#Clive of garlic

[ilearntocook]

Next meal probably pasta salad. One more steak in freezer. Probably get more chicken breast when I go aquire pasta salad ingredients

#and more garlic #andddd olive oil #is it normal to go like three clives of garlic a week? its just so fucking tasty #also how often does the average person grocery shop? i go get essentials like once every two weeks #but i always realize i need something else for a meal i want to make so its more like twice a week 😭 #luckily grocery store very close to my home

[soweli-musi]

clive gets garlic bread

He got his £3.40 meal deal with it from Tesco

#asks #mutuals #art requests

[scar-crossedlvrs]

CARLOS AS CLIVE AU WITH READER? 🥺 I mean, at this point, you have to, right?

Carlos Oliveira - A Brief Respite

nav i did this just for you & me. pretty much based on a fluff scene during the most obnoxious main story fetch quest i have dealt with so far..... anyway, i might also have something else written up too that i just have to convince myself it’s okay that nobody’s going to read it. cw: fluff, carlos as clive rosfield, there might be minor final fantasy xvi spoilers from after the timeskip, reader is basically just jill warrick not valentine

gentle reminder that all of my works sfw or not are intended for 18+ audiences.

The inbox is open for requests.

Fingers run mindlessly through the gray fur of the wolf perched at your feet as your eyes scan the market, glittering in amusement.

He was easy to spot, the red and black vestments standing out amongst the dull browns and tans of the locals. The blade perched on his back glinted in the sunlight as he weaved through the crowd, ducking from one stall to another in search of the last few items needed back at the hideaway. You couldn't help but find it funny, the highly skilled outlaw known as 'Cid' being reduced to a confused tourist as he searched the entire marketplace for a simple bulb of garlic. A reminder that despite the titles, despite the battles, he was still just him.

"Torgal, should we help him?" you address the wolf, who simply glances up at you with a look of indifference.

Your own shopping had been done ages ago, finishing your half of the supply list and more. All of your purchases tucked neatly into the basket you held firmly in your hands.

"You're right, this is more fun."

Just being here brought back memories of home, of a long forgotten childhood.

-

“No! Torgal don’t!”

The puppy squirmed in your arms, sniffing wildly at the various sights and smells of Market Street. You struggled to keep hold of him and eventually, he broke free of you arms. Beside you, a laugh sounded and you turned your eyes to glare at the source.

"It's not funny, Carlos. Now we have to go find him!"

Brown eyes sparkle in the sunlight as his laughter fades. "Oh, come on you know that was funny."

"You know he's going to make a mess out of the butcher's stall!" Your eyes narrow at his amusement, knowing that you'd be the one getting into trouble with the Duchess if Torgal caused any more trouble.

"Not if I catch him first." Carlos spoke confidently, giving you a small nod and taking off down the cobblestone street behind the wolf pup. Eyes watch him disappear around the corner and you can't help but smile to yourself before taking off down the street yourself.

-

"That's more than Otto asked for." his voice pulled you back to the present, and you met his gaze with a sheepish nod as he placed his spoils into the basket clutched in your hands.

"I got a little carried away." You pause for a moment. "Everything looked so delicious and reminded me of home, so I picked up a few extra things. I was hoping we could take a break and share a meal."

“We’ve got work to do, you know that.”

“I know, but you’ve been working so hard lately Carlos. I haven't seen you in days, I thought you could use a break." Your brows furrow, a quiet, selfish plea for him to just relax for a moment. "Otto and the rest won't be going anywhere until we return anyway."

Carlos seemed to take notice of this, eyes softening as he holds out a hand. "We can eat by the river." he said with a nod, face breaking out into a reassuring smile. "They can wait a little longer."

Your face lights up in triumph, and you lace your free hand into the one he had outstretched. "Good, the bread should still be warm if we hurry."

#carlos oliveira #carlos oliveira x reader #carlos oliveira fic #resident evil x reader #carlos oliveira x you #resident evil x you #tea writes things #this is so short and unnecessary but

[walks-the-ages]

It's january, which means it's seed-buying time for many gardeners! So, here is your reminder: Do not buy anything from Baker Creek / Rareseeds. com ; they are racist, anti-vaxxers; they steal varieties from Native communities, are friends with Clive Bundy, wanted to invite Robert F Kennedy Jr to one of their seed expos. They've fundraised for the homophobic and misogynistic Salvation Army

They have adopted young children from asian countries to use as free advertising for their "~exotic Asian seed varieties~" by having them pose with all of the (stolen + renamed) Asian varieties as young children-- might have to check the Wayback Machine to see this in action, or look at physical seed packets for this, as they've cut back on it after coming underfire for such a gross practice.

Anyways, would you like to know who you SHOULD support this year when purchasing seeds?

Experimental Farm Network, who has been nothing but vocally supportive of Palestinians and calling for everyone to do what they can to end the genocide Israel is committing.

[ID: A facebook post by Experimental Farm Network, which shows a hand holding three young, fuzzy Yakteen gourds, which are oblong, light green fruits with a visible fuzz on the outside, with dried blossoms visible on the ends. The post reads: "These are 'Palestine Yakteen' gourds at almost the perfect size for harvest. I normally would've waited to pick them about twice as large, when they're still tender and delicious. But the first big frost (a couple months ago) had killed the plant, so these were officially done. The plant was a volunteer in my backyard. I didn't even know it was there until about September, and in November I was enjoying these first — and last — fruit (with garlic, parsley, salt, and Palestinian olive oil). It was, no doubt, the most bittersweet meal of my life. Today is the 100th day of unimaginable violence against Palestinians in Gaza. South Africa is arguing in the International Court of Justice that Israel is committing genocide. Hundreds of Gazans are still dying every day, from bombings, yes, but now also from hunger, thirst, disease, and exposure. From the comfort of our heated homes, with our drinkable running water, working toilets, and well-stocked pantries, in communities with functioning clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies available to us should we need them, it's impossible to really understand what life is like in Gaza right now. It may seem incongruous — or even trite — to post a picture of some pretty vegetables in this context, but the Yakteen can serve as an important reminder of the humanity and beauty of Palestinian people and their ancient culture. They are not nameless, faceless nobodies. They tend gardens, smell flowers, celebrate with family and friends over steaming dishes of lovingly prepared food. They love deeply. They sing and dance and laugh. They are just like you or me. Please do not only remember them today. Take action to help them. Or resolve to take action. Or reach out and ask someone how you can take action. Do something. Please. Because you can. end ID]

This is just one of many posts they have shared on their social medias since the genocide began, and they have been partnered with Palestine Heirloom Seed Library to help raise funds; each packet of seeds from their Palestine collection has 50% of the proceeds going towards funding the Seed Library, and they

If you have friends or family who order from Baker Creek, please let them know exactly who they are supporting -- and reassure them that dozens of other seed companies with much better ethics are out there, offering those exact same "rare" varieties! Seedsavers.org is another great heirloom alternative, with the bonus that they regularly work on seed Rematriation- returning Native heirloom varieties to the indiginous communities who created them

#long post #free palestine #palestine #gardening #baker creek #rareseeds #antivaxx #racism #signal boost please #gardenblr #seeds #heirloom seeds

[iliektehhaxs]

life is about clive falling to his knees in the farmer’s market bc he was just after the last person to buy the last garlic sprig of the day and now he has to return home a failure. how can he show his face to his spouse after dishonouring them that much….

Oh poor Clive, he did his best! You couldn’t ask for a more thoughtful partner, and you make sure to tell him as such even when he’s sulking in the corner :)

#robo speaks #ask

[atopearth]

Final Fantasy XVI Part 2 - Fighting to Live On Your Own Terms

I didn't expect Mid to be Cid's daughter.. Anyway, really weird tonal change in the game to suddenly start running errands lol. I didn't expect that removing the brand runs the risk that the person might die because one wrong cut or whatever and the poison from the ink could kill them😰 Well, Torgal resembling Fenrir was what I thought when we first saw the change haha. Dion seems to be a kind prince with a heartless father and scheming stepmother lol. Olivier seems very reliant on his mother, Anabella but he is young so that's normal. Gotta say though, I still think Anabella is the hottest out of everyone haha! Anyway, Clive's uncle, Byron Rosfield is a very funny and chill guy. He's so rich but so endearing, it was so funny when he gobbled up all the food in the desert inn before Clive fought against Barnabas' men who escorted Kupka. It's just sad that Joshua was so close but Clive still missed him. Harbard is pretty hot, I will look forward to seeing more of him😆 I've read comments about the Titan fight being really good, but I didn't expect the 10/10 effort they put into it, that fight was definitely visually stunning, and Titan looked awesome!

The mystery surrounding Ultima continues, but I wonder if he's some sort of otherworldly being that's trying to get Clive to gather all the Eikon powers and then destroy the world and make a new one or something to become a true God. Anyway, Barnabas has finally appeared again! He seems to know about Mythos, so I wonder if he knows what exactly Ultima is. As for Dion, he's got death flags flying everywhere that if he survives in the end, I'd be surprised haha, he seems like such a good boy and he's pretty too. Terence and Dion! They felt like a thing with how carefully Terence was treating him but dang, definitely didn't expect the kiss to solidify my assumptions! It makes me happy though. I thought Dion was alone, fighting by himself against his father's tyranny and Anabella's scheming, but it seems like regardless of what happens in the future, knowing that he at least had the one he loves beside him gives me a bit more comfort. I'm glad Joshua made it to Dion safely! I'm excited to see how things will go!

Quinten once being a part of the judiciary in Sanbreque is interesting, but it's sad to find out that his entire family was slaughtered after finding out how disgusting the Lord Chief Justice was hunting bearers. Very interesting that Quinten created this army gathering people in Lostwing to exact revenge on him though. I really wanted to choose Otto to go along with Clive to gather stardust since I want to know more about him, but how could I reject a chance to hang out with Gav?! I mean, I've been noticing the pacing issues, but gathering stuff for Mid to build a ship?! Is that what the leader of everyone does? I mean, if it was a sidequest yeah, but this is the main quest, it's just so random, especially since there's no context for this ship and why we need to build it other than its something Cid and Mid designed together. I mean, it'll definitely be useful but I really didn't need to run around that much zzz. Anyway, I just wanted to say, imagine going all the way across the map to buy one garlic and some nuts, I died. I definitely recommend picking Jill to go with to Northreach. Seeing her so happily reminiscing about memories with Clive and Torgal in Rosalith back in the day whilst enjoying a little picnic was really cute. It felt like we were finally getting to see a bit more of the happy and innocent Jill she once was.

It's sad that Mid doesn't want to go to Cid's grave, but I'm glad we got to visit it! It's been a while and I definitely miss Cid. I really enjoyed having everyone here and reaffirm their goals of destroying all the Mothercrystals, especially considering how even more terrible the environment has become, literally death of nature everywhere. Since we only have one crystal left, I wonder if I'm nearing the end of the game? Eloise and Theodore are such a good looking pair of siblings! I guess it should have been expected that regardless of what Joshua says, Dion's priority will always be the empire and I honestly can't blame him for it (even if I do think that I agree with Joshua that we need to look at the bigger picture here), because considering all the scenes we've seen with Dion, he has always been at war trying his best to protect his people. He would never abandon his people knowing that they would perish if he's not there. However, I'm not too sure how overthrowing Anabella and the new Emperor Olivier will go. And I also kinda wish Dion gave up on his father because Sylvestre isn't any better. One thing I would have appreciated from the game is if we could have gotten more interesting side side characters? It's always the Eikon and their loyal attendant/vassal/knight lol. Anyway, Dion going out of control and destroying the kingdom and hurting his people is saddening. I was happy when Joshua set out to stop him, but I didn't realise he could still become the Phoenix.

Well, the fight against Bahamut was visually stunning (once again!)! My favourite part was definitely getting to see Joshua and Clive fight together and hug each other afterwards. It's been much too long. I didn't realise that Bahamut has a move called Zetaflare though haha! Most disappointing thing for me was how things ended for Anabella though, it just felt so pathetic considering how many people she betrayed and how scheming she was to just go like that. I honestly wanted her to live and redeem herself. Olivier being some sort of creation of Ultima's used to lead the Empire to their destruction and to probably get Clive to absorb Bahamut was sad because even though I harboured no hope for Sylvestre, Dion obviously viewed him in a good light because he used to not be like this. Since we never got to see how he was, I personally have no view towards this whole thing, but if you want me to think of it as if he was my brother, then I can understand why Dion refused to give up on trying to get him to come back to his senses, just saddening that Dion ended up accidentally killing him, which is something no one should have to ever bear, that grief, anger and pain probably made him vulnerable to being brainwashed by Ultima into going out of control, not that I think he would have been able to go against it in the end, but I guess it made it easier.

But yes, the fights were pretty and relatively fun. A gripe that I have though is that I wish the game let you save or had points where it would let you save because these cutscenes and fights are so long and I'm an old lady that needs to sleep earlier lolll. All in all, I'm glad Joshua is back with us, the brotherly love between him and Clive is just so sweet. As for Barnabas, is he brainwashed or willingly following Ultima? Either way though, he seems mentally weak or unwell. Joshua kissing Jote's forehead was adorable though, I ship it. But glad to know how Joshua survived and why Jote has been by his side the whole time. I wonder why they didn't appear until that late to protect Joshua though. I'm glad we finally got to see the ending for Lostwing because I've been curious. I'm just sad that all those people died protecting Quinten and to achieve his revenge. But I guess they might have all died if they stayed in Lostwing when it got flooded with aether, but yeah oh well, at least there are people alive and Quinten has newfound resolve in building a nation. I'm also glad they're finally going back to Eastpool and making it a home again because that's where Wade and them should be.

I was wondering why Sleipnir sounds familiar, and of course, he's the horse ridden by Odin! Really goes to show his loyalty to Barnabas. Sad that he just died like that though. It's kinda amusing to see that Barnabas is a league above Clive but is that because he's Odin or something else? Very sweet of Jill to use herself as a shield to protect Clive and let the others help him escape without any hesitation. What I'm glad about is that through Blackthorne's quest, they are starting to share Cid's inventions helping people to stop relying on crystals for furnaces etc and truly getting to a self-sustainable world without crystals driving their lives. I'm very happy for Blackthorne that he has such a good friend like August always watching over him and his mental health haha, couldn't ask for more! Ooh okay, Sleipnir is a magical creation of Odin's so there's many of him! Very happy to know because he's cool. But not very happy because he doesn't do anything haha, where's the personality?!

Anyway, pretty cool when Odin split the sea in two. But the highlight is definitely the scene at the beach! Awkward nakedness😂 Anyway, it was nice for Jill to finally get to properly convey to Clive how much she wants to share in his burden and how she's willing to entrust everything of hers to him and support him. And they finally kissed! And did more but that's not important haha, I'm actually just really excited to use Shiva, I used to think we'd be able to control Jill but I guess this will have to do. Honestly, I feel so bad for Theodore and Eloise. I really liked them, so seeing Theo turn Akashic and kill himself so he wouldn't hurt Eloise was so sad. He never got to know that Eloise was happy to live the life she did no matter how tough it was, and that just looking at him made her understand that she never regretted her choice of saving him instead of choosing the easy way out. I'm really heartbroken that they couldn't have the happy ending they deserved. I didn't expect L'ubor to be a Bearer, very terrible that no matter the status, the moment it comes out, people can only see them as a Bearer and nothing else. Dalimil doesn't deserve L'ubor. I've always liked Martha so it was nice to see her motivate the Bearers. Blackthorne and Zoldat forging a weapon together was cute.

The medicine girl saved Dion! Such a nice little girl! I'm actually kinda glad Joshua punched Clive because I guess it is true that he is now taking on the burden himself by taking Shiva from Jill. I was so worried when Joshua separated from Clive, I hope he's okay. As for the complete mural, I'm not surprised that Phoenix is technically the one that doesn't "belong" but what does he represent? Is that the wings of Ultima? Does the Phoenix recreate/rebirth this world? Well, the fight against Barnabas was certainly visually disappointing and mentally tedious. How ironic that the Dominant of Odin who commands great strength and is revered across the land as a unparalleled swordsman had the weakest will of everyone and wasn't able to go against a god. Maybe that just goes to show how strong Ultima is but honestly, I don't think so. Odin is still the best looking Eikon for me, but it's sad that his story, his mystery and his existence didn't add much to the story or to what we know of Ultima.

I was just about to say, I'm so glad Terence is alive! And then now he's gone to save the medicine girl, which is understandable since Dion will never forgive himself for what he did and the damage he caused, so all he can do is mend as much as he can and help his people in any way he could, but still, I feel bad for Terence. Dion knows that Terence could never go against his orders and having to force him to be away from him when Dion is in the most danger would break his heart. Honestly, I love the brotherly love between Joshua and Clive, seeing them exert their utmost to protect the other always warms my heart and makes me so happy. Ultima is like a kid throwing a tantrum. He set his game up for someone else (he created) to play, went to sleep and then got mad that they had to discover their own way to play the game because they were never given instructions by him, and now wants his toy to relinquish everything they've learnt and listen to him again and then he'll accept them as his toy again lol. Barnabas was naive to think that Ultima would accept them even if they had no will.

All in all, the fight against Bahamut was definitely my favourite part. Not only was it absolutely beautiful, I really like Dion and his suffering for hurting his people, it's something I could feel for. Most disappointing thing was definitely Odin because I've been so excited for him since the moment I saw Odin and fell in love, but nooo. It's funny though, because I actually thought Bahamut was ugly and I really didn't care for him when he first appeared but now it's the favourite loll. Titan was also great in that it was nicely built up but I have to say that there were too many diversions to get there that by the time we fought Titan, I kinda forgot (sorry) why we hated him so much LOL. This is what happens when you don't get to play every day and you're stuck doing random quests until the real thing lol, so yeah that sucked but it was still good. Dion and Joshua are definitely my favourite characters though!

#final fantasy xvi #ffxvi #final fantasy 16

[geraskier]

fish update:

shrimp tank is thriving after the move. i drained about half the water out into a bucket with a tight lid, and drove bucket and tank over to my new house. both the hanging and sponge filters were sitting in tank water. set the tank down, poured the bucket water back in, and plugged in filters + lights (no heater in this tank). i've seen multiple amanos and the ghost shrimp, and no pinkish corpses so i think we still have everyone! BEAUTIFUL copper and bronze ramshorns.

i moved colgate toothpaste's tank the same way. he's still very active, eats, pesters his snails, etc. manicured his plants to give him more wiggle room. his fins are growing back well from when he tore them a while ago. metallic brown ramshorns.

steve rogers is...well. he got fin rot, and i started treating him, but i feel guilty i didn't notice fast enough bc he lost a bit of his tail fins :( he swims around more now, he seems more responsive to his environment. however he's having some kind of buoyancy issue where he can't swim downward much. he doesn't *appear* bloated, but i'm hesitant to cut back on food bc he seems to have pepped up after eating more. gonna buy some daphnia and soak it in garlic guard and cross my fingers. i think i culled the ramshorns??? there are only bladder snails and a nerite in this tank.

clive barker is SOOOO lively!!! i swear i saw him trying to blow bubbles earlier. he's a tiny lil man but he loves flaring at his ramshorn snails for no reason. always poking his head around every corner of the tank, coloring looks great, definitely recovered from the fungal infection he had earlier in the year. ramshorns are brown + heavily dappled with white.

haven't been as attentive to my 10 gal fish lately. i maintain the tank, obvi, but i haven't kept up with the behavioral quirks of the platies and endlers like i do with the bettas. i have 2 platies and 4 endlers now; one day one of the yellow endlers disappeared and i never found the body. :/ tiny lil SOBs. the ramshorns in this one are bronze-brown, some with spots.

everyone is the 29 gal is healthy and happy!! the cories and b.n. pleco are chubby and frisky, ember tetras are good, danios are zippy and nippy, but their attention is divided between all 6 tetras, and there's a lovely understory of cryptocorynes and hygrophila for hiding spots. again i haven't kept up with the fertilizer schedule so i lost some tiger lotus + sword leaves, and i've given up on getting the lloydiella to look right. the impeller in the 90 dollar u.v. HOB filter is jacked up and i don't have the patience to fix it rn so i got a penguin filter on sale. when i have the energy after it's moved i need to do a deep clean of the plants cause the dwarf hygro is choking out everything else. shimmery brown with dark brown spots re: ramshorns? there aren't as many as you'd think; my theory is the rabbit snails have a monopoly on snail food supply, and there's also 6 bottom feeding fish to consider.

#LONG update. i have had so much else to focus on lately that i havent obsessed over fish much #i love them ofc. but for a while early pandemic all i ever had to think about was fish bc lockdown #also i have a social life and job and HOT COWORKER to consider which is fuckin sweet #newt needs a text post tag #newt is a fish dad

[wdcgardener]

Had a terrific time at the @washyouthgarden annual garlic festival. Looking forward to seeing the hundreds of Clive’s develop into a big crop of garlic bulbs next spring/summer. #gardendc #dmv #dcgardens #usnationalarboretum #dc #wdc #picoftheday #nofilter (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkV9VRIu0F8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#gardendc #dmv #dcgardens #usnationalarboretum #dc #wdc #picoftheday #nofilter

[zena-marchant]

What is the Most Popular Food in Miami?

Mofongo is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that is very popular in Miami. It is made of fried plantains with spices and garlic. These are cooked until crispy and are served with meat or vegetables. The dish is often paired with plantains and shrimp. It is one of the most popular dishes in Miami and can be found in many Latin-American restaurants. Miami has a variety of food from all over the world.

Fried pork skin is another popular dish in Miami. You can find it in almost any Cuban restaurant. It is served with a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce. If you're in a rush, you can grab a quick bite at one of these Cuban restaurants. You can also find Cuban hamburgers called fritas, which are served with matchstick potatoes and secret sauce on Cuban bread. You can get a Cuban-style version of a hamburger in Miami. Whether you're looking for a sweet or savory treat, you can find it in Miami.

Food in Miami is a mix of American, Caribbean, and Latin American influences. Locals refer to this unique mix of flavors as Floribbean. While there are staple foods like fried chicken, fish, and pizza, there are many other popular cuisines found in Miami. Cuban food is abundant, but you can also find South American, Deep South, and Caribbean cuisines, as well as a plethora of fresh seafood.

You can also find Jamaican food in Miami. The city is famous for its fried chicken, and there are many places in Miami where you can grab one. Another place to try conch is Clive's Cafe. The Cuban-style restaurant serves conch in various forms.

Another popular food in Miami is Cuban sandwiches. While the original Cuban sandwich was invented in Cuba, many Cuban restaurants have adopted this classic dish for the American palate. It is often stuffed with ham and cheese and served with mustard and pickles. Cuban sandwiches are very popular in Miami and other parts of Florida. You can dine-in at the sandwich shop or grab some to-go.

Key lime pie is a popular dessert. Key lime pie is a sweet and citrusy treat. It is served until 5 a.m. daily, making it a popular late-night snack. Key lime pie is an American favorite, so don't miss out. And while you're in Miami, don't miss out on the key lime pie. It is an iconic dish of the city.

Another delicious option is stone crab. This unique food is commonly found in the shallow waters of the Atlantic coast, but is available at many Miami restaurants. It is delicious, and can be served as a crab cocktail or as a steamed dish. Stone crab claw meat can also be added to recipes. It goes well with cocktail sauce, remoulade, and other seafood condiments.

One of Miami's top restaurants is 3030 Ocean. The menu takes inspiration from around the world and combines it with stunning presentation. It serves seafood, mainly fish, but also has some modern American dishes. The famous Shishito peppers are also very popular, and the restaurant's atmosphere is warm and inviting. It is the only restaurant in Miami mentioned on The Golden Girls. If you're looking for a romantic dinner, this is the place to go.

Pastelitos are a Cuban treat that should not be missed. Cuban coffee, made with Cuban spices, can be found at most walk-up windows in Miami. Another must-try Cuban food is the pastelito, a puff pastry treat that is filled with sweet or savory items such as coconut, fruit, or cream cheese.

[greyshd]

Mama lacona

#MAMA LACONA PROFESSIONAL#

I also sampled the Wood Grilled Chicken Marsala with sweet mushroom marsala wine sauce with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. For New Year’s they had two specials, a Maine Lobster tail with veal and a Steak de Burgo with Jumbo Shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. I will say that Katie Lacona was personally watching all of the tables and staff the entire night. I am sure that they had a lot of extra help hired to assist with serving. Given that this was a special event evening I will pass on writing about the service. The cooks were working very hard and seemed to be getting the job done. The layout reminds me of the old Mondo’s in Clive with the grill and kitchen right there where you can see the action. We got there before 7:00 just as the first round of diners were leaving. It appears that management did a good job of requiring reservations and timing the flow properly. Not surprising for a major holiday, the restaurant was very busy but I saw no mob of people waiting for seats.

#MAMA LACONA PROFESSIONAL#

Also helping the new location is the fact that Mama Lacona’s has now hired a professional manager to run the place. I hope that grease trap that forced them to close the other location was already in place. Mama Lacona’s found the recently closed Maverick Grill and probably saved the landlord (and the restaurant) a bundle on having to do a complete build-out. One side benefit (I’m being charitable here) of the recession is that there are fairly new restaurant leases ready for new tenants. But after closing down their 86th Street location they have reopened in a new spot in Urbandale in a nicer “clocktower-style” strip mall just west of the Pilot Truck Stop off of Douglas Avenue. Still, it has a loyal and vocal following, not unlike the aging population of “Greatest Generation” folk that sing the praises of Noah’s Ark Restaurant and Lounge (and won’t quit going on and on about Babe’s). I had dropped it off my list of restaurants about a decade ago. You can Google them to see some pretty scary reviews over the years. Mama Lacona’s has had its share of trouble over the years keeping up with the growth and maturation of the Des Moines restaurant business and it is good to see that an icon of the Des Moines restuarant landscape has its act together. If you want to share your thoughts about Mama Lacona's Italian Restaurant, use the form below and your opinion, advice or comment will appear in this space.Our party of four spent New Year’s Eve at Mama Lacona’s in Urbandale and had a surprisingly nice supper. You can review this Business and help others by leaving a comment. The creamy parmesan dressing is probably the best thing. the food taste great and I was happy with the service.įriday Lunch buffet is mediocre overall, but the fried ravioli and fried fish were very good.įood is good and old school Italian. we were taken care of quickly and was the food was cook exactly how I order it. Great service, outstanding food, from 40 years ago at.anothe.location, but don't.hold that against.them give them a chance you won't be disappointed Thanks for all the years of great service and great food? Get out eat there one more time before they close Saturday night.

#Mama lacona

[soweli-musi]

a clive of garlic

tastes bad :(

#asks #mutuals #art requests

[americanoddity]

Planetary Herbal Associations

Handy list of planetary herbal associations for all of your worship needs from my personal notes & research. 

Sun- angelica, ash tree, bay tree, burnet, butterbur, chamomile, celandine, centaury, eyebright, juniper, lovage, marigold, pimpernel, rosemary, rue, saffron, st. john’s wort, st. peter’s wort, tormentil, turnsole, walnut tree

Moon- adder’s tongue, arrach, brankursine, colewort, water caltrop, chickweed, clary, cleavers, coralwort, watercress, cucumber, duck meat, fleur de lys, water flag, fluellen, cuckoo-flower, lettuce, water lily, white lily, loosestrife, moonwort, mouse-ear, orpine, pellitory of Spain, rattle-grass, saxifrage, stonecrop, wallflower, willow tree

Mercury- bitter-sweet, calamint, wild carrot, caraway, dill, elecampane, fern, fennel, germander, hazelnut, horehound, houndstongue, lavender, lily of the valley, liquorice, wall rue, golden maiden-hair, marjoram, mulberry tree, nailwort, oats, parsley, parsnip, pellitory of the wall, garlic cress, savory, scabious, smallage, southernwood, honeysuckle, valerian

Venus- alkanet, ground ivy, artichoke, black alder tree, common alder tree, wild arrach, archangel bean, bishop’s weed, bramble, blites, bugle, burdock, cherry tree, chickpeas, columbine, coltsfoot, cudweed, cowslip, crab’s claw, crosswort, daisy, devil’s bit, eringo, featherfew, dropwort, figwort, foxglove, goldenrod, gromel, gooseberry, groundsel, st. john’s (kidney) wort, jasmine, ladies’ mantle, marshmallow, french mercury, dog mercury, mint, moneywort, motherwort, mugwort, catnip, catmint, orchis, parsley piert, parsnip, pennyroyal, pear tree, periwinkle, plantain, plum tree, poppy, purslane, primrose, privet, queen of the meadows, ragwort, rye, woodsage, sanicle, self-heal, soapwort, sorrel, sow-thistle, spignel, strawberry, tansey, teasel, vervain, wheat, yarrow

Mars- all-heal, prunella vulgaris, barberry, basil, briony, benedictus, cardines, crowfoot, dovesfoot, flax-weed, burze bush, garlic, gentian, hawthorn, hedge-hyssop, hop, madder, master-wort, nettle, onion, pepperwort, ground pine, horseradish, rhubarb, savine, star thistle, tobacco, wormwood

Jupiter- agrimony, alexander, wild parsley, asparagus, calm, white beet, bilberry, borage, chervil, chestnut tree, cinque foil, costmary, dandelion, dock, dog’s grass, endive, fig tree, clive-gilliflowers, hart’s tongue, hyssop, house-leek (succulents), liverwort, lungwort, maple tree, melilot, oak tree, roses, sage samphire, scurvy-grass, lady’s thistle

Saturn- amaranthus, barley, corn, red beet, beech tree, bifoil, birds-foot, blue bottle, buck’s horn plantain, comfrey, sciatica-cress, darnel, dodder, elm tree, water-fern, fleawort, flux weed, fumitory, gladwin, goutwort, heart’s ease, hawkweed, henbane, hemlock, black hellebore, horsetail, holly, ivy, knapweed, knotgrass, medlar tree, mosses, mullein, nightshade (vegetables), polypody of the oak, poplar tree, quince tree, service tree (wild berries), shepherd’s purse, spleenwort, tamarix tree, melancholy thistle, black thorn, thorough-wax, tutsan weed, Solomon seal, marsh ragwort, willow herb, winter green, yew tree

#planets #astrology planets #planetary worship #hellenistic polytheism #hellenism #planet worship

[cayenne-twilight]

🧩 for the ask game! (Favorite and least favorite puzzle types)

My favorite type of puzzle would have to be logic puzzles. My more specific favorites are the ones where you rearrange or match things up based on clues, but I found most of those pretty easy in the games. There were a few really good ones though, like this Unwound Future 055: Picky Moviegoers

I also like the trick question ones (unpopular opinion) like Marina’s DB/PB garlic puzzle, Clive’s 8th child puzzle, and Prima’s glacial gift.

My least favorite are anything involving math because I’m too dumb to process numbers. I don’t care if you can find the answer through basic middle school level algebra, I will simply go into static noise mode.

Thanks for sending this in!

#professor layton #layton series #layton #pl #puzzles

[zensations35]

Just Say It

Okay I know it’s been some time, but this one has been on my list for a while, first time Richard and Kuga say “I love you” plus MEETING KUGA’S PARENTS!? It’s a bit more drama than I thought it was going to be but yeeeearrghhh here we go:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey,” Kuga traced a finger across Richard’s cheek. “Wake up, amour.”

Richard frowned, eyes still clamped shut against the waning sunlight piercing the car window. “I would really rather not.”

“Come on, it’s only an hour until sunset. You’ll feel better soon.”

“Mmph, so you say,” Richard willed his eyes open to peek at his boyfriend. “The wine had better be fantastic.”

Kuga chuckled. “My mom only buys top shelf. Don’t worry.”

“Hg-IPSCH!” Richard thumbed his nose. “Moon save me. Let’s just get inside.” At least when they got inside, the sun wouldn’t be causing that particular problem.

Richard had been nervous about meeting Kuga’s parents, not just because of their rather conservative ways, but for the one major reason: they didn’t know Kuga was a werewolf.

Kuga had been adopted by the Simmons and had (miraculously) kept his teenage transformations from them when it became clear he wasn’t exactly human. As soon as Opal started to transform as well he left home with her in tow to get a handle on their control, blaming it on teenage rebellion.

He still got handed shit by his parents for it, but Kuga had no regrets. He still maintained a good relationship with his parents. And now, it was time for them to meet Richard.

Kuga took Richard’s hand and helped him out of the car. A peck on the cheek, a light promise, a reminder that he was there for Richard.

And then they went in.

The sounds and smells of cooking food wound through the house, permeating into the backyard to greet the duo as Kuga led them around the back door and pulled it open.

The kitchen was huge, white countertops covered every nook and cranny of the room, and most of them were topped with pans, pots, bowls, and utensils in the bustle of a squat woman with highlighted blond hair and eyes the shade of a clear sky. Her face was round and full of almost a kittenish wonder, like anything someone said would be met with pretty mewls and happy noises. Her worn jeans and smock were covered down with a maroon apron in which were tucked a ladle and tongs.  

“Kuga!” the apron-clad woman removed her ladle to a paper towel and brushed her hands down the sides, eyes crinkling with glee. “You’re here! Oh,” she rounded the cabinet and placed hands on Kuga’s broad shoulders to kiss at his cheeks. “Where is little Richard?”

Richard cocked his head. Little?

Kuga gestured between the woman and Richard. “Rich, this is my Ma, Daphne Simmons. Ma, Richard Smith.”

Richard held out a hand to shake. “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Kuga speaks highly of his parents.”

“Oh my, how polite~” Daphne exclaims, taking his hand and squeezing it. “And such a cutie! My Kugalu really knows how to pick them!”

Richard’s eyes traveled to Kuga, a bemused smirk tugging his lips. “Kugalu?” he wheezed.

Kuga growled low enough that his mother didn’t hear. “Not. A single. Word.” He led Richard deeper into the house where the kitchen poured delicious scents over them. “What are we having, Ma?”

Daphne bustled over the pot and stirred a creamy liquid. “Cheese soup, roast and mashed potatoes.”

Kuga’s nostrils flared, taking in the scent, and his brow quirked curiously. “Smells like…”

Richard’s voice was a mere breath, “Garlic...hhfff…”

”Yes, Clive loves it when I mix a few cloves in with the cream. Are you alright, dear?”

“HgSHK!” Richard clamped a hand over his mouth with a muffled, “P-pardon -- Hgsheu!”

“God bless you,” Daphne tittered. “Tissues on the desk over there, dear.” She pointed into the living room adjoined by half-wall, and continued stirring.

“Thank you kindly,” Richard made his way over to the cherrywood desk, Kuga hot on his heels.

“I’m sorry,” he grazed Richard’s back. “You okay?”

Richard snagged a cloth from the box. “I will be fine.” He dabbed at his nose and palm. “I will, ahm, stay out of the kitchen.”

“I told her you’re allergic to garlic, but I don’t think she understood the extent.”

Daphne hollered from the kitchen, “Richard, dear, let me get you something to drink. We have beer, wine, liquor…”

Richard cleared his throat. “Wine is perfect.” He lowered his voice for Kuga, “Is she already trying to get me drunk?”

“She likes the sauce.”

Daphne bustled in the kitchen, pouring three glasses for them, doubling the amount normally present in your average glass of wine.

“Where is your father? Clive!” Daphne hollered into the living room.

Richard sniffled, head swinging anxiously to the man entering the room.

“Kuga!” Clive looked even less like Kuga than Daphne. His stringy greying hair looked like it may have once been blonde, and his eyes were a light blue shade, almost the hue of storm clouds. He had a thin, gaunt face and a white moustache that curled over his lips.

“Is this the beau?”

“Pa, this is Richard Smith. Richard, Clive Simmons.”

Clive clapped Richard on the back and gave him a bushy smile, “Good to have ya here, son.”

Richard tried not to outwardly react to being called ‘son’ by someone centuries younger than himself. Instead he nodded to Clive. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Please, sit,” he gestured to the couch. “Daphne, bring me a beer.” He waited for his wife to scurry to the fridge before lighting upon the cushions himself. “So, tell me. What’s with this new job? You’re working for a big corporation now?”

“Well,” Kuga sat next to his father, “I’m going to start working nights, so the company shifted me to an alternate subcategory. I can work at home if I want, also. Which is nice because I can spend more time with Richard.”

Clive clicked his tongue, “Now, don’t go asking them for the moon, son. You need a job, don’t let your personal life get in the way of you making an honest living.”

Kuga pressed his lids together, biting his tongue and forcing a smile. “I know, Pa.”

“Kugalu, come get your father’s beer,” Daphne called. Kuga sighed and slipped off the couch to head around the corner where the sizzling of food grew louder to his ears. His mother handed him a bottle thick with condensation and placed a hand on his shoulder, worry lacing her expression.

“Sweetie, your father’s right, you know.” She spoke low and dire, as if they were exchanging guarded secrets.

Kuga could have rolled his eyes, but he didn’t. Moon knows he wanted to though.

“I know you’re in a very...special relationship right now, but, you can’t let that drive your life.”

“Rgh,” Kuga grunted. Daphne’s mouth scrunched and Kuga cleared his throat. “Yes, Ma. I know.” He had only just gotten here and already wanted to get away. He took a few steps back into the living room to hand his father the beer. “Uhm, have y’all seen my old harddrive?” he asked. “The one from my old Flash class.”

“There’s a bunch of computer mess up in your room, Kugalu,” Daphne said.

Kuga froze, but Richard slapped on a look -- mischief and curiosity well blended.

“Kuga’s room?” he tittered.

“Ah yes, dear. Pristine since he left it in high school -- stars only know why he did that.” Her lip trembled.

“I did. I went to live with Ethan.”

“Psf. Ethan. I have never understood that whole ordeal,” she waggled a wrist.

Something passed over Kuga’s face, hardening it. “I think we’ll just go upstairs and check.” He hooked an arm under Richard’s and led him away.

Richard knew he missed something, but he wasn’t at liberty to ask. Besides, he would be perfectly happy getting out of the heavily-scented kitchen.

“Taking me to your bedroom, then~?” he grinned as they reached the stairs.

“Not if you’re gonna be creepy about it.”

“I am merely excited to see what a young Kuga was like.”

“Dark,” Kuga growled. “And sad.” His lip twitched. “And broody.” He cracked, eyes wrinkling.

Richard prodded him. “You must have been so very troubled. That is why when we get into your bedroom it will be--” Richard nigh pranced down the hall and tugged at the doorknob. “So very…” his brow creased in concern as he took in the room.

Well, it was quite dark. Black and white paintings splashed the room with stark contrasts, silver and pewter statuettes of small animals littered the desk that seemed to have one of the mirror panes cracked -- as if someone had punched it. And it looked to have decorations befitting a broody young teen, especially in the novels spread across the shelves. Horror, romance, mystery, and...

“Ah, Kuga, I believe we need to talk.” He plucked a book from the shelf -- well worn. “Laurell K. Hamilton??” Richard tutted.

“That’s Opal’s room.”

Richard flushed. “Ah, well I should just…” he slid the raunchy book back into the shelf. “Hm. Then.” He turned back to Kuga, cheeks afire with the blush of life. “Shall we? Your room?”

Kuga’s room was bland in comparison to Opal’s. Minimalistic, focused on the more intellectual pursuits, with lots of “For Dummies” books and old texts possibly used in class and never gotten rid of.

Of course there was an old computer in it, one set up to run, one taken apart and left on the floor for a later project. Unsurprisingly, what did catch Richard’s eye was the dumbells in the corner.

“You lifted weights as a teen?” Richard chuckled. “You were a jock,” he teased.

“I was a loner, thanks very much.”

“Of course you were.”

“As if you’d know. When did you go to school? 1890?”

“A bit earlier than that, actually. I went to Catholic school in France...which, erhm, was more like obedience training than edu-heh...cati-ISCHT!” Richard palmed his face. “Moon that smell is pungent.”

“Prosit.” Kuga wandered over to the bed and flopped upon it, wrinkling the bedspread with his weight.

“Is that…” Richard picked up a flutelike instrument and spun it around in his hand. “A recorder?”

“Everybody in school got one. And we all sucked at it.”

Richard held it out for him. “Oh I must see this.”

Kuga rolled his eyes, “No way.”

“Oh come now! When will I ever again be graced by this opportunity?”

Kuga nipped back a groan, sitting up and swiping the instrument from his boyfriend. He pressed it to his lips for a few notes, piping the sound that pierced through the air like a knife. It was just as bad as when he was twelve.

“See?”

Richard laughed and clapped. “Good on you. I imagine you could be quite good if you cared enough to practice.”

Kuga lobbed the recorder into a box. “I wanted to play cello.”

“How classy! A werewolf cello player.”

“Ma said it would have been loud and expensive and too difficult.”

“Hm...I believe you could have handled it.” Richard took up a spot next to Kuga, scooting in close so that they could run fingers across each other as they spoke.

“I could never get on stage or anything,” Kuga said.

“You lead a werewolf pack. You are constantly in the social spotlight.”

Kuga shook his head. “That’s different. Leading isn’t the same as performing.”

“Hm, I suppose.” Richard thumbed his nose. “I’ve seen you play the piano before.”

Kuga blushed, watching Richard, knowing that all his boyfriend wanted for him was happiness. “I don’t mind when it’s with you.”

Richard’s face split into a grin. “Like me that much, do you?”

Heat blossomed in Kuga’s chest, his breath catching as words sprang to his lips. Words he wanted to say. Words he had been wanting to say for a while now...the reason he wanted Richard to meet his parents. The reason he wanted to move forward. He hadn’t said it yet, but he knew. His feelings for Richard were strong and thick, it felt like he was being pulled by a rope towards this inevitable thing. He wanted to say it. Wanted to so badly.

But did Richard feel the same? Was he ready for the word?

Kuga had been quiet for too long. Richard’s eyes crimped, “What’s wrong?”

Not yet. It wasn’t time. But…

Kuga reached and clenched Richard’s shirt, jerking him closer and sealing his lips over his boyfriend’s. His mouth worked over Richard’s, tasting him, smelling him -- under the cologne and soap and even his blush of life that made him more alive -- there was Richard. His scent, like moonbeams on a breezy evening. Crisp and inviting.

Kuga kissed his lips and shifted down to his chin, making sure he was attentive to the line of his jaw and the delicate skin down his neck. He flicked his tongue over the bump in his throat and nuzzled his collarbone, drinking in the sweet scent of him.

“You’re…” Richard moaned, “going to start something we can’t finish here.”

Kuga narrowed his eyes as if to accept the challenge. His fingers crept down, dipping the index into the ring of Richard’s belt. Tugging.

Richard’s hand crinkled in the sheets, knees bending as he moved to meet Kuga’s hand with his hips.

“Kuga! Dinner!”

The ringing voice of his mother snapped Kuga out of his haze and his head crashed into the pillow with a groan.

Richard laughed, head tipping back as he patted Kuga’s shoulder. “Truly an experience worthy of your old bedroom.” His jovial expression was short-lived though as his face crumpled against the bend of his wrist and he shot up in a spine-curling, “Hix’ETSCH!” the edge of his palm sawed at his nose and he coughed. “Mh, suppose we should get downstairs for the wonderful dinner.”

Kuga placed a hand on Richard’s knee, massaging a thumb in small circles. “You don’t have to.”

“It’s alright.” Richard sighed. “I’ll survive.”

They meandered over to the dining room where Daphne was setting the table with brown ceramic plates and velvety cloth napkins. The scents of roasted meat and vegetables permeated the room, drawing watering mouths from all but the vampire who couldn’t seem to keep his breathing steady.

“Hhh…” his thumb snaked under his nose with a liquid sniff, “Ek-TSCH! Hueh-ISSH!”

“Oh dear, God bless.” Daphne pet his shoulder. “Did you take any Claritin, sweetie?”

Richard gritted his teeth, the lie springing to his lips. “I did.”

“Ah,” Daphne nodded in a tilted manner as if she really didn’t believe him. “Well, I made your plate special since you’re allergic to the ingredients I normally put on there, alright sweetie?” The sugar lacing her words didn’t hide her irritation. Richard could tell she did not approve of his allergy.

But he would sit and eat what he could to make her happy. Or at least be more polite than she was being.

He pulled a chair and sat down, but the looks from Kuga’s parents had him back on his feet, concern nipping at his heart.

“Grace,” Daphne held out her hands for the others to grasp, creating a chain of linked arms.

Kuga snuck an apologetic wince at Richard who looked about like he might burst into flames. Richard did as expected and bowed his head, biting his lip against the simpering sensation creeping through his face.

“Dear Lord,” Daphne began, “we thank you for this meal and for our wonderful son, Kuga.”

Richard sniffed, hot and quick, hoping it would chase away the prickle encroaching on his sinuses. He really didn’t want to sneeze in the middle of their prayer. What would he do with his hands??

“We are blessed to have him here with us today,” Daphne continued. “And hope that every day we grow as a family--”

Richard smushed his lips against the base of his septum, but it wasn’t working. His lungs filled, strengthening the imminent release, and he immediately dropped his grip in the circle and crushed a palm to his nose. “Ehk-ITSCh!” He blinked away moisture from his eyes, massaging his nose with the back of his hand, “Apologies.”

Daphne had paused for a moment, not looking up from her bow, but she continued, sounding mildly annoyed. “May we all make better choices in the future, and continue to serve you, Amen.”

Richard lifted his head and looked to Kuga. Better choices?

Kuga jerked his head, looking irate, but he kept his mouth shut. Which was rather strange for Kuga, but Richard followed his lead and pinched the unsettled feeling in his gut.

The family sat and soon the sounds of clinking silverware filled the silence.

Kuga was horking down his plate as if he hadn’t eaten all day, while Richard nibbled at his roast slowly so as not to overdo it.

Daphne sighed and reached over to Kuga’s face, ruffling his hair with her manicured nails. “Kugalu, still eating like you’re fourteen. Slow down, sweetie. You’ll choke.” She fluffed his curls with a slight tilt of her head. “I really wish you would cut your hair. You could go to Clive’s barber, get a nice buzz.”

“Daph, leave him be,” Clive said, plucking at his food.

“Oh, I’m just trying to help,” she patted his cheek and returned to her meal. “Richard seems the kind to like a nice haircut.” She speared an asparagus and dipped it in hollandaise. “Have you been thinking about kids?”

Fork tines rang against the plate, Kuga actually choking now on a shred of meat.

“Daphne!”

“What? Betty and John just told me about this wonderful adoption agency--”

“Ma!” Kuga’s eyes rounded. He whipped eyes to Richard, heart hammering in his chest.

Daphne let out a hum, smoothing her napkin. “Well, since Opal’s mentioned not wanting kids, I had hoped at least one of my children would give me grandkids.”

“Ma,” Kuga swallowed, “We’re not even…” his face flushed as he blinked from his mother to Richard, but the vampire didn’t seem to be paying attention. He had brought his napkin up to his face, eyes glazing, taking small sips of air.

“Hih...ITSCH!” he folded himself into the cloth, “Hmp-KSH!” A sniffle wallowed from him as he dabbed at his pink nose. “Apologies.”

Kuga couldn’t have been happier to change the subject. “You doin’ okay?”

Richard nodded but his nose twitched again, lower lip curling with a breath that sounded like he had to beat and drag it from his lungs. “Eh-XTue! Hax’TSCH!”

Daphne said something, but Richard didn’t hear it. His response quavered in his attempt at forcing the tingle back, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth, bumping fangs as he--

Paused. Fangs. Moon save--

“H’AXTSCH!” his face buried itself into the now damp napkin and he used the bowing motion to scoot away from the table. “I’m so s-hh-sorry. I hieh...need some air…” he rose from his seat, Kuga spinning as his eyes wrinkled with worry. He watched Richard stumble his way to the back door, barely pausing with another sneeze.

“Oh dear, I do hope he’s alright,” Daphne frowned after him. “Strange allergy your boyfriend has.”

Kuga sat his napkin next to his plate, “Excuse me, Ma. Pa.” He stood to follow Richard out of the house.

Richard had made his way out to sit under the gazebo, staring off into the new night. The sun had set but its fading light still reached far enough to paint the sky a rich navy blue where the stars could be seen if they were strong and determined to shine.

The moon did glow a gibbous and Richard’s eyes were fixed upon its luminous sheen.

Until, “Ek’TSCHsss!” he pulled a knuckle under his nose, sniffling back the drip, face flushed from the attack on his sinuses.

“Rich?” Kuga meandered towards him, stepping under the vines of the gazebo.

“Hello, Kuga,” his words were laced with congestion, fangs peeking out as he spoke.

Kuga scooted closer, frowning. “Are you okay? Your fangs…”

“They’ll retract soon. I apologize. Your family could have seen.”

Kuga chuffed. “I ain’t worried about anything but you.” He reached to brush a thumb across Richard’s shoulder. The vampire looked up at him, uneasiness in his gaze.

“Kids?”

Kuga soured. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think she’d--” he palmed the back of his neck, “We’ve only been dating a few months. I don’t even…”

“It’s okay. We just haven’t...ahm, I never considered that you might want…” Richard’s lips thinned, “Well I am a vampire. Kids have never been in my plan.”

Kuga’s heart constricted. Damn his mother for pulling out that card, for springing that on them, at dinner.

His gaze wandered across the backyard, landing on an old but thick tree behind the garden. He lifted a hand and pointed, “I used to climb that tree.”

Richard’s spine relaxed a bit as he followed his gaze. “That one? You used to fit in a tree?”

“Still could.”

Richard scoffed. “Of course. For ten seconds.”

Kuga looked aghast. “I’ll fucken prove it.” He strode over to the broad trunk and sized up the rounder branches. The swirl of a zephyr tickled his face as he braced himself, muscles firming, knees bent, feet planted; and then he was airborne, chest rippling with adrenaline. A small crunch ripped through the air, bark sloughing off where his shoes scraped the wood. He nestled down, sitting with his back against the trunk, feet dangling down.

“Your turn~”

Richard stared wide-eyed up at Kuga. “My?”

Kuga patted the branch with a smug look. “Come on, vamp. Can you climb trees?”

Richard frowned, feeling his legs turn to stone at the sight of the massive trunk. “Ah...I don’t think so.”

Kuga guffed, “Get up here and I’ll make it worth your while.”

Richard’s face twisted and he felt his fear slip in and out of his veins. “A-alright.” He stepped up to the tree and gripped the bark, fingers digging into the cracks between sheafs of wood. He placed a foot on the base and pushed, but his shoe slipped and he scraped his knee on the wood, letting out a pained whimper as he danced backwards to keep upright.

“You’ve gotta get a better grip.”

Richard growled. “This was not meant to be done in loafers.”

“Then take them off.”

Richard looked at Kuga as if he’d just suggested a sin. Kuga sputtered, lowering his arm.

“Here, let me help you.”

Richard timidly placed fingers over Kuga’s palm, unsure. “Kuga…”

Kuga wrapped his hand around Richard’s. “Ready?”

“Erm…”

With a steady tug, Kuga hauled Richard up into the branches, allowing the vampire to adjust his hold on the tree before releasing him to steady his back with a strong palm.

Richard tried not to look paler than he already was.

“This is...higher than I thought it would be.”

“You’re doin good,” Kuga encouraged.

“If I can just…” Richard gripped the bark tightly, “Hhh...shit…”

Kuga steadied him, reaching over from his branch as Richard’s face slipped, watery eyes squeezing shut, further piercing his concentration, “GhX’UE!” the stifle nearly sent him stumbling off his branch, but Kuga’s grip was firm, holding him through each jarring sneeze, “XShhGh!” Richard’s fingers digging into the bark, snapping and cracking a shred of wood. “Ah, moon.”

“Got ya,” Kuga helped him find a recline against the trunk and Richard allowed his spine to sink into the bend of the branches.

It really wasn’t so bad. And this was a pastime of Kuga’s. His boyfriend certainly seemed comfortable up here.

“How often did you climb when you were young?”

Kuga winged his elbows out, tucking hands behind his head as he reclined. “This tree? Or all trees?”

“This one, I suppose.”

“Nearly every day after school. I’d put on some music,” he pointed, “Boombox on that table. And then climb. Had a swing, too.”

Richard laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

Kuga tilted his head. “In a good way or a bad way?”

“In a good way, Kuga. Always good...with you.”

Kuga smiled, looking up out at the gathering stars. The swell of the moon, so bright even as it filled. The trees swaying in the zephyrs of wind. Almost like when he was young.

“Kuga…” Richard wasn’t staring at the trees or the sky. He was taking in the man before him. Strong and calm and just the right amount of firm. The way his eyes lit up in the moonlight, soft curls dressed around his head, framing his stubbled jaw. A wolfish grin on his face whenever he looked at Richard.

He was beautiful.

“Kuga…” Richard swallowed, “I love you.”

Kuga’s head snapped to him, chest pounding as his eyes went wide. And he saw that look: that look he’d give Richard not an hour ago. That look he longed to see reflected back. Those words bubbling forth in a momentous laugh. “I fucken love you too, asshole.”

Richard grinned, braving the boughs to reach over for a soft nudge. “Is this okay? It’s not kids, but--”

Kuga swiped his hand and squeezed, gaze fiery yet soft, like a candle’s glow. “All I needed was you.”

#It's longer than expected #but I wanted it to round out and give some insight to Kuga's childhood #Totally didn't base his mom off of mine or anything #I couldn't help it though #I wrote this while actually visiting my parents #It was fun though #all of Kuga's nuances #snzfic #allergies #vampire #kuga and richard #zenOcs #zenfic

[aussiebootstrapmeals]

Curried pea and broccoli soup, 67c

This is a recipe I “invented” when I was living in the UK. It requires very little energy or preparation, and most of the time is just letting it do its thing on the stove. And if you eat it with bread, you’ve hit the ‘a green, a bean and a grain’ minimum of a vego meal.

I actually measured what I do for once, and as a result, it came out the nicest I think it’s ever tasted. It’s almost as though cooking in an organised fashion is useful and beneficial??

Makes 4 serves at 67c each

1 tbsp oil, 5c (15ml/750ml Woolworths Essentials canola oil, $2.25)

1 onion chopped, 44c (although truthfully I use frozen chopped onion, because fatigue)

2 tbsp minced garlic, 17c (35g//500g jar of Woolworths homebrand minced garlic, $2.40)

2 cups roughly chopped broccoli, 80c (roughly 160g/500g frozen broccoli florets, $2.50)

1 cup dried green split peas, 60c (205g/1kg McKenzie’s Green Split Peas, $2.90)

3 cups water

1 tsp chilli flakes, 16c (2g/23g Woolworths Select Chilli Flakes, $1.80)

2 tsp curry powder, 45c (9g/60g Keen’s Traditional Curry Powder, $3.00)

1 tsp salt, 1c (3g/1kg salt, 90c)

Freshly ground pepper

Fry the onion in the oil in a large saucepan until transparent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the curry powder, broccoli, split peas and three cups of water. 

Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until the peas are soft. If you’re using frozen broccoli, it’ll take awhile to come to a simmer, and that’s OK.

Add the chilli flakes and puree (I use a stick blender). Taste & add salt and pepper, adjusting seasoning if necessary.

Notes

Checking out frugl.com.au, it looks like Clive of India’s curry powder is slightly cheaper, but I’ve got Keen’s, so that’s what’s there. Clive’s looks like it’s a bit lower salt, so if you use that, you may need to adjust the amount of salt you add.

If you use chilli flakes a lot, like I do, you can get them much cheaper in the Indian foods section (or at an Indian grocery), where it’ll usually be about $2-3 for 500g, instead of about $2 for 20g.

I’m also going to try a version with frozen peas, because I’ve got some shitty cheap ones that are too woody to be pleasant to eat on their own. I’ll update you when I’ve tested amounts.

#recipe #recipes #vegan #soup #cheap food #cheap meals #low spoons #poverty #newstart #ironsides originals

[101flavoursofweird]

Title: Autumn  Summary: For all the anguish it has brought her, Flora still loves autumn.

Spoilers: For Curious Village, Lost Future, Layton’s Mystery Journey and possible Layton Brothers: Mystery Room.

Characters: Flora-centric with sibling bonding moments between her, Luke, Alfendi and Kat. 

Warnings: Hints of PTSD... and Clive Dove isn’t portrayed in the best light in this fic. (Sorry.) 

(More below the cut since Tumblr seems to have banished links to the Shadow Realm.)

Autumn

When she lived in St Mystere, she used to call it fall, like her Papa did.

Papa wasn’t fond of fall. He always made sure Flora was bundled up in layers before they went out. On rainy days, he preferred for them to stay inside. The only places Flora could play were in the manor or by her Mama’s grave. There, the flowers bloomed all year round— even when it got cold outside.

Ingrid said it was a magic garden.

“A secret magic garden,” Flora whispered.

Sometimes, she felt a bit like Mary Lennox. Mary got sick after her parents died. She moved to an English Manor House, befriended the servants and discovered a secret garden.

Flora had her own secret garden, but she wasn’t sick and her papa wasn’t dead...

She was sat reading behind her mother’s grave when the doctor came to visit. Not even her favorite books could comfort her then.

Matthew found her crying over The Secret Garden. Gently, he took the book from her and wiped its tear-stained pages with his handkerchief.

“This is an old book,” he mumbled. “Old... and yet, timeless.”

He studied the text for a few moments, searching for the right words. His eyes were shiny— or was that just the reflection from his glasses? Flora had never seen Matthew cry.

He sighed. “Don’t worry. We can fix it— the… the book, I mean.”

He dried her eyes and helped her blow her nose. On their way out, Flora picked some red pom-pom flowers (‘Dahlias,’ Matthew called them) for her papa. They wouldn’t last long in a vase. She put them by his bed anyway and he said they were beautiful.

Papa promised it was ‘just a cold’. Flora knew he was lying. If it was a cold, Papa wouldn’t kiss her in case she caught anything. But he kept kissing her head and talking till he got too tried.

This wasn’t something Flora could catch. She could only wait.

Even after her papa died, she kept saying ‘fall’ and so did the villagers.

It was only when she came to London that she learned most people called it ‘autumn’ in Britain. Luke was the one who corrected her.

The two of them had been walking home from school. (She actually went to the girls’ school but Luke liked to meet her on the way home, even more so when the darker evenings crept in.)

Flora’s day had been fine. The other students and the teachers were helping her settle in, but she still had lots of studying to catch up on since she had started late. That meant extra homework and tutoring sessions with the professor.

Flora let her mind wander. She relied on Luke to lead her up a road lined with horse chestnut trees.

“The trees look so pretty in fall...” Their leaves were either orange like the professor’s shirt, or rusty red like robot gears.

“Fall?”

Luke exclamation pulled Flora from her daydream.

“Um, you know... Fall. After summer, when all the leaves fall off the trees.” She pointed at a pile of leaves beside them on the pavement.

“Oh!” Luke kicked up the leaves. “You mean autumn!”

He was showered with leaves and Flora snickered. “Careful, or you’ll get lost in the leaves!”

Laughing, Luke chucked a ball of leaves at her.

She squealed and swept them off her school uniform. (Rosa had ironed it specially for her!)

“Luke!”

He gasped as if he had mortally wounded her. “Sorry! That was a bit rough—“ He got a face full of leaves. “—Ow... I think you threw a conker at me.”

“Conkers!” Crouching, Flora picked up the spiky green shell. She inspected it as a jeweler would an emerald. “Bruno used to make them for me— I mean, put them on a string— and we had conker tournaments. The villagers always let me win, though...”

Everything had seemed so simple back then. She smiled nostalgically the conker shell.

Beside her, she heard leaves crunching. She turned and her eyes widened.

“Bet you’d never beat me.” Luke was on his knees, holding a conker under her nose. “I was the best conker player in Misthallery!”

Flora’s smile became a smirk. “Really? Is that a challenge?”

Her conker would be... unconquerable. She had everything she needed at home: String, glue, a miniature drill she’d ‘borrowed’ from Bruno...

While she planned her conquest, Luke had been stuffing his satchel and coat pockets with conkers. He leapt to his feet and took off like a greedy squirrel. “Bagsie asking the professor for help first!”

What ever happened to ladies first? “Luke, wait up!”

These days, Luke called it ‘fall’. A warm smile enveloped Flora’s face as she read his latest letter. Who was this mysterious girl he couldn’t stop gushing about…?

Her fantasies of Luke’s possible-girlfriend were dashed by the slam of the front door. Her thirteen-year-old brother squelched into the kitchen. He’d been trying to grow his hair out but he currently looked like a drowned rat.

Flora snorted. “Did you forget your brolly?”

“Did you forget you don’t live here anymore?”

Flora didn’t take offence at the extra dose of venom in his voice. School had just started again and it was coming up to that time of year…

“I had a letter from Luke that I wanted to show the professor.” She stretched in her chair and yawned, “Are your joints meant to feel this stiff in your mid-twenties—?” She caught herself when she realised that, oh lord, she sounded like Dahlia. Dahlia would moan whenever her joints needed oiling or her perfect skin needed a polish or the colour was fading from her hair… All while eighty-year-old Bruno toiled away and Flora continued to age.

With age came agency. With each new trial life threw at her, Flora accepted that she couldn’t fuss over the little things.

This was a lesson Alfendi still had yet to learn.

Having ripped off his waterlogged shoes and his backpack, Alfendi raided the fridge.

“I made pasta salad if you want some—“

“Hell, no.”

“Language.” (Kat was out with their father, but still...)

Alfendi groaned, “Who ate all the leftover pizza?”

“Probably Emmy, if she stopped by.”

Alfendi’s scowling face emerged from the fridge. “Not helping.”

“Don’t snap at me just ‘cause you got caught in the rain,” she retorted.

It wasn’t just that, she knew, but she sat in silence as Alfendi fished a soaking, illegible newspaper out of his pocket and held it up to her. “The forecast said it would be dry today. There was only a 35% chance of rain!”

“They can’t always be accurate.”

“Well, they should be!” He pounded the wet paper into a ball and hurled it at the bin. (It landed just next to the bin with a sad ‘plop’.) “Why can’t the weather just make up its bloody mind?” he snarled, swiping wet hair out of his eyes.

The British weather was beyond Flora’s control, but she could at least do something about Alfendi’s hair. “Give me a minute.”

While Alfendi changed into some dry clothes, she nipped up to Kat’s room to grab a brush and a pink bag of hair accessories.

“This is a waste of time,” Alfendi grumbled. Still, he sat obediently as Flora dragged the brush through his wavy hair, taming it into a low ponytail. She offered to add a purple ribbon, so he’d look like a fairytale prince, to which Alfendi told her something very inappropriate for a prince. He was, at least, satisfied with his ponytail as it was ‘practical’ and kept his hair out of his eyes.  

The next time Flora visited the house, she found Alfendi plaiting Kat’s hair. Apparently, a little boy had pulled Kat’s hair at the playground...

“Do you want me to plait your hair next, Al?”

Keeping hold of Kat’s plait, Alfendi turned to glare at Flora. “Get lost. Kat’s going to do my hair.”

“Yeah, get lost, Floor,” Kat said.  

The thought of ‘getting lost’ would have terrified Flora years ago. Now, she just burst out laughing.

In October, Alfendi was promoted from hairstylist to ‘Halloween wardrobe stylist’. He helped Kat put together a spooky outfit every day. Some were inspired by Kat’s current fixations: The little witch from her favourite book, Tigger from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster. (Kat saw this as an excuse to eat as many cookies as she liked.) Then there were Kat’s villain ‘disguises’, from Descole to Don Paolo. Alfendi drew the line at Bill Hawks. Not because it would be ‘offensive’— Hawks was the butt of many jokes in the Layton household— but because they all knew who came after Bill Hawks.  

There had been… impersonators every year since Clive Dove’s attack, rather like the clown craze that followed a certain Stephen King novel. None of them copied Clive’s methods, as far as Flora was aware. They were just out to scare the public. That was traumatic enough if you had suffered at the hands of Clive… but what if you bore a striking resemblance to him?    

Much to Kat’s dismay and Flora’s relief, Luke couldn’t make it back for Halloween this year. He was off solving another mystery. Flora hoped he wasn’t alone.  

There hadn’t been any ‘Clive Dove sightings’ on the news lately, but Flora still insisted Emmy should go trick-or-treating with Kat and Alfendi. Flora would have accompanied them herself had she not been invited to a Halloween party by Kuri, her closest friend from university. They hadn’t seen each other for months, so Flora was very grateful for Emmy’s assistance. Emmy was over the moon because it meant she got her own share of treats. Alfendi, for once, didn’t argue.      

He was content to dress as a vampire rather than some nightmarish movie villain. Kat went as a literal cat, complete with a tail, a cute red bow and bag of garlic to chuck at Alfendi. Emmy was Batwoman.

They all made it home safe and stuffed with sweets. Flora phoned at ten to check on them and to let them know she was staying at Kuri’s flat.

“Enjoy yourself,” Emmy chimed over the phone. Hopefully, Flora’s creepy doll makeup would hide her flushed face from Kuri.

In the following days, Alfendi knew Flora was hiding something, though he didn’t pry.

As soon as the holiday was over, he withdrew to his room. Halloween couldn’t cure the bitterness that had been festering inside him like a pumpkin left to rot.

Flora would take Kat out whenever Alfendi started shouting at their dad. (“WHY DO YOU KEEP VISITING HIM?”)

Bonfire night was the worst.

They had arranged to see the fireworks at Gressenheller. Flora had arrived at the house to find the professor comforting a tearful Kat. Alfendi had snapped at Kat when she kept asking why he wasn’t coming with them.

The professor had tried talking to Alfendi, tried getting him to talk to someone, to no avail. Flora told the professor to go on ahead with Kat. She could handle this.

When she tapped on Alfendi’s door ten minutes later, he barked, “Eff off—!”

“It’s me.”

Silence. Flora waited. She heard a firework explode outside. Then, a smothered whimper from Alfendi.

“Al...” she said softly. “I’m coming in, okay?”

Alfendi didn’t turn her away. She opened the door. Since Flora had moved out, Alfendi had claimed the biggest bedroom. (It stank of coffee now…) She used to tease Alfendi about how he was always holed up in his ‘cave’, but his ‘cave’ was the tidiest area in the house, as opposed to Kat’s toy-strewn room or the professor’s office. It was also very well-lit for a ‘cave’; the ceiling light, the lava lamp and his computer screen were all on.  

Alfendi had been lying facedown in his purple beanbag. He sat up awkwardly and Flora saw he was wearing a pair of fluffy white earmuffs.

His eyes were red and his nose was running. Sniffing, he took the earmuffs off and tossed them at Flora. “Can you give these back to Kat?”

Another explosion went off. Alfendi flinched.

She nudged the earmuffs back to him. “You can keep them for now. I’m sure Kat won’t mind.”

“Is she ok?”

“She’ll cheer up when she sees the fireworks.”

He put the earmuffs back on, clamping his hands over them until the next firework had passed. “Weren’t you going with them?” he asked eventually.

The plan had been to meet Kuri there. Flora was going to introduce her to the professor and Kat.

But Flora shook her head at Alfendi. (Kuri would understand— she had practically raised her twin brothers.) “Nope,” she said. “I think The Muppet Movie is on... Want to watch it with me?”

The two of them curled up on the settee and she put the T.V. volume on full-blast. It was so loud that the professor, Kat and Kuri heard The Rainbow Connection on their way home.

Per usual, Alfendi didn’t join them for coffee but he said he would pop over to Flora’s after work. That was... sociable of him.

Kat thought it had something to do with his new assistant, Lucy. Frantically, Flora phoned Kuri and asked her to tidy the living room because Alfendi might be bringing a friend with him. Kuri made no such promises but she would made plenty of stew.

Flora thanked her, hung up and informed Kat they were having stew for dinner.

Kat squinted at Flora over her Pumpkin Spice Latte. “Are you quite sure your wife isn’t a witch?”

Flora chuckled, “Why would you think that?”

This was the question Kat had been hoping for. She launched into a retelling of ‘Katrielle and the Witch Wife’. That spark in her eyes, her exaggerated gestures, the way she took bites out of her chocolate muffin in-between... She looked so much like Luke. Flora remembered him describing his own encounter with a ‘witch’— back when he first met Professor Layton.

That part of their lives, much like Autumn, had ended too quickly. Now, some days, it felt like they were caught in an eternal Winter. The professor was gone, along with Luke. Alfendi was more distant than ever...

But she still had Kat.

Story complete, Kat leapt to her feet. There was a pair of fluffy boots in the autumn sale she wanted to buy. Of course, she secretly hoped Flora would buy them for her. Flora was happy to oblige, because that’s what big sisters do.

#professor layton #flora reinhold #luke triton #Alfendi Layton #Katrielle Layton #matthew #baron reinhold #autumn #PL fanfic #My writing #This is also on AO3 #Slight Flora/OC #fluff and angst #Flora is the best big sister