#wintergreen photos

[helluvatimes]

Eastern Teaberry

Gaultheria procumbens or Eastern Teaberry calling on the conservatory here. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

[zoeflake]

Wintergreen...amongst winter greens

Ph. Lunaladee

[girlinlovewiththeforest]

chickweed-wintergreen (Trientalis europaea)

[spectralmagnolia]

It snowed today so I decided to take some photos in my Nora Wintergreen cosplay. I've been a longtime fan of the Mintauloids, especially Nora. I just adore her wintery aesthetic. Cosplaying her is always so fun because I feel like a goddess the whole time.

If you don't know what the Mintauloids are, I highly recommend looking at their UTAU wiki pages.

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

My Garden Flowers Part 3

All photos mine. The small buttercup and evening primrose are edited for colour since the camera didn't catch it and washed it out.

In order of appearance:

In order of appearance:

061. Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare) Didn't do so well the last place I had her in, but she seems happy in this spot, so fingers crossed.

062. Crested Iris (Iris cristata) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

063. Smallflower Buttercup (Rancunculus abortivus) Not much to look at compared with other buttercups but one of the only native buttercups with (limited) edible uses.

064. Smooth Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet. Soon, hopefully!

065. False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosa) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet, but she's growing well so hopefully next year.

066. Blisterwort (Ranunculus recurvatus) I didn't plant that. She just turned up last year. Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet.

067. Fairy Spuds (Claytonia virginica) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet. She's a wee little spud in the ground.

068. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus floridus) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet but she is slowly spreading out.

069. Plantain-Leaf Sedge (Carex plantaginea) Not pictured as I haven't got pictures yet. I should. It's a neat plant. Evergreen, too!

070. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) One of the prettiest plants I've ever seen, from the shape and texture of the leaves to the purplish pink buds to the bright blue bell-shaped flowers. They're spring ephemerals, though, so they're long gone by now. But will emerge next spring!

071. Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) Only lives for two years and reseeds itself. It's a common weed along sidewalks, but its flowers glow yellow in the evening and often remain in bloom at night.

072. Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet. The leaves are really cute, though.

073. Large Toothwort (Cardamine maxima) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

074. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet.

075. Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) A cultivar, not sure which one. I'll get the wild type if/when I can.

076. American Plum (Prunus americana) I was not expecting her to flower this year! Hopefully she will next year too, and without aphids this time so I can have some plums. :)

077. Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) So like I said, I do think New England asters are the prettiest of this genus, but smooth asters are very nice in their own way. Tender bluish leaves, and delicate light purple flowers.

078. Sweet Grass (Hierochloe odorata) Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet. She only flowered one year. Hasn't since. I won't miss a photo next time.

079. Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) What's better than pretty flowers? Tasty pretty flowers!

080-081. Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) Two different cultivars and the red one has died, but I did get my hands on the wild type! That will hopefully bloom this year.

082. Stiff Sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus subrhomboideus) Holds her own against the much more aggressive Nuttall's sunflower. Sometimes called beautiful sunflower. I don't know how one decides which species of a very showy genus gets that name, but I guess she won out.

083. Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) Another one that was hard to choose a photo of. You just hardly believe they're real!

084. Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) I planted her where there's a drip from the eavestrough so she can get very wet when it rains. :) She is not a marigold but instead part of the buttercup family.

085. Nuttall's Sunflower (Helianthus nuttallii) Whenever I am expressing frustration about sunflowers, it is almost always this species. lol Very beautiful but very aggressive.

086. Larkspur Violet (Viola pedatifida) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

087. White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

088. Small Sundrops (Oenothera perennis) Not quite as intensely yellow as some of her relatives but still very bright.

089. Bigleaf Aster (Eurybia macrophylla) You generally grow her for foliage rather than her flowers, but flowering she is! Very drought-tolerant, but spreads more readily in less harsh conditions.

090. Bride's Feathers (Aruncus dioicus) Southern Ontario and surrounding area's evolution really went off on the lacy white flowers, and this species' flowers might be the laciest of them all.

[hlizr50]

Realized I didn't post this here. So if any of you missed it, you're welcome!

This drabble was inspired, once again, by the amazing art of elizianna.the.one on Instagram. Check out the art here!

Read on AO3 or below the cut!

“I have one more thing.”

To say she was a nervous wreck was a heinous understatement. Even as she and Ruhn had exchanged baubles and clothes and giggles wrapped in shiny paper and curled ribbon, her stomach had twisted and tangled until she was sure her insides would never escape the knots they were in.

Lidia had known it was crazy; fuck, it was nothing short of insanity. But as she scurried to her purse — the only safe place in the house — and pulled the flat, square box from the center pouch, a sense of rightness filled her. They’d discussed it at length, neither of them certain of their bodies’ capabilities. And after five years of avoiding all contraception, and a little thing she liked to think was fate, it was time to grab her mate’s hand and jump.

The shifter returned to her prince, holding the gift out to him. It wasn’t very large; in fact, she’d used a box that had held a bracelet that Ruhn had given her for her birthday. How could something so monumental fit into a little square no wider than his broad, calloused palm? Worrying her lower lip, Lidia watched as he pulled the wintergreen wrapping away and lifted the lid. She hadn’t sat down, couldn’t stand the waiting and definitely couldn’t sit still.

Time slowed to a crawl, it must have. That was the only explanation for how long it took for Ruhn to pull the folded paper away from the box, revealing a small photo. Gods, she would never tire of how her heart swelled at the precious little vision.

“What is…” The Valbaran prince’s honeyed voice faded as he unfolded the document, the paper crinkling between his inked fingers. Lashes fluttering as she read the words printed across the top for what had to be the hundredth time, she leaned in and snatched up the little photograph, holding it over her stomach, right where Ruhn’s eyes would find it once he’d read all the black and white.

She hadn’t expected those indigo orbs, sparkling with twinkling stars and the sheen of building emotion, to immediately find her instead. Ruhn’s stare was wide-eyed and beautiful, his jaw slack, perfect lips parted in what Lidia hoped was awe, but could very well just be shock.

“I know it’s crazy,” she started, her fingertips tapping over the little picture she held, “and it’s going to sound so stupid. But…” Her voice cracked, and the shifter had to take a breath and blink back her tears, though one managed to escape the batting of her eyelids. Looking down at her prince, her hero, flabbergasted as he may be, she was able to find her words again.

“Her name is Dawn. And… and it just felt like fate.”

Gods, when she said it aloud it sounded so incredibly irresponsible and idiotic. Who in their right mind would adopt a child, adorable and precious as she was, simply because of her name? Hel, the little bundle was Mer, for fucks sake! Ruhn would have every right to lift a skeptical eyebrow and inquire about her mental state.

And still, Ruhn said nothing. Did nothing. It only drew more explanation from her lips, the rambling words bursting from her mouth in a waterfall.

“We have a month. And I know that’s not very long. We’ll want to get a place closer to the river, or maybe even on the coast? And I figured Tharion could give us some advice, and—“

Whatever she was going to say next was stolen by Ruhn’s desperate kiss, her body trapped in the vice of his strong, tattoo-covered arms. Lidia’s shoulders sagged, releasing the tension she hadn’t even felt building as she’d plead for his understanding.

Not that she’d needed to. That much was clear when he pulled away and looked down into her eyes, his gaze full of love as his tears left shimmering trails over the chiseled angles of his cheeks.

“Her name is Dawn?” he croaked, his hand lifting to cup her cheek. The dam broke as she leaned into his gentle touch, nodding as she choked on a sob and lifted the photo between their mingling breaths. His eyes focused on the little Mer girl with her wild dark curls and chubby cheeks, then lifted to Lidia. Darted back and forth. His laugh was more of a disbelieving huff, but then he dipped his chin and pressed his lips to the picture.

“I love you, little girl,” he whispered, before flicking his silver-lined eyes back to the shifter. Pushing her hands back down, forcing her to lower the barrier between them, he murmured, “I hope she turns out just like her mama.”

His next kiss was full of promise and warmth, the hope of a future that she’d spent so many years certain she would never have. But here it was, the beginning of something new and infinitely precious. A new light, blinding as it breached the horizon.

Day. Night. Dawn.

Family.

[ancenth]

Wintergreen: Anyways, how was the thing for your great-grandma, Carn? Clarity: Oh right, the memorial service! Sorry, we probably should’ve started with that. Carnelian: It’s alright, Clar. And it was good, I got to see a lot of the extended family that we don’t see very often. Seeing her artwork all together and on display was amazing though, I really hadn’t seen too much of it before… Instead of a photo of her, my great-aunt brought out this massive self-portrait that she had done when she was young, which was just astounding…

[wilsondick-winterexchange]

WilsonDick Winter Exchange is an anonymous gift exchange for everyone who enjoys Dick’s relationships with the various members of the Wilson family in any and all platonic, monogamous, and polyamorous forms and flavors.

The exchange will have open sign-ups from September 10 to 30.

Are you ready to match Dick with Slade, Rose, Joey, Grant, Adeline, Wintergreen or Lilly, but you don't know how exchanges work? Don't worry, we got you covered! 💙

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Participants are required to fill out the AO3 Sign Up Form with, at least, three (3) different requests and one (1) offer. 

Your requests and offers must include a minimum of two (2) ships, favorite tropes, likes, and DNWs (Do Not Wants or Squicks). If one of your requests is a romantic WilsonDick ship the rule is complied with if another request is about the platonic ship and vice versa.

Gifts can take the form of artworks or fanfiction of any rating and warning. All canon and alternate universes are accepted as well. 

Creation Period: You will have from October 4 to November 27 to finish your work!

Gift’s Requirements:

Fanfiction: The fic must be at least 1000 words. The fic must be finished work. If you want to add more installments to this verse, we advise you to make it a series. 

Fanart: The fanart must be completed traditional or digital art. For traditional art, we advise you to scan the artwork or take a high-quality photo of the artwork. 

Commenting:

You must leave a comment on your gift or contact us about the reason you can’t. Contacting us about a DNW violation fulfills this requirement automatically. Otherwise, non-commentators will be banned from future rounds until they comment on their previous gift(s).

Refrain from criticizing the work you received. Focus on the positives.

For further information, please check our FAQ or send us an ask.

Our Discord server is open to anyone who is interested in the various pairings of WilsonDick, not just participating users.

Visit us on Twitter if you’d like!

[nepalhandicraftproduct]

Unknown Top Items That are Exported From Nepal

Do you know what items Nepal exports to other countries? Along with major exports like carpets and clothing, many unique and unknown Nepali products are exported worldwide. People from all around the globe have fancy items from Nepal. They are trusted with the most authentic items. Want to know what is the interesting Handicraft Export from Nepal? Let’s begin the journey through Nepal! Read on to find out!

Handmade Paper

Nepal makes beautiful handmade paper from the bark of a tree called Lokta. This paper is used for journals, cards, bags, boxes, photo albums and more. The Lokta paper is famous for its durability and texture. Nepal exports handmade paper products to many countries.

Beads and Jewelry

Delicate jewellery made from beads, silver and semiprecious stones is a key export item. Glass seed beads are produced and creatively used on necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. The beadwork and jewellery reflect excellent Nepali craft skills.

Essential Oils

Nepal's aromatic herbs, flowers and plants extract essential oils like mentha, wintergreen, eucalyptus and chamomile oils. These pure and organic essential oils are exported for aromatherapy, personal care and food industries worldwide.

Pashmina Products

Luxurious pashmina shawls, scarves and wraps made from Himalayan goat wool are globally renowned exports of Nepal. Along with shawls, pashmina is also used for stoles, mufflers, fabric rolls and other woollen goods exported worldwide. If you want handicraft export from Nepal never miss out on these!

Incense Sticks

High-quality incense sticks scented with natural Himalayan herbs are hand-rolled and exported from Nepal. These incense sticks are used for meditation and prayer rituals. They provide income to Tibetan refugee communities in Nepal.

Hand Knotted Carpets

Beautifully hand-knotted wool and silk carpets are made in Nepal using traditional designs and motifs. Nepali carpets are valued globally for their quality craftsmanship. They are exported to many countries for home and office use. If you want a carpet that is perfect and shows quality work, you must get it from Nepal!

Iron Artifacts

Wrought iron tools, artefacts and decor items forged by skilled blacksmiths are exported too. Wall hangings, lamp stands, plant holders, furniture with ironwork and more have a market abroad.

Lokta Paper

The bark of the Lokta bush found in Nepal's mountains is used to make solid, handmade paper having a fibrous texture. This Lokta paper is exported to make lampshades, cards, tea bags, souvenirs and other products.

Conclusion

Along with major exports like clothing and carpets, many unique Nepali handicraft products also have markets worldwide. Metal crafts, jewellery, Lokta paper, pashmina goods, felt items, beads and essential oils are some unknown top exports from Nepal. The exports highlight the diversity and high skills of Nepali craftspeople.

[vminews]

Fall Career Fair

Oct. 25, 2023—Nearly 100 employers were on post today for a fall career fair. The event, which was open to all cadets, was split into a STEM fair and a non-STEM fair with employers discussing career and internship opportunities. Notable employers included the CIA, Virginia Department of Transportation, Army Corps of Engineers, Luck Stone, Target, Delta Airlines, U.S. Navy JAG, Wintergreen Resort, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and GE HealthCare. Several graduate school program representatives were also on hand.—VMI Photos by Kelly Nye.

[neoninky]

TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 1

Hey y'all~ For any/all new readers of the Sacred Crown Chronicles, welcome to the sequel to 'Her Ivory Crown'. Just a heads up, this story runs longer and darker than Reine and Riddle's story - so strap in lol.

Likes, comments, and reblogs are welcome and appreciated!

Ch. 1: Fathoms Above and Below

The salted air brushed through long raven tresses as it carried the musical sound of a flute with it. The only audience she held was the cawing gulls in the sky above and the rush of waves from the sea below the pier she currently sat on all alone. This was the typical summertime scene in Princess Elise Coralette's contradictory personal life. At school, Elise was in a constant state of activity as the Cerulamare Dorm Prefect and found herself center stage more often than not, either pulling the strings or merely attracting attention just by being around. Did she orchestrate it that way? Maybe. No one would ever know and Elise would never tell. But when she was home, or rather bouncing from home to home, life was completely different and often more solitary. And this the summer before her fourth and final year at Sacred Crown, her temporary home was one of many port towns in her father's kingdom, one of her favorites actually. It was a cozy seaside town, not too big nor too small, that Elise had actually spent a lot of her childhood in. Some of the servants in the villa had been there since she was born and practically raised her as a child whenever her father and elder siblings were busy with more important, royal duties. 

Elise was now nineteen years old, on the brink of young adulthood, but she was still the youngest of her family and therefore nowhere near inheriting the throne nor being taken seriously. She was still a  noble princess by birth but...

Elise ended her song as her roaming thoughts wandered off into the horizon, matching her pale wintergreen gaze. The new school year would start in about two weeks. She and the other fourth years would attend the opening ceremony on Sacred Crown's campus before leaving for their internships, much like the fourth years from both their brother school and their friends at Night Raven. A smile started to form on her face as Elise checked her phone, remembering the festival that introduced her to a certain trio of boys about a year and some months ago.  It was a rare day when her phone didn't sound off on all the messages Floyd sent her, whether they be random texts or photos of anything that piqued the strange eel's interest. In a few ways, Floyd reminded the princess of Cowrie but more sporadic. Jade would sometimes message her as well to politely check in with her or respond to her own inquiries about how he was doing. Azul...was more elusive. Elise assumed that he was busy. With how ambitious the lounge manager and dorm prefect was, it was to be expected. The messages they did share were always pleasant, formal, and always a nice surprise when she did receive them. As for her Cerith sisters, Cowrie was, like Floyd, very present and very enthusiastic about an array of different things: excited to be the next Cerulamare Prefect, excited to send photos she took from the coral seas near her home under the sea, curious to know what "Ellie's" home on land was like and wanted pictures, etc. Luna was also a fourth-year and also preparing for her own internship like Elise was...at least, that's the impression the princess got. Their exchanges were actively passed back and forth like clockwork up until a couple of months ago. All of a sudden, Luna Cerith stopped responding and just sort of disappeared. Whenever Elise asked Cowrie, the response was the same.

'Luna's busy. Family job stuff.'

So eventually, the princess just stopped asking. If Cowrie didn't seem bothered by it then why should Elise worry? Surely she and her old friend/vice prefect could and would catch up at Sacred Crown's opening ceremony. Still...today, her phone was completely silent. No photos, no messages, no responses from anyone at all. 

Elise sighed as the breeze brushed against her bare legs, making the skirt of her sundress billow about like a flag on a ship. Summertime was so lonely. It had been for years and yet she never quite got used to it. Her best human friends lived in different countries and her best non-human friends lived underwater and rarely came to visit her on the surface because...well...despite the modern age she lived in, not all of Elise's people shared her love and fascination with the merfolk the lived under the sea. At least not the ones with sharp teeth and more animalistic features like the twins and the Cerith sisters. In that light, Elise was a bit of an oddball. Myths and legends talked about the famous mermaid princess that fell in love with a human prince and the people loved the story in all of its romance. Those kinds of mermaids, the 'less scary ones', were nice, of course. But Elise always had a soft spot for her favorite eelmaids. Her father didn't share the same sentiment but that wasn't something that Elise liked to brood on. 

"Your Highness!" 

Elise turned to see her appointed majordomo walking up the pier towards her, that stern look burning in the gentleman's eye as usual. She already braced herself for a half-baked scolding as she stood up to face the man who constantly reminded her of an austere pelican. 

"Young lady, how many times do we have to go through this?"

Elise said nothing but knew for a fact that she could recite verbatim what the man was about to say.

"Why must you insist on wandering off without a proper chaperone?!"

"Because I'm no longer a small child looking to get into mischief, Gerald?" Elise quipped, noting that a bit of mischief actually sounded pretty fun right about now. When the older man raised a brow at her tone, the princess sighed in frustration, "Seriously Gerald, I'm nineteen! Almost twenty, almost out of school and out of my 'wild teen years' as you like to call them. You never made such a fuss over Emily-"

"Your older sister," Gerald cut her off, "never gave me such grey hairs, running about, sneaking onto your father's ships, hoping to stow away on another 'adventure'. Nor did she constantly jump into the ocean, to chase after who knows what sort of creatures!"

"Oh, that was ages ago, Gerald...like I said, I'm no longer a child." 

Truth be told, Elise would still sneak out to go for a nightly swim when she was supposed to be sleeping, safe and sound in her bed, but that was no one's business but hers. 

"No you are most certainly not. You are a young lady, coming into a certain age-and don't you give me that look!"

Elise's eyes rolled almost on their own accord. Again, she knew this speech by heart. Her oldest brother was the next in line for the throne, but she and her older sister were still very eligible and attractive princesses, that could almost pass as twins save for their differing eye colors, heights, and ages, which meant they needed to be guarded against all ner-do-wells within fifty miles of them at all times and carry themselves with a particular kind of decorum. Proprieties and all that. Her father didn't really ever push her to enter any sort of engagement or courtship but then again, her father was usually too busy ruling the kingdom to give his two cents on anything. Ergo, here was Gerald playing the role of overprotective and overly straight-laced guardian. 

"...if I just smile, nod, and follow you back to the villa, can this conversation be over, Gerald?" Elise smiled oh so sweetly and batted her eyes. The older man just sighed and gestured for the princess to walk back to the shore with him. He should have known there was no getting through to her once Elise made up her mind on anything. 

"Besides Gerald," Elise continued as they made their way up the steps, "I practically grew up in this town. Everyone knows me and I know them. So why should I be afraid to walk about as I please, on my own? There hasn't been a new face come into port since..."

Elise paused her train of thought as a movement in the water below suddenly caught her eye. Or so she thought? There was nothing there but some smaller fish flitting about but she swore she saw something much bigger only moments before. It must be the summer heat playing tricks on her again. Gerald began to scold her carefree attitude once more but it fell on deaf ears.

-

The sun was setting as Elise sat at the large dinner table across from Gerald and no one else. Only the chef, the head maid, and few other servants came and went from the room. The princess stared at her plate and mentally ticked off another day passing her by, like clockwork. She asked yet again if any word about her father or siblings possibly coming to visit had been passed on to Gerald or the servants, but the answer was the same:

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness, but your father sends his best wishes to you for the coming school year and your internship with His Majesty's trade ship engineers." 

Elise had specifically chosen her internship in her own family's trade fleets and shipping companies for a couple of reasons: 1) working directly with the engineers of said trade ships allowed for travel and also problem-solving in further developing technology that would keep the ocean the ships traveled on clean and 2) it would keep her busy and less likely to get shoved off into some boring political courtship to either maintain good relations with their allies or form stronger ones with potential allies...she'd leave that to her sister, Emily. 

She only had to hold on in this seasonal purgatory a couple more weeks. Elise checked her phone once again underneath the table. No responses or new messages. Only the indication was that all of her sent messages have been read, except for the ones she sent to Luna. The tapping of her fork echoed in the large dining hall as the maids attempted to fill the air with small talk about the weather or whatever small event was happening in the town's square in the next day or so. Elise's ears only registered it all as muffled murmurs that were quickly overshadowed by the buzz of her unspoken thoughts. 

Nothing was changing aside from her age. 

The night rolled by in stifling peace. Elise stood on her balcony, letting the breeze play with her dark hair as she watched the waves catch the moonlight on their ever-moving surface. The beach below was empty. Every once in a while she would hear the buzz of activity come from the ports down the shoreline but otherwise, it was just her thoughts keeping her company tonight. Again. 

The silvery sheen on the water was almost hypnotic and served only to stir up more questions in Elise's buzzing brain. What were Luna and Cowrie up to right now? What were the Leech brothers and Azul doing for that matter? She knew that the Coral Sea Kingdom wasn't too far from this port town but where exactly was it? Elise was never sure. Actually...now that she thought about it, Elise wasn't sure where the Cerith sisters even lived in the Coral Sea itself. Cowrie had shown her various uninhabited locations that were - supposedly - close by her 'neighborhood' or other more public areas like the Alantica Memorial Museum, but never anything like her actual home, her favorite hotspots around her area, nothing like that. Both sisters had said something along the lines of their parents being very reserved. The same was true for the Leech brothers and Azul but Elise never thought to really ask because she wasn't as close to the three boys. It was a different story with her two snowflake eelmaids...she had known them for years.  So why now did things suddenly seem foggy? And why did she suddenly feel more alone than ever? Elise felt a wave of guilt wash over her and proceeded to wave the questions away. 

"Don't be so clingy. Life is very different for everyone and I'm sure they're all just...busy or something." 

That had to be it. Right? They were all getting older. They weren't little kids with worry-free days full of fun anymore. The same was true for her best friends Reine and Manari. One was becoming a queen and the other was busy helping with her family's booming silk business. Everyone was focusing on building their futures, surely. So...what was she doing besides just waiting? 

Elise felt the air around her suddenly shift as she heard music. No, not music...singing? Her eyes searched the shore but saw nothing. The voice was clear and ethereal as if the singer was right under her nose, serenading her personally. Elise felt her body start to melt into a trance she couldn't fight as the sound caressed her ears, lulling her into a sleepy, foggy state. She slowly inhaled a deep breath, closing her eyes...when she opened them again, Elise was in her bed and it was daytime. She scrambled into a sitting up position and looked around the room.

It was her room.

Nothing had changed at all.

All was as it was every single morning but...

"W-what was that...? When did I...?"

Elise looked down at herself, noting that she was still wearing the nightgown that she had changed into last night before going out on her balcony where she heard the-

The princess jumped to her feet and ran back onto the balcony and quickly scanned the shoreline below. Nothing out of the ordinary. The port in the distance looked the same as well. Clearly...the monotony of her summer break was getting to her. Elise rubbed her temples in frustration before returning to her room. Just as she flopped back onto her very comfortable bed, a knock came to her door, signaling it was time to get properly dressed for breakfast. The princess groaned into her pillow before yanking her blanket back over her head, knowing that resistance was futile. But she'd be damned if she gave in so easily!

-

Breakfast was served at the usual pace as Gerald reviewed the daily news both in print and by local word of mouth as Elise ate her food in the usual silence as she stared out the large windows at the sea. It wasn't until one of the maids rushed to her side, face aglow with giddy curiosity, as she extended a platter to the princess. On it was an envelope addressed in elegant yet familiar handwriting stating, simply, "Princess Coralette". Elise stared at it curiously for a moment before tentatively grasping it. 

"Your Highness, this was delivered just now by a very interesting young man!"

Elise's eyes were glued to the writing, her brain scrambling to answer where exactly she had seen that handwriting before, "Did he leave a name?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness. I think he may be a traveler. He didn't say much to be quite honest but he was very handsome with a friendly face and he had the most lovely shade of vibrant red hair. And peculiar clothing..." 

Elise's eyes widened, still glued to the envelope in her hand, as her heart nearly burst out of her chest. The princess excused herself from the table without finishing another bite and quickly walked out of the hall. Elise broke out into a full run back to her room as soon she was out of sight of Gerald and her servants. There was only one handsome-faced, red-haired young man in these parts she knew and that knew her. It had to be...!

The envelope was all but torn to bits as soon as Elise was alone, behind locked doors. Her heart pounded as she took a quick breath and began to read the letter in her hands.

My Dearest Princess,

I apologize that I've kept you waiting for so long and that it took me all this time to finally tell you the truth. I'm afraid that if I keep waiting for the right moment to come, I will lose you forever. My sweet angel, I love you. I have loved you for so long. I knew it from the moment we first met. Please forgive me for being so cowardly and hiding in the shadows until now. I must know if you feel the same. Please meet me tonight by the port before the sun sets. I will be waiting for you. 

Forever yours,

Rielle

Oh. Great. Triton's. BEARD!! Elise quickly smooshed her face into the closest pillow and let out the biggest, happiest squeal she ever thought possible! This was happening. FINALLY HAPPENING!! After all this time, all the pining, aching, swooning, after every single missed opportunity, Prince Rielle confessed! Elise was over the moon as she bouncing up and down on her bed with the joy of a thousand Christmases and birthdays, trying her best not to scream out loud thus alerting any nearby staff. This was the greatest day of her LIFE!

Her first inclination was to immediately tell everyone in her Favorites Contacts on her phone the news but she halted right as she held her phone in her hand. No. Not yet. The princess instead jumped off of her now messy bed and marched over to her full-length mirror to properly prepare herself. 

"You have been waiting for this day to come for so long, Elise Coralette. No, you are going to savor this moment! You are going to tell Rielle how you feel, kiss his beautiful lips, and be so wonderfully, gloriously happy! THEN, you can tell Reine, Manari, Luna, and Cowrie. Definitely tell Manari last or else she'll tell everyone within a hundred Magicam miles and ruin the surprise. Ok. Yes, we have a plan!" Elise squealed giddily to her reflection before immediately throwing up her giant closet to start searching for the quintessential dress to wear to her side of the love confession. It had to be PERFECT and she only had hours to decide!

Elise was hellbent on everything going to plan down to every last detail from her wardrobe to every single word that was going to leave her mouth. Any servant that tried to coax her out of her room was quickly dismissed or ignored as the princess continued to toil away at her strategy. The only time Elise would pause was to check out the window to see how late it had gotten. When she felt fully confident in her mindset and appearance, Elise left the villa in the only way she knew that could guarantee her success: she snuck out the window and climbed down the ivy-covered lattice structures right by her room. It was a wonder no one had figured out this was her go-to exit strategy yet. 

-

The water was painted in an amber glow as Elise reached the port. She felt absolutely electric as she looked about the dwindling crowd for that signature head of red hair. The sailors that recognized her gave her friendly nods and bows as she passed, none of them seemed to know the young man she was looking for, however. Elise was starting to grow frustrated when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted him. The princess gasped quietly as she saw Rielle waiting at the end of one of the piers, facing the water, waiting. She took a moment to catch her breath, straightening out her carefully curated blue dress. Sure it was a hand-me-down from her older sister, but it looked amazing on her so of course, Elise had to wear this one! 

"This is it," Elise quietly assured herself as she took the first steps onto the long pier, "This is exactly what you have been waiting for, Elise Coralette..."

The pier almost felt too long by the time she finally got close to the mermaid-now human formed prince. He remained facing the sea below them, silently fidgeting with this hands nervously. If she had not been so nervous herself, Elise would have relished how cute the gesture was. Take a breath, she reminded herself before calling out to him.

"Rielle?"

The sun was beginning to dip into the horizon as the eighteen-year-old boy turned to her with expectant deep blue eyes. Elise felt frozen in wonder for a moment. It was really him...Prince Rielle was really here, waiting for her. A big, slightly relieved smile adorned the boy's face as Elise stepped closer, his letter in her hands. Her heart was fluttering inside her chest like a menagerie of butterflies.

"Rielle," her voice said his name with a lovestruck sigh, "I can't believe it's really you. I've waited so long to say these words to you!"

His smile seemed a bit frozen on his wide-eyed face as Elise closed the gap between them happily. All of her preparation was lost amidst the rush of emotions ready to burst out of her. In moments that ticked by too quickly, Elise wrapped her arms around the prince's neck and pressed her pink lips to his in earnest. Rielle's whole body stiffened in shock, his arms moving around her waist just enough to keep Elise from falling too hard against him. Elise could sing she was so happy! She broke the kiss with tears starting to prickle at the corners of her eyes.

"I love you, Rielle!"

His eyes were as wide as the moon as they locked onto hers. A moment of silence passed between them before a spark of light glowed from Rielle's throat. The sudden burst of magic made him jump away from her, coughing until his words finally returned in an unexpected tone.

"E...Elise???"

Elise gasped at the sound of his voice, happy to hear it but somehow the look he was giving didn't have the same feeling. He looked...lost??

"Yes. Yes Rielle, it's me," Elise sniffled, wiping at her tears.

The boy looked her up and down in shock before his expression morphed into something even worse: a look of guilt. 

"Rielle...? W-What's wrong? ...I responded just how you wanted me to in your letter!" Elise's hands were starting to shake.

Rielle looked away from her, grasping his face as if he were in pain, "No...No, no that letter wasn't for you! It was for Emily!"

Elise stood completely frozen. More tears started to spill down her face but now for an entirely different reason. Rielle began to profusely apologize but his words were mute in comparison to the cold pain the princess felt growing in her chest. 

"I-I'm so sorry! This wasn't at all how this was supposed to happen! I...Elise, I am so sorry...I-I don't love you." 

Elise's mouth slowly opened but no words could come out. The cold pain stabbed and crawled all through her, turning into a blinding heat as another, bigger spark surrounded her, making Rielle jump back with a shout. In mere seconds, the spinning world around Elise sent her tumbling backward as her voice ripped itself from her throat and further spread the unseen fire through her arms and legs. She couldn't tell what happened. Did she fall? Did the pier break underneath her? It all happened too quickly. The last thing she heard before hitting the ice-cold waves below was Rielle's screaming. 

The water’s current carried Elise's heavy body deeper and faster into its embrace… Her entire self felt like it was splitting, reforming, under fire as if the ocean was one giant fluid kiln… She couldn’t move…couldn’t speak…

Her eyes barely opened as the blue-green waves washed over her, pushing her down, down, down. Scrambles of voices, thoughts, and heartaches stirred in her brain and ears like phantoms until familiar voices called out in faint echoes accompanied by the two very long serpentine shadows looming around her. Everything turned dark just as Elise felt a pair of arms hold her limp body against what felt like cool, slick skin. One of the voices reached her just before she completely blacked out.

"Ahhh! Starfishie?! ....What happened to you??"

----------------------------------------------

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @1ndigowitch @victoria1676 @wysteriadelights @espada188 @feldya @aiimee9 @evieyouknow

[youareaveryspecialpersonxxxx]

Boredom volume one

Everything is so embarrassing. being genuine makes me cringe. when im not in love with someone i have no idea who i am or what to do all day. i write about how everything is so embarrassing. i buy mint flavored electronic cigarettes and vape until my hands shake, and when i don’t have the plastic tube in my mouth because it dies or runs out i supplement by popping wintergreen breath mints constantly. i have gone through about one container every day since we broke up.

My brain is crumbling, like how i imagine a preserved butterfly wing would if you touched it. Or what would happen to an old Monet if you let the icky oil on all your fingertips mess with the molecules of the paint or whatever. I never realized that my only hobbies were sucking on necks, texting I love yous, and reading books that were earnestly recommended to me. I know how to look at someone with wide disarming eyes and bat my eyelashes, then turn around and joke that I’m not charming; i don’t know how to fill a day by myself. i am crawling inside a huge vat of molasses, armed only with a graph-papered journal and overdue library books. i push my hands and my arms through the inky thick, and once a day or so i get into the car and sting my hands on the black steering wheel that’s absorbed all of the day’s 102 degrees of heat. i go back home. i sit on the couch. sometimes i’m so bored that i talk to the dog. i watch tv until my head hurts from the screen, i check if he still has our photo on his social media pages, the one where he’s sitting in my lap and im wearing a blue striped shirt, his face turned to me in shock, my face a cats-got-your-tongue grin. small miracle he hasn’t taken it down yet, i think every time i check. that’ll probably be the moment when all of this really sets in.

how do voluntarily single people do this, sitting around all day without someone always on your mind, always above you, always whispering in an animal pitch only your ears are tuned to? that wants to know your every impulse, how you are feeling and what you are doing and how you feel about what you are doing? how you feel about how you’re feeling? what are you up to this weekend, omg i wish i could be there with you, i miss you, i love you infinitely, this is real, we’re forever. i feel like the channel my brain was tuned to, thought it would always be tuned to, got disconnected, turned to static before i could put my feet down firmly on the ground. 

i’ve asked about four of my friends to recommend hobbies to me. one said that i should start styling people; i used to like clothes, but now im too apathetic to buy them, or care about how many rolls of fat they produce on my waistline, one or two. one friend said that i should spend a month just sleeping with women and turning myself lesbian again, and that i should’ve known being with a guy was a futile exercise. two of the others smiled uncomfortably, without teeth. one is in a relationship, about to move in with her girlfriend. i feel that her reticence to acknowledge my situation, much less provide any advice on it, is reflective of her own fear that the same thing will happen to her, when there is more at stake and it’s not as easy as going back to school and saying hi in the hallways instead of hosting giggly sleepovers every other night. 

which is not to say that going back to school will be easy. we have all our stuff in storage together. I haven’t even broken it to him that I lost the key to the unit yet, but I’m hoping i get it handled before i have to break the news in the first place. it’s a thirty minute drive away, with him, which means plenty of silent time to remember how he used to look at me when i would drive and he took passenger, how i would put my hand on the side of his thigh, and how the day we put our stuff there in the first place, i let him sleep and listened to music on earphones because it turns out Uhaul vans don’t have speakers. Surprise! That day, we couldn’t connect our phones, so I played the radio, because silence kills me, it kills me, and Katy Perry came on, “Last friday night”, and i asked if it was okay how loud it was, because he had a headache. He said “of course, of course, it’s fine.” but there was this pained expression on his face for a couple minutes, and when I turned it off he said “Thank God! I hated it.” Us in a nutshell I suppose. Cheers to August.

[muppeteyes1001]

Fathers' Day

Stepping out of her workshop, Kitt was heading upstairs towards the den of her home for a small break. Going into her pantry near the kitchen first, she takes a brief glance about before choosing a small, dark bottle. This was going to be another rough day .. But for an entirely different reason.

With the bottle in hand, the felinoid grabs a small glass as well before heading to the living area. Taking a seat in a comfy armchair by the window, she sets her glass and bottle onto a small round table next to the chair. Outside the window, she sky of the Dawnsburgh were slightly grey and were showing signs of potential rain. How ironic for a city with a name as this would hardly ever show the sun due to all the steam and fog. She sighs to herself .. her elbow on the armrest as she propped her chin up in her gloved hand.

After a moment, Kitt begins to reach into her chest pocket and pulls out her special trinket.

Opening up her pocket watch, she gazes at a photo placed just underneath the the cover. It was a small sepia tone photo that showed three figures ... Three felinoids, in fact ... On the left side was a mustached male wearing a casual suit and spectacles. He stood almost stoically right next to a felinoid woman who sat in a chair and wore a long gown with a capelet. Her hair was held up in an elegant bun and had a decorative rose placed beside her ear. Right between them was a small kitten-like girl .. probably no more than five .. wearing a little dress and holding a ragdoll. She seemed to look shyly at the camera as the older female held her close.

As her wintergreen eyes look over the slightly coppery-colored photo, she manages a soft, but sad smile. She was going to make another to the city cemetery later today to pay her respects and see her parents again .. Especially her father. He may seem a bit imposing and serious in the photo, but .. as she knew well enough ... appearances can be deceiving. Despite his demanding job, her father was never opposed to spending time with her whenever he could .. Whether it's taking part in her little make believe tea parties or reading her stories.

Thinking about those old times, the cat woman popped open her bottle of a spiced rum and pours herself a glass. She knew that spirits weren't always a good way to deal with things like this, but .. right now .. she just wanted whatever sense of comfort she could get.

[aisling-saoirse]

Spotted Wintergreen - Chimaphila maculata

The spotted wintergreen is a welcome sight in mesic oak/pine forests. This is a very small perennial evergreen is native to lower Ontario through Panama, typically growing no more than 10 inches. The flowers are downward facing white/pink and while also very small are similar in appearance to 'shooting star' flowers.

Up here in the north, this species is slowly disappearing, perhaps due to over collection or extreme weather. To my horror, there is a trend to use this as a houseplant as it is considered medicinal. Historically, indigenous people throughout northern america utilized teas made from the leaves for stomach alignments, as someone who sometimes forages in a modern context I would not recommend collection as I feel this species is limited with viable habitats (mountainous forests with limited distrubance) we should not strain these populations more. Photo above was taken in on A NJ mountain, north-facing slope surrounded by scarlet, pin, red, and Chestnut oak as well as some cherry birch in early march

[temple-of-mars]

Pennsylvania Dutch Goddess Frau Holle

Goddess Holle Talisman, Ritually Consecrated Crystal Pendulum talisman dedicated to powerful Goddess Frau Holle.

This crystal pendulum talisman will undergo a strong ritual of consecration to the Goddess Holle, dedicating it to her and making it a powerful sacred object that establishes a strong connection to her.

Goddess Holle is an ancient, powerful Germanic Goddess of winter, witchcraft, wilderness, perseverance, battle, death and rebirth. She is known as Old Mother Winter, Dark Grandmother, or Frau (Fraa) Holle, Lady Holle. She is one of the oldest Goddesses, therefore she has many aspects and much to teach. Frau Holle is a major Goddess of surviving Pennsylvania Dutch Heideglaawe (heathen beliefs), which are centered around her. She is a goddess of battle, protection, death, rebirth, spirits of the dead, spinning magic, and weaving fates. Frau Holle commands an army of witches and many different types of spirits that she personally selects to work for her. She often reaches out, sending messages via dreams, or even guiding people to astral project from their bodies to speak with them and teach them long lost magic, especially Hexerei. She carries with her a hand sickle on her travels. Her sacred trees are Elder and Willow; nature and wildlife are sacred to her. Her season is Winter; she has power over frost, snow, and blizzards. She leads the Wild Hunt beginning on the Pennsylvania Dutch heathen holiday Alleleweseel (Allelieweziel). Alleleweseel is the correct translation which means All Life's Souls, and the holiday begins October 30th. Goddess Holle returns again for the holiday Hexennacht on April 30th, which is a night of celebration for witches and pagans to welcome the return of Spring and to communicate with ancestral spirits. Goddess Holle encourages responsibility, wisdom, independence, spiritual advancement, perseverance through difficulty, inner strength, and growth of personal power. She offers strong spiritual protection and defense, wisdom, spiritual cleansing, good luck, good opportunities, and spiritual rewards. She expects honesty and effort on your part in return. She won't tolerate those who are disrespectful. This talisman acts as a strong energy conduit tuned to her power. This consecrated talisman is great for spiritual protection, abundance, elemental control of ice and snow, vengeance magic, and combatting enemies. You may experience dreams or out of body experiences, in which you receive messages or magical knowledge.

OFFERINGS: She appreciates offerings of incense, crystals, and thoughtful gifts. Winter themed gifts, woven gifts, elderberry, cakes, wintergreen, and peppermint.

Pendulum is great for divinatory purposes and receiving answers from her. It acts as a conduit to her for prayer requests. It can be utilized in ritual work for additional strength. Place near your pillow to receive dreams.

Talisman available at Temple Of Mars Hexerei on Etsy.

♦️WE ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER OCCULT SHOPS OR OCCULT PRACTITIONERS♦️

♦️Written descriptions and photos exclusively belong to us, Temple Of Mars Hexerei. You may not copy our item descriptions or photos for profit in any way, shape or form. We realize that our item descriptions contain interesting, rare historical and metaphysical information, therefore you are welcome to share item descriptions for strictly informational purposes only in a positive way, or strictly as a way to positively promote our shop, but when doing so, site that it comes from Temple Of Mars Hexerei. Thank you♦️

[o-kaythislooksbad]

ailesswhumptober day 12: isolation / sensory deprivation / "can you feel me? i'm right here"

chapter 5 / 7 of i miss the way that i felt (nothing) | not rated, chose not to warn

"rose, please," mom said, stepping in between rose and her closet for the tenth time. "at least think about what you're taking with you to slade's instead of throwing random crap into a suitcase."

"what's there to think about?" rose reached around to grab another hanger from the rod. "you're sending me away to live with some guy who's claiming to be my dad, right? he can just buy me new clothes if i forget something here, 'cause that's what parents do." 

"he is your father, rose, and you should at least give him a chance to prove himself."

"the hell he is! you never even mentioned him until last week, and now you're punishing me by making me go to live with him? what have i done to deserve this?" rose kept her voice level, her eyes locked onto her mom's. 

mom sighed. "i'm offering you a place to stay while i attend a few months of conferences and conventions," she explained. "i'm not sending you away, and i'm certainly not punishing you for anything."

"i have friends, you know. they'd let me stay with them." 

"i don't trust them," mom said bluntly, putting an end to that idea. "it won't be forever," she explained. "but i don't want you to be home alone for nine weeks. you'll meet with slade tomorrow, and if you still don't like our offer, we can figure something else out."

mom toured slade's house with rose, pointing out how much nicer it was than their apartment, which didn't seem fair because most things are nicer than their place. she made civil small talk with slade as rose wandered through the state of the art kitchen and onto the patio beyond it, where a metal bowl and a few scattered tennis balls pointed to the existence of a dog. slade's suburban house might be mom's dream home, but it spooked rose. there was a set of family photos on the wall featuring slade with two boys who looked to be about the same age as rose, although nothing in the house indicated that the teenagers actually lived there. 

"it's too neat," she remarked on the bus ride back. "it doesn't look like anyone even lives there."

"don't be ridiculous." mom waved her hand. "slade's a very busy man and rarely at home, so what if he wants it to look nice when he returns from months overseas?"

"what is his job, anyway? he didn't actually say." rose kept her eyes locked on to her mother's face, searching for anything to indicate honesty.

"we met in grad school," mom said without a trace of fondness in her voice. "as you know, my job involves genetics and theoretical applications of DNA mutations; slade's interest has always been on the more… physical aspects of the work."

rose quickly learned what that meant. the first afternoon at slade's, the man deliberately slit his wrist while preparing lunch, and kept his steely eye on rose as she watched with morbid fascination as his arm mended itself over the sink.

"adeline didn't want to tell you about this," slade said as he casually washed the knife. "but i have no such qualms."

the pieces quickly slotted into place. rose's multiple rock-climbing and mountain biking accidents that left her unscathed. the way she could sense danger from a mile away, minutes before it happened. the insistence on being with slade while mom worked, rather than let rose be anywhere else. "that's why i'm here, isn't it? because i'm like you?"

slade nodded as he continued to thinly slice onions. "wintergreen will be back in a couple hours with some more testing materials. my partner," slade added, noticing rose's confusion. "you're a meta, there's no doubt about that, but your mother never bothered to investigate your genes beyond that. wintergreen and i can help you with that, figure out what makes you tick and what sort of things you can do with your gift."

what made rose tick, they learned, was almost everything under the sun, but mostly it was the frustration of not being allowed out to bask in its warmth. 

"for the last time, rose," wintergreen said, dodging her left hook, "what we are doing here is too important to risk getting out into the public." 

they boxed for an hour, neither one of them breaking a sweat or losing their breath. "out into the public?" rose parroted. she scoffed as she aimed another blow at wintergreen's chest. "i'm asking about being in the backyard with vera, not being let loose into a mall. it's not like i'm a walking time bomb or anything."

"you very well may be," slade's voice called from the top of the stairs. "we're still not sure about the extent of your powers."

rose would have bet everything she owned that slade lied, but she didn't own much and had everything to lose by questioning him, so she remained silent. so what if the fucking dog had more freedom than she did? it wasn't like she got out much back in the apartment, anyway; how much different could it be at slade's?

slade and wintergreen had blackout shades over tinted windows, controlling their opacity with remotes they kept locked away, and didn't have any clocks. the doors, which had been so easy to open back when rose visited a month or two ago, might as well be made of her own personal kryptonite. 

"do you understand why we are doing this, rose?" slade asked one day after a particularly grueling match. he had presented her with a brand-new sword and insisted on helping her get used to its weight; it was made with a special rare metal and had a bit of a learning curve, he explained as rose struggled to get her defenses up in time. the slash marks on her forearms and stomach healed quickly enough, but it only increased her frustration.

rose shrugged. "not exactly, but i have a feeling you're gonna tell me."

"this is jericho." slade tossed one of his many phones at rose. "your brother."

the picture on the screen matched the one in the hallway upstairs. "and i should care about him because…?" she asked as she scrolled through the rest of the album. the guy looked happy and healthy enough, playing soccer outside and holding a guitar case in the room rose had claimed as her own.

"he fell in with the wrong crowd, moved out to join them when he was around the same age as you are now. the group dissolved shortly after getting him killed, but they're back in the city now."

rose looked up to stare into slade's eye. one of the first things she learned from being around him and wintergreen was that appearances could be extremely deceiving. slade liked to lounge around in sweats or cargo pants, armoring up for more intense training sessions but otherwise at ease with wearing t-shirts and spending hours in the kitchen. wintergreen preferred neat, pinstriped suits without ties, classical music, and being at their private gun range when he wasn't organizing their inventory. both exuded calm auras, but had burning furnaces of rage where there hearts should be.

rose closed her eyes and nodded. "okay," she agreed before slade offered. "you want me to follow in his footsteps, 'rebel' a little bit, and avenge him."

"what'd i tell you? quick learner, isn't she, wintergreen?" 

"no doubt about it, wilson. she's yours, after all."

the leather choker and blade to the eye sealed the deal, allowing rose into titans tower merely hours after the fight. losing her eye, rose pieced together too late, wasn't because the night-vision goggles she wore in slade's house didn't prepare her for the real deal. it wasn't because the sheer amount of sensory overload she experienced, all the traffic and lights and bustle of the city after months of suburban silence, although that was definitely a factor.

rose didn't lose her eye. slade took it after taking months of her life and freedom, and there's nothing to do with that realization other than continue training in a dissociative haze to prove her worth to the titans before backstabbing them, retaliating against slade, or finding a way to do both. she bides her time in the tower, waiting for the perfect opportunity, and leaves one morning with a leash and a backpack full of treats. 

it's not much, but at least taking the dog solves the problem of feeling alone all of the time.