#Autumn Warmer Recipe List | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bethestaryouareradio · 2 years

Text

Animal Gardening

by Cynthia Brian

“We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” Immanual Kant

Our family has enjoyed an affinity for the animal kingdom for as long as I can remember. We loved creatures so much that we often named a pet for an animal of another species that they resembled. We’ve had dogs named Bear and Wolf, cats named Panther and Tiger, and even a horse named Spider, although he didn’t look like an arachnid.

In the plant world, botanists and taxonomists who name plants also look to the realm of animals using zoographical Latin or Greek-based names for various genera and species. Sometimes a part of the plant will remind them of an animal, or sometimes it is the marketing department of a plant breeder that comes up with the fun, and often humorous name for a new cultivar.

I walked through my garden giggling at the numerous “animals” that are growing. Trees, flowers, wildflowers, and even weeds bear the names of creatures. If you are looking for an amusing gardening endeavor to do with children this fall, ask them if they would like to plant an animal garden. Discuss their favorite critters, then research specimens to fit the bill.

Edit your list grouping plants that will demand the same soil, watering, and sun/shade conditions together in one plot or pot. Mix annuals and perennials for an ongoing animal parade that will last throughout the year. Engage in a creative craft project making nametags for each plant. (Popsicle sticks are traditional favorites) Because the weather is too hot and dry to plant in summer, it’s advised to wait for the cooler days of autumn to start digging a new garden. However, if you want to plant a few species in containers now, let the animal party begin. Make sure to follow directions on the plant tags and water frequently as containers lose moisture quickly.

Here is a partial list of the excitement to come with animal plants:

Lambsquarter

Cats Ear

Chickweed

Coyote Bush

Buzzard Breath

Duck Salad

Cockle Bur

Fleabane

Henbit

Goosefoot

Turkey Mullein

Horseweed

Pigweed

Prickly Oxtongue

Goose Grass

Foxtails

Cattails

Swinecress

Birdseye Pearlwort

Goosefoot

Fat hen

Dogwood

Elephant Ears

Catnip

Deerweed

Wolfsbane

Dogbane

Foxglove

Henbane

Horse Chestnut

Leopard’s Bane

Bee Balm

Monkey Grass

Donkey Tail

Butterfly Bush

Locust Tree

Cockscomb

Gopher Plant

Hen and Chicks

Pussywillow

Skunk Plant

Snake plant

Starfish Flower

Zebra plant

Lambs Ears

Bear’s Breeches

Trout Lily

Pigsqueak (Bergenia)

Cardinal Flower

Deer fern

Deer tongue

Dragon lily

Snapdrago

Catchfly

Foxtrot

Horsetail

Lion’s Tail

Lobster Claws

Mouse plant

Ox-eye daisy

Panda wild ginger

Pig butt

Rabbit’s foot fern

Porcupine Agave

Tickseed

Toad lily

Wormwood

Cranesbill geranium

Lion’s Ear

Turtlehead

Spider plant

Crabgrass

Scorpions tail

Flamingo flower

Kangaroo paw

Bunny Tails

Butterfly weed

Partridge Berry

Fishtail palm

Leopard’s bane

Zebra grass

Spiderwort

Squirrel cup

Wake robin

Dinosaur tree

Hedgehog echinacea

Cynthia Brian’s Mid-Month Gardening Tips

ü SPREAD a blanket on the lawn and look towards the heavens to see animal shapes in the clouds.

ü DRY herbs by hanging bunches upside down in a dry place, like a garage or shed. Dry lavender, sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Store the dried leaves in a jar.

ü DOUSE weeds with a concoction of white vinegar and liquid dish soap. To a gallon of the vinegar, add a capful of dish soap, shake in a spray bottle, and use proactively.

ü GATHER the seeds of fennel and cilantro after the flowers are spent. Dry the seeds on a cooking sheet. Cilantro seeds are called coriander. Both add flavor and texture to both sweet and savory recipes.

ü PRESERVE flat-leaf parsley, basil, and chives by freezing them in ice cube trays. Put a spoonful of the chopped leaves in each cell, add water, and freeze. When you want a dash of fresh flavor, pop an ice cube.

ü PLANT edamame and sweet potatoes, both warm-weather crops. The soil needs to be warmer than 60 degrees. Plan on harvesting edamame in 90-100 days when the pods are plump but still green for a heart healthy omega 3 boost. To make potassium-rich sweet potatoes sweeter, store at 90 degrees for two weeks after harvesting,

ü DEADHEAD roses, annuals, and perennials as blooms fade to keep them coming through frost.

ü GROW celery by rooting the base of your store-bought vegetable. Put the stub in a glass jar filled with water in a sunny location, then transplant the root to a container or garden.

ü HARVEST cucumbers and make an easy spicy summer snack as well as a soothing eye pack. Peel, slice, add red onions, rice vinegar, and marinate for one hour in the refrigerator. Save the peels to place on your eyes to eliminate puffiness after swimming.

ü WATCH butterflies pollinate your flowers as they flutter from blossom to blossom on monarda, tithonia, sunflowers, zinnias, butterfly bush, cosmos, alyssum, marigolds, thyme, oregano, and marjoram.

ü EXTEND your garden’s production with a second season planting of beets, scallions, kohlrabi, chard, broccoli, lettuce, peas, and carrots to carry your fresh offerings into late fall.

ü TOSS a salad comprised of edible herbs, tender leaves, and fruit from your garden including basil, sage, thyme, lovage, fennel, arugula, spinach, chives, chard, tarragon, kale, beet tops, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, sorrel, apples, and plums dressed with lemon juice and olive oil for a tasty jolt of mineral rich nutrition.

ü SHARE your excess vegetable and fruit harvest with the neighborhood and take the extras to the local food bank for those in need to savor.

CORRECTION for June 22, 2022 column regarding California native trees. A reader, M. T. asked me to clarify that several of the trees listed are not true California natives. While many are not endemic to California, all are well-adapted to California gardens and grow well. My error for not being more precise. Thank you for caring.

Treat your animal plants with care.

Amuse yourself, your family, and your friends with your garden barnyard!

Photos and more:

https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1611/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Animal-plants.html

Press Pass: https://blog.voiceamerica.com/2022/07/20/animal-gardening/

Happy Gardening and Happy Growing!

Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, is available for hire to help you prepare for your spring garden. Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

Buy copies of her books, including, Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, Growing with the Goddess Gardener, and Be the Star You Are! www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Receive a FREE inspirational music DVD and special savings.

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures.

[email protected]

www.GoddessGardener.com

#animalslandscapingcynthiabrianstarstylegoddessgardenervoiceamerica gardening

1 note · View note

ravens-rambling · 5 years

Text

Pumpkin Pie

A/N: Two drabbles in a day?? Would you look at that

@sanderssidescelebrations

WC: 1,122

ships: Romantic Moxiety

warnings: Seasonal Depression

Tag List: @punsterterry @stormcrawler75@frostedlover@mycatshuman @mutechild@panicattheeverywhere15@overlord-winter @analogical-mess@saddestlittlebabe

@sevencrashing @lwilddiamonddogl@thatgaydemigodnerd @darkhumourandfandoms@whymustibedraggedintofandomhell @romanslunchbox @wewuzraw @callboxkat @randomsandersides @lefaystrent@aroundofapplesauce @ryuity @cricks-loves-you@impunkrock-baby @just-another-rainbowblog @nerd-in-space @bubbliee0 @llamaly @amazinglissawho@hedgiehoggles @maddiecr4520 @incoherant-ramblings @pasteledgegoat

It was a week before Halloween and it was much colder then it was last year. Which means that Patton’s seasonal depression was kicking in. It pained Virgil to see him like this, sleeping all day and night or getting no sleep at all. Barely getting out of bed and not having a smile on his face at all. There was no spark in his eyes…

And he often worried that it might stay like that. But as it got warmer that spark gradually comes back. It just takes a while.

Patton always hates when he feels bad near the holidays too. Since he can’t go out and enjoy everything. Especially on Christmas with all the lights. Sometimes he’ll push himself to get up anyways which always leads to him being cranky and passing out anyways.

It was fine with him that he has to take care of Patton during this time. He didn’t mind it at all. And he didn’t mind not going out, honestly, he was content with staying in bed with him and watching movies all night. That’s more enjoyable to him.

He can see though how much it pains Patton that he can’t do the stuff that he wants to do. And Virgil’s determined to make him feel better again.

It actually took him a while to think up an idea. And really it was Logan who gave him the suggestion. And the recipe.

Now, Virgil doesn't have a clue as to baking. Patton as tried, bless his heart. Logan has even tried. Even Patton who can’t see much at all can bake better then he can. But he has to try to make Patton feel better.

He’ll do anything to make him feel better.

He’d much rather prefer that Logan be here with him, but unfortunately, he's at Roman's house this week. Doing God knows what.

Hopefully, he doesn’t burn down the house like…that other time… But that was a while ago! He’s learned a lot since then! Things will be fine!

He had decided to make a pumpkin pie, seems simple enough and he’s seen that Patton quite enjoys it. Plus, it’s a fall food so it’ll get him in the autumn mood, he hopes.

And within the first hour, he was terribly mistaken. It was way more complicated then he thought it was. Even Zoe came over to help him, mainly just getting things off the bottom pantries and retrieving some things for him. But it was nice to have company. And if Zoe’s here then that means that Patton’s asleep. Good! That’s good. He didn’t get much sleep last night anyway.

Once he pulled the final product out of the oven and placed it on the counter he saw that it looked…okay? Definitely not what it showed on the picture but… it was decent? It wasn’t covered in charcoal or burnt so he calls it a win.

Until he took a bite. He put way too much salt in it. And he foolishly only got enough fillings for one pie…

Grimacing he looked down at Zoe.

“You think he’ll l-like it anyways?”

She barked at him and wagged her tail.

“If you say so… C-Can you go see if he’s awake?”

He watched her leave with a sigh and a frown at the pie. It’s really not that good but…with any luck it’ll at least bring some joy to Patton. That’s all that matters.

A bark from his room indicated that Patton was awake, followed by a flush of the toilet. He waited until he heard a door opened and closed then a few minutes after that. Then he picked up the pie and put in a fork. Grabbing the whipped cream he doused it on, just like how Patton likes it. Then he slowly walked down the hallway, his wing nervously pressed against his back and his tail twitching.

What if he doesn’t like it? What if he hates it and he doesn’t want anything to do with him? Would he throw him out for being too annoying? Too needy? Too-

“Virgil? Is that you?” A groggy voice sounded from the darkness causing Virgil to jump.

“O-Oh! Y-Yeah! I uh… Are you going back to bed? I-I can come later.”

“No, no, it's okay. Did you need something?”

“Uh… N-No… It’s um… It’s something for y-you…” He stuttered and stepped into the poorly lit room.

Patton made a confused noise then turned on the lamp beside him. His bags were clearly visible and his hair was a mess, he'll have to brush it out soon. He blinked up at the half-demon as he presented the pie to him. Then he sighed softly and smiled, though it didn't go to his eyes like it used to. “Aw… Virgie… Did you make me a pie? You didn't have to, come here.” His arms opened wide.

Instantly Virgil relaxed, thank gosh… Course, he hasn’t tried it yet but it’s a start. Carefully he put the pie on the nightstand beside the lightbox then hugged him back gently. “I-I uh… wanted to make you feel better… T-Thought this could help… It’s not good at all. And I put way too much salt in it and-”

“Virgil, I love it. You seriously didn’t have to do this for me. So thank you for it. Even if it’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tried I’m still going to love it. You know why?”

“Hm?”

“Cause you made it for me. You took the time and effort to even think of me, let alone make an entire pie for me. Love you, Virgie.” He kissed his cheek and Virgil blushed. His wing batted on his jacket and his tail wagged.

“W-Well… I… Um… I… L-Love you too… Thanks… Uh…”

“There’s no need to thank me, Virgil. Now, let’s try it! And afterward, you wanna walk outside a bit?”

Virgil nods and starts cutting the pie, then he glanced over at him. “You’re good for it?”

“Yeah, I think I am. A short walk I think will do me good. Plus, Zoe does need to get out too…” Patton said and thanked the other when he gave him the piece. While smiling he took a bite with Virgil nervously watches on.

He chuckled and smiles as he chewed the piece. “Definitely too much salt. But, I think it’s pretty good. Especially since you made this by yourself, right?”

“L-Logan gave me the recipe… Zoe helped t-too…”

“Aw… Thank you, Zoe.” The dog barked at his name beside him. “I’ll have to thank Logan later.”

“You…r-really like it?”

“I love it. You’ve certainly made me feel better, sweetie. Thank you.”

“Plus...”

“Y-Yeah?”

“You didn’t burn down the house.”

“Pfh, shut up.”

114 notes · View notes

argylemnwrites · 5 years

Text

Warmth

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x MC (Cassie Vanderfield)

Book: Open Heart (a little over 1 year after the end of Book 1)

Word Count: ~1300

Rating: G

Summary: Bryce finds himself in an unexpected location for his vacation.

Author’s Note: Written for Days 12 and 14 of the Autumn writing prompt list (prompts - Bonfire and Toasted Marshmallows) as requested by @universallypizzataco. I hope you don’t mind that I combined these prompts into one fic, but they just went so well together!

Bryce pulled the blanket further up over his lap and settled back in the lawn chair as he sank further into his Patagonia. His front might have been warm enough from the heat pouring off the flames, but his back was cold. The smoke from the bonfire drifted over toward him as the wind shifted, not only chilling him more, but also causing him to start coughing.

This wasn’t exactly how Bryce had pictured spending his vacation. His other vacations in residency had been a bit more adventurous. Hiking in Peru. Backpacking in Iceland. Surfing in Bali. When he learned that he and Cassie had been lucky enough to actually have a week of vacation that lined up, he’d figured they could go to a resort in the Caribbean. Something warm, tropical, and relaxing, a perfect escape from the cold wind and rain of Boston Octobers.

But instead, they were at a cabin in Michigan’s upper peninsula. Instead of a luxury king sized bed, they were sleeping in twin beds they’d shoved together. And instead of cocktails on the beach or by the pool, they were drinking beer around a bonfire, the temperature 45 degrees, not 82. But when Cassie had suggested they head to her family’s cabin to join her parents and her brother in closing it down for the season, he hadn’t been able to say no. She’d looked so excited, her eyes sparkling and her speech just slightly pressured, telling him she hadn’t made it up there for this annual tradition since the second year of med school. Who was he to deny her that chance?

To be fair, it hadn’t all been huddling in the cold and lounging around a bare bones cabin. They’d spent a couple days in Ann Arbor for her fellowship interview at the start of their vacation, and their trip north had involved a night in a quaint little B&B as they ate fudge, rented bikes, and golfed at a much nicer course than they could afford in the warmer months on Mackinac Island. But for the past two days, they’d been up in the middle of nowhere, and starting Friday night, they’d been joined by her parents and her brother. Which is how Bryce found himself sitting around a bonfire with Mrs. Vanderfield and Nick on the last Saturday of their vacation, waiting for Cassie and her father to join them with the s’mores supplies.

It was a bit strange to find himself willingly attending a family vacation. Of course, this wasn’t his family. And her family, though they were far from perfect, at least seemed to be open and caring with one another. Even now, as Bryce listened to Mrs. Vanderfield needle Nick about the length of his hair and how it wasn’t helping his job search, it felt more affectionate and warm than even the nicest compliments his parents tended to pay him.

Soon, Cassie plopped down in the lawn chair next to his, grabbing a marshmallow from the bag and shoving it on her roasting stick before passing the bag to him. Bryce grabbed his stick, sitting next to him since he finished roasting his hot dog for dinner, and placed his marshmallow above the center of the bonfire, causing Cassie to roll her eyes and laugh.

“How many times do I have to tell you that’s a recipe for a burnt marshmallow?”

Bryce winked and shrugged, “Only like half the time. And what can I say, I like to live on the edge.”

“Yeah, real big risk taker here. You’re just impatient.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk. How many miles over the speed limit were you going on the way up here when you got pulled over?”

Cassie shot him a dirty look as her mother interjected, “Cassie, you got another speeding ticket? And in a rental car? I’m so sick of telling you that getting somewhere five minutes faster is not worth risking your life.”

“Mom, it was nothing. They let me off with just a warning.”

“Only because you played the doctor card,” Bryce chimed in, taking great amusement as Cassie glared at him while her father just shook his head as her mother pinched the bridge of her nose and Nick chuckled. “What medical emergency were you rushing to again?”

“None at that time, but if you keep this up, you will need a doctor before the night’s over.”

“Promises, promises,” Bryce said with a grin, but wisely decided to stop the teasing while she was only mildly annoyed. He pulled his marshmallow out from the center of the flames, perfectly golden brown. He glanced over at Cassie’s stick, held over the edge of the fire. Her marshmallow was still pale white.

Bryce grabbed the chocolate and graham crackers off the spare lawn chair, using them to slide his marshmallow off the stick and passed the s’more to her. “Here,” he said as he grabbed the stick out of her hand, “We’ll be here all night if you wait for that marshmallow to roast there, and we have to be on the road by 7am for our flight.”

“Wait, not only did Cassie get my bed for her boyfriend, but they aren’t gonna even be here for the worst parts of closing up the cabin?” Nick asked as he whipped his head around to look between his parents.

“We’re just happy Cassie could make it this year. And Bryce, of course,” Mr. Vanderfield said as he made his own s’more, leaving off the chocolate and just using graham crackers.

“Next year we should close out the cabin the first weekend of their vacation so they can actually help on Sunday. And one of you two can take the couch,” Nick said with a shake of his head, pointing between Bryce and Cassie.

“I doubt they’ll be able to make it next year, Nick. Bryce, your residency is four more years, is that right?” asked Mrs. Vanderfield.

Bryce nodded and opened his mouth to clarify, but saw his marshmallow catch fire. Yanking the stick back toward him, he quickly blew it out, but still found himself with a blackened marshmallow. Cassie moved to get him a new one, but he shook his head and made his s’more anyway. A little charring wasn’t a problem.

“The next two years are dedicated research time for me, so we should have some flexibility in scheduling our vacations,” Bryce said before taking a bite.

“Oh, don’t feel obligated, dear. We completely understand if you two want to take a trip to Hawaii to see your family. That has to be more exciting than the UP,” said Mrs. Vanderfield.

“And warmer,” added Mr. Vanderfield.

Bryce just shook his head and continued eating his s’more. No need to get into that mess tonight. So he let the conversation drift to other topics, from Thanksgiving plans with Mrs. Vanderfield’s sister to Mr. Vanderfield’s new boss, from memories of the time Cassie broke her arm climbing the giant oak tree out front to Mrs. Vanderfield attempting to determine if Nick was currently dating anyone. It was so different than what Bryce was used to when his family got together, watching a family that clearly actually liked spending time with one another.

As they left the bonfire and went to get ready for bed in the tiny bathroom, Cassie slipped her hand into his and said, “Thanks for coming up here with me. I know this isn’t your usual vacation.”

Bryce shrugged, “Maybe, but I am always up to try something new.”

“Still, I know you aren’t a big fan of the cold.”

“Warmth isn’t always found in a forecast, Cassie.”

She smiled at him gently, then handed him his toothbrush and toothpaste from the toiletry bag they had sitting on the top of the toilet tank. While she was right that he never would have chosen a vacation like this on his own, he wouldn’t change sharing these moments with her for anything.

@mfackenthal @lilyofchoices @thequeenchoices @octobereighth @feartheendlesssummer @tallulahshh @fortunatelywaywardsandwich @dreaming-of-movies @choicesarehard @universallypizzataco @omgjasminesimone @srta-give-me-my-jax-rl

#bryce lahela #bryce x mc #open heart #open heart fanfiction #oh fanfic #choices open heart #choices fanfiction #choices #playchoices #choices stories you play #prompt request

40 notes · View notes

carisi-dreams · 5 years

Text

🍂🍃

nick amaro autumnal hcs

🍃🍂

-3 words: artisanal hot chocolate. Nick also likes the big, fancy, handmade marshmallows in his hot chocolate, or whipped cream, and it makes for a very sweet kiss when you lean over because you just can’t resist.

-homeboy stays cold, so the moment the temperature drops to 60 he’s wearing scarves and beanies and gloves. you leave warmers in his jacket pockets so that he can keep his hands warm when he has to run out and survey a crime scene.

-Nick loves to bake and autumn is when he begins to get into his baking groove. apple cake, fancy donuts, pies--you name it or the food channels mention it and he adds it to his list to bake.

-you’ve caught Nick on Pinterest more than once in his search for new recipes or decorating ideas after Elijah is born. he wants Elijah to have fond memories of his childhood, so he tends to err on the side of going over the top, but neither you or Elijah are complaining.

-it’s not so much of a hardship to drag Nick to the home store and pick up seasonal candles. he loves a fancy candle.

-Nick doesn’t like haunted hay rides or haunted houses because he doesn’t do well with loud noises or jump scares, but he does like carving pumpkins and figuring out what candy to stock up on for Halloween trick or treaters.

-visiting a fair a little ways out of the city and Nick loves the petting zoo (he swears its because the animal’s fur keeps his hands warm...but you know he just likes cute animals), chatting up the pie ladies, and actually winning you a stuffed animal in those rigged carnival games.

#nick amaro #nick amaro x reader #nick amaro imagine #svu #law and order: svu #hc #headcanon

46 notes · View notes

panfishonthefly · 5 years

Text

The Top Five Flies For Autumn Panfish

The autumn season is right around the corner. While I could not wait for warmer weather to arrive this past winter, this summer’s oppressive heat has me looking forward to some cooler weather. Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year, and it is one of the best times to be on the water. The fish seem to sense winter’s advance and feed more aggressively in an attempt to prepare themselves for the leaner times cold weather brings. Cooling water temperatures also cause weed growth to begin dying back. In many watersheds, this opens up new waters to anglers, that have been weed-choked for many months. Before I list my favorite fall patterns lets discuss our options.

Top Water

My favorite way to catch panfish is on top. During the dog days of summer, many panfish, especially the larger ones, seek refuge from the heat in deeper waters. When the water begins to cool these larger fish often enter the shallows again in search of food. Despite the cooling air and water temperatures, panfish will still feed on the surface for most of the fall season depending on where you are located. I realize that fall comes in with a vengeance in some parts of the country. In those are your season will be shortened. For those of us in the central and southern part of the country, we enjoy a more extended fishing season.

My favorite topwater flies are bees, terrestrial patterns, adult damselflies, and dragonflies with small poppers thrown in for good measure. Of course, the Triangle Bug remains a favorite this time of year as well. The topwater bite will continue to be good until the first killing frost when these larger insects die off. After that, you may still enjoy some great topwater action, but you may have to downsize your flies. When things begin to cool off midges become the predominant active insect and bluegills, and other panfish will feed on them with abandon.

Nymphs

Nymphs are an important food source for bluegills and other panfish year-round. All the usual patterns will still be effective, but my method of fishing them changes. I prefer to fish them as part of a popper/dropper system early in the season when large amounts of subsurface weeds are still present. I can set the depth of the dropper to present the nymph right over the top of the weed beds. This technique often results in large numbers of fish. Once the aquatic vegetation starts dying back, I switch over to traditional stripping and hand twist retrieves when fishing nymph patterns.

Streamers

With all of the young of the year fish swimming around streamers can be very effective in the fall. Big panfish often include small fish in their diet. Streamers probably catch more fish in late summer and early fall than any other time of the year. Keep the flies on the small side, and you will catch plenty of big hand-sized panfish. Keep a tight grip on that rod as you are likely to attract the attention of larger predators like bass and pickerel as well!

Wet flies

If you have read the pages of this blog for any length of time, you will know that wet flies produce more fish for me than all other patterns combined. The weedy waters of summer often prevent me from fishing these patterns. The coming of autumn and the dying off of aquatic vegetation means I can once again fish wet flies without having to clear snagged weeds off my hook on every cast. Late in the season as the water really cools down, I will switch over entirely to wet fly patterns and fish them with a painfully slow hand twist retrieve.

The Top Five

I list these flies in no particular order as one may fish better than the other on any given day depending on conditions. I’ll start off with two topwater patterns since I will be throwing topwater bugs at every opportunity. With winter around the corner, these days fishing topwater flies may be my last until next spring.

1. Yellow Jacket/Bee: Although I mentioned large terrestrials, damsels, and dragons earlier in this article, the first pattern I reach for in the fall is usually a bee pattern. Yellowjackets become very active in my area at this time of year and often find their way into the water. Even though they have a nasty sting fish seem to relish Yellowjackets and other bees when they find themselves in the drink! You read more about bluegills feeding on bees and get a recipe for one of my favorite bee patterns by clicking the button below!

2. Poppers/Sliders: When I want to suspend a nymph below a floating fly, I usually reach for a popper. These high floating patterns can support the weight of a nymph hanging under them with ease. Poppers also often attract the attention of larger fish, and that keeps things interesting. Poppers can be store bought or easily made yourself using a variety of materials like cork, balsa wood, foam even deer hair! The simple popper body in the photograph above was made in seconds using the Gary Krebs Popper Jig Set.

As I mentioned earlier to keep things interesting, I like to fish a slightly larger popper than I would typically fish for panfish. By larger I mean something in the area of a size six. A popper this size can still be easily taken by larger panfish put is also big enough to attract the attention of larger predators like largemouth bass. A larger popper also does a better job holding up a subsurface pattern if you plan on fishing a popper/dropper rig. A long time favorite of mine have been poppers created with Flymen Fishing Company Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper Bodies. These bodies allow you to easily create great looking poppers. Better yet, these poppers are now available as a finished popper, perfect for the non-fly tying angler!

I put sliders into this same category and use them when I want a more subtle presentation. A slider is a floating popper type pattern that lacks a flat or cup faced leading edge. They can be purchased commercially or made yourself by using preformed bodies. The Surface Seducer bodies mentioned earlier can be made into a great slider pattern by simply reversing the body on the hook.

3. The Bream Killer: I chose the Bream Killer as a nymph pattern because it is one of my favorite flies to suspend under a popper or other topwater bug. The fly sinks slowly and seductively often taking fish on the drop. Those rubber legs quiver while the fly is at rest suspended beneath a topwater bug, proving to be irresistible to big panfish. I fish this bug in several sizes, fishing larger flies early in the autumn season and progress to smaller sizes as the season winds on, and water temperatures drop.

4. The Hornberg Special: I like this pattern for its versatility. I can fish it like a dry fly as the fly will float when dry. After a few twitches on the surface without a strike, I will drag it under and retrieve it like a streamer. I like the Hornberg Special as a streamer pattern because its shape in the water is close to that of young of the year panfish. I tie it in both like and dark colors to match the colors of the most prominent prey species present.

5.: Soft Hackles: My last pattern is a type of fly rather than a particular pattern. I will fish a variety of soft hackle wet flies in several different colors. Some of my favorites are Partridge & Yellow, Partridge & Green, Hare’s Ear, Partridge & Peacock, and Partridge & Pheasant Tail. Wet flies and soft hackle patterns are my go-to flies for panfish. This type of fly catches more fish for me on a yearly basis than all other patterns combined!

Don’t exchange the fly rod for the shotgun or bow just yet. There is still plenty of good fishing ahead of us!

#Top five for fall #Autumn #Fall fishing

6 notes · View notes

drjeandoddspethealthresource · 6 years

Text

Fall Fruits and Vegetables for Dogs

If you visit farmers’ markets regularly, you will notice a turnover of local fruits and vegetables due to seasonal changes. Indeed, food items from farmers’ markets are usually fresher and often more nutritious for you and your pets. With autumn upon us, what is available these days? It really depends on the temperature where you live. However, many gardeners agree that the fruits and vegetables listed below are commonly harvested in the fall. Some of them may be harvested in early summer depending on when they were planted and the temperatures.

Are you asking yourself, “Fruits and vegetables for companion dogs?” Yes indeed ! We definitely support homemade and balanced meals for dogs that follow formulations/recipes from veterinary and animal nutritionists. Once you become adept, you can start switching out fruits and vegetables to add variety for taste and nutrient density. Even if you do not cook for your companion dog, you can think about giving these foods as treats.

Interestingly, many so-called “functional nutritionists” advocate for eating only the seasonal fruits and vegetables applicable to where you live. [The same applies to honey.] Put simply, one expert says that during the summer months we generally crave cooler and moisture-rich foods like watermelon or cucumber. As autumn and winter set in, we tend to seek out warmer foods like soups and broths that could be made with pumpkins, other squashes, or carrots.

Locally grown fruits and vegetables found at farmers’ markets usually have reduced amounts of pesticides and herbicides. Local is also better for the environment since fruits and vegetables are not hauled thousands of miles to a local grocery store.

Fall Fruit and Vegetables

Apples

Beets

Brussel Sprouts

Cabbages

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celeriac (Celery Root)

Collard Greens

Green Beans

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Parsnips

Pears

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Radishes

Rutabaga

Spinach

Sweet Potatoes

Swiss Chard

Turnips

Winter Squash – Acorn, Spaghetti, Butternut, etc.

Tips

Many fruits and vegetables should be lightly steamed to enhance bioavailability (digestibility) and reduce their goitrogenic (antithyroid) effects.

Winter squash and pumpkin can be roasted in the oven.

Tiny pieces or shredded apples, pears, carrots and green beans can be given raw.

Phytochemicals/Phytonutrients

We all know about the important vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables. However, phytonutrients (phytochemicals) are also found in fruits and vegetables. Phytonutrients have potent antioxidant properties (antioxidants are substances that help protect cells from the oxidative damage and even cancers caused by free radicals) and research shows that they also protect against heart disease and cancer and block tumor activity.

Carotenoids, which include alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, are probably the most widely known class of phytonutrients. Foods rich in carotenoids include carrots, collard greens, turnip greens, squashes, pumpkin, yams, sweet potatoes and kale.

Flavonoids, another class of phytonutrients, include the anthocyanin pigments that give berries and other dark-colored fruits and vegetables their blue, purple and red tints.

Isothiocyanates are phytochemicals that exert an anti-cancer effect on the epigenome (the chemicals that regulate the genome) by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis (cell death). Isothiocyanates are found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, radishes, and turnips

Fall Fruits and Vegetables High in Soluble Fiber

Apples

Beet pulp

Carrots

Green beans

Pumpkin

Sweet potatoes

Winter squash

Thyroid Concerns

If your companion dog suffers from a thyroid problem, please avoid feeding him the following vegetables, unless they have been lightly cooked or steamed:

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Kale

Kohlrabi

Radishes

Rutabagas

Turnips

We hope that your companion dog will share your enjoyment of the taste of this fall bounty! Bon Appetit!

W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843

References

Dodds WJ, Laverdure, DR. Canine Nutrigenomics. DogWise Publ., 2015.

“Planting Fall Vegetables.” Better Homes & Gardens, www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/fall-vegetable-gardening/.

Seidenberg, Casey. “The Health Benefits of Eating Seasonal - and 10 Ways to Start.” Chicago Tribune, 5 Oct. 2017, www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-benefits-eating-seasonal-20171005-story.html.

van Wyk, Katrine.“10 Reasons To Eat What's In Season.” Mind Body Green, 14 May 2012, www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4807/10-Reasons-To-Eat-Whats-In-Season.html

#fall vegetables #fall fruit #human food for dogs #dr. jean dodds #hemopet

6 notes · View notes

itsleonesconflow-blog · 5 years

Text

Santorini, Greece

Greece is a very touristic and beautiful place, its mostly known for its historical places, their famous myths and legends. Greece is considered as a touristic destiny, because tourists from different parts of the world know Greece or consider it as a place to visit.

Why is Greece important to the world? Greece it is important to the world because it had bring us many gifts that we use in our life.

1. Mathematics: The Thales theorem it is very important for the actual math. Pythagoras theorem it is also basic on our actual math, so now imagine going to the museums where this wise men left their marks.

2. Democracy: This is the key to govern in many countries, so I think that thanks to this we had avoided many wars.

3. Mythology: Thanks to the mythology people now at days still have hope in miracles or in love, which is good because that’s one of the main things that makes us happy.

4. Olympic Games: This are the most important games in the world, which have been made for years ago, now it’s a world tradition, that unites the world for a good thing which is the sport.

5. Architecture: Greece introduced us to the architecture many years ago, thanks to that we can be able to do great art by making incredible buildings.

One of the most important places of Greece is Santorini, known as an island in which there are a lot of love myths and legends. Santorini used to have another name, which was Stongili; this place was attacked by a volcano many years ago B.C, so people got to make some changes with the place and then it became Santorini. Most of the tourists who visit Santorini go to celebrate their honeymoon, plan to propose there or just making a couple trip. This place has amazing views, its a small place but there is no doubt that its worth to visit. It is an island so you will defiantly get a good view anywhere you go. This place is very pure in a lot of ways; the people tend to be nice and everyone get to know each other because of the size of the place. Also it has its traditions, people tend to eat things fresh and wear handmade clothes, they don’t use to buy modern stuff.

Pros of visiting Santorini:

a. The amazing and unique views: Santorini is most known by it’s views, everything is surrounded by sea, and almost every house, shops, or restaurants are white, and it is a very sunny place, so it looks shiny and reflected by the beautiful sea.

b. The food: It has just as any place it’s traditional homemade food, which the most popular are; Domatokeftethes; which are Santorini Tomato Fritters, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Tarama Spread, Tomato Paste and Fresh Fish; this one it must be good in every restaurant in Santorini, because of the geographical place, which is that is surrounded by sea, and that makes people an easy job to go fishing good seafood.

c. The romance: this place is best known for it’s evenings surrounded by couples, so this place must have something special.

Gastronomy in Santorini is based on its simple local products and escalates to numerous tasteful recipes. Here you have the opportunity to taste products that cannot be found anywhere else in the world:

• Cherry tomatoes which, don't get confused, are nothing like what you commonly see packed on supermarket shelves. You'll know the difference once you taste Santorini cherries tomatoes. They are so full of taste that you'll forget what any other tomato tastes like.

• The, one of a kind, white eggplant which actually looks much more like 'egg-plants' than the common eggplants. You'll be amazed by the superior taste in comparison to common eggplants. Santorinian white eggplants have won even people that generally hate eggplants.

• Fava beans, a simple legume that might seem tedious to you, but you'll be amazed by how many great recipes based on fava exist in Santorini.

• Fried Calamari: Calamari is well-known all over the world, but in Greece it is usually fresh rather than frozen. Once upon a time Tim wouldn’t even touch calamari, but it became a beach vacation staple back in our St. Maarten days. Fried calamari and a Yellow Donkey hit the spot after a day of sea kayaking.

• Baklava: This pastry is made in every corner of Greece, but what makes it so special in Santorini is that the sweet filling is made with Santorini pistachios grown right on the island. It takes a lot of time and expense to make, so it is a dish usually reserved for special occasions like Greek weddings and it is always served at Christmas, At Easter, it is made with 40 sheets of phyllo dough, representing the 40 days of Lent.

• Halva: Semolina is toasted in oil and then bathed in hot syrup that is flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel. It is made into a dessert that has the consistency somewhere between pudding and gelatin. Like most Greek food, the ingredient list is short and simple. Semolina halva is referred to as “1:2:3:4”; the recipe only calls for one unit of oil, two of semolina, three of sugar and four of water.

On this island, Santorini (also named Thera or Thira) there are around 13,000 habitants.

Spring is the season of the year where it is recommended to visit Santorini, at this point any season of the year is recommended but this is because the prices. You can see that the rates become cheaper; the climate or temperature becomes warmer, more pleasant and fresher, the greater the probability of seeing the plants and flowers at its maximum splendor. The months in which this weather occurs is from April to June. This place presents spring and the arrival of autumn with intense heat. The people considered that the most attractive or visual in Santorini are their beaches. Evidently the months of July and August are the ones that fill Santorini with tourists because the cruise ships disembark, the weather becomes more pleasant and the sunsets can be appreciated. Also the prices become higher than the normal price. In winter the prices become cheaper, you can find fewer tourists in the island, and this bring the cultural tourism. So the seasons that we can find with prices cheaper are spring and winter. In winter the temperature is between 15 and 18 degrees, this is the temperature more common, also this climate bring winds.

The parties in Santorini are concentrated in the summer months and part of spring. In Santorini the festive year begins with the most important festivity of the place that is "Greek Easter", is guided by the Orthodox calendar, also celebrates the arrival of spring. During summer, in a large part of the island, there are parties that are characterized by the presence of markets, especially those that are gastronomy and artisanal. These parties seek to demonstrate the wonderful customs that Santorini has, as well as demonstrate the delights that they have in their gastronomy. The most notable festivities are: July 20, Profitis Ilias, held in Fira. August 6, the Feast of the Metamorphosis celebrated in Akrotiri. August 15, the Feast of the Virgin. In September the patron saint festivities are celebrated, in Oia on the 8th, in Perissa on the 14th and in Fira on the 17th. Santorini has cultural festivals, such as the Jazz Festival in Kamari, held in July, you can find musicians and bands, local and international. In August the Ifaisteia Festival of Santorini, celebrated in Fira. Also in Fira the International Music Festival is celebrated, it is during the month of September and can last up to two weeks.

Why should you visit Santorini? What sort of activities can you do? What kind of biodiversity can you find? How many people visit santorini during the year?

In Santorini, there is a lot of things to do, depending on haw many days you want to stay. For example, if you are going to stay a day in Santorini, you could go hiking the Caldera path between Fira and Oia, have a Boat tour of the caldera and eat the dinner at Mezzo or Metaxy Mas. If you are going to stay 2 days, you can do the last things mentioned adding a wine, food or helicopter tour. You can visit the ancient Akrotiri and Pyrgos by walking if you are going to stay 3 days or more. Th best trips in Santorini are the wine and boat tours It`s not completely necessary to pre-book tours, but if you’re staying less than 5 days it`s a good idea to reserve your tour before arriving, and better if you decide to visit Santorini from September to June, cause the best tours can be fully booked.

Santorini is home to many unique species of animal, they have more than four hundred species of birds that have been found in Greece. You can find butterflies and months including swalltails, hummingbird hawk moths, red admirals, brimstones, mantis, several species of large spiders and cicadas. Several domestic animals are also found in Santorini such as cows, goats and sheep. They are commonly encountered by visitors to Santorini when driving through the hilly roadways where flocks of sheep may block the route for a short time. But you can also find wolves and brown bears of Epirus.

Greece is blessed with more than six thousand species of plants and more than seven hundred of these species are endemic to the country, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. The regions vegetation is green and lush with plenty of vineyards and olive trees. Santorini has no rivers and the soil is mixed with volcanic ash, which can be helpful in controlled quantities, but in spite of these drawbacks, the farmland of Santorini is known for its signature produced: extra-sweet cherry, tomatoes, white eggplants and cucumbers. The bougainvillea is the most common tree in this beautiful place, it adorns a great part of the city, also the mimosa is found in roots where they can grow up between buildings, offering a path of desirable outdoor shade; the sunflowers, sea fig and geraniums are some other plants that make Santorini a great place to visit.

Tourist assure that is a beautiful experience that would like to live twice. So, what are you waiting for?

#santorini #greece

2 notes · View notes

lokifiction · 6 years

Text

Relationship Status

It’s really no secret that the Avengers and Loki aren’t fans of each other, but when a seemingly invincible common enemy looms ahead, it is necessary that they learn to get along. However, it soon becomes quite clear that this will be no simple task.

Category: Fanfic

Rating: Teen

Notes: ...I know, it’s been forever since I’ve updated anything. I’m so sorry, guys. I feel absolutely terrible. My schedule is very busy, but for some reason this year it got away from me and days flew by without me even really realizing what was happening and this page kind of got put on the backburner. I’m really so sorry. I sincerely hope that this chapter makes up for the tardiness and that I do better in the future.

Warnings: None for this chapter.

Masterlist

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

Chapter Seventeen: The Test Run

“What do you think a better theme for the dinner party would be? ‘A Night out in Paris’ or mythology?”

Loki raised a brow at me from where he was chopping vegetables for our lunch, giving me a vision of domesticity that surprisingly suited him well. “Where did mythology come from?”

I shrugged, absentmindedly stroking Henry where he laid on the counter in front of me. “It’s springtime. Every year when that time comes around, I always delve into my Persephone aesthetic. Besides, I’m kind of craving Greek food.”

“Alright, then.” Loki nodded agreeably. “Go with mythology. I admire Hades and wouldn’t mind portraying him for a night.”

I squirmed on my stool, halfway laying on the countertop, staring at Loki sideways. “Yeah, but I feel like the Paris theme is more formal and appropriate. And French food is good, too.”

“Then do that one.” Loki reached for a sweet potato, not looking up from his perfectly even slices.

“I can’t decide!” I whined. “Tell me which one you would genuinely prefer.”

“Both sound equally as wonderful, or as wonderful as a night with the Avengers can be.”

“You’re no help.” I slumped out of my seat and came around the counter to embrace him from behind, burying my face between his shoulder blades. “Please tell me.”

“Well, actually, I had an idea for a theme, myself.” Loki put his knife aside and turned to face me, resting his clasped hands at the small of my back.

“Really?” I bounced in his arms. “Tell me!”

“How about ‘An Asgardian Feast’?” He smiled with a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “We could have Thor help us a bit, and give the Avengers a taste of the culture in Asgard so they understand us and our ways better.”

“Oh my god, Loki!” I squealed and reached up to kiss him in excitement. “That’s great! We have to do that one.”

“I’m glad you like it.” I may have been mistaken, but I thought I noticed a flush creep up on his cheeks. “It might be a bit difficult to procure all of the ingredients, and we may have to make some substitutions, but I already know of a few dishes that we could serve, as well as some ceremonial decorations we could make.”

“Oh, that’s genius!” I kissed him once more. “What would I do without you?”

“Your life certainly wouldn’t be as interesting, that’s for sure.” Loki playfully tapped my nose. I scrunched it in response and giggled before slithering out of his grasp and bounding towards the bedroom.

“Where are you going?” he called after me, opening his arms as if commanding me to run right back into them.

“I’ve got a wonderful idea for the invitations,” I replied over my shoulder. “I need to get it down on paper somewhere before I forget. What’s the proper Asgardian address format again?”

***

“I hope that the wardrobe guide I sent with the invitations didn’t seem rude or snobby or anything,” I fretted, securing the final braid of my traditional hairstyle. “I just wanted them to really experience the atmosphere, and dinner parties usually have some sort of dress code, so…”

“I’m sure you came off just fine. Stop worrying yourself sick.” Loki came up behind me, zipping my dress and placing a tender kiss on my shoulder. “Do you want to go take a last-minute look at the decor?”

I heaved a sigh that was a mix of anxiety and relief. “Yes, please.”

Before we made our way into the hallway, I paused in front of the mirror, straightening my skirt and checking my appearance for any fixable flaws. I had chosen to wear a golden evening gown with a wide halter neckline, and I accessorized with heavy gold jewelry, including arm cuffs and golden rings that Loki helped me braid into my hair. Altogether, my outfit was an Earthly version of what was commonly worn to banquets in Asgard, and Loki had donned a simpler version of his armor for the occasion.

In the wardrobe guide I sent with the invitations, I advised our guests to dress similarly, and to place emphasis on a lot of leather, metal, and flowing fabrics, and sent Thor out with the task of helping them achieve that. Praying that everyone wouldn’t just show up in suits and make me and Loki look like fools in our otherworldly garb, I made my way to the kitchen, the smell of what I considered to be home filling my nostrils.

It had taken nearly an entire day for me, Loki, and Thor to put together a menu that would reflect traditional cuisine on Asgard with foodstuffs found on Midgard, and another several hours running around New York to collect all of the supplies. The spiced wine mulling on the stove fragranced the whole house and gave it the feel of autumn despite the fact that it was the middle of April, and the pork we substituted for boar had my mouth watering. The menu also included an array of baked fruits, a pumpkin soup, an apple cake, along with numerous other things, and I was glad that our guests would have no idea if the recipes were accurate, so I only had to worry about the dishes being delicious.

After fiddling with some settings on the stove and putting a loaf of bread in the oven to be warmed, I followed Loki into the dining room to perfect the setup one last time. Again, our decor for the night was a task that required hours in our storage room and another full day of shopping to gather everything we needed.

Our house had many places to dine in, but Loki and I usually ate in the breakfast nook or at a small, intimate table next to a window in the sitting room. However, for the event we had utilized our largest dining room, which boasted a table that sat eighteen with plenty of room to spare. All around the walls we had hung golden draperies to give the illusion of the inside of the palace of Asgard, and a similarly colored fabric was draped over the dining table, for the Victorian-styled piece didn’t reflect the boxy furniture found on Asgard.

From directly above the table we had removed our usual chandelier and replaced it with an antique one from medieval times, that when purchasing we nearly gave the curator a heart attack when we told her we were actually planning to use it. Loki went to light its candles and I straightened the ornate bowls of fat, red grapes and gourds that made up the table decorations. It turned out that it was nearly impossible to find gourds in the middle of spring, so instead of adding that to the list of our wild goose chase shopping trip, Loki merely conjured some, and made them particularly beautiful, with swirling vines that draped all the way over the sides of the table and curled onto the floor.

“This dinner party has me in trouble,” I murmured as Loki passed me to light the candles that sectioned off the table. “It’s got me in such an autumn mood.”

“I’m feeling that effect, as well,” Loki agreed, admiring at our handiwork and wrapping his arm around my waist. “Though I’d hardly call it trouble. You know that if we had our wish, it would be perpetually autumn.”

“Just with slightly warmer temperatures for me,” I teased, brushing imaginary dust off of one of the napkins resting atop the plates in their engraved holders. “Loki, are you sure I arranged the place settings correctly?”

“They’re perfect,” he assured, kissing my temple before breezing to the other side of the room. “Stop fretting and come sit down for a bit before the guests arrive and you get all fluttery again. You’re going to exhaust yourself if you don’t.”

“Oh, alright.” I frowned in compliance, but still had to approach the table to push one last plate a millimeter more into place. We had originally planned on using our Thanksgiving china for the event to match the decor, but after remembering that we wanted to replicate an Asgardian feast and not have an autumn fest, Loki and I decided to go out hunting for new dishes for the night. After even more searching and a hefty sum, we had gold-colored china and brassy flatware, as close to what could be found on Asgard as possible. I took one last critical glance at our little portal to another world before joining Loki in the sitting room, where we barely settled down into chairs before the doorbell rang.

My stomach dropped as I jumped to my feet, dashing to the landing to let the guests in, but they turned out to only be Stellan and his two younger brothers, Luca and Teo. Since Stellan was the only one outside of my family briefed on Loki’s true identity, and since his family owned a high-class restaurant in town that all three brothers had worked for at one point or another, Loki and I figured that they would be the best candidates to come and be our waiters for the night.

“Hello, Camryn!” he greeted with a wide grin, bending down to hug me. “The place looks really spectacular.”

“Thanks, Stellan.” I patted his back and waved to Teo and Luca. “Thanks for doing this on your night off.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure.” He reached down to pick up Bellatrix from where she was languidly rolling atop his shoes. “Bella and I go way back, so when I’m not waiting the table we can have some good catch-up time. And where’s Sir Henry?”

“He’s moping in our bedroom like he always does when we have company.” I rolled my eyes. “But if you guys’ll follow me to the guest bedroom, I have your outfits in there.”

On Asgard, servants typically wore arduous robes, but Loki and I made the express decision that even with the atmosphere we had created, the typical servant garb would look ridiculous. Instead, we procured sturdy brown pants and white tunics, along with some leather overlays that gave the effect we were aiming for.

As the boys were changing, the trio of lute players that we hired for the night arrived, and they set up in the corner of the dining room while I was briefing Stellan, Teo, and Luca on the dishes for the night and how to serve them. After one last meticulous sweep of the area of the penthouse we’d be entertaining in, Loki convinced me that there was nothing more that I could do, and urged me to sit next to him and wait for the first guests to arrive at last.

“Are you sure this dinner party is a good idea?” I worried, tugging at a hangnail with my teeth and shifting on the sofa.

“It’s a bit late to go back on that decision, isn’t it?” Loki replied with a raised brow, but rubbed my back reassuringly, tugging me closer to him and holding me tight to his side. “I’ll make sure everything is just fine,” he murmured against my temple.

When the doorbell rang, I sprang out of my seat once more, but Loki jumped in front of me before I could make another move, putting his hands on my shoulders and staring deeply into my eyes as he always did when he wanted to calm me.

“I’ll get it,” he insisted, squeezing my arms gently. “It’s likely just Thor. He’s coming early, remember?”

I nodded, letting out a breath and merely trailing along behind as Loki went to let his brother in. Thor arrived dressed in a simpler version of his ceremonial armor, much like Loki was, and bore a bottle of mead for the party.

“Don’t tell me this is one of the bottles you took from Asgard’s royal stores before you came to live on Earth,” Loki declared, popping the top off and peering inside.

“It is, and I only have three of them left, excluding that one.” Thor snatched the mead back. “This party had better be good, if I’m going to be giving up one of my precious remaining bottles of the finest Asgardian mead ever tasted.”

“Hey!” I protested, coming around from behind Loki and giving Thor a playful shove that, of course, didn’t even cause him to bobble in the slightest. “Are you doubting my skills?’

“Absolutely not, Camryn. I’m merely making a jest between brothers.” Thor patted my shoulder. “If I didn’t have faith that your party would be wonderful, I wouldn’t have brought the mead in the first place. The little I’ve seen of your show for tonight is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see more.”

“Thank you for saying so, but don’t scare me like that!” I reprimanded. “I’m stressed enough as it is.”

“My deepest apologies.” Thor cradled the mead like a baby. “Where might I put this? And where are the cats?”

“I’m throwing what might be the best dinner party of my life and all anyone cares about is the cats. I would scold you, but I relate.” I nodded my head towards the hall. “I’ll take you to put the drink in the kitchen. Stellan’s in there, so at least Bellatrix should be in there, too. You’ll have a contender for her attention tonight.”

“A most honorable challenge that I humbly accept,” Thor played along, bowing his head nobly.

Once Thor dropped his mead off and got his desired greeting from Bellatrix, I sent Teo off to answer the door and had Luca follow us into the sitting room with a tray of drinks, waiting yet again for the rest of the guests to arrive.

“Thor, they are coming, right?” I inquired, bouncing my leg up and down.

“They are, and I promise they’re not planning any tricks,” he assured, selecting a goblet of wine. “Relax.”

Loki rose from the couch and approached Luca, taking a glass and passing it to me.

“Everything will be fine, love,” he assured. “Besides, is anyone but the three of us going to be able to judge the accuracy of the night?”

“It’s not the accuracy I’m worried about,” I muttered into my glass, but took a sip and pretended to be pacified, sitting back and waiting for whomever our first true arrival would turn out be.

It ended up being Steve, who knocked on the front door at the exact arrival time listed on the invitation. Teo showed him into the sitting room, and Loki and I rose to greet him.

“Thank you so much for coming.” I gave him a slightly awkward hug and Loki shook his hand stiffly. “Why don’t you take a seat, and have some wine?”

“There’s no need to be so formal,” Steve assured with a chuckle, but obeyed my instructions nonetheless. “Your penthouse is amazing. Does it always look like this?”

“In the autumn,” I replied. “The current decor is special for tonight’s event, to really give the illusion of being on Asgard.”

“I see. Well, it’s really nice.” Steve took another once-over of the room, sliding his hands into his pockets. “I feel a bit underdressed, though. Thor and Loki are in their armor and you’re in that dress...The wardrobe guide you sent mentioned leather and neutral colors…”

“What you’re wearing is perfect,” I assured, appraising his dark brown pants and beige button-down, trying my hardest to resist the possessive embrace Loki pulled me into as Steve’s eyes passed over me.

“I’m glad.” Steve glanced at the clock on the wall. “Banner was right behind me, so he should be here soon.”

The words had barely left his mouth when the doorbell rang, and Teo entered the sitting room with Bruce in tow, along with Natasha and Clint. Luca served them their drinks and, seeing as most of our guests had arrived, I sent him into the kitchen to fetch the hors d'oeuvres.

“Clint and I were already going to carpool, and we met Bruce in the lobby,” Natasha explained before I could ask how the three of them ended up arriving together, plopping down on the sofa with her drink and straightening her beige gown. “You’ve got a really gorgeous place.”

“Thank you. That seems to be the general consensus tonight.” I fidgeted awkwardly, wishing I could sit but not wanting to do so with guests around. “Did you all make it here alright?”

“It’s a really easy ride from Stark Tower,” Bruce replied. He had dressed in a plain suit, though it was brown. “There’s a Metro stop less than a block away from here.”

“If you guys are all staying at the Tower, why didn’t you all come together?” I asked, noting the staggered arrival times and methods of our guests.

“Well, we knew Thor was coming early to help get things ready,” Natasha began. “Steve was the only one that left at a normal time. Bruce wanted to stay back to finish something in the lab, and Clint and I came straight from a mission.”

“Oh my god!” I exclaimed. “If you had to work tonight, you didn’t have to come.”

“Don’t be silly.” Natasha smiled warmly and took a sip from her glass. “We wanted to.”

“I’m glad we all did, because whatever’s cooking smells delicious,” Thor remarked. “When are we going to eat?”

“We have to wait until everyone gets here,” Loki spoke up with suppressed annoyance. “Does anyone have any idea where Stark is?”

“He left around noon to oversee some construction upstate,” Bruce replied, taking a bite from his smoked salmon crouton. “He should be back by now.”

“Oh, really?” Something bumped the back of my knees and I glanced behind me to realize that Loki had pulled up a chair for me. I settled into it and took my own crouton from Luca, and held Loki’s hand where it rested on my shoulder. “What kind of construction?”

Bruce exchanged a look with Steve.

“I don’t know the clearance level for that info,” Bruce explained, brow furrowed in apology.

“Oh, Norns.” Even though Loki was behind me, I could clearly sense his eyeroll. “More about those damned clearance levels.”

“Be nice.” I patted his hand. “You have clearance levels for your important dealings on Asgard, even if they aren’t necessarily mapped out.”

“Perhaps, but I’m accustomed to being the one at the top of those unsaid levels,” Loki rebutted.

Steve cleared his throat to catch our attention and spoke up, answering Bruce’s question. “They’re consultants and will find out about it eventually, so we might as well tell them now.”

“Are you building a Death Star?” I cocked an eyebrow, and Natasha leaned across where Clint sat next to her on the couch to reach Steve.

“The Death Star is from-”

“Star Wars, I know,” Steve interrupted with a playful eye roll. “I watched them last week.”

“Just looking out for ya, buddy.” Natasha patted his arm and sank back into her cushion.

“Anyway,” Steve continued, “we’re building a new Avengers home base upstate. We’ve sort of taken over Stark Tower, even though it’s still the functioning headquarters of Stark Industries, and the location in the middle of the city, while central to a lot of action, is leaving us exposed and vulnerable, with little space to grow.

“Around the new facility, there’s hardly any civilization for miles, and the land we purchased leaves seemingly endless room for expansion. We won’t have to coordinate space and scheduling with the Avengers team and the Stark Industries team, the environment will seem a bit more homey, and some of our new members will be better protected and contained from society there.”

“Well, that sounds interesting,” I replied. “I’d love to see it someday. If it’s out in the forest like that, I bet it’s beautiful.”

“It’s quite, as the mortals say, aesthetically pleasing,” Thor put in. “I feel very calmed inside the building.”

“And I’m sure you all need that, with all the high-stress work you do,” I said. “You should get Tony to put in a spa.”

Natasha laughed aloud. “That would be the best.”

Loki cleared his throat, reminding us all of his point. “But his business should be finished, correct? It was possible for him to be on time?”

“It should have been, yes,” Bruce replied.

“Well, where is he?”

“The fun is here!” As if on cue, Tony Stark burst into the room with an irritated Pepper on his arm.

“I’m sorry,” she lamented, rolling her eyes. “I couldn’t get him here any sooner.”

“I had to make sure I was at my best for this royal soiree.” Tony pointed to the tray Luca carried. “Is that salmon? Lovely.”

“Was there trouble on your way over here, Mr. Stark?” Loki asked, his voice dangerously cordial. Tardiness was not something he dealt with well.

“No, not at all. Traffic was great, weather was great. Everything was great.” Tony went for some wine and Pepper sighed heavily, covering her reddening face with her hand.

“Then why, might I ask, are you arriving so far past the time listed on your invitation?” Loki’s voice was a mere note away from being a growl. I reached for his hand to calm him.

“Well, you know how I like to make an entrance, and I wanted to make sure I looked impeccable, and worthy of what Camryn listed on that charming wardrobe guide,” Stark replied, gesturing to his outfit straight out of Game of Thrones.

“I’m amazed you took it that seriously.” I took a closer look at his attire, marveling at the fine craftsmanship. “Did you have that made?” “Sure did.” Stark patted his chest proudly. “I wanted to make something matching for Pepper, but she said it was too much.”

I noted Pepper’s stunning rust-colored evening gown.

“You both look amazing. Everyone here does, and I’m so thrilled that you’re all embracing the theme.” I rose from my seat and gestured towards the door. “I’m sure you’re all hungry. Since everyone’s arrived, should we proceed onto dinner?”

The group erupted into murmurs of excitement and began to file towards the dining room, but Loki gently held me towards the back of the herd and bent down to whisper in my ear once we were alone.

“I know our alliance is budding, but I’m absolutely infuriated at Stark’s behavior,” he ranted.

“I know you are.” I rubbed his arm. “But this is supposed to be a test run for the wedding, remember? We need to practice being civil even if something bothers us.”

“I understand, love.” He kissed the top of my head gently but insistently. “But if he tries to ‘make an entrance’ like that at our wedding, I’ll kill him.”

“Oh, believe me.” I took Loki’s hand and pulled him towards the dining room. “If he does that at our wedding, I’ll get to him first.”

When we entered the warm, candlelit dining room, I checked that every guest had found their place card and motioned for the musicians in the corner to begin playing. Luca passed out fresh goblets and Stellan entered with the first course as Loki and I made for the opposite heads of the table to deliver the toast.

“The music is a very nice touch,” Natasha praised, raising her glass in my direction. “I like it.”

“I’m glad you do,” I replied, then cleared my throat to address the room. “Welcome, everyone. I’m so honored that you’ve taken time out of your busy and important schedules to attend this party. Now, I know I’m usually the bridge between you and Loki, but tonight is another effort to make it so that a bridge is no longer needed. So, since our party is to replicate a traditional feast on Asgard, and he’s the one that actually grew up there, I’ll turn the floor over to him.”

Loki locked eyes with me and nodded once, clearing his throat before speaking, effortlessly capturing everyone’s undivided attention.

“Feasts are incredibly common on Asgard. To me and Thor, the spread before you seems an ordinary morning, midday, or evening meal. However, since this is a special event, I wanted to have a special banquet.

“There are many reasons for special feasts to be held on Asgard. A holiday, the returning of soldiers from war, a funeral, et cetera, but I decided that Camryn and I should host a dinner party best compared to a peacemaking or ambassador banquet, for often a major point of those dinners is to show off the culture of Asgard. That was the goal of the theme for tonight, and since every meeting between me and the Aveners is a peacemaking mission, I figured that no feast template could be better.”

Loki gestured to the corner where Stellan stood in his costume, now flanked by Teo and Luca.

“That young man over there is Stellan, and I’m sure you recognize Teo and Luca from earlier this evening. They will be serving you tonight. Now, I’m sure you’re all hungry, and the food smells incredible, so I will move right along with this introduction. Banquets such as this are almost always opened with a prayer to our gods, which is as good of a representation of Asgardian culture as anything, so I’ll get on with that.”

“Excuse me.” Steve politely raised his hand, ducking his chin sheepishly. “I thought you and Thor were the gods. What gods are gods supposed to pray to?”

“Excellent question, Steve,” Pepper interjected. “I was wondering that myself.”

“We pray to our ancestors in Valhalla,” Loki replied, a slight smile creeping onto his lips. “Even divine beings need guidance sometimes.”

“As for whom we pray to once we get to Valhalla, we have no idea,” Thor put in. “And we’re not sure we’d like to know.”

“The speculations we made when we were children only frightened us,” Loki added with a conservative grin. “Now, I typically pray to my mother, so it’s been awhile since I’ve recited a formal prayer like this, so forgive me if I make any mistakes.”

I bowed my head obediently, and I was happy to see that everyone else in the room did, too. I was a bit shocked that Loki revealed such a personal tidbit as coping with Frigga’s death to the room full of people, but I was glad to see him opening up.

Despite his warning, however, he recited the prayer perfectly as I knew he would. He didn’t pray in the traditional sense very often, but I loved it when he did, for the words spilled out of his mouth like beautiful poetry. His voice became melodic, and he often came closer to singing prayers rather than speaking them. I was completely hypnotized by the time he finished and continued the toast.

“Now,” he resumed in his normal cadence, “Asgardians are typically very bawdy and love their food, so the toast is kept short. To peace and friendship. May we make it and may it last.”

“To peace and friendship,” the room echoed, and as everyone drank from their glasses and took their seats, I got the feeling that, for the first time,everyone truly meant it.

***

Once the last course was cleared away and I felt incredibly bloated in the best way, I tapped on my glass with my knife to bring everyone’s attention. The sound wasn’t entirely necessary, for the conversation of the evening had been wonderful and typically involved everyone present at the party, but the action was something I had always wanted to do. Once Loki finished explaining the differences and similarities of Viking culture and that on Asgard and everyone’s eyes turned to me, I began my short speech of the night.

“Asgardian feasts are hardly ever just feasts,” I began. “As Loki said before, Asgardians are quite bawdy, and have a lot of energy, especially after being filled with wine. Feasts are typically affairs that last well into the early hours of the morning. Once the main meal is finished, there’s often dancing and singing and merrymaking, and a lot of the younger citizens will branch out to different taverns once the older attendees have retired. We, unfortunately, did not prepare for raucous activity, but to replicate the ever-changing scenery of an Asgardian banquet, we’ve decided to serve dessert and some of Thor’s Asgardian mead on the terrace.”

“He brought that stuff?” Stark gasped, dropping his hands onto the table, already a bit inebriated from the wine served with the meal. “Sign me up. Let’s go.”

With a giggle, I took my wrap from Loki and laid my head on his shoulder, leading the way out into the slightly chilly night air and onto the terrace that we had decorated just like we had the dining room, and lit with strands of fairy lights. Just like the New Year’s Eve party what seemed like an eternity ago, I felt like I had grown incredibly close to the people around me, and felt an enormous sense of kinship with them. I was sure that, like at the party, the effect was somewhat heightened by drink, but I felt that the new feeling was one that would stick around much longer.

The group gathered into seats around the fire as Thor distributed the drinks and Stellan passed out pieces of apple cake, and the conversation, which had been mainly centered around questions about Asgard, had no trouble picking up again.

“So, Loki,” Steve began, “you said that when boar is served at feasts, it’s usually been hunted and killed that day?”

“Yes,” Loki replied. “There’s no taste like freshly butchered boar, and unless there’s a siege in place, the royal family doesn’t eat boar unless it’s been killed that day.”

“Being royalty sounds like it’s worth it.” Natasha raised her eyebrows. “Thanks for explaining the whole boat symbolism thing, by the way. I never really understood it.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Loki smiled kindly, the mead making him a bit looser with his charms.

“This actually isn’t meant to be rude for once in my life,” Stark interjected, taking a bite of cake, “but do your horns symbolize anything?”

Loki actually laughed at that, and went on to explain without a complaint. After a long-winded speech about symbolism on Asgard that everyone’s drunkenness had turned into a stream of jokes by the end, Stark piped up again.

“I know it’s the drink that’s making me say this, but I think it’s important to be said.” He inhaled sharply. “Loki, after talking with and getting to know you tonight, I’ve decided that you’re not a bad guy. You’re different, for sure, but you’re not bad. You’re actually pretty awesome when you’re not trying to take over the world. I figured that you’d have to be to get a girl like Camryn, but now I really see it.”

“Thank you, Stark.” Loki squeezed my hand, and a small but genuine smile spread across his face. “Tonight, after getting to know you outside of the context of work, I’ve learned that you’re actually quite more brilliant and creative than I originally thought you to be. I may actually grow to enjoy your company, and dare I say, admire you.”

Stark put a hand to his chest, his next joke holding the tone of truth. “I’m so very honored.”

“I’d like to say something, as well.” Clint, who was usually so quiet but had become quite chatty and a jokester over the course of the night, stood from his chair. “Loki, I still don’t trust you. But if all of the people here that I trust with my life are growing to, I respect their decision. I feel that you’re deserving of it, and I think that someday I may come around on you.”

“Thank you, Clint,” I whispered as he returned to his seat, and for a few moments the only sound was the crackling of the fire as everyone processed the words that had just been exchanged, which bore the best kind of weight.

“It’s pretty late,” Bruce eventually said, voice cracking from the awkward breaking of the silence, “and I’ve had a lot to drink. I think I should go and make sure I can get a cab.”

“Wait,” I called out as he made for the door, then looked to Loki, silently asking for approval for what I was about to do. “Why don’t you...stay here?”

Bruce furrowed his brow. “Sorry?”

“Why don’t you all stay here for tonight?” I suggested shyly. “God knows we have enough room for all of you. I’m in the theatre tomorrow night, so I don’t have to go into work until later. We could make sort of a grownup sleepover out of it, and then go for brunch in the morning.”

Pepper cracked a grin. “That sounds like fun. Let’s do it.”

After everyone’s agreement, Loki and I dismissed Stellan, Teo, and Luca, and left Thor to entertain the group while we went to make sleeping arrangements for everybody.

“So, how about it?” I asked nervously as we stood in front of the linen closet, loading my arms with sheets, still in a bit of disbelief over what I had just done.

“You know, I’m actually feeling alright about it,” Loki replied, his bright eyes gleaming. “I’m still not too fond of the Avengers, but I think I might actually like them as individuals. I’m sure that, like at the New Year’s party, some of these feelings and progress are due to drink and will regress in the morning, I feel like they won’t regress as much as they did last time.”

“I’m so glad.” I dropped the sheets in my hands and hugged him instead, burying my face in his shoulder, breathing in his scent of leather and sandalwood and snow. “I feel like so much important progress has been made, too. I’m so proud of you.”

Loki pulled me closer, resting his cheek on top of my head. “I don’t think it will be a problem to have them at our wedding, now.”

“Absolutely,” I agreed. “We won’t have to worry about any fights breaking out or any trouble being caused. We can focus on nothing but each other, just as it should be.”

“That is, if your extended family can behave,” Loki teased.

“Hey, one thing at a time,” I quipped. “My family doesn’t have access to the arsenal that the Avengers do, so the Avengers took priority in terms of peacemaking.”

“But now that problem is solved.” Loki hooked his finger under my chin and tilted it up towards him. “And I’m glad for it. Truly. For the first time in our engagement, I can be completely excited about everything that’s to come with no worries about anything else. And it’s the most wonderful feeling in all the realms.”

Next Chapter

#loki fanfic #loki fanfiction #loki x ofc #loki x reader #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #loki laufeyson

53 notes · View notes

thesimplyluxuriouslife · 4 years

Text

266: 10 Activities to Savor Pre-Holidays in November

Here in the states, we may officially wait for the holiday energy to be set free, but by the time November arrives, it can easily begin to feel as though the holidays have begun. Whether that is due in part to marketers and shops shifting from Halloween on October 31st to red and green everything on November 1st, or an earnest desire for the holidays to begin by the public, I cannot quite be sure, but what I do know is that I love the three weeks leading up to Thanksgiving of which I am calling the "pre-holiday" season.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the holiday time between Thanksgiving and New Year's, but during the first third of November (Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November which this year is quite late in the month), I just linger with absolute contentment.

Today I would like to share with you 10 activities or ideas for savoring the pre-season period as the year that is begins to wind down to celebration and festive gathering.

1.Set the mood in your home without pulling out the decorations

From placing simmering spices on the stovetop to fill the house with luscious, warm and citrus as well as spice-filled flavors (check out my simple recipe here) or simply switching the wreath on the front door to an autumn theme (if you have not done so already), protect, yet acknowledge this time of year that is truly meant to be savored after a summer and early fall of harvest as we gear up for the bustle of the holiday season.

2. Put the yard and exterior of the home to bed for the winter

Depending upon where you live and when the temperatures begin to drop, take this time to be outside and winterize the home, tend to the plants that need to be mulched and trim the perennials, as well as plant the new bulbs that will emerge in the spring. Tending to the exterior of your home will enable you to sleep soundly at night during the snowstorms and frigid temperatures knowing all is taken care of so that you can simply enjoy the winter wonderland that appears out the front door.

~Trusted British gardener Monty Don shares a worth-keeping monthly list of what to tend to in the garden during the month of November.

3. Assess your fitness routine and improve now to feel your best during the holidays

When we are conscious of the benefit of a good and regular fitness routine as well as a well-balanced eating regimen, we are more likely to do well during the holidays. Establish or cement what is working well and plan now to figure out how you will maintain your ability to stay active and eat well even if you are traveling or removed from your regular environment.

4. Make a favorite fall dessert or main dish for you and the household just because it's fall.

From Apple Tart Tatin (check out my recipe and video tutorial below) to butternut squash and apples roasted to perfection for a lovely side dish with pork chops. (The image at the top of the post is a favorite fall dessert inspired by Julia Child - look for my adaptation to be shared in season 3 of the cooking show!)

~Quick recipe for roasted butternut squash and apples: Combine cubes of butternut squash and apples on a parchment lined sheet pan, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, toss the squash and apples with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, roast for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and enjoy!

5. Make sure you have something to look forward to just after the holidays wrap up - something simple, low-key and maybe just for yourself.

6. Have fun with fall foliage - arrangements, playing in the leaves, taking photos of unique compositions that catch your eye

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4qMNBZgx64/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

7. Take advantage of weekend sales as businesses clear out inventory for the holiday season.

Currently many business are having sales during our long weekend here in the states, but that is just a start to what is to come. Whether you are beginning to shop for gifts for the holidays or have a list of items you love but are waiting for a sale, be sure to take advantage if the price is right and the item is exactly what you want. As I shared yesterday, I am looking for a fresh holiday wreath for my front door, and was pleased with Williams-Sonoma' 20% off sale.

As well, examine your fall, winter and holiday wardrobe: Do you have what you need? Are there any gaps? The fall collections are about to go on drastic reduction and scooping up your preferred and needed items at great prices will make you and your budget quite happy, not to mention ensure you look your best and feel comfortable going about your day.

8. Forage for the arts and literature and culture you love

On Wednesday of this week I will share a list of books, podcasts, television shows and art exhibits to enjoy during the winter season, but what I love most about these three weeks leading up to the holidays is that I cozy inside my house far more than I would during warmer weather and pull out a book (or two, or three) and let the time pass by. The same happens when I discover a great show or when I toodling about the house or walking the boys while listening to a podcast in which I learn something but lifts my spirits or ensures my day will be better after listening to it by either teaching me something or deepending my understanding on something that matters.

Perhaps why I enjoyed my visit to Portland last weekend so much and stopping (and lingering) at Powell's Independent Book Store was because books and late fall and winter, along with the shorter days means more time to get lost in a book. Of course reading is savoring year-round, but there is all the more reason to further our knowledge and let ideas percolate giving them time to germinate so that they can bloom fully when spring arrives and summer follows.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ZHszngxkf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

9. Get cosy often and lose track of time

At the foundation of these three weeks is time without apology for self-care. Self-care needs to happen year-round and on a regular basis most certainly, but since we know what awaits in the near future, no matter how much we greatly look forward to it, we can enjoy it all the more with a fully rested self.

As 2019 began, the first Petit Plaisir of the year was the book Cosy: The British Art of Comfort by Laura Weir. Released in early November 2018, her timing was not on accident. The cosy/cozy season truly feels as though it begins with November's arrival.

"Cosiness, for me, is radio 4, slow-cooking, everyday Sunday supplement, long breakfasts, long movies, long phone calls, big jumpers, tangled limbs in a bed or sofa. I enjoy those things even more now that I know indulging them doesn't mean I'm missing out on the big party of life happening somewhere outside and that life can be just as wild and precious in the quiet as it is in the noise."

—Laura Weir from her book Cosy: The British Art of Comfort

10. Find time to be with yourself, not just introverts researchs finds

~image via The New York Times~

In a recent New York Times article, research was shared that "valuing solitude doesn’t really hurt your social life, in fact, it might add to it". Why?

With the new and different, wanted and unwanted people you will see and spend time with during the holiday season, there will undoubtedly be swells of emotion, good and perhaps not so good. Knowing how to regulate our emotions will help us navigate what has the potential to be a truly joyous time of year well and most beneficially not only for our own mental health but those around us. And it is with giving ourselves time to be alone that we learn to regulate our emotions.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is something we have talked about often here on the blog, podcast and in TSLL's 2nd book, and continued research finds that mastering this skill has life enhancing qualities. By giving ourselves time to learn how to monitor our emotions which when we are alone with ourselves and our thoughts expectedly will provide plenty of practice until we learn how to calm the tide and just be present, we give ourselves an awesome gift. Perhaps the best give to give during the holiday season, non? ;)

So cosy up in your favorite spot, turn on a lovely playlist that will wash over you and just do something that you love. At this very moment I am snuggled up with Oscar by my side in my oversized, very well-used chaise armchair, the jazz fills the house and I am watching the many birds dance around the birdfeeder determining who will have the opportunity to snack for a moment. The emotions are certainly swimming about, especially after the week my family has had with the loss of someone truly special to all of us, but because of much practice spending time with myself, I savor such moments and am thankful to have them.

May these three weeks, this "pre-holiday" season prior to the holiday festivities be joy-filled and provide many moments of contentment.