#winterized sunflower oil

[freshtradingltd]

Sunflower Oil For Sale in Bulk from Turkey. How to Buy Refined Sunflower Oil in Bulk from Turkey. We meet your various Cooking oil specifications. Trade with renowned Sunflower Oil Manufacturers. Our Pure Sunflower Oil is packaged in PET Bottles and Can Tins. Our main aim at Fresh Trading Consultancy, is to cut down the procurement cost for all.

Fresh Trading Danışmanlık alongside its resourceful team of experts, will ensure to accompany you with the necessary support required to purchase goods and services from Turkiye and beyond. This involves; -Product Sourcing -Purchase Handling -Logistics Arrangements -After-sales Follow-Up-

 #SunFlowerOil #wholesalesunfloweroil#usedcookingoil #bulksunfloweroil #cookingoil #BuySunflowerOil#oilflexitank #sunflowerfield #freshtradingltd -

Web: https://www.freshtradingltd.com 

Phone/WhatsApp: +90 531 947 27 31

[hedgehog-moss]

what do you usually make for dinner? i’m looking for new things to try and the food you show in your photos always looks so tasty

Hi :) I have very seasonal menus, here are some of my go-to summer dishes:

Rice salad with lentils, maize, tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, rocket. My salad dressing is olive oil + sunflower oil + cider vinegar + Dijon mustard + whatever herbs I have at hand (usually thyme, basil, sage, rosemary)

I also make a salad-salad with the same dressing but with just lettuce and some rocket + walnuts + goat cheese + my homemade spicy plum-raisin chutney, or a fig chutney. Classic but delicious.

My laziest salads are potato-herring-red onions salad, or just grated carrots & black radish (and dressing obvs)

I love cold tomato soup in summer—I don't think I'm allowed to call it gazpacho because I don't like cucumber and have banished it from this recipe. It's just normal tomato soup with some olive oil, onion, garlic, Espelette pepper, and herbs, and I keep it in the fridge. I'm proud to say all the ingredients save the olive oil are from my greenhouse! Cold beetroot soup is also great, I often have cold soup with croûtons + a hard-boiled egg for supper (and then cheese + bread, and often dark chocolate + bread for dessert if I haven't made any dessert. Plus a fruit)

The chocolate tart I described here is to be eaten cold so it's a nice summer dessert (and breakfast). I keep carrot cake in the fridge too and since my recipe makes for a very moist cake it's very refreshing (I am positive I shared this recipe on here before but tumblr's blog search is useless :( It's my abuela's pastel de zanahoria esponjoso made with biscuit crumbs instead of flour, it's somewhere on this blog I swear, I remember illustrating it with a little carrot drawing 😭)

Another refreshing summer dessert is compote (or do you call it fruit purée?) Right now my favourite flavour is apple-plum (mostly because that's what I currently have and your own fruits always taste better<3) I just put a few (three?) apples to cook in a pan with a bit of water, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, a dash of lemon and a bunch of red plums, let it cook then blend it and put it in the fridge. Three weeks from now I will be drowning in blackberries and apple-blackberry will be my favourite flavour.

Quiche!! Endless possibilities with quiche. I like to make a quiche-ratatouille combo—I start with sautéing whatever vegetables I have (often courgettes, tomatoes, a couple of potatoes, maybe an aubergine & bell pepper, + Espelette pepper, onions, basil) in a pan with some olive oil; while it's cooking I prepare the body of the quiche in a bowl (20cL of milk, 2 or 3 tablespoons of flour, 2 eggs, some herbs and a tiny bit of olive oil for luck). I make a pie crust with flour, water, salt, oregano and olive oil (sorry I'm from the Mediterranean, I put herbs and olive oil everywhere). I spread the ratatouille on the pie crust then add the milk/egg mixture on top of it, then add little bits of cheese on top (gruyère or bleu or St Nectaire personally). I eat it with a side of rocket, it's perfect. And very colourful:

When I'm too lazy to do the ratatouille (and quiche) steps I just make a tomato tart—the same pie crust as above, then I spread Dijon mustard over it then cover it with sliced tomatoes, and add some (obligatory) herbs and olive oil. It's less effort and also looks very summery:

Some favourite autumn-spring dishes: vegetable lasagna, chilaquiles, hachis parmentier with mashed pumpkin, fish brandade, potato-courgette gratin (with blue cheese)... Then winter is for comfort foods like camembert fondue, risotto, calzones, pumpkin-chestnut soup, and crêpes—the savoury kind with sarrasin flour, what we call galettes. I grew up eating a ton of fish and seafood but I've curbed this habit due to environmental worries—hence why I'd like to raise edible fish in my greenhouse tanks! I get to eat a lot of eggs thanks to my hens, but I don't eat meat very often—hardly ever in summer except if I'm invited for dinner at someone's house. Sometimes I buy a homemade duck terrine from my neighbour and have a tartine for apéritif. My cold-season dishes call for ham in galettes and chicken in chilaquiles / risotto / quesadillas, and I make my hachis parmentier with duck. But yeah soup / salad / 'ratatouille quiche' and pasta with veggie sauce are my staples.

This list lacks pasta, I eat a lot of pasta. But mostly in autumn and spring; I just prepare my sauce in summer and store it for later. I also prepare & freeze a lot of soup and vegetable mash in summer with my greenhouse harvests. I often eat green beans as a side with my crêpes or other winter dishes because they grow so fast and incessantly in summer, my freezer ends up stuffed with bags of green beans. My usual pasta sauce is pretty much the same ratatouille combo as above (minus the potatoes so it's less thick), sauté'ed in a pan with olive oil, I also add an egg, parmesan (sometimes extra blue cheese or emmental) and liquid cream, then blend everything. I have a lot of courgettes and tomatoes right now, industrial quantities of basil and rocket, and beautiful Ecuador purple chili, so I've been making lots of jars of this sauce and also my new basil-rocket-cashew pesto! October-me will be thankful.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word List: Sun

beautiful words with "sun" to help illuminate your poem/story

Sunback - having a low-cut back for tanning and coolness—used of an article of wearing apparel

Sunbaked - heated, parched, or compacted especially by excessive sunlight

Sunbath - an exposure to sunlight or a sunlamp

Sunberry - the edible fruit of the black nightshade; also called wonderberry

Sunbird - any of numerous small brilliantly colored oscine birds (family Nectariniidae) of the tropical Old World somewhat resembling hummingbirds

Sunblind - awning (i.e., a rooflike cover extending over or in front of a place as a shelter)

Sunblink - a glimmer of sunlight

Sunbow - an arch resembling a rainbow made by the sun shining through vapor or mist

Sunchoke - Jerusalem artichoke

Sundeck - the usually upper deck of a ship that is exposed to the most sun; a roof, deck, or terrace for sunning

Sunder - to become parted, disunited, or severed

Sundew - any of a genus (Drosera of the family Droseraceae, the sundew family) of bog-inhabiting insectivorous herbs having leaves covered with gland-tipped adhesive hairs

Sundial - an instrument to show the time of day by the shadow of a gnomon on a usually horizontal plate or on a cylindrical surface

Sundress - a dress with an abbreviated bodice usually exposing the shoulders, arms, and back

Sunfall - sunset

Sunfast - resistant to fading by sunlight

Sunfish - any of numerous North American freshwater bony fishes (family Centrarchidae, especially genus Lepomis) usually with a deep compressed body and metallic luster

Sunflower - any of a genus (Helianthus) of New World composite plants with large yellow-rayed flower heads bearing edible seeds that yield an edible oil

Sunglow - a brownish yellow or rosy flush often seen in the sky before sunrise or after sunset that is due to solar rays scattered or diffracted from particles in the lower and upper air

Sungrazer - any of a group of comets whose perihelions are very close to the sun and which are often destroyed by their close approach to it

Sunless - lacking sunshine; dark, cheerless

Sunpocket - solar trap (i.e., a garden or terrace so oriented as to take advantage of the sun while protected from cold winds)

Sunporch - a screened-in or glassed-in porch with a sunny exposure

Sunscald - an injury of woody plants (such as fruit or forest trees) characterized by localized death of the tissues and sometimes by cankers and caused when it occurs in the summer by the combined action of both the heat and light of the sun and in the winter by the combined action of sun and low temperature to produce freezing of bark and underlying tissues

Sunseeker - a person who travels to an area of warmth and sun especially in winter

Sunsquall - a large jellyfish

Sunstone - aventurine (i.e., a translucent quartz spangled throughout with scales of mica or other mineral)

Sunstruck - affected or touched by the sun

Sunup - sunrise

Sunwise - clockwise

If any of these words make their way into your next poem/story, please tag me, or leave a link in the replies. I would love to read them!

More: Word Lists

[greenwitchcrafts]

October 2023 witch guide

Full moon: October 28th

New moon: October 14th

Sabbats: Samhain

October Hunter's Moon

Known as: Blood moon, drying rice moon, falling leaf moon, freezing moon, migrating moon, moon of the changing seasons, shedding moon, ten colds moon, winterfelleth & windermanoth

Element: Air

Zodiac: Libra & Scorpio

Nature spirits: Frost faeries & Plant faeries

Deities: Apollo, Astarte, Belili, Cernunnos, Demeter, Hathor, Herne, Horned God, Ishtar, Kore, Lakshmi & Mercury

Animals: Elephant, jackal, ram, scorpion & stag

Birds: Crow, heron & robin

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress & yew

Herbs/Plants: Angelica, apple blossom, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, sweet Annie, thyme & Uva ursi

Flowers: Calendula, cosmos & marigold

Scents: Apple blossom, cherry & strawberry

Stones: Amethyst, beryl, obsidian, opal, tourmaline & turquoise

Colors: Black, dark blue, Dark greens & purples

Energy: Artistic works, balance, creativity, harmony, inner cleansing, justice, karma, legal matters, mental stimulation, partnerships, reincarnation & uncovering mysteries or secrets

It is believed that this name originates from the fact that it was a signal for hunters to prepare for the upcoming cold winter by going hunting. This is because animals were beginning to fatten up in preparation for the winter season. Moreover, since fields had recently been cleared out under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily spot deer and other animals that had come out to search for remaining scraps. Additionally, foxes and wolves would also come out to prey on these animals.

The earliest use of the term “Hunter’s Moon,” cited in the Oxford English Dictionary, is from 1710. Some sources suggest that other names for the Hunter’s Moon are the Sanguine or Blood Moon, either associated with the blood from hunting or the color of the changing autumn leaves. 

Samhain

Also known as: All Hallow's Eve,  Ancestor Night, Feast of Apples, Feast of Sam-fuim, Feast of Souls, Feast of the Dead, Geimhreadh, Hallowmass, Martinmass, Old Hallowmas, Pagan New Year, Samana, Samhuinn, Samonios, Shadowfest & Third Harvest

Season: Fall

Symbols: Apples, bats, besom(brooms), black cats, cauldrons, ghosts, gourds, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, scarecrows & witches

Colors: Black, gold, orange, silver & white

Oils/incense: Basil, cloves, copal, frankincense, gum mastic, heather, heliotrope, mint, myrrh & nutmeg

Animals: Bat, boar, cat cattle & dogs

Stones: Amber, anatase, black calcite, black obsidian, black tourmaline, brass, carnelian, clear quartz diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, iron, jet, marble, pearl, pyrite, ruby, sandstone, sardonyx, smokey quartz, steel & tektite

Foods: Apples, ale, beef, cider, corm, fruits, garlic, gourds, grains, hazelnuts, herbal teas, mushroom, nettle, nuts, pears, pomegranates, pork, poultry, pumpkin pie, sunflower seeds, thistle, turnips & wine (mulled)

Herbs/plants: Acorn, Allspice, catnip, corn, dittany of Crete, hazel, mandrake, mugwort, mullien, oak leaves, pine, rosemary, sage, straw, tarragon, thistle, wormwood & yellow cedar

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, deadly nightshade, rue & fumitory

Goddesses: Al-lat, Baba Yaga, Badb, Banba, Bast, Bebhionn, Bronach, Brunhilde, Cailleach, Carlin, Cassandra, Cerridwen, Copper Woman, Crobh Dearg, Devanyani, Dolya, Edda, Elli, Eris, Erishkigal, Fortuna, Frau Holde, Hecate, Hel, Ishtar, Kali, Macha Mania, Morrigan, Nemesis, Nephthys, Nicneven & Rhiannon

Gods: Arawan, Baron Samede, Belenus, Coyote, Cronus, Dagda, Dis, Hades, Loki, Nefertum, Odin, Osiris, Pluto, Woden & Xocatl

Issues Intentions & Powers: Crossroads, darkness, death, divination, honoring ancestors, introspection, the otherworld/underworld, release, visions & wisdom (of the crone)

Spellwork: Divination, fire magick, night magick, shape-shifting, spirit calling & water magick

Related festivals:

• Day of the Dead- (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed & is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. Although related to the simultaneous Christian remembrances for Hallowtide, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

• All Saints Day- is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints & martyrs of the Church, whether they are known or unknown

Activities:

• Dedicate an altar to loved ones who have passed

• Boil a simmer pot to cleanse your space

• Have a silent dinner

• Light a candle for your loved ones & yourself

• Decorate your house and/or altar

• Release negative energy & cleanse your with a ritual bath

• Pull tarot cards to see what may be in store for you ahead

• Cleanse, clean & de-clutter your space

• Leave offerings to the Fae

• Journal & reflect on your accomplishments, challenges & everything you did this year

•Go on a nature walk

• Learn a new form of divination

• Have a bonfire with your friends and/or family

• Carve pumpkins

• Express yourself creatively through art, music, ect

• Visit a cemetery & help clean off areas that need it or to visit a family member/ ancestor & leave an offering

• Hold a seance

• Bake spooky treats & bread as offerings

• Refresh your protection magicks, sigils & rituals

Samhain is a Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or "darker half" of the year. Celebrations begin on the evening of 31 October, since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset.

This fire festival is celebrated on October 31st & is considered the Pagan New Year. It is the first Sabbat on the Wheel of the Year, a cross-quarter festival & the third (final) harvest festival of the mundane year. This is the time when the veil between the worlds of the living & those who have passed is the thinnest, which allows greater communication between the two

Some believe this is the time of the Goddess's mourning of the death of the God until his rebirth at Yule. The Goddess's sadness can be seen in the shortening, darkening days & the arrival of cold weather

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's 2023 magical almanac: practical magic for everyday living

Wikipedia

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

[bwwhitney]

This woodpecker and its feathered friends have eaten over 100 pounds (45kg) of black-oil sunflower seeds so far this winter (and into spring)

[tightwadspoonies]

Eating Well

If you are someone who struggles to figure out what to eat, this post may help.

There is a lot of information out there about eating well. It's important to know it's not as complicated as most guides try to make it. The following is a simple way of looking at food adapted from David Werner's Where There Is No Doctor:

You need a main food, or foods. A "Main Food" is one or more starch bases, like pasta/noodles, bread/tortilla/biscuits, hominy, rice, potatoes, taro, millet, barley, or another grain or starchy tuber.

These are usually cheap and should make up a majority of your calories. They often also provide an amount of protein, vitamins and minerals.

However, living on starchy bases alone is not adequate. To them, you need to add at least one or two each of "Go Foods", "Grow Foods" and "Glow Foods" every day.

"Go Foods" are energy foods. They are things like oils, fats, peanuts, other nuts, oily seeds (like sesame and sunflower), and sugars (like granulated sugar, honey, maple syrup, and fruit juices). Eat more of these if you are doing heavy work. They can also replace some of your Main Food, though they are often somewhat more expensive.

"Grow Foods" are foods that build muscle and other body tissues and heal injuries. They include animal foods (like meat, eggs, milk, and fish), legumes (beans, peas, peanuts, and lentils), and seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, melon, etc...).

"Glow Foods" are foods that contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. These include dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens, radish greens, etc...), orange vegetables (carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, winter squash of any kind, etc...), fruits (apples, pears, berries, quince, etc...) and other vegetables (turnips, radishes, summer squash, onions, cabbage, etc...), herbs and spices (chili powder, garlic, cumin, thyme, oregano, sage, cinnamon, etc...).

Example meals (each meal does not need to contain all types of foods, as long as someone is eating some of each every day):

A rice bowl (Main) with vegetable (Glow) and bean (Grow) curry (Glow).

Oatmeal (Main) with whole or coconut milk (Go, Grow) and berries (Glow)

Spaghetti (Main) with tomato sauce (Glow) and meatballs (Grow)

Tapioca pudding (Main, Grow, Go) with cinnamon and nutmeg (Glow)

Farrow (Main) with stewed tomatoes (Glow) and olive oil (Go)

Zucchini boats (Glow) with black beans (Grow), rice (Main) and cheese (Go, Grow)

Baked potato (Main) with broccoli (Glow) and cheese (Go, Grow)

Potato (Main) and spinach (Glow) curry (Glow)

Whole fat yogurt (Grow, Go), granola (Main, Go), and berries (Glow)

Peanut butter (Go, Grow) and jam (Go, Glow) on toast (Main)

[queerxreader]

Howdy!! I was wondering if you could do a Logan x m!reader who has a harpy mutation and it’s a wing care thing, I think it could be interesting because caring for a birds wings is a very intimate thing. And or a spideypool + m!reader cuddling fluffy piece?

- 🎭

Logan/Wolverine x M!Reader with Harpy Mutation/Wings.

Bird, Bath, and Intimacy.

Featured/Warnings: Vague angst and Nudity. Baths. Comfort and Care. Fluff piece. Flirting.

Writer’s Note: I Really adore the idea of Logan this big tough guy being so gentle and caring towards his winged boyfriend. Also I’m still planning on writing a Spideypool cuddle fic but it’ll be separate from this. Anyways, I hope you enjoy! And apologies for how long it took to push this out.

“Stay still. Quit your flapping.” Logan’s gruff voice barked at you.

Your feathery appendages had a mind of their own, and when it came to Logan’s touch your soft wings fluttered for the callous man.

“I’m trying, I’m just not used to someone else taking care of my wings”

“Someone has to.”

Though he sounded aggravated to be helping you, you could sense his calmness. You knew deep down he cared for you, otherwise he wouldn’t have even offered.

You were sitting on your legs in the tub, the lukewarm water felt relaxing on your skin. Logan sat on the inner edge of the tub, his feet soaking in the water with his jeans cuffed up as high as he could manage on his toned calves. He was softly kneading his fingers into your feathers. His hands were coated in a special soap that was advertised to be strong enough to get oil out of ducks. He assumed this would be the best alternative compared to the shoddy attempts at cleaning yourself were.

He noticed your difficulty cleaning your wings when he saw you one early spring morning. He couldn’t sleep again so he was just having a beer as a breakfast appetizer. He looked out the kitchen window to enjoy the beginning of the sunrise. There you were, out there waiting on the edge of the fence, he pondered what you were doing, but instead of going outside to ask he just enjoyed this new view that seemed to outshine the sun rising.

Abruptly the sprinklers chittered on, Logan knew they were scheduled to do this, but it always raised the hairs on his arms. The sprinklers were always really tall in the mornings due to the expectation that everyone would be asleep this early in the day.

You promptly thrashed your wings to glide down

through the high force water oscillating into the air. All Logan saw between your swift flailing of wings and every few moments he’d see your mostly nude masculine frame covered by a pair of tight swim shorts. He admired the way your wet body glistened in the pale morning light, it was times like this he swore you were an angel rather than a harpy-adjacent mutant humanoid. He still loved you as the latter reality, however.

He saw you land atop one of the garden statues, you perched there for a second before shaking and writhing your feathers and hair dry. He always thought you were kidding when you said you bathed exactly like a bird. While he did think it was cute watching you do your avian drying dance, he wondered if you did this year around. Wouldn’t you get sick doing this during the winter or fall, only so much of your genetics include this mutant bird dna, what about the human parts?

As you got to a decent stage where you could just air dry the rest of your body, you hovered over the patio to retrieve your robe and enter the mansion.

You only got so far into the door of the kitchen before a gravelly voice teased you.

“Did'ja have a nice bird bath?”

You nodded while sitting down at the kitchen table, “I did actually, I’m fixing to have some breakfast.”

“I think we have some sunflower seeds in the pantry for you to peck on.”

“Ha. Ha. Really funny, wolf boy.”

“You were serious about those bird baths. I thought you just took regular baths like the rest of us.”

“Newsflash, blades-for-joints, do I look like the rest of ‘us’?”

“Hey now, I was just saying I didn’t expect it to be true.”

“Well you caught me, now what.”

“I don’t think a rinse is good enough to get you clean. Those feathers are complex.”

“Yeah, so are a bird’s.”

“But you’re not all bird.. you have a human immune system and taking baths like that—

“Aw Logan, you’re worried about me getting sick? Don’t worry I never get sick.”

Almost like you had jinxed yourself, you sneezed instantaneously.

He smirked, pleased with being right, however there was a tiny glint of concern in his eye. A literal blink and you miss it type of glint. You’re glad you didn’t miss it though.

“See.”

“Whatever. It’s just ‘cause it’s cold in here.”

The memory fades as Logan turns the shower hose on you, the warm water juxtaposing the now cooler water you sat in. You shivered and then eased into the soothing feeling of water flowing between your wings in places you could never reach on your own. Logan rubbed his rough hands between your shoulder blades massaging the sensitive spot. You keened into his touch as he kneaded the tender spot that connected your wings to your spine.

“I know this spot takes a lot of weight, it must hurt to keep these things steady all the time”

“You have no idea,”

“Believe me I do— these claws are a bitch when I unsheath them.”

“It hurts everytime.” It was a question but you phrased it as a statement since you already suspected the answer. Your wings often hurt when you first spread them out after a day of binding them away into your clothes to simply function amongst the quote-on-quote normal humans. But you couldn’t imagine the pain of having blades push out between your knuckles, it obviously was only a torture he could endure.

The healing factor was what made it somewhat bearable you assumed, but you wondered where all that physical trauma went when it went away. It’s possible that that pain replaced itself into mental and emotional stress, causing this man’s emotional state to be so toughened and built up high.

Though he hated sharing about himself, it often just flew out in conversation casually whenever he spoke to you. He felt he could truly put his guard down and trust you, and clearly you felt the same. The more he spoke the more you realized his concern wasn’t just that of a teammate or a close friend, he genuinely feared losing you. He’s mentioned losing many people he’s loved before, and sometimes he’s not taken the time to focus on the little things. It’s then you understand what this means to him, you allowing him to take care of you, this was for both of you. It would take a lot for him to admit that, he swore this was only for your own good. He’d chalk it up to you being careless and reckless, though he knows if he didn’t heal as quickly you’d be tending to his wounds like a mother hen every single mission.

As he opened up to you, growing distracted, you felt him knead into the width of your back a little rougher with his hand, right into a tender spot. Your wings thrashed upon the sensation, splashing water all outside the tub and all over the damp man. He practically growled at the sudden jostling of feathers, dropping the sprayer. The water spewed all over both of you. Logan’s jeans were already wet despite cuffing them at the ankles, but now they were practically a darker color from the wetness. His white shirt was now drenched completely too, you looked up at him laughing at him.

“That was on you. You know it’s sensitive there.”

Logan huffed a sigh, “I know,” he discarded his shirt, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by it clinging to his skin.

“Let’s try this again, just relax, okay?”

“It would be a lot easier if I could just lay back into this tub but I can’t.”

Logan adjusted the setting on the sprayer and continued aiming the warm water into the middle of your back. You sighed calmly. He softly spoke to you as he rubbed circles into your back instead of kneading, “better?”

“Much, much better,”

“I’m sorry the massage didn’t work,”

“It’s okay, you know how my wings are under your touch,”

He let out a low chuckle, smiling at you as he continued to rinse and softly rub your feathers clean.

You soothed one of your hands to hold his. You pecked a small kiss onto his hand. “We might have to do a massage another time, without water.”

Logan let out a small laugh through his nose, “I guess so, just let me know when.”

It was silent for a moment as he finished rinsing you. Finally when he was done, he assisted you in standing up, he placed a warm towel on your head and shook it to dry and fluff up your hair. When he took the towel away he saw your eyes looking at him adoringly.

“What’s that goofy look for birdbrain?”

“Thank you,”

“S’no big deal.”

“No,” you leaned closer to him, your bare wet legs pressing against his damp and taught jeans. You made sure your eyes had locked while you took both of your hands into his. You pecked a kiss onto his cheek ever so chaste. “Thank you, Logan.”

His face felt warm, he blinked in awe. You had been together for a while now and yet you still flustered him. As he turned around to return the gesture you were already headed out the room. Your wings shook erratically for a split second to rid the remaining water. Logan caught most of the extra splashing against his already dripping clothes, he didn’t mind it. He was just glad to be able to take care of you.

Even after looking at the flooded floor, he still had a grin on his face as he heard you leave.

“See ya later, feathers.”

[ostdrossel]

I'm sorry if this has been asked already, but what are you feeding the birds in the recent videos - is that some type of jelly? I'm mainly curious because my fam feeds the local birds seeds in winter and watching them is lovely, if there is something that would be suitable to give in spring and summer I'd love to hear about it

Hi, I am currently feeding black oil sunflower seeds, dried mealworms (in a feeder that only lets birds the size of Bluebirds in, sugar nectar for the hummingbirds (1 part sugar, 4 parts water) and grape jelly. Occasionally, I also put put orange halves. Try to go as natural as possible with the jelly.

[gerbiloftriumph]

Shiny Gold Coins, a super no stakes gen fic about markets and food and friends and all things soft and wonderful (also on ao3)

~*~

A stack of shiny gold coins—Graham’s first wages as an actual knight of Daventry, what a thought—rattled in his pocket. It was a cheerful jingle that put even more of a spring in his step than he usually had. He should send most of it home, like he’d promised he’d do with his first paycheck. But he figured his family would understand if he didn’t.

Because Daventry was holding its last farmers market of the season.

Daventry’s sheer beauty still caught him off guard, even after a handful of weeks living here and calling it home. The autumn morning practically glittered, hardly a cloud in the endless sky. It promised to get awfully hot later, summer giving one final hurrah before giving way to icy winds, but for right now it was perfect. Birds and squirrels chirped and chattered in the trees around him, and he inhaled deeply, the sweet air full of promises.

Promises of baked goods, specifically. He knew Wente had been prepping for this day for a week, his ovens hardly ever allowed to cool. He could taste sugar on the air as he neared town.

The market was supposed to be held in the town square, but the walled town had its limits, and the market had grown over the years. Booths spilled out of the open gate, lining the front entrance. Tablecloths and tents flapped in the breeze, held in place by a dizzying array of goods of all types. Crafts and foods and art and all kinds of wonderful trinkets magical and mundane.

Daventry townsfolk were freely wandering between the stalls, chatting and laughing, but Graham saw plenty of people he didn’t recognize, too—travelers from all over. People from further afield in Daventry, like Mannerly Stove, sure, but more than that. He saw some Serenian style cloaks, and he was certain that the little sunburned group over there was made of Llewdorians. According to Amaya, the market was a popular destination, and the last one of the season always drew a crowd. She especially liked it since it was one of the few times she was sure to get a customer base that could afford her wares properly.

Speaking of Amaya. Her booth was right in front of her forge. It gave off a metallic tang of oil, almost spicy, and sharp things glinted in the sunlight. At least for half of it. With geometrical precision, her table was divided in half, not one thing allowed to cross into the other half. One side was full of weaponry, and the other side…petunias.

“And they are most lovely,” Amaya said sternly when she saw him looking. Each multicolored bouquet was beautifully arranged, and not a single petal so much as shivered over the invisible line dividing her table between weapons and flowers. Not just petunias. Roses and sunflowers and all kinds of other flowers he didn’t recognize.

“From your garden?” he asked.

“I always grow a section for this. Besides, the first frost’ll be here before we know it. Better to send them off to a good home before that.”

“They grow up so fast,” Graham joked.

She chucked an acorn at him.

“How much?” he asked, ducking and laughing.

“One shiny gold coin, of course.”

Flowers would definitely make his little knight-assigned tower room look great and smell nice, and he could press and dry them after to make the winter feel brighter. He hadn’t done much to decorate yet—the pumpkin lantern was on the bedside table, and he’d pinned up his favorite rumpled map of Daventry. The map was worn soft as Triumph’s belly from repeated wear and tear, folding and unfolding, tracing his fingers along the paths he’d meant to walk, someday. He still couldn’t quite believe he’d made it, that the landscape outside his window was the same as what was printed on his paper. He’d also pinned up a little picture, an entrance form. Not his entrance form. Someone else’s. Something small, and special, and important.

He flipped a coin at Amaya, which she deftly caught, and she let him choose his favorite pot. He went for something with a ton of purple, his smile a little sadder than before as he made his selection. His fingers traced the delicate petals, and he inhaled deeply. But it wasn’t just flowers he could smell—Wente’s booth was just over there, and Graham knew where he was headed next. He held the pot in the crook of his elbow and happily wandered over, boots ringing against cobblestones.

It was a good thing his cloak had lots of pockets, he thought, as he studied trays upon trays of every baked treat he could think of, and plenty more he couldn’t. Pies, of course, and tarts, and cupcakes, and loaves of bread still steaming in the sunlight. Studded with nuts, cheese, chocolate chips, berries, and more wild things like starberries and sugarshrooms and—

“Graham!” Wente eased himself around the edge of the stall, going for a hug. “I’m so glad you could make it!”

“Wouldn’t miss it! Is that strudel? I didn’t get to try it at the tournament.”

“Heard Princess Madeline had a sweet tooth.”

“And a good sense of vengeance for Acorn’s sake.”

“Did you know he’s here? He got a booth after all! He’s just over there!”

“Oh! That’s really good! I wasn’t sure if he would, he’d been so nervous about going for it.” Graham waved, but Acorn didn’t notice him over the crowd. He’d have to go over to say hi properly.

“Wish he hadn’t,” Chester interrupted. He’d been standing at the corner of Wente’s table, with a perfectly innocent look on his face that didn’t match the crumbs all over his tunic. “He’s doing folk art, the lowest craft you can imagine.”

“Now, Chester, you know a good piece of art can feel like a warm hug for your eyes!” Wente said. “And that’ll be a gold coin for all those muffins, thanks.”

“I can craft you a better potion that’ll actually hug your eyes,” Chester grumbled, passing over a grubby coin and shaking crumbs into the cobblestones. “None of this knitwear, how embarrassing. Come to our booth, boy, and we’ll show you some properly interesting art. Of the magical kind.”

First, Graham loaded his pockets with all kinds of treats and snacks. Wente handed over a couple soft loaves of bread that smelled of rosemary and lavender, chocolate chip cupcakes, and other berry-filled treats, asking for just a single gold coin in return. Then, with a wink, he tossed in a free walnut strudel. “Enjoy the rest of the market,” he said brightly.

“Graham!” Muriel chirped, waving him over to her stand next door. “Or, is it Sir Graham, now?”

“Yep!” Graham beamed.

“I can hardly believe it,” she said. “Seems like that tournament was only yesterday. How’s castle life treating you?”

“Really great, I’ve got my own room, and Royal Guard Number One’s been teaching me the marches, and I’ve been practicing my archery. King Edward said something about my first quest soon, I think he wants to send me up to the Cliffs of Insanity—I guess we need iocane powder for something, from the flowers there?”

“Oh, that’s for us!” Muriel said. “Some rare and miraculous ingredients are too hard for even that Merchant to get his hands on. You’ve got to send knights off on those quests sometimes.”

“What’s it for?”

“I can’t recall. Some order. I’ll have to double check what it’s supposed to make. You be careful handling those flowers, though, they can make you sick if you touch them with your bare skin.”

“I shall be cautious in all my flower picking,” he said, with a sharp salute.

“But before all that, anything you’re looking for in the market?” she asked. She spread her hands wide, showing off the table in front of her. It was littered with tiny little bottles full of interesting things, glittery potions and funny trinkets. Some glass marbles moved under their own power, spinning gently, with what looked like galaxies held in their centers. She had spell books arranged in a teetering pile, and feathers pinned under glass, and rings and necklaces that glowed even in the sunlight.

“Just looking,” Graham said. And then something caught his eye. “Oooh, what’s that?”

A little brooch sat on the table, half buried behind all the other bits and baubles and things. It was the little red gems that had caught his attention, rubies flashing in the sunlight.

“It’s a cloak pin,” she said. “You like it? It’s the same type I use for my shawl.”

“I kinda do, yeah.” He couldn’t quite tear his eyes away from it. It didn’t feel magical, exactly, but he was drawn to it, nevertheless.

“Lean over here, boy, let me pin it on.” She gestured him forward, and he leaned close. She smelled like magic and mint, and she gently gathered up some of his cloak fabric and slipped the little brooch in place. “Now, stand back, let’s get a good look at you.” He posed for her, and she laughed. “Like it was meant to be yours!”

“How much?” He fingered it, the soft rubies almost warm against his touch.

“Oh, it looks so grand on you. It doesn’t have any magic, it’s only a little thing I made a while ago. Ages ago, now I think of it. Waiting for the right person. I think I’d be honored if you wore it, Sir Graham.”

“Plus, it’s free shop advertising for us,” Chester said.

Graham insisted on a shiny gold coin, and the Hobblepots agreed, though Muriel pushed a couple tiny vials of starlight into his hands too, for the coin. “To light your path, if it gets too dark on your quest,” she said, smiling fondly at him. “It really does look like it was made for you, you know.”

“Thank you, truly.” He’d been thinking about what he wanted his knight’s uniform to look like—knights could pick what they wanted in Daventry, and he had that minor in Creative Costuming from Knight School. He thought he could work this brooch into something great. He almost couldn’t wait to get back to the castle so he could sketch out a couple ideas, but there was still more to see here.

Acorn’s booth was next. Graham remembered how nervous Acorn had been, fussing back and forth about submitting his application to be added to the roster, and apparently he’d built up enough courage—and knitted enough stuff—to make it in. At least, partly. His nerves and time must have gotten the better of him, because he hadn’t managed to fill a whole table by himself. His booth was neatly divided in half, like Amaya’s. One half was covered in soft blankets, scarves, socks, in a huge array of colors and yarns.

The other half was Whisper.

Huge copies of Whisper’s application form, sketched to silly sizes, while the true Whisper posed in front of them and offered autographs to everyone passing by, if they looked at his posters or not. He also had a little array of pots on the table in front of him, with drawings of Whisper on them. “Whisper’s deLUX hair ointment,” they read, in beautiful looping signatures.

Royal Guard Number One was standing nearby, leaning in to whisper to Whisper. He had one of the hair ointment bottles in his gauntleted hands, rotating it almost nervously. Graham couldn’t help but lean in to listen:

“And you’re certain this works on mustaches without a problem?”

“It’ll make your face hair as silky smooth as Whisper’s top hair!”

“Yes, but, you see, the last mustache shampoo I bought from the Hobblepots turned it pink. It never washed out. I had to start over. You understand why I cannot repeat that tragedy. You swear that won’t happen with this?”

“It’s animal tested!” Whisper said brightly, pointing to a little animal drawing on the side of the label.

“What does that mean, exactly?”

“Whisper snuck into the royal stables and washed Graham’s gerbil with it, and Graham’s gerbil did not turn pink. It did get lovely and extra fluffy, though. Mane for days. Almost as good as Whisper’s!”

Graham nodded thoughtfully. So that’s why Triumph had been so soft last week. He’d thought it was just good castle feed. He’d have to pick up a jar of that stuff for his best buddy; Triumph deserved everything after all the hard work he’d done getting them from Llewdor to here. And…yes, the tiny animal drawing was of Triumph, not of a bunny as he’d first thought. Another shiny gold coin gone: his pockets were starting to get a bit light.

“Hey, Acorn!” he said, waving.

“Graham!” Acorn looked up from the pile of scarves he was meticulously rearranging. “Hey buddy, how’s the festival?”

“Really good so far, I’ve found some really great things. How’s business?”

“Oh, y’know, surprisingly good. I didn’t think Daventry had good taste, after that sock thing in the tournament, but everyone really loves them. Aside from the pairs the castle bought, a ton of people here want them, too!”

“That’s because they’re like walking on clouds,” Graham said, repeating something Number One had said a couple weeks ago. Nearby, Number One glanced up, then turned back to his whispered conversation about hair products. “How long did all this take you?” He ran a hand along one of the blankets, the deep blue so eye catching in the sunlight. It was ridiculously soft, and he could tell it would be wonderfully warm in winter.

“Oh, not too long. I listened to my stories while knitting.”

“Stories?”

“Squirrel chatter. Good as any gossip you get from guards. Princess Madeline has seen some things, if you know what I mean.”

“I think I do…but I don’t think I want to ask.”

“Well, I want to thank you for pushing me to apply for this,” Acorn said. “I wasn’t gonna, you know. But I thought, well, with the rebranding, now’s probably a great time to really show off my stuff. Get a foothold in the town, you know.”

“So, you’re staying in Daventry?”

“Yeah. I only applied for the tournament for my parents, remember? Since that fell through, I’ve got all the time in the world, and I like it here. I think I wanna settle.”

Of all the places to end up, Daventry felt like a pretty good spot. Graham had certainly been more than happy enough with his choice so far.

Graham realized he was still touching the blanket, dragging his hand back and forth across it. It reminded him of Triumph’s fur. He thought about winter, about his little tower room that overlooked the lavender fields, and he thought about how in a few months’ time the fields would be laden with snow. “Hey, Acorn, how much for this one?”

“That’s a good one! Love the color; it’s almost the same as my cloak. Turned out super great. For that one, one shiny gold coin should do it.”

“You got it, big guy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Acorn said, rolling his eyes and catching Graham’s coin out of the air. “You got anything else you’re after today?”

“Not really. I’ll probably just wander around now, there’s all the little offshoot alleys. You could spend half the day here.” And he intended to do just that.

He could see vegetables, brightly colored fruit, bundles of lavender, and jars full of sweet golden honey. His coin purse was light, but his pockets had a comforting weight to them now instead, his hard-earned wages in the hands of his friends. The morning’s golden light glittered. The warming air smelled strongly of lavender, sugar, bread, and, just beneath it, that crisp autumn scent of Daventry itself. There were a couple bards wandering around now, too, strumming and singing. Someone selling sparkling apple cider was calling. All told, it was a perfect start to the day.

He fingered the brooch on his cloak again, this little piece of his new life pinned to his old life. He checked his pockets, to make sure none of the pies were getting smooshed or the bottle of shampoo was leaking or his beautiful purple flowers were wilting. He set off for another booth piled high with tapestries and books and maps, and another one filled with the last fruit of the season, and another filled with lavender products freshly made from Daventry’s fields. Ready to see everything this town had to offer him, all the things they had made and grown and built and loved. Just for him.

He could get used to living in a place like this.

[paldean-sandwich-rater]

A sandwich.

It contains ice cream, whipped cream, sponge cake, meat balls, broccoli, pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, rice, noodles, mac and cheese, bacon, beef jerky, dried fish, seaweed, one of every Pokemon berry, jam, olive oil, lotus, dragon fruit, ravioli, ramen, tempura, teriyaki chicken, macaroons, escargots, mint, pepper, salt, sugar, croquettes, pickles, apples, avocados, sausages, bell peppers, grapes, pizza, a donut, cheese, more cheese, even more cheese, mushrooms, mustard, olives, a fried egg, a scrambled egg, blueberries, a poached egg, chawanmushi, a red bean bun, mochi, bbq sauce, chicken nuggets, french fries, takoyaki, pancakes, mackerel, salmon, coffee beans, spinach, a tiny bit of corn cream soup, ramensanga, fettucine alfredo, a plain bagel, pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, sweet potato, yam, potato, scallions, scallops, squid, crab stick, fish balls, fish cakes, oyster sauce, silken tofu, barley, cereal, paprika, oysters, red snapper, sea bass, plums, bean sprouts, garlic, string cheese, camembert, swiss cheese, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, yogurt, brinjal, a macdonald’s happy meal (without the toy and the packaging of course), truffles, caviar, tapioca balls, fried chicken, century eggs, cake sprinkles, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, milk tea (just a tinge), coffee (also a tinge), pudding, pumpkin, honey, mutton, mashed potatoes, bananas, icelandic fermented shark that they bury in the ground for months, raisins, dried mangoes, a drop of water, jelly, nata de coco, prunes, roasted pork, rosemary, bee pollen, peas, deer meat, rabbit meat, fish maw, ham, turkey, m&ms, chub, fufu, watermelon, winter melon, rock melon, coffee jelly, cacao, carrots, blueberries, black tea, dumplings, carrot cake, beetroot, purple cabbage, corn, celery, edamame, red beans, black beans, green beans, kidney beans, cashews, peanuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, chickpeas, almonds, daikon, MSG, tamales, anchovies, tabbouleh, lions mane mushroom, chicken of the woods, kelp, octopus, durian, kimchi, crème fraîche, popcorn, cotton candy, everything bagel seasoning, capers, pears, marinara sauce, bittercress, butter cream, every single iteration of galarian curry, sushi, sashimi, kale and a very very specific ramen bowl (without the actual bowl) from a very particular shop located in Iwatodai.

And the top and bottom buns are somehow made from 50 different kinds of bread in a checker box pattern.

It comes with a picture.

Ingredients: I am not typing all of that out again. What the fuck.

Smell: You’ve taken an entire food court’s worth of food and made it into a sandwich. This isn’t even possible. Why am I considering this. 3/5

Taste: How do you eat this. 2/5

Texture: You get like 5 different foods every bite. This is not balanced. There is no harmony. This sandwich is the embodiment of disorder and chaos. 1/5

Presentation: The fact that this even looks sandwich adjacent is a fucking miracle. You don’t get full points though. Because I don’t like you. 3/5

Would Chunk Eat It?: He would eat maybe 1/50th of it. So no. 1/5

Final Score: 2/5

Critic’s Notes: Why would you waste this much food. Just host a party. Donate it. Something fucking anything I am begging at this point.

[letsgogardening]

FRONT GARDEN UPDATE 11/29/2023

Full side view

Row 1= a pumpkin, variety of sunflowers and Valor beans

The pumpkin has two fruits on it at the moment! I'm gonna post a few pics of what it looks like currently a little further down.

For the sunflowers we just mixed a bunch of different ones together so there's some Mammoth, Boss (black oil sunflower) and some stuff we had left over from the last sunflowers we grew!

Row 2 = nasturtiums further away and cabbage

A little view of row 2

Row 3= Armenian cucumbers and egg plants

The Armenians aren't spreading out too much but that's more our fault than the plants, it's not in a super sunny spot and it tends to do better when it's slightly sunnier spot in the winter.

Row#4= more valor beans closer with some remnants of cabbage, carrots and radish.

Close up of the pumpkins!

One of the eggplants is starting to show signs of getting flowers/fruit.

A valor bean on the plant

While they aren't really branching out one of them does have a lot of little cucumbers starting!

And some bees on some of the blossomed sunflowers!

[roadtrippinlilly]

Eastern Meadowlark

This bird is the size of a robin, and can be readily identified by the yellow breast with a black “v” at the neck. It has blackish head stripes, a sharply pointed bill, and a short tail with white outer tail feathers. The winter plumage is somewhat paler. The most reliable way to distinguish between eastern and western meadowlark is by song, but singing is uncommon in winter. These birds may also be confused with dickcissels, but dickcissels are smaller in size, have a different call and do not occur in Oklahoma during the winter.

Size

Approximately 7.5 to 10.2 inches in length. Wingspan of 13.8 to 15.7 inches.

Habitat

Meadowlarks can be found in grassy fields and pastures, prairies, croplands, weedy fields, grassy roadsides and in old orchards. Eastern meadowlarks can be found statewide, but fewer sightings are recorded in the Panhandle.

Life Cycle

At feeders, eastern meadowlarks eat cracked corn, millet and black-oil sunflower seeds. Away from feeders they snatch grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and spiders from the ground and off vegetation. Birds will also forage on seeds in the wild.

Source Me laf@ilyF ❤️

[aggressiveviking]

cabbage stew the way i make it

If you ask me why am making this a huge post with pictures, i don't have an answer 😂 just want to share it with a friend

So we start off with the cabbage, obviously. For this I can use fresh or fermented/pickled cabbage. in this picture im using fermented cabbage. Cut it up any way you like it (also I remove the middle stem but it's edible even if u leave it in). This is how I do it.

You get your pot. I usually fill half of it with cabbage, or a lil bit over half cause u don't want it to overflow when it starts to cook. Like so.

If your cabbage is fresh then this amount would shrink up to at least half. As this one is fermented its already shriveled up and it's as much as it would be by the end.

Then you can put some pork, chopped in pieces. You can choose how much or even if you want meat in it. Its still nice even without meat.

It nicer to put in fattier meat because cabbage cause more flavor. I make like 1 layer of it over the cabbage - that's for measurement more than being important for the cooking process.

This is how a chop it and how much I put in.

After that is the onion and the garlic. One big onion would be enough, but if u don't have that size mix and match a few depending on how big they are. I did one medium and one small for this batch, cause it looked right to me 😂 For the garlic 3 or 4 cloves, depending on how big they are. slice them. for some reason i feel like its better than leaving them whole, have flavor everywhere,

chop them up like this and i spread them over the meat, because for some reason i believe onion on top of the meat would make the meat softer.

For tomato I usually use tomato paste. when its this concentrated kind i used like 2 spoonfuls, this much. Prefer to mix that with a little water, like so and i pour it over everything.

Sprinkle some sweet red pepper, enough to cover the whole thing on top but not too much cause its gonna taste powdery 😂 and a few shakes of black pepper, just to have it in there.

Add some vegetable oil. I use sunflower oil but any regular oil would do as long as it doesn't have a strong taste. I usually add around maybe 4 or 5 big spoons. Don't really measure it. Cabbage can take a lot of oil anyway, but too much gets too heavy in my opinion.

and lastly add some bay leaf. very important, wouldn't taste the same without it. I put around 3 average sized bay leaves. 4 if they're really small. 2 if they're big. again just go with what feels right.

i then cook this in a multi-cooker (rice cooker) on STEW setting for 40 minutes, but you can do the same on a stove top. I think 40 min would be enough as well. I mean it's cabbage. you just cook it until its soft.

You don't need to add water to it cause the cabbage has a lot of water in it and it's gonna come out when u cook it on its own. If u start to see it burning in the bottom tho u can add a lil water

When it's done just stir it all up.

Either eat it as is, like a stew or lay it out on a pan/tray and bake it some in the oven.

It's like the best winter meal, especially when u put a lil chili in. I actually ate it today with sambal. Usually just use chili flakes or a chili pepper on the side that u just bite into. Mixed half a spoonful of sambal with my plate and it was so nice.

[greenwitchcrafts]

March 2024 witch guide

Full moon: March 25th

New moon: March 10th

Sabbats: Ostara-March 19th

March Worm Moon

Known as: Crow Moon, Eagle Moon, Goose Moon, Hrethmonath, Lenting moon, Lentzinmanoth, Moon of Snowblind, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Sap Moon, Seed Moon, Sore Eyes Moon, Storm Moon, Sugar Moon & Wind Strong Moon

Element: Water

Zodiac: Pisces & Aries

Nature spirits: Air & water spirits & Mer-people

Deities: Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Cybele, Isis, Luna & Minerva

Animals: Boar, cougar & hedgehog

Birds: Sea crow & sea eagle

Trees: Alder, dogwood & honeysuckle

Herbs: Apple blossom, broom, high John root, Irish moss, pennyroyal, wood betony & yellow dock

Flowers: Daffodil, jonquil & violet

Scents: Apple blossom & honeysuckle

Stones: Aquamarine, bloodstone, jasper, opal &topaz

Colors: Pale-green, red, violet, yellow & white

Energy:  Balance, beginnings, dream work, energy breaking into the open, exploring, fertility, inner development, karma, prosperity, spirituality, success & truth seeking

For many years, it was thought that the name "Worm Moon" referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring. This invites robins and other birds to feed—a true sign of spring.

However, more research revealed another explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes and wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.

March’s full Moon often plays a role in religion, specifically in Christianity, this Moon is known as the Lenten Moon if it is the last full Moon of the winter season (i.e., if it occurs before the spring equinox) or as the Paschal Full Moon if it is the first full Moon of spring (i.e., if it occurs after the spring equinox).

Ostara

Known as: Alban Eiler, Lady Day & Spring/Vernal equinox

Season: Spring

Symbols: 8-spoked wheel, butterflies, chicks, decorated baskets, eggs, feathers, jellybeans, lambs, rabbits, seeds, shamrocks, spring flowers & sunwheels

Colors: Green, indigo, light blue, pastels, pink, red & yellow

Oils/Incense: African violet, florals, ginger, jasmine, lotus, magnolia, rose, sage & strawberry

Animals: Cormorant, hare, hawk, rabbit, sheep, sparrow & swallow

Mythical: Dragon & Unicorn

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, red jasper & rose quartz

Food: Dairy foods, eggs(hard boiled), fruits, honey, honey cakes, leafy greens, vegetables, pine nuts, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, sprouts & waffles

Herbs/Plants: Acorn, cinquefoil, dogwood, ginger, Irish moss, olive, strawberry & woodruff

Flowers: Celandine, crocus, daffodil, dandelion, Easter lily,  jasmine gorse, honeysuckle, hyssop, iris, jonquil, linden, narcissus, peony, snowdrop, tansy & violet

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Ariadne, Artemis, Athena, Coatlicue, Cybele,Demeter, Diana, Eos, Eostre, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Idunn, Iris, Ishtar, Juno, Minerva, Persephone, Venus & Vesta

Gods: Adonis, Attis, Celi, Cernunnos, Coel, Dagda, Dalon ap Landu, Dumuzi, Green Man, Lord of the Greenwood, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Ovis & Pan

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, balance, beauty, fertility, growth, life, love & rebirth/renewal

Spellwork: Air magick, fertility, new beginnings & water magick

Activities:

• Go on a hike/walk & look for signs of spring

• Add Ostara symbols to decorate your altar space

• Plant vegetable &/or flower seedlings

• Decorate eggs with bright colors

• Set your intentions for the weeks/months ahead

• Start a new class or hobby

• Create eggshell candles

• Make plans & new routines for the future

• Participate in rituals & ceremonies that connect you with energy & the life force of nature

• Have a feast with your friends &/family with sprouts & leafy greens

• Bake hot cross buns or lavender/lemon flavored treats

• Clean & de-clutter your home

• Try a re-birthing/ renewing ritual

• Bring fresh flowers or plants into into the home

• Host a spring & floral themed tea party

• Make egg based food dishes & desserts

This holiday marks the Spring Equinox, which happens before March 19-22. It is the second of three spring celebrations (the midpoint between Imbolc and Beltane)  during which light & darkness are again in balance, with light on the rise. It is a time of new beginnings & of life emerging further from the grips of winter.

There is much debate regarding the origins of Ostara due to the lack of primary sources about this sabbat. One theory is the name of Ostara came from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. Another theory is that Eostre is more of a localized goddess in Kent County, England. Despite the questions of her origins, Eostre is associated with modern-day Pagan traditions of Ostara.

There is no evidence that the ancient Greeks or Romans celebrated Ostara, although they did celebrate their own spring festivals, such as the Roman festival of Floralia & the Greek festival of Anthesteria. It was a time to honor the returning sun, fertility & rebirth.

Related festivals:

• Nowruz- March 19th

Nowruz marks the first day of spring & renewal of nature. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox. It is also celebrated as the beginning of the new year by people all around the world for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East & other regions.

It promotes values of peace & solidarity between generations & within families as well as reconciliation & neighbourliness. Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect & the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. 

Traditional customs of Nowruz include fire & water, ritual dances, gift exchanges, reciting poetry, symbolic objects & more; these customs differ between the diverse peoples & countries that celebrate the festival.

• Holi- March 25th

Holi is a popular & significant Hindu festival celebrated as the The festival of colors, Love &Spring. It commemorates eternal and divine love of the deities Radha & Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebratess the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. Holi originated & is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia & parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.

Holi also celebrates the arrival of Spring in India, the end of winter & the blossoming of love. It is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night & a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (full moon day) falling on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.

• Easter- March 31st

also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday is a Christian festival & cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, & penance.

Easter traditions vary across the Christian world & include sunrise services or late-night vigils, exclamations & exchanges of Paschal greetings, flowering the cross & the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb) among many others. The Easter lily is a symbol of the resurrection in Western Christianity traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day & for the rest of Eastertide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter & are observed by both Christians & some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing, the Easter Bunny & egg hunting.

Other Celebrations:

• Festival of Luna- March 31st

Is a feast day honoring the Goddess Luna who is seen as the divine embodiment of the Moon.

The Temple of Luna was a temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome, dedicated to Luna, the moon goddess. Its dedication was celebrated on March 31st, thus the celebration.

According to Tacitus, it was built by king Servius Tullius. However, the first confirmed reference to a temple to Luna dates to 182 BC & refers to one of its doors being knocked off its posts by a miraculous blast of air & shot into the back of the Temple of Ceres. That account probably places the temple at the north end of the hill, just above porta Trigemina. The temple was struck by lightning around the time of the death of Cinna, as was the temple of Ceres. After the destruction of Corinth, Lucius Mummius Achaicus dedicated some of his spoils from the city to this temple. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD & not rebuilt.

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

[procalpal]

19 September 2024 | Thursday

Start: 5:50AM | CW: 52.3

Breakfast (7:00AM)

Banana (120g) pancakes with protein powder (15g), a teaspoon of cinnamon and an egg.

Mandarins (58g) and blueberries (110g)

Cal: 353 | Protein: 21g

Thoughts: Luckily I had work from home, so I didn't have to wake up so early and didn't need to have my food prepared for the day. I went to the gym before breakfast. I feel a little disappointed, but not sure where it came from, I woke up without having lost any weight from the previous day even though I haven't eaten over 1200 c@ls. It had really been on my mind throughout the day, which really sucked.

Break (10:00AM)

Chocolate caramel protein bar

Cal: 202 | Protein: 19.2g

Thoughts: I keep thinking about food, but luckily, I'm not too hungry. The thoughts keep going through my mind though, but thank god I have work. I'm just worried, that because I only have a short shift, after I finish I won't have anything to keep my thoughts away from food. I really feel like binging and watching people eat lots of food isn't helping.

Snack (1:40PM)

Smoothie with frozen mandarins (110g) with light soy milk (25ml) and ice.

Cal: 70 | Protein: 1.8g

Snack (2:10PM)

Cucumber (65g) and carrot (90g) sticks

Cal: 46 | Protein: 1.2g

Thoughts: Not having lunch today because my thoughts about my we!ght has really weighed down on me. I can't stop thinking about it. I just have these low cal snacks and tbh, it has helped keep the hunger down a bit. I took a nap as well after I watched more mukbang videos, and I kept thinking of food constantly.

Dinner (5:50PM)

Tuna (65g) and egg pancake fried in sunflower oil (3ml)

Vegetable soup with frozen winter vegetable mix (100g), purple onion (30g), chicken stock cube and some garlic and chillies.

Cal: 191 | Protein: 21.9g

Thoughts: Overall a satisfying dinner, despite it being extremely low in calories.

Snacks (throughtout the day)

Three cups of tea with light soy milk (20ml) and honey (5g)

A coke zero (600ml)

Cal: 91 | Protein: 3.1g

Total Cal: 953 (Goal 1200)

Total Protein: 68g

Thoughts: Today was extremely difficult to go through as I didn't have a full day's of work to keep my mind off the fact that I didn't lose any weight and that I kept thinking about food. I was able to keep my consumption to lower than even average days so I'm hoping this is just water weight and will be gone by tomorrow. I had a coke zero and I usually don't actually drink sodas, to be honest, I stopped drinking them years ago but I drank my first one in a while a month ago and now I just have it every now and again when cravings get bad.

Sleep: 8:30PM

[suzieb-fit]

Not gonna moan about the few physical issues bothering me this morning.

Nope, not today. Move aside whinger, make space for the winner......

Up and out for my hormone boosting morning walk. Just that 30 minutes out in the early light does SO much good. Sets me up for a good day, no matter what else happens.

Full winter protocol for the first time in a while. Ugh. Don't leave me, summer!!!

My usual "power up" breakfast back in the house, by the light of the big window.

Dessicated coconut

Sunflower/chia seeds

Seed protein powder (100% ground chia/sunflower seeds)

Cacao powder

Apple

Olive oil

Mixed up with boiled water

Coffee with collagen, creatine, inulin and coconut "milk".

Little stick of liquorice root

Then into our little home gym. I'm very fortunate to have the equipment at home, but you don't need stuff like this to get fitter, stronger and boost literally every part of your system inside and out! Bodyweight and resistance bands are incredible tools!

We all have different targets, goals, fitness levels, health concerns, etc.

My goal now is strength. Muscle endurance. Power.

For me, that means heavy weights.

Another pyramid structure with this session. Ending with the highest weight, working to failure.

Then a high knee sprint for that five interval finisher.

I had the ENT consultant appointment this afternoon, plus a few other chores while we were out in the car, so that was my only fitness for today.

But that was enough. I definitely put the work in for that hour!

Nice coconut cappucino treat at the hospital costa.

And yes, she gave me my THIRD nasal endoscopy. Oh, happy days 🤔😪.

It's mostly a psychological thing. She has recommended I talk to my GP about being referred for CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy). She has also given me a course of treatment to hopefully clear up the reflux.

She says I have mild reflux. But she believes the main problem might be my perceived reaction. The physical state, in terms of what's actually there, is not serious enough to incur my reaction to it.

The consultant was lovely. Really listened to me.

I remain optimistic and hopeful!