus.

to purify the city, promoting health & fertility.

Each Lupercalia began with the sacrifice by the Luperci of goats and a dog, after which two of the Luperci were led to the altar, their foreheads were touched with a bloody knife & the blood was wiped off with wool dipped in milk; the ritual required that the two young men laugh. The sacrificial feast followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the sacrificial animals & ran in two bands around the Palatine hill, striking with the thongs at any woman who came near them. A blow from the thong was supposed to render a woman fertile.

In 494 CE the Christian church under Pope Gelasius I forbade participation in the festival. Tradition holds that he appropriated the form of the rite as the Feast of the Purification (Candlemas), celebrated on February 2, but it is likely that the Christian feast was established in the previous century. It has also been alternately suggested that Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14th, but the origin of that holiday was likely much later.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[fatal-blow]

so like many things most tips in the realm of native gardening and supporting the local environment are made by people who have all the energy and a weirdly vested interest in only doing it their own way and not giving way to people who have none of the energy so

hacks for the low energy native gardener (part 1?)

before you go out and buy any tools, plugs, seeds, whatever the hell, know what you have to work with. whether youre renting a tiny apartment or have a large grassy plot, take a couple days to pay attention to the plants and animals that already live nearby. these are your neighbours, and they will be the ones benefiting from whatever you decide to get up to.

each environment ranges in levels of biodiversity. i live in a place with higher biodiversity, but many people live in places where the diversity has been depleted. you can get the roughest idea of your areas diversity with a simple walk around the block. take note of how many different species of Tree/Shrub, Flower, Bird, and Animal you see. if youre only getting 2-3 in each category, this is lower diversity. if youre more in the range of 6+, this is higher diversity.

higher diversity is a healthier environment, yes even if the diversity is almost entirely invasive species. if you live somewhere on the higher end of diversity, you will be better off spending your time reading about the guys you already have. use inaturalist to ID, and take a read through the wikipedia page for these species.

in a higher diversity area, your goal should be to fill in the gaps. some examples include: drinkable water, nesting sites, shelter, and seasonality (eg you have plants that bloom in fall, but nothing that blooms in spring)

in low diversity spaces, your goals can be more open ended. a low diversity space will be starving for variety, and just about anything you do short of destroying more will help support the area. activities can range from letting some of your lawn grow out to buying a potted flowering plant and leaving it outside.

do not fret if your efforts attract invasive species. in low diversity areas, these are often the only species available TO attract. in higher diversity areas, invasive species can often coexist with natives. its often a matter of resource availibility: if theres enough to go around, competition between the two can be eased. as a layman with no energy, do not concern yourself with invasives.

i could make this entire post about how invasive species are low on the priority list but i wont. this time.

a bird feeder is one of the simplest ways to boost your local environment. buy a metal tube feeder with an anti-squirrel cage around it, fill it with black oil sunflower seeds. NO PLASTIC. you do not need to clean it every time you fill it, only if it gets nasty or if you notice sick birds using it. do not fret if it gets mobbed by invasives. the sounds of happy birds, ANY happy birds, will signal to other species that this area is safe and has food. if you live somewhere that gets cold, a suet feeder is a great investment as well.

If you have a lawn and want to rewild it, you do not need to rip up the sod. dig a hole straight through it and plant your guy. ripping up the sod is time and energy consuming, and only really useful if you plan to convert the entire area immediately.

letting a lawn grow out can yield many surprises. the vast majority of lawns arent actually monocultures, just a collection of guys who grow low and can handle getting mowed. when you first let the grass grow out, it probably wont have much going on, but the height and lack of mowing will provide a new microenvironment for different types of plants to grow in the shade, and the next year you will already have new guys popping up.

dont buy seeds, if you can help it. if you want to use seeds, you will have more success taking a muffin container, poking holes in the bottom, and making little soil patties to grow them in. leave the container outside over winter, and in spring youll have these nice little pucks of seedlings that can be transferred to larger pots, and then into the ground once theyre 15-20cm tall.

your money is best spent on buying a mature or already growing plant from the nursery. dont plant it right away, but leave it in the pot in the spot you want to plant it. if it dries out or wilts, too much sun. if it gets pale and the soil remains waterlogged, too much shade. use that to determine its final resting place. when in doubt, opt for a bit shadier--especially if its shady during the midday heat.

pesticides and herbicides are not necessary. raking leaves is not necessary. trimming dead stems and foliage in winter is not necessary.

and possibly most important: always add more than you intend to take away. do not destroy until you have a replacement.

[astra-ravana]

Interacting With The Fae

Basic Rules of the Fae

1. Every rule has its exception.

2. Everything has a cost.

3. Perception can be reality so always try to see truly.

4. Never give up what you can't afford to lose, including your name.

5. Look for the trap behind every word.

6. If it looks safe, it probably isn't.

7. Beauty is a poison that cannot be cured.

Signs the Fae are Nearby

• Soft, chiming bells

• A strong scent like grass, apples, and wild violets

• Strange, haunting, or jovial music

• Mysterious giggling or whispers with no clear source

• Mushroom, flower, or grass circles

• Large patches of four leaf clovers

• You are followed by a crow or raven

To See a Faerie

• Looking through a hagstone (seer stone)

• Wearing primrose

• Carry a four leaf clover

• Use fae oils or ointments

• Meditate in nature

• Averting your vision

• Don't blink for a time

• Wear your coat inside-out

• Looking through a rowan loop

• Looking through a fir knot hole

• Have good intentions

• Look backwards through your legs

• Sing, hum, or whistle

• Bring a gift or offering

• Dawn, dusk, midnight, and full moons are the best times to see them

Offerings to the Fae: Crystals, tea, sugary treats, syrup, bread and butter, honey, shiney objects, gems, berries, pinecones, jewelry, seashells, small toys, acorns, trinkets, cream, jellybeans, dice, pie, muffins, keys, beads, feathers, flowers, sunflower seeds, rice, fabric

(NEVER offer them anything made of iron)

Fae Classifications

The Seelie Court

The fae of light and ethereal brilliance, the divine, noble, and holy unto themselves. They are generally perceived as benign in nature, but are capable of unmatched levels of cunning and cruelty. They love to interact with human children and may attempt to spirit them away, leaving a changeling in their place.

The Seelie Code-

• Death before dishonor

• Love conquers all

• Beauty is life

• Never forget a debt

The Unseelie Court

The fae of shadow and predatory instinct, the infernal, nocturnal, and unholy- who may, at best, be amoral in action, are bound to very different laws than the Seelie and can cause harm at whim. Although, some may show preferences towards certain humans.

The Unseelie Code-

• Change is good

• Glamour is free

• Honor is a lie

• Passion before duty

Unaligned Fae

Nomadic fae, elemental spirits, house faeries, and more fall under this category. Their behavior is completely unique to the individual and experiences will be varied

Use Caution: The Fae are truly wild and like all elements of nature, deserve our respect, not our fear. They are an essential part of the physical and spiritual world and a pleasure to work with and witness as long as you keep your senses.

[the-fandom-queenxox]

Blaming @sincerely-nines for letting the demons out

Here is the minecraft food update ideas that have been plaguing me fo a very long time:

(Also I know most of what I am about to list off are in many minecraft mods, you don't have to tell me about them, I just wanna yap about things)

(Also also I mainly talked about food we could have with the already existing edible minecraft items)

-First of all WHY DON'T WE HAVE APPLE PIE IN MINECRAFT!!! WE HAVE PUMPKIN PIE SURE BUT WE DESERVE APPLE PIE TOO!! Oh and also golden/enchanted golden apple pie... cause I think it would be funny and I want it

-Continuing the pie train sweet berry pie, glow berry pie, shepherd's pie(we have enough meat options to make it), chicken pot pie and also just learned about this one, fish pie

-Speaking of fish, sushi. "Oh bUt FAndOm yOU neEd riCe AnD SeAwEEd To mAKe sUsHI" no you don't, there are many recipes of sushi without rice in them and you can use the dried kelp as a substitute to seawed

-But also yeah they should add rice too

-Squids, we should be able to eat the squids... both of them(and yes you would get the glow effect if you ate the glow squid)

-Getting back on the pie train for a second for the actual last pie for the list(unless I forgot any that could be made via the limited items we have in minecraft), chorus fruit pie, cause it's funny to think about

-Carrot cake, chocolate cake or even better brownies, sweet berry cake and glow berry cake

-Sugar cookies

-Cheese!!! Which they made cheese in one of the april fools updates, so they infact can code this in, but I want it in a specific way, it is the height of a half slab and it is eaten like a cake... and maybe also cream, butter, yogurt or frosting even, since the one cake we do have seems to already have something like that on the sprite on it... also I think it would be funny if you crafted a whole stick of butter and eat it infront of your friends

-Speaking of "april fools updates" sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes

-Chocolate, just regular chocolate

-Add on from the last point hot chocolate

-French toast, we have all the ingredients for this why can't we have it?!

-Maybe some egg dishes? Like fried eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs...

-Oh it just came to me, eggs benedict! Just replace the english muffin with regular bread, which probably make it count as a sandwich now that I think about it... they should also add sandwiches...

-Maybe also some more dishes with mushrooms? Even though I don't lkke mushrooms irl it's kinda weird to only have one food item with them in it

-I also wouldn't mind if they made more stews or soup

-Puddings! More specifically bread pudding and chocolate pudding

-Caramel

-A lot of trees are actually very safe to eat the bark and seeds of

-Sunflower seeds

-Also apparently if you boil it, you can eat bamboo as well and we have that in minecraft so we should eat it

-Many types of juices!! Some short examples would be carrot juice, melon juice, beetroot juice... etc.

-Kinda going off topic with this one, but I wanna gnaw on the bones we get from the skeletons, mojang let me eat the bones!!! You can make it so if you eat one it gives nausea cause it is actually unhealthy to eat bone as is and can make you seriously sick, but I wanna be a rabid fucking animal damn it and scare off the hoes. Side note here but you can also eat bonemeal and be okay to do so, so yeah that is also an option

Aaannd that's all of them for me, but if any of you have some ideas on what else to add do let me know, I probably missed alot of things

[oohnotvery]

Edges of the Night (Chapter 2)

Mulder told her to drive and gave her a mysterious address in Colorado, but apart from that, he has left her completely in the dark. Scully knows better than anyone that her former partner is notoriously bad about information-sharing, but this time, she’s really working on a wing and prayer. To his credit, Mulder seems physically incapable of providing more details. She had to pull over to the side of the highway just to shake him awake for her first of many hourly concussion check-ins. He grumbled something about not stopping and she forced him to recite her name, his address, and the President’s name before getting back on the road. He was asleep before she even crossed over into traffic.  

At the second check-in, she pulls into a gas station in the middle-of-nowhere central California. When Mulder raises his head and starts to protest, she bites.

“I’m exhausted, Mulder, and if you really expect me to drive fifteen hours through the night to a place I’ve never even heard of, with no explanation as to why I’m making this drive, you’re going to let me drink a coffee and you’re going to let me take a bathroom break.” He shoots her an irritated look and she fantasizes about turning the gas pump on him.

While she waits for her coffee to drip, she considers trotting over to the nearby pay phone and calling Alan. Far too many times, she’s been on the receiving end of Mulder’s inability to call her and tell her that he’s okay, safe, and alive. She intimately knows the horrible, sickening way it feels to wait and wonder. She remembers the many vivid scenarios the brain tends to conjure in these situations. Alan deserves a call.

God, her boss probably deserves a call. Her stomach clenches when she considers what it will look like when she doesn’t show up to work tomorrow, or the next day, or maybe even the day after that. How long does Mulder intend to keep her wrapped up in this strange, mysterious escapade of his? And how long will she play along?

With a sinking stomach, she realizes how quickly she fell back into his orbit. How easily she succumbed to his absurd, unexplained demands and requests. For a moment, her cheeks blaze hotly. He pushed you out, she reminds herself, and you’re still letting him control your life.

The coffee machine sputters one last hot drip of coffee into the paper cup and she glances over at her car. Mulder has managed to stay awake this time and his eyes are trained on her. She meets his gaze through the window and wonders what he’s thinking. Although she knows—knew—him well, his mind is an enigmatic place. He could be thinking about the car accident; the drive; the diamond on her finger. Hell, he could be thinking about the Knicks. It’s a complete toss-up. The one thing she’s certain of is that he sure as hell isn’t thinking about how he hurt her, or how this little adventure is affecting her life.

She pays for her coffee and decides not to make any calls.

At the third check-in, she doesn’t bother pulling over. The coffee has done its job and she feels sufficiently awake. She pokes Mulder in the side until he wakes up and answers all her probing questions. Then she turns her attention back to the road, fully expecting him to return to sleep. After a minute though, she can still feel his eyes on her. She glances over.

In the eerie darkness of the deserted highway, she can only see flickers of his expression: an earnest look in his eyes; a defeated pout on his lips.

“Thank you,” he says after a minute, “for driving.”

She holds his gaze for just a second, then nods tightly.

The fourth check-in includes another bathroom break and a second coffee, along with a granola bar for her and a packet of sunflower seeds for him. She isn’t sure if he’s eaten anything, so she adds on a water bottle, a muffin, and a bag of pretzels. The rural gas station pickings are slim. Mulder declines the food but downs the water, which she appreciates.

They have almost reached the California-Nevada border and so far, she has been following signs for Las Vegas, knowing that it will be the first—and only—major city they will encounter along the way. After that, she’s going to need to rely on the atlas in the backseat.

After Mulder drains his water bottle, he falls back into another round of sleep. Scully is partially glad for his unconsciousness; it means they don’t have to address anything serious, at least not yet. Every so often, she glances over at him to check for the telltale rise and fall of his chest. The sight of him dozing beside her pricks at her memories. She has been in this position many times before, driving a sleeping Mulder to and from another rural town with another set of monsters. He’s done the same for her, especially during her cancer when she often fell asleep the moment the car started moving.

But tonight is a much longer journey than those road trips ever were, and it evokes a deeper memory for her. Her tired eyes burn as she recalls the last time she drove an unconscious Mulder across the country, many years ago when their relationship was still forming—when she drove him to New Mexico to meet Albert Hosteen. She cringes realizing that they were on better terms back then than they are now, despite the fact that she had just shot him in the shoulder.  

She banishes the memories as they come. Some things are too painful to bear right now. Her mind needs to be completely focused on the drive. Ruminating on the fact that they’ll never get back to that place of mutual respect and devotion is something she simply can’t consider.

It is almost midnight by the time they reach the outskirts of Las Vegas, and her caffeine has worn off. She keeps pinching herself to stay awake, but the outlines of the highway are getting fuzzy and the headlights from passing cars blur her vision. She needs to take a break.

She catches sight of a roadside motel just outside the city and makes a quick decision. She flips on her blinker and takes the exit for the motel. When she pulls to a stop in the parking lot, Mulder blinks awake. He glances around at his surroundings, takes in the retro neon motel sign, and then looks at her sharply.

“No,” he says immediately.

Her shoulders sag. “Mulder, please,” she begs. “I’m so tired. I just need a few hours of sleep.”

He shakes his head defiantly. “Scully, we have to keep going. It’s not safe yet. They could be following us.”

“Who? What’s not safe?” she demands. “You haven’t told me anything except to drive. Are you in danger?”

He rubs at his face restlessly. “I know, I know,” he admits, then glances around nervously. “Please, get back on the road.” He meets her eyes, silently begging her to trust him. “Please.”

She stares at him. His face has an anxious, desperate quality to it. It is unusual to see Mulder this way; he walks through the world with a frustrating amount of confidence. Back in the day, even when faced with critical danger, he often peppered their conversations with bad jokes or stupid puns. But tonight, he is on edge, an animal being hunted. Tonight, he is genuinely afraid.

And so, with an exasperated sigh, she does as she’s told.

As she re-enters the highway, they ride in silence for a few minutes. In the Before Times, silence between them was an easy affair. Hundreds of hours together in rental cars meant they never had any expectations of the other to fill the space with useless noise. But tonight, the silence feels uncomfortable. It highlights the distance between them; it underscores the time they have lost.   

He clears his throat, bringing her back to the present. “So, uh, you need to ask me any more concussion questions? What’s the name of my favorite burger joint? How often does Frohike hack into the DoD’s files?”

She grimaces at his poor attempt at humor. It’s been a while since she’s thought about the Gunmen. She wonders if they ever think about her. She shrugs. “You seem fine, Mulder. I’ll withhold my questions for now.” She pauses, licking her lips. “But if I have trouble waking you up next time, I’ll be sure to inquire after Frohike’s hacking habits.”

She feels him smile across the car, but he doesn’t reply. The banter between them feels forced and stilted. Although it was easy enough to fall back into place at first—doctor mode, FBI mode—now that the immediate danger seems to have passed, she doesn’t know how to speak to him.

“So you, uh, you probably do have some more pressing questions for me,” he says quietly, breaking into her thoughts. “About what’s going on here.”

She nods slowly. “I do.”

“Ask away.”

She glances over at him, biting her lip. “What the hell is going on? What is so pressing that I can’t even get four hours of sleep in a bed before driving another nine hours through unfamiliar territory?”

He rubs his eye with a finger, then sighs heavily. “Fair enough. Two days ago, Skinner alerted me to a very credible threat to your safety.”

She almost slams on the brakes. This is just not fair. Isn’t this the entire reason he pushed her out in the first place? So shit like this would stop happening to her? So she wouldn’t ever be in danger again? So he could rest easy knowing he would never again be the cause of her suffering? “To my safety?” she sputters. “How? I haven’t been involved in the X-Files for months.”

“I know, I know,” he sighs, and she can hear the defeat in his voice, the failure, the guilt. Always the guilt. “I had . . . the same reaction.” She imagines it now: Skinner’s gruff, no-nonsense voice sharing details of yet another way Scully might die. Mulder leaping from his desk, panic consuming his face.

“As you know,” Mulder continues, “the Bureau has designated a number of safe houses around the country to protect its agents. Skinner immediately made arrangements for you to be transported to one of them.”

“In Colorado.”

“In Colorado, yes,” he confirms. Ah, so that’s where they’re headed.

She shoots him a look. “Are you going to make me guess?”

He frowns.

“How you ended up in San Diego, in a car driven by a man who seemed intent on killing me, no less?”

He huffs a laugh. “That part should be mostly obvious, Agent Scully.”

“Tell me anyways.”

He pauses. When he speaks, his voice has turned very quiet. “The moment I heard you were in danger, I was on the first flight out.”

She nods even as her cheeks darken. That part, she does already know. Although he’s ornery and quarrelsome and mysterious, he’s never going to pass up the opportunity to make sure she’s safe. “And how did you end up in the car? Who was that man?”

She hears him swallow. “I got waylaid at the airport. They found me before I could find you. That man was just some crony, I think. I never got his name. I think he intended to use me as bait if his original plan didn’t work.”

“His original plan, which was running me off the road?”

Mulder shrugs and they fall into silence again.

“Do you really not know?”

He pauses. “I’ve told you almost everything I know.”

“Almost?”

Another pause. “I don’t think that man wanted to kill you. I think he wanted to stop you, maybe scare you.” He sighs. “The tip indicated that they intended to abduct you again. For . . . experiments.”

“Experiments?” Her foot taps the brakes and the car jumps.

“I know, Scully.” His palm grazes her hand. “We were warned you’d be taken one day after work, and that they planned to transport you to a facility in Mexico City. And from there, run tests and experiments.”

She is quiet for a very long time. Her ears ring and she feels lightheaded. Experiments. Tests. Abduction. Again. When she finally speaks, her throat is thick with emotion. “So I was never going to be safe, was I, Mulder? No matter how far or how hard you pushed me away, that was never a guarantee of my safety.”

He doesn’t reply.

For half an hour, silence once again engulfs the vehicle. Scully keeps glancing over to see if Mulder has fallen asleep again, but his eyes stay wide open.

“Mulder,” she finally says, and he startles, “how long do you think we’ll need to remain hidden?”

He catches her eye over the car. “I don’t know, Scully. Hopefully not long. Skinner has a team of people working to get to the bottom of this, but he made me no promises.”

She swallows hard, subconsciously twisting the diamond on her finger. “I have things—a life—to get back to. I—I have people who will be worried about me.” She catches him glancing at the ring.

“I know.”

“Is there any way we can communicate that I’m safe?”

She knows the answer before he gives it. “No.”

Her mind begins to wander. Once they reach this safe house, how long will she and Mulder be stuck there? Days? Weeks? She bites her lip until she draws blood. She can’t imagine what they will do to each other when they’re forced into such close quarters. At one point in their partnership, she knows that such an environment would have aroused that all-too-familiar temptation in her, the one that told her to just kiss him already. Just fuck him already. But now, strained as they are, they’re more likely to kill each other. She wonders if Mulder is dreading it as badly as she is.

They cross into Arizona very briefly before veering north into Utah, and Mulder falls back to sleep. She’s been to Utah before, both in her work travels and on family vacations in the past. She knows it is a gorgeous state, home to vast canyonlands and red stone arches and soaring white mountains. But in the middle of the night, it is so desolate and so isolated that she catches herself drifting off.

“Mulder,” she says roughly, her voice hoarse with exhaustion, “Mulder.”

He rouses quickly, his body going stiff as his eyes dart around the landscape. Seeing no imminent threats, he relaxes slightly.

“Mulder, I’ve got to stop,” she admits. “Just for a few hours. I’ve never driven through eastern Utah or Colorado and I know those mountains will be hard to navigate. I can’t do it without sleep.”

She expects him to protest like he’s been doing this whole time; she expects a rallying cry or an encouraging speech, maybe even a stern lecture. But instead, she feels his hand land lightly on her wrist. She looks over at him.

“If you see somewhere to pull off, I can keep watch while you sleep in the backseat.”

She opens her mouth in surprise. “That’s a change of heart,” she notes.

She senses him shrugging. “This part of Utah is remote. It’s clear no one is following us. I think we can get away with a quick pit stop.”

She sends up a prayer of thanks, and in ten minutes, she is pulling into a deserted campground on the side of the road. She shuts off the car and clambers out to get in the backseat, and is immediately shocked by the cold air. After months in sunny San Diego, it is strange to feel the chill of the desert after dark.

She shifts into the backseat and lies down, resting her head on folded hands. Mulder glances into the backseat and she feels uneasy as he watches her shift around and settle. He’s still staring at her when she closes her eyes. In no time, she is asleep.

[verboselocket38]

what’s their comfort food?

Ace: Carrots but refuses to eat them, so the second option is Blueberry Muffins

Lexi: Lemon meringue pie or Salty chips

Danger: Strawberry Yogurt

Slam: Literally anything, prefers somethings meaty

Tech: Salads

Rev: Sunflower Seeds

[camille-lachenille]

Clover Cotton’s Cookbook: pumpkin spice muffins

Hello dears, I am sorry I could not share another recipe sooner but there has been much to do lately. Bag End was in a bit of an uproar what with Master Baggins leaving with the Elves, then my niece got the chicken pox and I went to help Rosie around the house and I didn’t have time for much else until now.

But enough blabbering, here is the recipe! The pumpkin spice muffins are the perfect treat for autumn, especially served for tea with a warm cup of black tea or even at first breakfast for the ones with a sweet tooth.

The measure unit for this recipe is a cup. A literal drinking cup. The one I use is a 150ml coffee cup, which gives a dozen chunky muffins. If you live in a country that uses cups as a standard measure unit, use it and it should work all the same. It’s not so much the exact measurements that matter for this recipe as the ratios between ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 cup of mashed red kuri squash (or butternut squash if you can’t find the former, but its less tasty)

cinnamon and anise according to personal taste

2 cups of sugar

3 cups of buckwheat flour

a pinch of baking soda

2 eggs

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds oil or equivalent

Recipe:

Cut the squash into small bits and steam cook it. You can also boil it but I find it makes the batter much more waters and less pleasant to work with.

When the squash is soft enough to be mashed with a fork, let it cool for a few minutes then mash it until you have a thick, smooth paste.

Pre heat your oven at 180°C

Add ground anise seeds and cinnamon to the mashed squash. Anise has a very strong flavour so use way less of it than you think you should, it will still pop through the rest of the flavours and leave a pleasant aftertaste. I also personally like to ad the smallest dash of curcuma in the mix as well, just for the additional colour and flavour.

Add the sugar to the mashed squash and mix until you obtain a thick, almost liquid batter.

Add the flour, mixing thoroughly in between each cup. Add the baking soda with the flour. If the batter becomes too thick, add the eggs before the last cup of flour.

Once you have a thick batter, almost like bread dough, add the sunflower seeds oil and mix until you have a homogeneous and sticky batter.

Put the batter in a greased or oven-paper covered muffins tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife blade stuck in comes out clean.

Enjoy!

[peridotglimmer]

Yesterday was banana bread, today it's breakfast muffins for the communal breakfast at church tomorrow morning. You're supposed to bring what you normally have for breakfast and then everything gets shared, but for me, that's usually either an apple or oatmeal. So... breakfast muffins with oats and apple (and carrots, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, vanilla...)! I'd never made these before, but they turned out great.

[rachellaurengray]

100 Snackfoods - Calorie List

If you’re like me, finding great snacks and candies at a budget-friendly store can be a game changer. Dollarama often has a wide variety of delicious treats that are perfect for quick snacks, parties, or satisfying a sweet tooth without breaking the bank. To make your shopping easier, I've put together a comprehensive list of 100 snacks and candies available at Dollarama, including popular brands and their calorie counts. Whether you’re stocking up for a gathering or just looking for something to enjoy during your downtime, this list will help you make informed choices and find exactly what you're craving.

Enjoy your snack hunt!

Here’s a list of 100 snacks and candies from Dollarama, including brands and their calorie counts where available. Note that calorie counts can vary slightly depending on the specific product and serving size:

Lays Classic Potato Chips (50g) - 280 calories

Doritos Nacho Cheese (50g) - 250 calories

Ruffles Original Potato Chips (50g) - 280 calories

Pringles Original (32g) - 150 calories

Cheez-It Crackers (30g) - 150 calories

Goldfish Crackers (30g) - 140 calories

Cheddar Cheese Popcorn (30g) - 150 calories

Pretzel Sticks (30g) - 120 calories

Rice Cakes (1 cake) - 35 calories

Pita Chips (30g) - 140 calories

Trail Mix (30g) - 150-200 calories (varies by mix)

Peanut Butter Crackers (1 pack) - 180 calories

Granola Bars (1 bar) - 100-150 calories (varies by brand)

Oatmeal Cookies (1 cookie) - 100 calories

Chocolate Chip Cookies (1 cookie) - 150 calories

Vanilla Wafers (4 wafers) - 140 calories

Shortbread Cookies (1 cookie) - 80 calories

Mini Donuts (1 donut) - 100 calories

Muffin Mix (1 muffin) - 200 calories

Cupcake Mix (1 cupcake) - 200 calories

Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar (45g) - 240 calories

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (2 pieces) - 210 calories

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (43g) - 210 calories

Lindt Dark Chocolate (50g) - 280 calories

Chocolate Covered Almonds (30g) - 170 calories

Chocolate Covered Raisins (30g) - 140 calories

Haribo Goldbears Gummy Bears (30g) - 100 calories

Haribo Gummy Worms (30g) - 100 calories

Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (28g) - 100 calories

Candy Corn (32g) - 130 calories

Dum Dums Lollipops (1 pop) - 25 calories

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 pieces) - 70 calories

Starburst Fruit Chews (4 pieces) - 160 calories

Twizzlers Licorice (4 pieces) - 160 calories

Jet-Puffed Marshmallows (1 marshmallow) - 25 calories

Cotton Candy (1 serving) - 100 calories

Popcorn Balls (1 ball) - 150 calories

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels (30g) - 140 calories

Cheddar Cheese Balls (30g) - 150 calories

Popcorn Mix (30g) - 150 calories

Cheetos Cheese Puffs (30g) - 160 calories

Rold Gold Mini Pretzels (30g) - 110 calories

Tortilla Chips (30g) - 140 calories

Salsa (1/4 cup) - 20 calories

Bean Dip (1/4 cup) - 80 calories

Hummus (2 tablespoons) - 70 calories

Dried Fruit (30g) - 100-150 calories (varies by fruit)

Fruit Snacks (1 pack) - 80 calories

Mott's Fruit Flavored Applesauce (1 cup) - 100 calories

Del Monte Fruit Cup (1 cup) - 70 calories

Nut Mix (30g) - 150-200 calories (varies by mix)

Sunflower Seeds (30g) - 170 calories

Pumpkin Seeds (30g) - 150 calories

Peanuts (30g) - 170 calories

Cashews (30g) - 160 calories

Almonds (30g) - 160 calories

Trail Mix Bars (1 bar) - 150-200 calories (varies by brand)

Breakfast Bars (1 bar) - 100-150 calories (varies by brand)

Rice Krispies Treats (1 square) - 90 calories

Granola Clusters (30g) - 150 calories

Energy Bars (1 bar) - 200 calories

Biscotti (1 piece) - 100 calories

String Cheese (1 stick) - 80 calories

Pita Bread Chips (30g) - 140 calories

Bagels (1 bagel) - 250 calories

Saltines (6 crackers) - 70 calories

Tortilla Wraps (1 wrap) - 150 calories

Corn Chips (30g) - 150 calories

Baked Chips (30g) - 120 calories

Seaweed Snacks (1 pack) - 30 calories

Chocolate Covered Pretzels (30g) - 150 calories

Peanut Brittle (30g) - 160 calories

S'mores Kit (1 serving) - 200 calories

Chocolate Dipped Biscuit (1 biscuit) - 120 calories

Fruit & Nut Bars (1 bar) - 180 calories

Rice Crackers (30g) - 130 calories

Veggie Chips (30g) - 150 calories

Kettle Chips (30g) - 150 calories

Onion Rings (30g) - 150 calories

Spicy Peanuts (30g) - 170 calories

Honey Roasted Peanuts (30g) - 160 calories

Wasabi Peas (30g) - 140 calories

Salted Caramel Popcorn (30g) - 150 calories

Butter Popcorn (30g) - 150 calories

Maple Sugar Candy (2 pieces) - 90 calories

Peppermint Patties (1 patty) - 140 calories

Chocolate Mint Bars (1 bar) - 180 calories

Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels (30g) - 160 calories

Dark Chocolate Almonds (30g) - 170 calories

Fruit Gummies (30g) - 100 calories

Toffee Bars (1 bar) - 150 calories

Sugar-Free Candy (1 piece) - 5-10 calories

Energy Chews (1 chew) - 50 calories

Mints (5 pieces) - 25 calories

Chocolate Fudge (1 piece) - 150 calories

Caramel Chews (1 piece) - 60 calories

Gingerbread Cookies (1 cookie) - 100 calories

Peanut Butter Balls (1 ball) - 100 calories

Chocolate Mousse Mix (1 serving) - 120 calories

Cupcake Sprinkles (1 tablespoon) - 50 calories

Note: Calorie counts are approximate and can vary by brand and serving size.

[sweethoneyrose83]

Poppy Partridge Sunflower Seed Muffins

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup sunflower seeds

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, sunflower seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

[tunnaa-unnaa]

I have updated the “stuff Yams tries to eat but shouldn’t” -list

Yams has eaten:

Lasagnette (a LOT)

Stir fry/wok with carrots, broccoli, onion and garlic (a LOT)

Pea soup

Ground beef sauce

Salmon skin

Cooked ground beef

Taco spiced ground beef

Uncooked ground beef

Cooked spicy chicken

Cooked pasta

Uncooked pasta

Mac 'n Cheese

Cooked rice

Uncooked rice (finally caught her in the act)

Spiced soy sauce

Pizza

Canned tuna

Canned tuna sandwich

Peanut butter sandwich

Uncooked croissant dough

Waffle

Pancake

Blueberry pie

A whole lemon muffin and its wrapper

Toast

Rye bread

Air dried rye bread

Tortilla wrap

Gingerbread cookies

Reese's Cups (peanut butter)

Milk

Milk+egg mix

Egg shells from a Mignon chocolate egg

Hot chocolate

Ice cream

Yogurt

Viili (unflavored Finnish yoghurt-esque food)

Viilis (sugary fruit flavored Finnish yoghurt-esque food)

Butter

Peanut butter

Potato chips

Popcorn

Lettuce

Grass

Watermelon

Peeled sunflower seeds (like a whole cupful)

Cloudberry juice

Smoothie with strawberries, banana, cloudberry juice and yogurt (why)

Chicken vertebra (grinds to bits with her maulers)

Live bugs (mosquitoes, crickets, butterflies)

Blue tack

Pieces of a crinkly foil toy

Felt parts of a toy

Dust

Strings

Human hair stuck in the shower drain

Empty potato chip bag, foil (threw up pieces afterwards)

Cat food bag almost entirely in small bites (didn't throw up)

Attempted:

Whole black peppers

Chicken vertebra (whole)

Grape vine branches

Raisins

Live bird (it survived but left Yams with insatiable urge to hunt)

Spiced soy sauce bag

Catfood bags, plastic (both wet and dry food)

Waffle bag, plastic

Bread bags, plastic and paper

Tortilla wrap packaging, plastic

Muffin wrappers, paper

Reese's Cups wrappers, paper

Ibuprofen pill (big nope)

Sharp piece of hard plastic

Sour apple chewing gum with wrapper

Sour apple chewing gum wrapper

Sour patch kids (with bag)

Stuff Yams does NOT eat:

Whole black peppers (after the first attempt)

Apple, banana, plum, citrus fruits

Uncooked onion

Egg shells from a boiled egg

Bayleaf

Earthworms

Mustard

Coffee

Soda

Alcohol

We are quite sure her cause of death will eventually be eating some stupid shit.

The bastard in question: