#I also found a couple horseshoes out here which is always exciting

[malacandrax]

I've been collecting pottery shards from the fields and woodland since I moved to the countryside a few years ago, I have so many now that I think I'll relocate them to containers, but it's nice to get a proper photo first.

#before this it was seaglass lol #the population of my village is like <200 and most of them are over 70 and don't go out so there aint much on the floor #its slim pickings out here for things from the living #but the dead leave plenty... #I find (animal....) skulls quite often but it's a bunch of effort to clean them but man if I had time #I do have a couple tho! #I also found a couple horseshoes out here which is always exciting

[derekmorganscrocs]

Her Lipstick: Ace x Reader

Pairing: Ace (Nancy Drew CW) x Reader, Valentine’s Special.

Word Count: 1,725 (short but sweet.)

Summary: With everyone else having their nights planned out with romance and dates, Y/n and Ace get stuck manning the night shift at The Claw.

Notes: Ideally takes place after the aglacea is gone, and we’re finally having a quiet moment. But like SPOILER ALERT!!!! if Owen lived. ALSO A QUESTIONABLE ENDING BUT I LIKED IT NGL.

Ace’s Dad’s name is Tom by the way, this is key info for later.

“No one’s even gonna come in, George. It’s Valentines, and last I checked, crappy fried clams aren’t most people’s version of romance.” You glance her way from the kitchen, pausing with an alarmingly large knife in hand. The parsley in front of you isn’t going to chop itself, but your hands are starting to cramp.

“Yeah, well it’s business hours. Just humour me this once? I’ll owe you one.”

“George, you already owe me like nine.” You roll your eyes and look her way, attitude softening slightly at her expression. Knowing how she felt when the whole crew was a day away from death, about missing out on her and Nick... it puts a little graciousness in your heart. For their first Valentines together, why not just help her out? “I’ll do this one for free. Wait! Not for free! I’m still getting paid right?”

“Yes,” she laughs. “Thank you.” Nodding your way once more, she turns and heads out, closing the door behind her. You sigh, turning back to your cutting-board. Finishing with the stack of parsley and dumping it in a plastic container, you throw the knife in the sink. Surveying the restaurant quickly, as well as the parking lot, you ensure the coast is clear before heading to the freezer.

These days it seems like everyone’s got someone except you. Nancy and Owen, Nick and George, Bess and Lisbeth, hell, even the weirdo chef no one likes who only works fridays has a girlfriend. Not you though. You and Ace got stuck on the Valentine’s shifts no one else wanted because you were the only two available. Admittedly, Valentine’s wasn’t a big deal to you, you just thought the tacky decorations were kind of entertaining to have around. However, it kinda sucks when you’re single. And crushing. Speaking of crushes, you snap yourself out of your thoughts at the idea of a certain floppy haired boy.

“Ace?” You look around for your shift partner and best friend... and yes, crush, who for some reason isn’t in his usual happy place. Or anywhere to be seen. He doesn’t respond, so you look in the pantry, the dark corner by the lockers, and even the supply closet. He’s nowhere to be found. “Ace?”

“You looking for me?” Ace puts a hand on your shoulder, coming from behind you. Not gonna lie, it scares the crap out of you. And you whip around and punch him in the face. Then you realize it’s him and let out a small gasp.

“Ace! Oh my god, I’m so sorry-“ you lean down, taking his hand and helping him up, as he massages his jaw with his other hand. That’s embarrassing. Really embarrassing.

“My fault,” he mumbles. “Forgot you scare...” he pauses for a second, trying to find the word, “...punchily. Good hit though, really starting to get that impact value.”

“Thanks, I think. I’ll go get you some ice, can you just watch the dining room?”

Ace nods and you head to the freezer. Of course there’s no ice. Why would there ever be ice when you need it? You root through the options of ice packs for Ace’s eye, as you think to yourself.

Lately, you’ve been making yourself a fool in front of Ace. See, it wasn’t this bad a few weeks ago, when you liked him but didn’t know you liked him. You throw a box of clams (ew.) to the side. Now that you’ve realized, you’re a hot mess. Next you find a singular frozen fish (also ew.). He’s been acting a little off too, and you’re worried it’s because he knows. Now you’ve found a lobster that you’re pretty sure has been there since the place opened (ew x3). Oh look, some frozen bread (that won’t really work).

What you don’t know is that Ace has also just recently realized his feelings for you, and his dad, Tom, has just tricked him into bringing you over to their place later. You finally find a box of heart shaped popsicles, and take a couple of them back to the kitchen, where Ace stands, leaning against the counter.

“This is all we have. Valentine’s special, have some heart shaped chemicals for your black eye.” You hand him two of the three popsicles you’re holding. “I also brought you one to eat. If you’re crazy enough to.” You hop up on the counter beside him and sit cross legged, tearing open the third wrapper.

“If you are, I am.” He rips open one of the frozen treats and places the other below his eye. Looking down at the wrapper from the one he opened, he makes a face. “I can’t even read half of these things.”

“Hey, I could’ve brought you the lobster.”

He knows exactly what you’re talking about and backtracks his critiques of the popsicle. The two of you sit in silence for a few seconds, disturbed by the bell ringing. A woman walks in, which grabs both your and Ace’s attention, but she just pins a flyer to the bulletin board and leaves. Exciting crowd.

Soon enough, the snack popsicles are gone, and the ice pack popsicle is slush. Ace throws the melted package into the sink, the slush inside making a questionable ‘plop’ sound as it hits the metal. The two of you stand around a little longer, before packing up the perishables and putting them back in the freezer/pantry. Business is slow, and it’s boring. The two of you are back to waiting around, and Ace ends up laying across one side of a booth, you on the other. The two of you pass a rolled up napkin back and forth, tossing it over the table to the other person. It doesn’t keep you entertained for long, though.

“You bored?” You turn your head and look at him under the table.

“Yeah,” he chuckles.

“Same.” You sit up, getting a slight head rush as you do. Ace mirrors your actions, minus the head rush. The two of you stand, but before you can start wandering around aimlessly-

“You, uh, you have something on your face,” he chuckles softly, his goofy grin turning into a smaller smile, a certain softness appearing in his eyes. You reach for your cheek, trying to swipe whatever it is off your face. Seems like you miss, because Ace chuckles, before asking- “Can I?”

You nod, and he wipes your cheekbone with his thumb, his lips parting just a little bit as he lets out a small, nervous, chuckle. Suddenly your heart is beating about a thousand miles a minute, and as Ace’s eyes settle on your lips for a second, you look at his face, taking in every detail that you can.

The bell rings and the door opens, making you and Ace launch away from each other. A strong gust of wind blows in, and no one walks in, making you sigh. The wind literally blew open the door. Horseshoe Bay is dead quiet tonight. No customers. You close the door, and realize it’s nine pm, so you flip the sign to closed and lock the door.

“Hey, Y/n, you wanna come to my place? My dad told me he’s making food for three tonight.” Ace watches as you make your way to where he stands by the kitchen.

“That his way of inviting me over?”

“Guess so,” Ace quips with a smirk, throwing an arm around your shoulders as the two of you walk to the locker room. After double checking that the freezer is sealed, you lock up The Claw and head to Ace’s place, hitching a ride in Florence, of course.

When you get to Ace’s place, the smell of cherry pie wafts straight into your face as soon as you open the door. Ace’s dad stands by the coffee table in the living room, and his face lights up when you walk in. You sign a quick hello, Ace doing the same behind you. Ace also throws in a cautionary ‘don’t embarrass me’ but that goes unnoticed by you, you’re too busy checking out the coffee table. There’s all sorts of food that you love, especially compliments of Chef Tom.

You flop onto the couch, snatching a fresh baked dinner roll off the table. Ace flips on the tv, sitting down beside you, and Tom heads back to the kitchen to clean up. Looking around, you notice some of the sweet little Valentine’s decorations around the house. There’s a few plastic hearts hanging around the rooms, and some red streamer thingys. They bring a smile to your face, despite being a little corny.

“Dad knows you like the tacky decorations. No matter how much you say you hate them.”

“Your dad is so sweet. I always feel like part of the family when I’m here,” you say softly, pure joy radiating off your face.

“Okay, I gotta be honest for a second,” Ace blurts out sharply, seemingly out of nowhere. Your heartbeat speeds up a little as anxiety bubbles in your chest, and you nod quickly. “It’s because he wants you to be part of the family.”

“What?” Your eyes widen as you look at Ace. “Sorry, that makes no sense.”

“You really are blind. Nancy told me you couldn’t take hints but I didn’t think she-“

“Ace!” You put a hand on his thigh, cutting him off. He pauses, getting back on topic.

“Well... you see. You’ve always gotten along great with everyone. Especially Dad, sometimes I’m convinced he’s your best friend. And I made the mistake of telling him that I have feelings for you, so now he’s like extra nice. Because he wants me to be happy.”

“Oh wow,” you laugh, suddenly a lot more relaxed.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s stupid, and-“

You cut him off by grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards you. You kiss him, and he obviously kisses back, his hands settling against your face as he pushes himself closer to you.

“I like you too. Thought it was obvious,” you breathe against his lips. He lets out small chuckle.

“Not really,” he whispers, and then kisses you again.

Now your arms are over his shoulders, and you’re basically on his lap as the kiss heats up a little. Tom is forgotten until the sound of footsteps behind you causes the two of you break away again. You turn to see Ace’s dad come over and put a plate on the table.

You sign a ‘thank you, Tom.’ his way, and he smiles widely back at you. He glances over at his son beside you, and his eyes widen slightly. Glancing back and forth a few times, he lets out a delighted chuckle when he makes the connection.

“You two? Finally,” He signs quickly.

“What?” Ace tries to play it off, but fails miserably. He’s not the best actor. About thirty seconds of your and Tom’s laughter and Ace’s denial go by before Ace folds. “What gave it away?”

“You’re wearing her lipstick.”

TAGS:

@ananad1

@remmysrecs

@bookish-bucky

@sahi-raa

@peakyrogers

#ace nancy drew #ace nancy drew x reader #nancy drew fic #nancy drew cw #nancy drew #alex saxon #valentines #happy valentine’s #x reader

[thiswasinevitableid]

For mermay, #25 siren for Sternclay, rating up to you? Thank you so much, I love your fics!

Here you go! I went with SFW and it's set in the same universe as the other siren prompt I got this year

Joseph has sailed so far over the horizon of regret that he’s landed right back on the shores of resolve.

The highway curves through low mountains, extends in interminable straight lines of super-heated asphalt, and he drives both stretches with purpose, eyes fixed on his goal so as not to see the last forty-eight hours lurking in his rearview mirror.

When the sign reading “Kepler: Population 3,000 on land, 50 in water” reflects the setting sun he slumps back in the driver seat, too tired to be glad, excited, afraid, or anything else at all.

He passes the Cryptonomica, proclaiming itself the premier place to learn about the Roadside Sirens. Rolling his eyes means he nearly misses the drawbridge warning, the barrier dropping and bridge rising to allow a small sailboat to pass. It’s aboard this he sees his first siren; dappled tail hanging in the water as she converses with the other passenger and waves to the siren working the bridge.

The bridge lowers and he continues forward as the early evening overtakes the main road. Neon crackles to life, creosote and rabbitbrush drift through the window when he rolls it down. The sign on Amnesty Lodge declares vacancies, so he pulls into the parking lot. It’s a strange lay-out, little cabins dotting the patches of pools that, once upon a time, must have been enclosed in rooms. Now they glisten under the emerging stars, some surrounded by lawn chairs and set ups to play horseshoes or cornhole. The building housing the lobby is precariously perched on the bank of the slow flowing river, another building whose neon is unlit sitting beside it. He pays the young lady at the counter for a week to week cabin and lugs the remainders of his life inside.

In the bathroom mirror, the wear of this trip is clear in the wrinkles on his suit and the dust on his shoes. He strips down, rinses off, and heads into the night in his shorts and T-shirt from Puget Sound. On a whim he turns right, follows a trail that leads him into the state park. He pays the five dollar fee in a little envelope as he continues on his way. Just as he reaches a scenic viewpoint, the singing starts.

Joseph can’t see any of the singers, can only pick up six or so distinct voices swirling around him.

It’s said the roadside sirens will tell you what you need.

It’s said the roadside sirens are the only way Kepler gets new residents

It’s said the roadside sirens will lead you to your hearts desire.

It’s said the roadside sirens are not always gentle.

All that tugs at Joseph’s heart is exhaustion. When footsteps creak across the boards behind him, he turns to find a man in a ranger uniform. Their eyes meet a moment and the man nods in greeting, “Evenin sir, you got any questions?”

“What do you hear when they sing?”

The ranger shrugs, “I hear them singin’. Never been all that susceptible to ‘em. Well, except for one, but he don’t sing all that often and the last time it was to tell me he missed me while I was out here workin’.”

Joseph raises an eyebrow. The man comes close enough for him to see his name tag. All it says is, “Duck.”

Duck chuckles, leans his arms on the railing, “S’okay, most folks don’t believe me when I tell ‘em that. See, thing about sirens is, you gotta have unfulfilled desires for the song to take hold. First time I was in Kepler, didn’t have a goddamn clue what I wanted from life. When I came back, found the two things I wanted right away. Been pretty content since.” He glances at Joseph, “why, you hear somethin that worries you?”

“I don’t hear anything besides-”

A burst of blue and orange light spills across them; the building beside Amnesty Lodge has come to life, and Joseph can see a line out the door from here. More importantly, someone is singing and his body moves towards the source without him noticing.

“I mean, if your main want is you’re hungry, Lodge is a damn good place to start. Put Kepler on the map. Or, uh, guess the sirens put it there and the Lodge kept it there once the novelty wore off.

“Uhumm” Joseph nods, waving an absentminded goodnight as he follows the path back to the Lodge. He’s about to join the others waiting to get through the door when he gets a flash of an image; a draft on a desk, announcing the Lodge needed a cooks assistant.

What the hell, it’s worth a try right?

A knock on the back door summons an older man in a “Joshua Tree” shirt.

“Howdy, if you’re lookin for the line-”

“I’m here about the assistant job.”

“Uhh, o-kay. Not the best time for it, but follow me.”

The man leads him down a set of stairs to a kitchen that is half in and half out of the water in a way that defies logic and physics. Swimming about are several sirens, plus two humans on the shore, cooking and sending food up to the main building in a dance that borders on chaos. In the middle of it all is a siren with a deep copper tail that matches his short beard and long hair tied back in a bun.

“Barclay! You got a minute?”

“Not really!”

“Okay then. I’ll just have this fella wait in your office until dinner rush is over.”

“Sure great yeah Moira wheres the crawfish for table ten?”

Which is how Joseph finds himself sitting in a cabin, twiddling his thumbs. His manners fight his boredom until he pulls a paperback from the nearby shelf and loses himself in the exploits of a someone recreating dishes from ancient civilizations. Doesn’t look up until the door opens and the same man, now with legs instead of that beautiful tail, walks in.

“Phew” he shuts the door with a satisfied smile, rests his head on the wood, then whirls and slams his back against it when Joseph clears his throat.

“GAHWHATTHEFUCK”

“I’m, I’m so sorry, I thought you heard, um, Thacker, tell you he was having me wait here.”

“W-wait here for wh--Oh, oh right, the assistant thing.” The siren scrubs his face, “yeah, uh, guess Mama must've put the ad out. Uh, would you say you’re organized?”

“Extremely. But honestly it doesn’t seem like you need that much help on that front.”

A deep, rich laugh, “I cleaned this morning, last night it looked like an earthquake hit this place. Guessing from the fact you didn’t freak out in the kitchen you’re cool with the supernatural?”

“Yes. It’s an area of interest for me.”

There’s suspicion in Barclay’s voice, hidden but very much present, “why’d you end up in Kepler?”

“I came here on purpose. I wanted to be somewhere where strange things were celebrated and out in the open. Not...not kept from the world.”

Barclay leans back on his desk, arms crossed, “Where’d you work before now?”

“The…” he sighs, resigns himself to finding somewhere else to go, “the FBI. UP branch, I was at Nellis when they, um, relieved me of my duties.”

For a long moment, Barclay studies him. Then he turns to his desk, setting stacks of papers in order as he hums. Joseph closes his eyes, takes calming breaths; all he wants is to be safe, to not have to run. All he wants is for Barclay to hold him, he’s never seen a man so handsome and a useless, primal part of him fixates on that fact. Also he’s starving, god, he hasn’t eaten since his breakfast of black coffee.

Barclay stops humming, “Come with me.”

Joseph follows him back down into the strange kitchen (“couple of friends of mine are pretty powerful magicians. They rigged up the kitchen for me”). All the lights are off, and without them he discovers Barclay’s eyes glow an eerie yellow-green. When he smiles, Joseph sees only the points on his teeth, not the crinkle at the edge of his eyes.

“Hungry?” Barclay rumbles.

“Starving.”

“You eat fish?”

“...Yes?” Will the wrong answer get him drowned.

The cook leaps towards the water, tail appearing and clothes vanishing at the last moment before he hits the dark surface. Joseph stands, on edge and curious, until the siren emerges, newly-dead trout in his hands.

“Tastes best fresh.” Barclay swims to his grill, turning it on in a click of a knob.

“Why not just stay human when you cook?” Joseph makes his way over to the station as Barclay butchers the fish and sets it into a heavily buttered pan.

“The charm only holds for so long before I need to be back in the water, and I get so busy during meals I don’t want to risk passing out because I went too long on shore. Besides” he spins elegantly to grab two spice jars, “I learned to cook in the water, so this is the most natural way for me.”

“Fascinating.” Joseph sits down, keeping himself out of arms reach of the water. Barclay seems nice, but sirens did not become famous for offering people things and then following through; hundreds of dead travelers prove that much.

“Where are you from?”

“Chicago, originally.”

“Ever see the great lake mers?”

“No.” He can’t help but feel disappointed that he’s only learning of their existence now.

“Quite a few out there. Sirens too.”

Well, that introduces some new reasons for all the shipwrecks.

“How do you know? Are you from there?”

“Nah. Been in Kepler my whole life. Even during the bad years, singing people into that godawful, overpriced casino buffet. Convincing them the shitty cold cuts were prime rib.” His hand stills a moment, clenches and then releases, “yeah. Every now and then” he starts chopping shallots, “one of the drunks would get it into their heads to pet the sirens tail or hair and I had to sit there and let them. My tail” he shudders, swipes the shallots into the pan so roughly Joseph starts.

“Sorry.” Barclay mumbles.

“Don’t be. I’m on edge, that’s all. And you have every right to be angry. Being forced to do something you know is wrong is....there’s no winning.”

“That why you just want a place to feel safe?”

It’s so easy to confess in the darkness of the cave.

“I put up too much of a fight about something. Refused to do something that went against my conscience. They let me go, which I feared but expected. Then I found my bank accounts were cut off and someone had manipulated the records to say I’d been fired for criminal activity so it’d be harder to find a job.”

A clink of metal on china, and then Barclay is holding a plate out to him with tenderness in his eyes, “I’m so sorry, Joseph. Here, at least you won’t be hungry.”

Joseph murmurs out his thanks.

“You a wine drinker?”

“Right now I could certainly go for some.”

A few flicks of that stunning tail and Barclay returns with a glass of white for each of them.

“To getting free of shitty pasts.” The cook raises his glass and Joseph bumps his against it. Barclay brings it to his lips, but smiles rather than sip, “and by the way: you got the job.”

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

Being Barclay’s assistant is fifty percent clerical work and fifty percent following the siren around as he gathers ingredients or tests recipes. On Ned Chicane’s recommendation, Barclay had published a cookbook of both traditional siren foods and his own creations. It became a bestseller which, among other things, means Joseph has a brand new wardrobe, regular deliveries of gourmet food, and his cabin is now full of books. Whenever he points out that Barclay is already paying him and doesn’t need to buy him things, the siren simply rubs their cheeks together (a thing Joseph is only now getting used to) and tells him he likes doing it.

So when he’s not getting his recipes in order or typing up scribbled note cards into something legible, he’s following Barclay on foot or in a boat while he harvests or buys ingredients. Sirens have permission to fish and forage in areas, including the park, that humans don’t, which means he runs into Duck and his siren husband, Indrid, on more than one occasion while hauling lines into the boat.

The one time it gets stuck, Barclay pulls it out all on his own. Almost like he’s showing off the muscles in his back, arms, and tail.

The only thing Joseph won’t do is get in the water with the siren. He can’t get the images of drowned sailors, of fishermen torn to shreds, from his mind. Barclay is powerful, sharp-toothed and slit-pupiled, dangerous yet so gentle he once purred when Joseph complimented his food. And if Joseph never goes in the water with him, he’ll never have to confront the fact he wouldn’t mind if those pointed teeth dug into his skin and that tail trapped his legs while he thrashed in Barclay’s hold.

He assumes Barclay doesn’t notice; after all, swamps and marshes, even the river, are far less suited to a human swimming in them than an ocean or lake. This conclusion is bolstered by Barclay never, ever asking him to join him in the water. The siren is less careful about singing; he usually just hums as he works, but sometimes he sings wordlessly and Joseph nearly dives head first into the water (Barclay’s lap, if they’re on land).

Tonight, he’s cleaning up after Barclay’s test session of new recipes in the kitchen. The cook went out to visit some friends who live further in the state park, so when his voice drifts across the stones Joseph is surprised.

Cool, calloused hands on his cheeks, a tail stroking his thighs, his lips tracing up a sturdy leg. Copper hair twined in his fingertips, a heart beating in time with his own, teeth sinking into his skin, marking him, claiming him.

Water fills his nose and his body jerks back to the present, standing up in the shallow water that he stepped and stumbled face-first into.

“Joseph? Oh fuck, are you okay?” Barclay rounds the corner, swimming over to look up at him with concern.

“Yes. I, um, I think I got caught up in your song.”

“I’m sorry, I thought you were already upstairs or I wouldn’t have sung so loud. I know you can’t swim.”

“I can.” Joseph kneels, face down-turned in shame, “I was scared to, um, to be in the water with you. It’s, I was afraid of what might happen.”

Barlay swims back, “you thought I was gonna eat you?”

“No! Or, um, at first I didn’t want to foolishly assume that sirens in Kepler were harmless, since death isn’t high on my to-do list. Then I thought suddenly starting to swim would tip you off to the fact I’d been suspicious and I didn’t want to hurt you.” He runs a hand through his hair, “that song, though, Barclay, lord almighty is that what I want?”

“It’s what I want, I never sang it to bring you to me.”

“Oh.”

Barclay swims back to him, rubs their cheeks together, “Can I try something?”

“Anything” is all he gets out before he’s pulled into deeper water. He gasps for air, his own moans ricocheting across the room as Barclay bites his shoulder. On instinct his body tries to tread water, but copper scales trap his legs together, keep him flush against Barclay’s body.

“It’s okay babe, you can relax. I got you, I could keep us both afloat in my sleep.” He hums as he trails his lips across Joseph’s throat, “you’re safe. You’re with me.”

“Don’t make me leave.” The song pulls it out of him, because he wants to say it, wants to admit that losing what he has in Kepler terrifies him, just so he can hear-

“Never. You make me so fucking happy.” Barclay kisses him tenderly, keeps tracking his bite marks with a finger, “please stay. Stay for as long as you want."

"What if I want forever?" He rests his face on Barclay's shoulder as the siren spins them, dance-like, in the water.

"I think we can manage that."

#mermay #sternclay #agent stern/barclay #TAZ Amnesty

[farmerlesbian]

How do you deal with feeling ashamed/nervous/scared about being with a girl in public or around family, especially when said location/people is homophobic. I've been closeted my whole life and I really want to step out but I'm scared.

Hm. This isn’t easy because it’s a combination of internal feelings+fears+perceptions, the reality of the environment in regards to safety, boundaries, and communication with your partner. So, we actually had this issue when we first got together and we found some strategies that work for us! Mod horseshoe was in your place but I’m (mod alfalfa) going to take this one. Let us know if you want to hear more from mod horseshoe about this topic, though!

So, if you recall our stories of our experiences with being closeted and coming out, she had a hard time with the fear of being outed, but I just kind of wasn’t out and then I was. So she was in your position, being ashamed and nervous and scared of PDA. 

I think first, it’s totally valid to be feeling nervous and afraid to show affection with your girl in public especially given that you could face homophobia for it. It sucks, especially when you want to, but the reality is that it really is wise not to unless you are fully prepared for someone to react poorly. You gotta be the judge of the situation, like what is the worst that would happen, knowing your location? It could range from dirty looks to rude comments to instigating arguments, harassment, to physical violence and hate crimes. We will not ever recommend you to do something that will put you in danger. Use your best judgement in these situations.  💜

Secondly, PDA is all about communication with your partner, it’s showing affection! So, all of this stuff you should be talking about with your girl and let her know you have these fears around PDA. Make sure this is a conversation, and learn her experience with it and what she’d be comfortable with. Being LGBT, a lot of us have complicated feelings about it, just like you do! You don’t need to do any PDA you’re not comfortable with! And start small and safe and eaaaaase slowly in to it. Kiss on your back porch, try holding hands in the driveway as you walk to the car, call her your gf in a store. See how it feels and if that was too much or if it felt good! 

What we did, is Anna (that’s mod horseshoe) told me about her history of being in the closet, and how that makes her feel worried that people will Find Out or something, and also fears about how strangers will react. So then I understood where she was coming from. I still really wanted to be able to express affection to her when I was feeling it and I found it sad and frustrating to not be able to! I was young and new to the whole Having A Girlfriend thing and I was really excited. So what I did is - you guessed it - I talked to her! I told her this and we worked out a little ‘code’ for how to express affection that would work for both of us, and I would always ask first for consent (so important!!) and I am always happy to oblige if she is not feeling up for it. Some of our options are: high five, hand hugs, touching our fingertips gently together, smiles, holding hands (for short distances), holding the other’s elbow, playful butt smacks, and quick kisses. This way we can communicate our PDA in a way that we’re both comfortable with and leaves us feeling good and loved, instead of ashamed or uncomfortable. What are little ways you can say “I like you, I love you, I think you’re cute right now” that you would both be ok trying? 

In regards to the feeling shameful bit, which I haven’t touched on yet, I think it’s kind of something that you have to work at gradually getting past. Following this blog and lots of other lesbians (especially couples!) on social media helps a lot with overcoming internalized homophobia. Seeing that there’s a whole bunch of us out here just like you really does help. 

#ask farmer lesbian #lesbiansafe #pda #closeted #coming out #homophobia #lesbophobia #internalized homophobia #Anonymous #mod horseshoe #mod alfalfa

[an-oger-in-the-wild]

Children Shouldn’t Play with Undead Things

So here’s a fun little team-building exercise I threw at three of my PCs who met a couple in-game days before the official start of the campaign / meeting of the rest of the PCs. The summary? Three unlikely people meet on a coastal beach and end up hanging out in a coastal town’s tavern, chatting the night away, until they - along with the other patrons of the tavern - start getting attacked by an unknown and unseen source: a poltergeist. The three PCs in question consisted of an aasimar warlock, a half-orc cleric, and a wood-elf druid, so some really cool and interesting social and debuff spells (like Detect Evil and Good, Faerie Fire, and Message to name a few) were available for use that didn’t have to be damage-focused, teaching the group early that you don’t necessarily have to only have combat spells equipped in order to overcome obstacles or solve problems.

If you’d like to use this encounter for your 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd level (like my group was) party, you’ll want to be sure to lay a good foundation of visual descriptions - little things that are actually Easter eggs for the party to remember later, realizing that they were actually clues.

QUEST LEAD:  This encounter takes place in a small tavern called Bottles & Drafts.  You can read this little block of text to introduce your characters to the first NPC in this encounter; or, alternatively, you can use your own tavern or NPC if you already have a place in mind:

You see, as you enter, a pleasantly-lit tavern, complete with a small hearth, two long tables, three smaller round tables, and a neatly-kept bar with stools. Looking around, you notice that the dining area is rather saddlery-themed with things like horseshoes, halters, and old bridles hung on the wall for décor, befitting of the inn’s adjoining stables out back.  Near an entryway to a hall at the far end of the room, you see a physically imposing grayish/green-skinned woman - about 6' 1" - with short, chipped tusks protruding from her lips.  She wears a brown tank top with olive-colored cotton pants, and her light-brown hair is kept short on top and shaved close on the sides.  She's standing on a small ladder, hanging a new item on the wall: a black leather horse whip (or some might call it a crop).  She's mounting it to the wall as best she can, but it keeps falling off the wall each time she gets off the ladder, making her visibly frustrated as she repeats the process three times in the time it takes you to find a seat.

This is Jacoba, a half-orc (use stat block of berserker) - she owns the inn, Bottles & Drafts (named thus as your adventurers can both purchase a night’s stay there or take a trip around back to its stables to purchase a mount, such as a draft or riding horse). Today, your party happens to walk in on her hanging a whip...little do they know that this is the item to which the poltergeist has attached itself. 

Part 1: a Start to an Exciting Evening

Be sure the party knows they are not the only ones in the tavern!  Three other patrons sit in different areas of the inn (each to themselves):

Roberick Zemony, male human (looks visibly intoxicated)

Tawnel Ostoro, male half-elf (dressed in the uniform of the local guards)

Baerla Flaskbraids, female dwarf (has a small rabbit familiar with her)

While the party sits around conversing - probably around a meal or a few drinks - have some strange things happen as the evening approaches:

Random drinks sitting in front of patrons at the bar tip over onto their laps, soaking them.

Patrons go to sit in their chairs...but right before they sit down, the chair is just a little too far from them and they fall to the floor on their asses.

The whip will continue to fall off the wall, usually AT Jacoba as she walks by with a plate of food or a platter filled with drinks.  

She will eventually give up on trying to mount it and will make a scene as her barbarian temper gets the better of her: describe her as being close to raging mad over the “stupid whip,” picking it up (perhaps putting the strap in her mouth and gnawing at it for a moment) then violently whipping a vacant spot at the bar with it a few times before throwing the whip down the hallway and heading back behind the bar.

If the party tries to interact with Jacoba or ask her about the whip, she can explain that the décor is a collection of old pieces that have either been found by patrons who frequent the tavern or are left behind after a rental horse or carriage is returned.  This most recent piece was actually given to her earlier today by a tradesman who came through for a drink (while nothing more has to come of this mention, you could always develop this out into an extended quest).

With a good enough Charisma check, Jacoba may also tell the party what she knows about the other three patrons left in the tavern if they get inquisitive:

Roberick Zemony, male Human (nightly patron; commoner, middle-aged; "dad bod," thinning hair; lazy-sounding drunken voice)

Tawnel Ostoro, male half-elf guard (off-duty but still in his regalities; just got off his guard duty shift and likes to come up for a quick sip or two before he returns to the barracks for the evening; condescending)

Baerla Flaskbraids, female dwarf (a scout passing through on her way back to her guildhall north of here; just finished clearing out a pesky infestation of stirges and is staying the night before heading back in the morning)

Part 2: It Begins

Once it’s officially evening, the party sees Roberick get up to go to "water the flowers" (at which Jacoba threatens to kill him if he does).

As he stands to leave, the flames in the wall sconces all extinguish at once and the sound of Roberick screaming in pain and then moaning fills the room.          

          (HE DEAD, Y'ALL.)

Jacoba will quickly try to relight the sconces if no one casts a spell before this is done.

Once there is light, everyone will be able to see Roberick's dead body on the floor, a knife stuck in his chest.

If no one revives him, proceed to Part 3.

If someone casts Revivify or Speak with Dead, he won't know what hit him or killed him.

Part 3: a Murder Mystery

Before Tawnel (the half-elf guard) allows anyone to move, he will swiftly walk over to the door (the only exit) and bar it shut, stating that "no one will be leaving here until I find out who killed this man."

Investigation checks can begin to be made against the dead body (DC: 13).

On a success, they can tell from the angle of impact and the blood splatter that the attack had to have come from the direction of the bar and that the knife had to have been flung at him from a distance.

If investigating for magic, use the same DC for an Arcana check; however, no magical aura is detected around the body or the knife.

If spells like Detect Magic or Detect Evil and Good are cast, assume that the poltergeist will not be within the 30 foot radius in this one instance; after the party has made some good detective work headway though, feel free to reward smart casting by allowing the undead creature to “light up” as it were.  Those spells last 10 minutes unless dropped, so you can toy with them by having the poltergeist move in and out of the range of the spell occasionally.

Insight checks can be made against the NPCs for added intrigue if the characters are suspicious or on-edge:

Tawnel (the half-elf guard): this is probably the most exciting thing he's ever seen as a guard of a relatively uninteresting city, so he's hoping that getting to the bottom of this murder will help him climb the ladder of success

Alibi: he's "one of the good guys" and just wants to figure out what happened…he was sitting in the corner reading smut (but he won't want anyone to know that this is what he was reading).

Motive: everyone - including Tawnel - knows Roberick…he's the town drunk and tends to get into trouble when he drinks: Tawnel has arrested him on a couple occasions for indecency in front of children and found him no better than the dirt beneath his boots - Jacoba has heard him say before that “it would be a better world without Roberick in it.”

Baerla (the dwarf scout): has only been seen thus far to be talking to her rabbit...plus she has a longbow on her back and a sword at her side - seems strange enough to draw some attention, right?

Alibi: she knows no one here - why would she kill someone?...she was busy scrolling a message to send with her animal messenger (a rabbit) back to her guildhall to inform them of the completion of her job; her rabbit is "gone now though."

Motive: Roberick was being loud and obnoxious and (per Baerla) was making fun of her height earlier that evening.

Jacoba (the half-orc tavern owner / berserker): normal day, just got a new shipment of food today as well as a few new bridle materials, some new tankards, that kind of thing; a tradesman bartered with her for a new item for her tavern - the whip.  

Alibi: she was serving drinks when the lights went out and Roberick dropped dead.

Motive: Roberick was behind on his tab by several months - Tawnel knows that this has really been bothering Jacoba lately.

Part 4: Further Bloodshed

The poltergeist will become enraged by any light-based spells or by radiant damage (clerics and paladins BEWARE!).

It will also get increasingly angry if the whip is in any way touched or damaged.  If someone moves within 30 feet of the poltergeist’s area, it will become aggressive and throw things using its Telekinetic Thrust (+4 to hit, 2d4 bludgeoning or piercing damage, depending on the item); if they get reeeeally close, it will use its Forceful Slam attack (+4 to hit, reach 5 feet, 3d6 force damage).

NOTE: If you really want to freak the party out, try throwing them around with its Telekinetic Thrust by rolling a contested Strength (the PC) versus Charisma (the poltergeist) check to see if the undead creature can “hurl the target up to 30 feet in any direction, including upward,” causing 1d6 damage per 10 feet moved - I wouldn’t recommend this unless your group can handle these amounts of damage though - always playtest before playing!

Part 5: Reclaiming Serenity

There are a couple of ways this can go:

If you have a party who loves to get stuff done by way of combat, you can certainly take the most direct route by allowing them to work through the difficulties of waging war with a creature who never turns visible. As mentioned in my opening paragraph, debuff spells like Detect Evil and Good, Faerie Fire, or See Invisibility are great uses of spellcasting while in combat with an invisible creature.  Additionally, you may have a party member who thinks outside the box and has the idea to try to destroy the item to which the spirit is attached - this is a great idea! A low-level encounter like this is a nice way to condition your party for battles that cannot simply be won by hacking and slashing.

If you have a party or party member who wants to make the world a better place with a more passive approach, you could delve deeper into the backstory of the poltergeist, giving it a history that shaped it into a malevolent spirit. Use the whip as inspiration: did the whip belong to the spirit in its previous life? Was it sentimental? Does it need returned to someone in order for the spirit to find peace? Alternatively, does the whip have a darker connotation - was it a weapon used against the spirit in its former life? Is the spirit seeking an unattainable revenge on innocent victims?  Ponder these things and come up with a flexible and easily improved story in case you have a tenderhearted sorcerer or a righteous paladin with high charisma who want to try to reason with the undead creature.  Allow a series of Persuasion checks to convince the poltergeist that they don’t need to act violently or to help the undead creature to pass on into the next life: this can make for a really memorable role-playing moment that will change the normally black and white outlook most parties have on undead creatures.

Thanks for reading, guys!  If you like this post and would like to get more encounter idea inspiration like this one, let me know by asking to be included on my Enticing Encounters taglist!

#dnd #dnd encounters #dnd encounter building #encounter of the week #TTRPG #BtFM #Enticing Encounters #undead #poltergeist #this literally took forever because tumblr posts are annoying to format

[zarcake-writes]

Secrets and Wishful Thinking

Hello everyone! I took so long to come up with a title and I still don’t like it. Anyways, here is the first part of my oc Kit’s story. I’m so excited and I hope you all enjoy it. Also, I hc that Arthur is bisexual, so he’s gonna be bi in this fic. 

Tagging: @reddeaddenial 

Part 1

Arthur Morgan grumbled to himself when he saw how low the food supply was in camp. It felt like he was the only one doing anything lately. He was going out hunting, running stupid missions for everyone, donating money, saving idiots from death. Hell, he even had to chop wood the other day because no one else would.

Turning from Pearson, Arthur looked around the camp. Horseshoe Overlook was quiet for the moment. The camp was situated off the main road among some trees; it was quiet and hidden. It was just the type of place everyone needed after the horrible time spent in the mountains. The sun felt good on his skin, and the cool air made Arthur feel alive.

He frowned when looked around the camp for someone suitable to accompany him on a hunting trip. Lenny was out with Micah, poor kid. Charles was busy making arrows and had guard duty later. John was… was useless at the moment. Hosea was still “recovering” from the bear hunt. Dutch couldn’t leave camp. Arthur almost gave up until his eyes rested on Kit, the newest member of their gang and no doubt the quietest.

The kid joined up with them just before all hell broke loose in Blackwater. Hosea had brought him into the gang, claiming he was a good thief. Kit was quiet and short, shorter than Javier. He had a baby face, which he usually kept hidden beneath the brim of his hat. There wasn’t anything special about him. He did as he was told, helped out around camp when no one else would, and kept to himself. The only people who regularly spoke with him was Miss. Grimshaw, Karen, Hosea, and Charles.

When Arthur first saw him, he thought the kid would be dead in a week. But here he was, still alive. He had lived through them fleeing Blackwater, helped fight off the law and Pinkertons who were hunting them, and even survived all that snow. In the mountains, Kit not only gave his heaviest jacket to little Jack but was also one of the reasons the gang didn’t starve.

He was one of the best hunters in the camp, right after Charles. He helped make sure the camp had food, whether it was rabbits or deer. The pelts he brought back were always perfect, and always worth something. It was when the gang was hiding in Colter that Arthur learned of the game Charles and Kit played.

“You gonna tell Kit you caught these two, Charles? Or let him think he’s the better hunter?” Pearson asked Charles.  

“Kit is an accomplished hunter, there is no need for me to lie to him. However, it will be funny seeing his reaction. Oh, there he is. Arthur, play along.” Before Arthur could even react, Charles was calling Kit over. “Hey Kit! Come here!”

Kit was in the middle of walking pass them when Charles yelled his name. He looked over to the men and frowned, there was a dusting of snow on his hat and shoulders. For a moment, it looked like he was going to ignore them, but after a sigh, he made his way towards them. The jacket he wore nearly covered his whole body, making him look smaller than he was. When he saw the deer, he gave Charles a suspicious look.

“Like my catch?” Charles asked. Arthur saw what looked like a smirk on Charles’ face. Pearson was doing his best to hide his face, and Arthur found the burning coals in front of him to be very interesting.

“You caught these? Bullshit. Your hand is hurt.”

“A skilled hunter doesn’t need both his hands.” Kit narrowed his eyes at Charles, then glanced at the other two men. Pearson was looking away, but Arthur made the mistake of meeting Kit’s eyes. Arthur’s face must have said it all because Kit let out a noise and hit Charles.

“Oh, you liar, playing me like that. This doesn’t count, you know? You didn’t kill them, Arthur did. Didn’t he?” Charles and Pearson let out soft laughs, and Arthur smiled at how perceptive Kit was.

“Yeah, Arthur killed them. Not bad, huh?” Charles said. Kit squatted down to examine the carcass on the floor.

“Not bad at all. Maybe we should invite him into our game. What do you think Charles?”

“Game? What game?” Arthur asked.

“It’s something Kit and I do. We try to outdo the other when we go hunting. Responsibly, of course,” Charles explained.

“One day he’ll bring in a buffalo, then next I’ll bring in a moose,” Kit said.

“You’ve never killed a moose.”

“Well, not yet I haven’t.”

“Oh, I’m not much of a hunter,” Arthur said. Charles and Kit turned their attention back to Arthur.

“So, you got lucky with these two then? Well, I suppose you should leave the hunting to the real hunters then,” Kit said. The challenging look on Kit’s face caught Arthur off guard. He was so used to Kit rarely speaking and barely looking him in the eyes. Arthur found he rather liked that cocky look on Kit’s face, for some reason he wanted to see it more. Especially if it meant he could see Kit smirk at him again.

“I think I’ll join this game of yours. Better get ready for an ass-kicking, Kit,” Arthur said.

“Only ass getting kicked around here is yours, Mr. Morgan,” Kit replied. That smirk remained on his face, and Arthur couldn’t help but grow warm the longer he looked at Kit.

That had been several weeks ago. Now, at Horseshoe Overlook, Arthur was eager to see just how good of a hunter Kit was. The thought of putting that boy in his place made Arthur march over to where the young man was resting against a tree.

Since arriving at the new camp, Kit hasn’t gotten the chance to leave. He’s been on guard duty most days, or he’s spent his time doing the chores no one else wanted to do. No doubt he was itching to get out of camp.

Walking towards Kit, Arthur noticed he really was asleep. His head was down, the hat he claimed was lucky covered his face, and the old brown jacket he always wore was open slightly. His black shirt was buttoned up to his neck, but Arthur could see the slow rise and fall of his chest. His rifle was resting on the ground beside him.

“Kit! Kit! Get your lazy ass up!” Arthur said as he kicked the bottom of his foot. Kit jumped and let out a startled noise that sounded like a yelp.

“What the fuck? Micah, I’m gonna fucking ki- Oh! Mr. Morgan.”

Arthur couldn’t help but smirk at how nervous he suddenly became. He was ready to fight Micah, the biggest asshole in the gang, but when it came to Arthur the kid was all nerves. Arthur didn’t know if he should be flattered, or insulted at how nervous the kid was around him.

“I’m up, Mr. Morgan.” Kit stood up quickly. He hung his rifle over his shoulder and buttoned up his jacket.

Arthur examined the young man’s face. Soft features and warm, nervous eyes. His black hair was wavy and shoulder length. Kit usually kept it hidden beneath his hat. The few times Arthur saw it, he would only slick it back with pomade and put the hat in place.

He was so much shorter than Arthur, even shorter than a couple of the women. The tattered brown jacket he always wore covered most of his body from being seen. It was several sizes too big and had a discolored patch on the back.

“You are now. Come on, I need someone to go hunting with me.”

“Ah, eager to see how good I really am?” Kit said with a grin. The nervousness was gone and the cocky attitude, again, took Arthur by surprise. He was tempted to smack it out of Kit, but he wanted to see just how good this kid was.

“If Charles says you’re a good hunter, then I believe him. The camp needs food, and I figured if two people go out, we can catch more. I would ask Charles, but he’s busy at the moment.”

“Course I’ll go; we got to feed all these people. Where are we heading? What are we hunting?”

“I was thinking just deer, but Pearson was complaining that people want variety. So, I suppose some rabbits would be good to add.”

“If we’re gonna get rabbits, let me grab my varmint rifle.” Arthur followed Kit to his small tent and waited for him outside.

When Kit joined the gang, he showed up with the tent. It made Arthur wonder just how long the kid had been on his own. Arthur glanced inside but was only able to glimpse a small cot before the covering fell in place. Kit exited a moment later, a small rifle in his hands.

“You know where to go for rabbits and deer?”

“Was thinking around Valentine.”  

“Sounds good. Lead the way.”

The ride started off quiet. Arthur was lost in thought and enjoying the ride. The country around them was beautiful. The wide blue sky above them, the warm sun beating down, and the open land before them set Arthur at ease. He was looking out for any animals or trouble when Kit spoke.

“I take it you don’t trust what Charles says about me?” Arthur glanced at him and let out a dry laugh.

“I trust him. But, no offense kid, you don’t look like you would be a good hunter, or good at anything really. If I hadn’t seen you use that rifle of yours, I wouldn’t believe anyone who said you were good with it.” Glancing back at the kid, Arthur saw he was giving him an unamused look. He wanted to laugh at how insulted the kid looked, but that would only further piss the boy off.

“Thanks for the show of faith, Mr. Morgan,” Kit said dryly.

“Don’t take it the wrong way kid, but look at you. You’re small and you don’t talk much. Shit, sometimes I forget you’re even part of the gang. You ain't even got any facial hair."

“What about Charles? He barely talks.”

“Yeah, but that man is huge. You see him when he walks in a room. You ain’t got any facial hair, and you don’t have the deepest voice. You… well, you look like a kid wearing daddy’s clothes.”

There was no reply to Arthur’s comment, only silence. Glancing at Kit, Arthur saw his head was bowed so his hat covered his face. Realizing he might have taken his joke too far, Arthur felt bad. It wasn’t something he was used to feeling, but it happened occasionally.

“Oh, don’t get so sour kid. I was just playing.”

“I’m sure you were.”

Kit urged his horse to move faster and took the lead, leaving Arthur to chase after the kid.

Several hours later and the two were heading back to camp. Their hunt was successful. Between the two of them, they had caught two deer, a turkey, and a rabbit. Arthur regretted doubting Kit. He was a skilled tracker; his eyes were sharp and he seemed to know where the animals would be. He could move through the brush quietly, which was a surprise for Arthur, who felt like he was stomping loudly everywhere he went.

Kit was just as skilled as Charles when it came to using the bow. Arthur found himself fumbling with his own bow at times, while Kit made it look easy. Each of Kit’s kills was clean and quick, leaving the carcass hardly damaged. At the end of the day, Arthur regretted agreeing to play Charles’s and Kit’s game, there was no way he would be able to beat either of them. Well, he did have that map of legendary animals, maybe those will help him win.

“Hey Kit?” Arthur began.

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t mean to insult you earlier, I was just playing. And I’m sorry for doubting you kid. You’re a good hunter.”

“Thanks, Mr. Morgan. You’re not too bad either. A bit stiff and you tend to stomp around, but not bad.”

“Jeez, you heard that?”

“Everything heard you, Mr. Morgan. It’s why we had to head a bit further north.” Kit laughed. Arthur joined him and nodded his head in agreement. He glanced at Kit and saw he was smiling at him. It was a small smile, just the corners of his mouth were turned up. Arthur looked away and back towards the road.

They both grew silent. The sun was setting and the air was growing colder. Arthur rolled down the sleeves of his shirt and wished he had brought a jacket. As they continued to ride on in silence, the sun was beginning to set. There was the faint chirping of crickets, and the sound of an owl hooting in the distance.

Arthur couldn’t help but glance at his companion. There was a peaceful look on Kit’s face, and for once his hat wasn’t hiding his face. Kit was looking up towards the sky, a small smile graced his features. His eyes were dark, but Arthur could have sworn there was a hint of green in them earlier. Arthur’s gaze traveled back down to Kit’s mouth. His lips were slightly parted now, and he was still focused on the darkening sky above them.

“Where did you learn to track and hunt?” Arthur asked. He was quick to look away from Kit, and he prayed the blush on his face wasn’t visible.

“I kind of taught myself. Failure is a wonderful teacher.”

“It is. Why did you start?” Arthur glanced at Kit when he let out a long sigh. The smile on his face was gone now, and he looked sad.

“My pa was a hard-working man, but he enjoyed drinking. There were times he would vanish for a few days and we would run out of food. So, one day, I stole a bow or tried too. I got caught by the man, but he felt bad for me. Think he saw how skinny I was. He gave me some tips and sent me on my way. It took some time, but I managed to get the hang of it.”

“Survival drove you, then.”

“Yeah. For myself and my siblings. My older sister was busy taking care of my younger sister and managing the house. Our wonderful mother ran out on us after my youngest sister was born. Think that drove my pa to drink more. I had to do something to put food on the table. But my sister and I learned really quick that food wasn’t all we needed. We needed money, and with our dad drinking all his money away, we had few options. She could become a whore or I could start stealing. I decided to steal and rob didn’t want to put my sister through that.”

“That’s admirable of you.”

“Nothing admirable about it, Arthur. They’re my sisters. I would die for them.”

“Still. I know men who would sell their sisters instead of doing something themselves.”

“Well, it’s not like I was working an honorable job. I robbed drunks and started breaking into homes. Soon, I was a rather accomplished thief. I never liked stealing from people though, but I had to help my sisters out somehow. Hell, I’m still helping them out.”

“Even your father?”

“Nah, he died a few years back. Pneumonia. Just doing what I can to help my sisters.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. By the time he died, he had stopped drinking so much and was much more helpful. His death was hard on us, but watching him die was harder. This jacket is all I have left of him. Some debtors came through after he died and took almost everything of value. I was so angry and my sisters were so scared. I started stealing and robbing more after that.”

“That’s when you met Hosea?”

“A little after that. The gang I used to steal with started getting bigger ideas and wanted to rob from hard working people. I only robbed assholes or people who could spare losing the money. I headed to Blackwater and sent my sister’s further west.”

“How did you meet Hosea again?” Arthur couldn’t hide the smile on his face.

“Oh gosh. You know the true story.” Kit waved his hand dismissively, but there was a smile on his face again.

“Do I?”

“Yes. We were robbing the same target and happened to bump into each other while we were sneaking through the house. That’s all. There was no dancing, swapping clothes, or impersonations. I didn’t play his long-lost son, and he didn’t fake an illness. Hosea has a tendency to embellish his stories.” Arthur let out a laugh and Kit couldn’t help but join in.

“That he does.”

A comfortable silence fell between them once again. Arthur had to admit, he didn’t expect to enjoy his time with Kit. Yeah, the boy was quiet and always seemed nervous, but once he got used to Arthur he seemed to open up. Arthur glanced back at him once more. He was looking straight ahead this time, that small smile was back on his face.

When they arrived back to camp, the sun had almost fully set and the camp was winding down. Arthur carried the deer’s while Kit grabbed the turkey and rabbit. The boy might be a good hunter, but he struggled to lift the carcasses. It concerned Arthur that the boy was so weak. He wondered if he needed to eat more.

“You do know this doesn’t count, right?” Kit said.

“Count for what?”

“The game. You need to go hunting alone for it to count.”

“I know that. Charles told me,” Arthur said. Kit let out a hum and nodded his head.

“Now that we have food, do you need help with anything else, Arthur?”

“Not now. I have to collect some money for Strauss. Might do that tomorrow or the day after. You ever been collecting?”

“Nope. You sure I’ll be of help? I’m not very scary looking.” Kit gestured to all of himself. He was right, he wasn’t very scary.

“No, you are not. But I’ll show you how to appear scary. I’m sure we can add some makeup or something to your face.”

“Maybe Micah can pass some of his ugly onto me, that will be a good start.” Arthur let out a loud laugh and grabbed a beer from Pearson’s wagon. He handed one to Kit and motioned for him to follow him to the cliff along the side of the camp.

“We want you scary, not ugly.”

“Yeah. Well, you’ll have to teach me to be scary then Arthur.”

“Gladly Kit.”

The two stood there in silence and drank their beers. Kit was the first to sit, his legs dangled over the edge. After a moment, Arthur followed suit. He noticed how much longer his own legs were compared to Kit’s. He didn’t say anything, he simply glanced at the young man beside him, then continued to admire the view.

The world around them continued to darken and the moon rose. The sounds of Javier’s guitar and Karen’s singing drifted over towards them. There were laughs and stories being told further in camp, but for the moment Arthur and Kit weren’t interested. They sat on the edge of the cliff together, drinking their beers and enjoying the quiet night.

#arthur morgan x oc #arthur morgan #red dead oc #red dead redemption 2 #hope you all enjoy

[garymancuso-blog1]

WEDNESDAY 5/23/18

OK, SO WE DIDN’T MAKE THE 9:00 DEAD LINE.  BUT WE DID GET TO THE FALLS AREA BETWEEN 9:30 AND 10:00. IT’S NOT THAT WE WERE LAZY IT’S JUST THAT WE WERE SO FRIGGIN’ TIRED THAT WE DIDN’T WAKE UP TILL 8:45.  MAN! WAS IT A BIG DAY……….MAYBE I SHOULD TELL YOU ABOUT IT.

PARKING IS A PREMIUM EVERYWHERE THAT WE GO HERE IN CANADA. THE HOTEL CHARGES $25 PER DAY TO PARK IN A PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL.  AS WE’RE WALKING ON THE STREETS WE SEE THAT ALL HOTELS AND MOTELS CHARGE FOR PARKING.  RESTAURANTS CHARGE FOR PARKING, EVERYBODY CHARGES FOR PARKING!  SO WE GET DOWN TO THE PARK THIS MORNING AND SCOPE OUT A $5.00 ALL DAY PARKING AND WE’RE GOOD.

THERE IS THIS THING CALLED A DISCOVERY PASS THAT PACKAGES A BUNCH OF THE ATTRACTION’S TOGETHER FOR A DISCOUNTED PRICE.  AFTER DOING OUR HOMEWORK THE NIGHT BEFORE WE DECIDE IT WOULD MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE FOR US TO GET THE PASSES.   WE STOP IN A STORE TO PURCHASE OUR PASSES AND ROX START’S THE CONVERSATION WITH, “I THINK WE WANT TO GET 2 DISCOVERY PASSES.”  THE LADY PICKS UP ON, “I THINK” AND BEGINS TELLING US ON HOW IT’S NOT THAT GOOD OF A DEAL AND FOR US TO JUST GO TO CERTAIN ATTRACTIONS AND PAY AS WE GO.  WE LOOK OVER THE ATTRACTIONS AND THERE ARE SOME THAT WE WANT TO SEE EVEN THOUGH THE LADY SAYS THEY ARE NOT THAT GOOD AND WE DO THE ARITHMETIC THERE IN FRONT OF HER AND SHE AGREES, SO WE GET TWO PASSES.

WE START OFF BY GOING TO SEE A MOVIE ON THE FALLS.  IT WAS OK.  ROX LIKED IT BETTER THAN I DID.  IT WASN’T ENOUGH DOCUMENTARY AS IT WAS JUST TOUCHING ON THE MAJOR HEADLINES, BUT I’M NOT COMPLAINING.  IT’S REAL HANDY THAT EVERY TIME YOU EXIT AN ATTRACTION THERE JUST HAPPENS TO BE A GIFT STORE THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF IN.  WE WERE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT JUST WALKING THRU AND FINDING THE DOOR OUT.

HERE’S WHERE I SHOULD STOP AND TELL EVERYONE WHO HAS NOT BEEN TO SEE NIAGARA FALLS THAT THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON SOMETHING REALLY EXCITING, INTERESTING, BREATH TAKING AND EDUCATIONAL.  RIGHT AFTER YOU FINISH READING TODAY’S BLOG, DROP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND GO TO NIAGARA FALLS………….YOU WON’T REGRET IT.  

IF CASSIE OR LEXIE ARE READING THIS MOM AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR NOT TAKING Y’ALL HERE WHEN YOU WERE KIDS………….IF WE HAD ONLY KNOWN……………CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE US?

ANOTHER REASON FOR SEEING IT RIGHT AWAY IS THAT IT HAS ERODED OVER 7-1/2 MILES IN THE LAST 10,000 YEARS AND THEY SAY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND THAT SOON IT WILL BE GONE AND YOU WILL HAVE MISSED IT, AND WHEN IT’S GONE. IT’S GONE.  YOU’VE ONLY GOT ABOUT ANOTHER 10,000 – 12,000 YEARS OR SO, SO DON’T WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE.  DON’T MAKE ME SAY I TOLD YOU SO!

THE NEXT ATTRACTION WE DECIDE TO GO TO IS “THE CAVE OF THE WINDS”.  HERE YOU ENTER A BUILDING AND A GUY, STANDING BEHIND A COUNTER COVERED ABOUT 18” DEEP WITH BLUE AND GREEN DISPOSABLE RUBBER SANDALS ASKS YOU WHAT SIZE YOU WANT.  AFTER DONNING THE STYLISH SANDALS AND STORING YOUR SHOES IN A PLASTIC BAG YOU GET ON AN ELEVATOR AND DESCEND 175 FEET AND IT LETS OUT JUST A LITTLE ABOVE WATER LEVEL OF THE RIVER (OH, BY THE WAY EVEN THOUGH YOU LOOK ON THE MAP AND IT SHOWS THE NIAGARA RIVER DRAINING LAKE ERIE, GOING OVER THE FALLS AND EVENTUALLY EMPTYING INTO LAKE ONTARIO THE NIAGARA RIVER IS NOT A RIVER, IT IS TECHNICALLY A STRAIT.  THAT’S GOOD BECAUSE I’VE ALWAYS LEARNED THAT ALL NORTH AMERICAN RIVERS RUN FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND THIS WATER WAY RUNS SOUTH TO NORTH……I WAS REALLY CONFUSED UNTIL I DISCOVER THE STRAIT THING)

MEANWHILE BACK AT THE WATER LEVEL OF THE “STRAIT”, THEY HAND YOU A YELLOW RAIN SLICKER WITH A HOOD AND YOU TRAVEL AT YOUR OWN PACE ALONG WOODEN DECKS AND WALKWAYS GETTING EVER CLOSER TO THE FALLING WATER, (HOW MUCH WATER IS FALLING YOU MIGHT ASK……………THAT’S 675,000 GALLONS PER SECOND!!) NOW THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE FALLING WATER THE WETTER YOU ARE GETTING, THUS THE NEED TO COVER YOUR CLOTHES WITH THE PLASTIC RAIN SLICKER.  THERE ARE PLACES YOU CAN STAND AND IT’S JUST LIKE STANDING IN THE SHOWER, THE WATER IS FALLING DIRECTLY ON YOU.  

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD STAND THERE WITH WATER DRENCHING THEM AND THEN TURN AROUND SO SOMEONE ELSE COULD TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM STANDING IN THE WATER WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE FALLS.  I COULDN’T SEE ANY SENSE IN THAT SO I JUST STOOD WHERE I COULD STILL SEE THE FALLS AND I DIDN’T HAVE TO HAVE WATER FALLING ON MY HEAD TO APPRECIATE THE MAJESTY OF THE FALLS; I STILL GOT PLENTY WET AND WAS PROUD OF IT.  

OK, SO NOW WE GO BACK UP THE ELEVATOR AND OUT TO AN AREA WHERE WE DISPOSE OF THE RAIN SLICKER AND THE SANDALS AND OFF WE GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FALLS TO AN OBSERVATION AREA.  THERE ARE THREE FALLS, AMERICAN FALLS, BRIDAL VALE FALLS AND THE MOTHER OF ALL FALLS – HORSESHOE FALLS.  THE CAVE OF THE WINDS TAKES YOU TO AMERICAN FALLS.  THIS OTHER OBSERVATION AREA TAKES US TO HORSESHOE FALLS.  WE SEE THESE FALLS FROM ABOVE AND DOWN BELOW WE CAN SEE THE BOATS THAT TAKE YOU ALMOST UP TO THE FALLING WATER OF THESE BIG FALLS.  WE GO TO ALL THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE OBSERVATION AREA AND FINALLY IT’S TIME TO EAT.

THERE’S A RESTAURANT THERE CALLED “TOP OF THE FALLS” WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND ORDER A REGULAR MEAL NOT THE AFETERIAS THAT CAN BE FOUND AT OTHER PLACES.  WE SIT BY THE GLASS FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND CAN SEE ALL OF HORSESHOE FALLS FROM OUR TABLE…..REALLY COOL.

WE ORDER SUCH LOW CALORIE, HEALTHFUL FOODS AND ARE SO PROUD OF OUR HEALTHFUL WAYS AND THAT WE ARE JUST EATING LIGHT.  I HAD BAKED HADDOCK WITH QUINOA AND ROASTED EDEMAME AND CORN; ROX HAD A BOWL OF THICK VEGETABLE SOUP.  WE ARE STILL PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK FOR SUCH WONDERFULLY HEALTHY CHOICES THAT WE DECIDE TO REWARD OURSELVES  FOR BEING SO GOOD BY SPLITTING A PIECE OF APPLE PIE FOR DESSERT.  THEY BRING THIS PIECE OF PIE TO THE TABLE AND IT’S EASILY AS BIG AS A SMALL SUV.  WELL SO MUCH FOR LIGHT AND HEALTHY EATING.

ANOTHER OF THE ATTRACTIONS INCLUDED IN OUR MONEY-SAVING PASS IS AN ALL DAY PASS FOR RIDING THE TROLLEY WHICH TRAVELS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PARK.  SO, WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE WALKED TO WALK OFF THAT APPLE PIE, THIS IS WHEN WE DECIDE TO RIDE THE TROLLEY TO THE 200 FT TALL OBSERVATION TOWER THAT HANGS OUT OVER THE WATER BELOW.  HERE WE HAVE MORE BREATH TAKING VIEWS.  

NEXT ON THE AGENDA……..I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A FULL DAY………. IS THE BOAT RIDE OUT TO THE FALLING WATER, THIS ATTRACTION IS CALLED “MAID OF THE MIST”.  THE MIST RISING OVER THE FALLING WATER IS CONSTANT AND RISES 150 – 200 FEET AND SOMETIMES IS SO THICK IT RESEMBLES FOG.  NOTHING COULD HAVE PROPERLY PREPARED US FOR THIS “MAID OF THE MIST” BOAT RIDE.  

HERE WE ARE AGAIN ISSUED RAIN SLICKERS, THIS TIME THEY ARE BLUE.  AS THE BOAT PULLS AWAY FROM THE DOCK WE ARE STANDING ON THE OPEN TOP DECK AT THE FRONT OF THE BOAT AND WE CAN SEE THAT THE FALLS ARE ONLY A LITTLE BETTER THAN A QUARTER MILE AWAY.  AS WE APPROACH THE FALLS WE BEGIN TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE MIST AND OF COURSE IT IS EXACERBATED BY THE WIND WHIPPING DOWN THE GORGE.  WE GET CLOSER TO THE FALLING WATER AND THE MIST IS SO THICK AND BEING BLOWN IN YOUR FACE WITH SUCH FORCE THAT YOU COULDN’T SEE THE FALLS ANYMORE AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST WHITE IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES.  IT IS LIKE RIDING A MOTORCYCLE INTO A BLINDING TEXAS THUNDER STORM.

ANOTHER ANALOGY WOULD BE IF YOU SAW THE GEORGE CLOONEY MOVIE, “THE PERFECT STORM,” YOU BEGIN TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE STANDING ON THE DECK OF THAT FISHING BOAT BEING HIT WITH 100 FT WAVES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.  PERHAPS ONE LAST ANALOGY IS IN ORDER…………IF SOMEONE TOOK A FIRE HOSE AND STOOD 10 FEET IN FRONT OF YOU AND OPENED IT UP FULL FORCE.  

I HOPE THESE ANALOGIES GIVE YOU SOME SORT OF PICTURE OF HOW WET AND HOW UNCOMFORTABLE IT WAS BEING PELTED WITH THAT MUCH WATER………….BUT LORD KNOWS WE ARE HAVING FUN.  NOW I KNOW WHY THEY CALL THIS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE……..THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’D HAVE TO BE CRAZY TO EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THIS PERIL MORE THAN ONCE IN YOUR LIFETIME.

FINALLY THE BOAT TURNS AROUND AND HEADS BACK TO SHORE AND YOU CAN FEEL THE WARM SUNSHINE ON YOUR FACE AGAIN.  NOW YOU CAN FEEL WHERE THE WATER GOT PASSED THAT PLASTIC SLICKER AND RAN DOWN ON YOUR CHEST AND STOMACH UNDER YOUR SHIRT AND NOW THE FRONT OF YOUR SHIRT IS SOAKED ALSO.  AS YOU EXIT THE BOAT YOUR HAIR IS COMPLETELY WET AND HANGING IN YOUR FACE AS YOU WALK OFF THE BOAT PASSED THE LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO GET ON FOR THE NEXT RIDE.  I WONDER WHAT THEY’RE THINKING.

WE DECIDE TO WALK TO THE DISCOVERY CENTER THAT’S ABOUT ¾ OF A MILE AWAY AND GET THERE TO DISCOVER (GET IT, THE DISCOVERY CENTER) YES WE DISCOVER THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SIGN OUT FRONT SAYS IT’S OPEN DAILY AT 9:00 AM, WE DISCOVER IT’S CLOSED UNTIL SATURDAY.  WE TAKE THE TROLLEY ONE STOP TO THE PARKING LOT AND GET OUR CAR.  BY NOW IT’S AFTER 4:00.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LITTLE VILLAGES THAT WE SAW ON ONE OF THE MAPS, THAT WERE JUST UP THE ROAD 8-10 MILES SO WE WENT ON A DRIVE TO SEE WHAT WE COULD SEE.  THEY WERE CUTE, QUAINT AND LOADED WITH INTERESTING HOUSE ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS PROBABLY FAIRLY EXPENSIVE ALSO.  THE BEST PART FOR ME WAS THAT THE ROAD WENT INTO FORT NIAGARA AND ENDED AT THE SHORES OF LAKE ONTARIO.  I AM FASCINATED WITH THE GREAT LAKES AND SO EXCITED TO SEE AND TOUCH THEM.  ROX WALKED THE SHORE FOR A WHILE GATHERING TREASURES, STONES, SEA GLASS, STICKS AND ROCKS AND ONE COPPER BUTTON COVER THAT WE FIGURE WAS FROM THE WAR OF 1812.  I LAID ON THE SOFT GRASS AT THE SHORE AND FELL ASLEEP.

WE DROVE BACK TO NIAGARA AND BACK ACROSS THE BRIDGE TO CANADA AND TO OUR HOTEL.  WELL REMEMBER LAST NIGHT THE A/C WAS JUST BARELY LIVABLE AND THEY PROMISED TO FIX IT TODAY AND THAT I CALLED THEM BEFORE WE LEFT THIS MORNING TO REMIND THEM AND THAT THEY SAID THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY AS SOON AS WE LEFT.  WELL, GUESS WHAT, YOU GUESSED IT….NO A/C.  

LONG STORY SHORT, I WENT TO THE FRONT DESK AND THEY UPGRADED US TO A 2 BEDROOM SUITE WITH A JACUZZI IN THE BEDROOM AND REMOVED OUR PARKING FEE FOR THE TWO DAYS, AND BEST OF ALL THIS NEW ROOM HAS OPERABLE A/C

I TOOK A SHOWER AND IT WAS MY TURN TO PICK THE RESTAURANT FOR TONIGHT.  I CHOSE DOC MAGILLIGANS IRISH PUB AND RESTAURANT.  IT WAS ONLY A 15-20 MINUTE WALK SO, BEING THE EXERCISE BUFFS THAT WE ARE, WE DECIDED TO WALK.  WE SPLIT AN APPETIZER OF “BOXTY” (THAT A POTATO PANCAKE THAT WRAPPED AROUND MOST ANYTHING YOU WANT.  TONIGHT IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND TWO KINDS OF CHEESE AND THEN THE WHOLE THING WAS WRAPPED IN BACON.  SO BETWEEN THE BACON, POTATO AND CHEESE …………WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE.  

WE THEN SPLIT AN IRISH MIXED PLATTER WITH 3 RAMEKINS FILLED WITH CURRY CHICKEN, SHEPARD’S PIE AND STEAK AND MUSHROOM.  SPLITTING A MEAL IS MUCH BETTER THAN EATING TWO FULL MEALS. WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AT THIS.  WE WALKED HOME AND I WROTE AND ROX WATCHED TV.

[ramvanfam]

Ohio by way of Niagara Falls and the Rustbelt

My grandma was turning 85. There would be a surprise party...in Westerville, OH. It’s not often everyone on my dad’s side of the family all get together anymore. We are multiplying (in fact there would be my cousin’s new baby to meet) and live all around the country. In the spirit of avoiding the weddings or funerals mindset, I knew I wanted to make this trip happen.

We decided to drive, in part because we love road trip adventures, and in part because there is no easy way to fly to Ohio from Rhode Island. Also, according to virtually everyone we mentioned this trip to, because we are crazy. We had only four days and 1600ish round trip miles to cover. 

Thank god Cody is a morning person, because these types of trips only make sense when you leave well before sunrise. By the time the sky was turning red, we had already made it to our first pit stop. We were treated to this rainbow sky behind the iconic golden arches in an almost empty parking lot, save for a few over the road truckers.

I had been daydreaming about taking the kids to see Niagara Falls for a while. I was there just once in college, while visiting friends at RIT; this would be Cody’s first time. After looking at the map, I decided it would be a great way to break up the drive. We had learned there are bike paths all around Niagara Falls, so decided this would be the perfect opportunity to try out our bike rack on its first long trip.

Our drive took us right along the Erie Canal. Coincidentally, Willa’s 3rd grade chorus was in the process of learning Low Bridge, so we all had that song stuck in our head for days. We got off the highway in Canastota, NY and got to see a painted low bridge up close. 

Cody is an expert at the backroads, and this is one of my favorite things he brings to our adventures. Miles of highway can get so monotonous - from the interstate, everything looks the same - but one reprieve into a small rustbelt town is enough to light a fire of interest and curiosity in all of us. 

There’s a toe path that runs along parts of the Erie Canal and through this town - you can see it just beyond that arch in the picture. We didn’t have time to get our bikes out, but we walked along it for a little and saw some beavers working on their dam. 

Small towns like this make me feel at home, and it was relaxing to walk around and just see life happening on a sleepy Thursday morning. I like how the murals gave us a small glimpse into what the town might have been like back in the canal’s hay day. 

“A House Held Up By Trees” - Other perks of taking back roads - seeing a house held up by trees that looks just like the pictures in the book we have by the same name.

After playing a friendly competition of Eye Spy (a farm animal - 5 points, a silo - 7 points, an Amish person - 10 points), we got back on the highway to log some more miles. We took this opportunity to listen to every podcast we could find about people going over the falls in a barrel. Next stop - the Canadian border!! 

We crossed the border at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and just followed signs for Niagara Falls. We weren’t sure what to expect. The last time I came here, we walked across the border from the US side during a time when you didn’t need passports. This route took us along the Niagara Parkway and we saw that right beside us was a bike path along the Niagara River. 

We parked the ramvan right near the Butterfly Conservatory and unloaded the bikes, resisting the urge (mostly mine) to first go look at the butterflies. It was about 2:00 in the afternoon, and we were all ready to be out of the van and stretch our legs.

We had no idea how far we were from Niagara Falls, and purposely didn’t look at a map to find out; we figured we must be pretty close.

It felt great to have reached out first destination and be out in the fresh air in one of the first warm days of the spring. The mood was slightly less jubilant as we kept riding for 7 more miles before we finally reached the falls. Oops! Didn’t think it would be quite that far, but there were a few picturesque places to stop along the way.

Someday I would love/be slightly terrified to ride one of these gondolas across the Niagara River. By the time we got to this junction, we could start to hear the roar of the falls (good thing because the kids were beginning to lose patience). 

It was so worth it to have the anticipation build and get to slowly approach this view by bike. I was trying to put myself in the shoes of someone who had no idea what to expect, but it was also just as awe inspiring the second time around.

It was a beautiful sunny day, but it had been a long cold winter and the falls were still pretty pretty frozen, so the Maid of the Mist tour boats weren’t running. While I would have liked the experience of getting so close to the falls, it was kind of nice to not have to feel like we were missing out on something if we decided to view the falls just from above. 

It got more and more crowded as we got closer to the horseshoe falls. The temperature dropped a solid 15 degrees as we walked through the mist coming off the falls. 

We were now closer to the main streets of town, and could see our hotel in the distance. We were staying at the Marriott on the Falls and it was just down a little farther and one street above us. We had come so far - we decided to just keep walking/riding to get to our hotel and then send Cody back to get the van once we checked in. There was an incline car to get up to the main street from the falls, but there was one problem - no bikes allowed. We were so close, yet so far away. We ended up on a trek through a big parking lot that we were sure would lead to a road to the hotel. Instead, we found a dead end. We saw a dirt path through the woods above that said no trespassing, but it seemed like our only option. After convincing the kids that it is okay to sometimes break rules at times like this (MY HEART VOICE SAYS TAKE THE PATH!!), we made it up to the main road, and finally to our hotel.

There were no falls view rooms left, but we could walk right around the corner from our room to the elevator alcove for this amazing view. The hotel stored our bikes for us while Cody rode his to get the van. The parking lot in the above picture is the one we rode through. 

We contemplated walking down to the busier part of town for a restaurant dinner, but it was getting late and the kids wanted to swim (always get the hotel with the pool!). Cody took them down to the pool while I unpacked and laid out this dinner spread. I had packed a ton of food for this trip and we ended up not eating out at all. After dinner, we turned on a movie for the kids, and Cody and I took our wine and went around the corner to sit by the hallway window and look at falls. People coming off of the elevator probably thought we were nuts, but we just wanted to soak in that view. And it’s a good thing we did - when we woke up the next morning, it was so foggy that you couldn’t even tell the falls were there. We took that as our cue to leave - but not before a morning swim. Onward to Ohio!

We took a slight detour to drive through the town of Erie. It was a part of PA I had never been to. The city center still had kind of a 1960′s vibe and it was easy to imagine what life might have been like back then. Cody led us down to Presque Isle State Park, which is a peninsula that juts out into Lake Erie. It was still pretty foggy, so we couldn’t see much. We stopped for a picnic lunch and planned our next move.

There are 21 miles of bike paths throughout the park. It had started raining a little, but we decided we couldn’t pass them up. 

We rode for a few miles and found an End of the Rhode type of beach with dunes perfect for jumping.

It was nice to have some time to explore and stretch our legs, because after this stop, it was hammer down to Ohio; we were expected by dinner. 

After hundreds of miles of driving, coming from two completely different places, and not talking all day about our travel plans, the Wolfe’s pulled into the parking lot of my grandma’s apartment at the exact same time we did. Twin powers unite! We only had about 36 hours in Ohio, so we were going to make the most of them. After a pizza dinner with everyone trickling in as they arrived, we went back and slept at my aunt and uncles’ house. On Saturday, there would be a Bunny Hop 5K run, an Easter egg hunt, lunch and a tour of my grandma’s new apartment building, and the surprise party.

It was a busy day, but so worth it to get to spend it with these people!

Sunday was Easter. We had originally planned to get up and leave pretty early, but we decided to enjoy a more leisurely morning. We had a nice breakfast at my aunt and uncles’, then headed over to my grandma’s where the kids rode their bikes on the bike paths that surround her apartment while the adults “visited” (as my mom calls it). We took some final photo ops and were on our way around noon.

At our first gas station stop, the kids were excited to discover that the Easter bunny had left their baskets and some eggs hidden in the ramvan! Each time we stopped, there would be a couple more eggs hidden, filled with lego people they could put together and play with in the car. That Easter bunny sure is a tricky guy.

We weren’t sure if we would try to drive the whole way in one shot, or if we would have to stop overnight somewhere. The kids fell asleep in the car around 9:00, and by the time we got to NYC around 11:30 hardly anyone else was on the road. We knew at this point it would take us twice as long to drive the remaining 200 miles in morning traffic, so we just went for it. And by “we” I mostly mean Cody. I just did my best to stay awake and pick good podcasts. 

4 days, 1700 miles, and a whole lot of fun. And we even all made it to school and work the next day!

#ramvanfam #ramvan #niagarafalls #presqueisle #eriecanal #lakeerie

[virginiabeachresidence]

Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach

Mount Trashmore is a uniquely named park in North Central Virginia Beach. Families from all over Coastal Virginia come here to relax or exercise! If you’re new to the area, don’t be alarmed. You won’t be wading through trash while you are here. Mount Trashmore is some wonderful example of environmental engineering! The 60 foot high attraction was created using soil and trash, which is obviously the root of the moniker.

Mt Trashmore Stairs

On this day, I went there to walk around. I accomplished plenty of that! Mount Trashmore Park is on 165 acres! You can burn off a couple of extra calories walking up and down the “Mountain”. Or if flatland is more your style, you can do laps around Lake Trashmore. The Lake Trail, as it is called, is a 1.5 mile trek. The Perimeter Trail goes around most of the park and is 2.2 miles. People often walk, jog, run, bike, skateboard, scoot and hover board around the trails. They are flat, so strollers are an option. Along the trails are outdoor fitness stations! Dogs are welcome!

The main mountain, again is 60 ft high, and 800 ft long. The sides are a huge temptation for kids to roll down! On any nice day, you can see children running up and down

Mt Trashmore Play Parks

The park has several playgrounds for kids. The big one, Kids Cove,  is just north of the mountain. There are extra nice bathrooms for you to powder your nose! If you get tired of all that walking, there is plenty of seating for parents to get a good view of the kids. There are covered picnic areas for family meals. The playground has the nice soft ground that makes falling children a lot more safe! It’s better on your feet than Dr Scholls!

Mt Trashmore Skate Park

For those of you with slightly older kids, there is a skate park north of Kids Cove, closer to Lake Windsor and Encore Hill. Bikes, scooters, skateboards and inline skaters are encouraged to enjoy this attraction. Participants will be expected to obtain a park pass ahead of time. Information on getting a pass can be found here. Expert riders may be excited to know about the 13.5 foot vert ramp here! Helmets are required to participate.

There are various extra large picnic shelters. There are areas for volleyball or horseshoes. There are vending machines and liberal amounts of restrooms. And seasonally, concession stands are available! For shelter reservations, please call 385-PARK.

All of this is easily accessible from nearby neighborhoods! I am a Realtor, so you know I need to mention it. Should you desire to live near this incredible investment in the Virginia Beach population’s happiness, you should check out the homes for sale in these neighborhoods.  Thalia Village, Windsor Woods, Thalia Trace, Windsor Oaks, Windsor Oaks West, Holland Meadows, and Larkspur. High Schools that serve these neighborhoods are Princess Anne High School, Kempsville High School and Green Run High School.

I always have a great time at Mount Trashmore. It is one of the most picturesque Virginia Beach areas to walk around outside and get some sun. if you would like to start looking at homes in this area, I am your Virginia Beach specialist. I grew up in Virginia Beach and I can help you find just the right property for you and your family. I also market the heck out of Virginia Beach, so I can get your home sold quicker and for more money. Give me a call and lets get started towards your goals!

Tom Taylor 757-589-1237

#dogs #Green Run High School #Holland Meadows #Kempsville High School #Lake Windsor #Larkspur #Mt Trashmore #play parks #Princess Anne High School #skate parks #Thalia Trace #Thalia Village #Windsor Oaks #Windsor Oaks West #Windsor Woods #Real Estate #Tom Taylor #Virginia Beach

[lostinyourears]

Fantastica Mania 2018 Night 2 Report! 01/21/2018

Card with Guide

Link to NJPW World page

Drone & Star Jr. vs. Disturbio & Puma

Who’s who?

Drone in all black, Star Jr. in Blue, while rudos Puma is in a gold bodysuit and Disturbio is the only maskless man in this match. 

How’s the match?

Fun, though it felt a little brief. That shouldn’t be too surprising with it being the opener and all. I like Puma and he seemed to be getting over here and was given a big spot vs Atlantis in the previous night. I’ll be interested to see if the comedy match slated to open the next night of Fantastica Mania where Disturbio/Puma take on Taguchi/Fuego will be as good.  

Star Jr. didn’t do his rotations here, but I can’t blame him after Rush completely whiffed catching him on Night 1. I would trust Puma 9 times out of 10 over Rush... as great as Rush is he isn’t historically a great catch for guys. More of a big muscle brawly type and good character work in being a believable dick. 

Good match, but it did feel a little rushed and Drone just seemed off. 

Soberano Jr., Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Okumura & Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH)

Who’s who?

Soberano Jr. in all black, Fuego in Orange/Yellow, and Taguchi in green pants.

Okumura has various national flags on his pants, SHO in gold and YOH in silver.

How’s the match?

Good fun, though nothing too shocking of note. Okumura reunited with the young lions he had teamed with in CMLL. I was honestly hoping for a little more out of YOH/SHO. Felt like a Taguchi heavy match, which is fine. I can enjoy comedy wrestling and this was really the one match on that card that had any of note. Everyone did a fine job, but this felt a bit like filler even if it does feature Taguchi eating someones ass. 

Satoshi Kojima, Atlantis, KUSHIDA & Hirai Kawato vs. Rush & Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)

Who’s who?

Atlantis in a white/black mask, blue pants and white boots/kneepads, KUSHIDA in white shorts, Hirai Kawada in plain black trunks and Satoshi Kojima in black/orange.

Rush in yellow/black, Naito in red/black with white western books,Takahashi in airbrushed tights with red highlights in his hair, and Bushi is the only masked rudo wearing silver attire.

How’s the match?

Great, I think I may prefer the first nights ingobernables match. We got Lee/Hiromu in that one which was a huge plus. It’s cool seeing KUSHIDA here and he mixed well with BUSHI. Atlantis got more to do here, but they positioned Kojima as the biggest threat as he and Rush build towards a singles match on the last day. It’s nice to see ingobernables as a unit, sorta going to miss seeing Rush pal around with them since on the last day he will be busy with Kojima.

Kawato here was really the biggest highlight of the match. Excited to see him come rock CMLL in 2018. With incredible pairs coming up in February I wonder in he will be in that, I would doubt it though as he will probably still be getting use to working lucha style matches. Since these matches are mostly Kawato working with NJPW talent with the exception of Rush... who isn’t really typical of the style of wrestling that is the norm in CMLL specifically. 

Niebla Roja & Angel de Oro vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero, First round of Brothers Tournament

Who’s who?

Niebla in gold with red boots, Angel de Oro in white with gold accents, while rudos Los Guerreros in Green/black Ultimo maskless and Gran still sporting the iconic Ultimo mast design. 

How’s the match?

Great, it’s nice to see the Roja/Gran feud work their brothers into it. It actually feels sorta strange that Roja was kicked out of Los Guerreros and had this big feud vs Gran... Ultimo feels like he hasn’t been a part of it much after the initial kick out. Oro/Ultimo meet here and it works and Gran/Roja continue to fume at one another. This match was given a bit more time than the next match, which you could tell. The following match would be much easier to remember in its entirety, while this one felt more active/varied. I’m very interested in the final 2 matches of this tournament as both those matches feel pretty up in the air. I’d probably recommend this over all the tag matches of Night 2. 

I’ll fully admit to being a big fan of both Guerreros, Angel Bros are very good too. It’s nice that CMLL has been pretty set on making Niebla Roja a loved babyface and his rolling elbows will likely win him some fans here. Big upgrade compared to last year when he wasn’t on the tour, neither was his brother. Just goes to show that losing a mask can actually elevate someone like it’s doing to Roja and like it did a couple years ago with Volador Jr. 

Dragon Lee & Mistico vs. Sanson & Cuatrero, First round of Brothers Tournament

Who’s who?

Dragon Lee in all black, Mistico in white/gold, while rudos Sanson and Caristico are in white. Sanson has a lion on his forehead while Cuatrero has horseshoe and has spur accents off his eyes. 

How’s the match?

Very good, it’s nice to see these brothers battle like this. This is what the Copa Dinastia should have been a couple of months ago, but it instead got a bit bogged down by everyone bringing their dad/uncles and generally having a wonky finish. My main complaint for this match would be that it’s a little shorter than it deserves to be. You can tell NGD are sorta hiding their cards as well, waiting to pull out their bigger spots for the final night where they will face Angel de Oro and Niebla Roja who are likely going to challenge for NGD’s Trio or Tag Titles. Lee/Mistico looked great here and I honestly think if we had RPG stats for the two both men would get a +4 to their states in Japan.

Dragon Lee because his feud with Hiromu Takahashi has made him probably the most relevant luchador for the NJPW fanbase, Mistico because the Mistico name is really the reason Fantastica Mania is a thing and of course both are brothers to Rush who is a founding member of ingobernables which made a branch in Japan that grew legs. So all three brothers are seemingly very well liked by NJPW, but really just wrestling fans as a whole. All three are great in CMLL and Mexico, but it’s really nice to see them going full boar on this tour while sometimes in CMLL it seems like they are coasting. Though that complaint is mostly on Rush with Mistico/Lee sometimes just not being given much to do. 

Volador Jr. (c) vs. Barbaro Cavernario NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship Match

Who’s who?

Volador in white and Barbaro looking like a caveman.

How’s the match?

Great! These two also blew it out of the water last time Barbaro challenged for this belt back in June. While that match was great, I think this evolved upon that and was built upon by both men’s previous experience in Japan. Last year Barbaro challenges for Dragon Lee’s belt and I’d say this match was better than that, though that match is still no slouch. Meanwhile Volador Jr. continues to be one of CMLL’s biggest stars and show why his name was probably at the top of the list of guys to send to Japan for Fantastica Mania and why he is the longest reigning champion in CMLL. My biggest issue with the match is just that if you know much about CMLL’s belts you’d likely know this belt wasn’t going to change hands on a foreign tour. 

Still, even if the outcome was a foregone conclusion it was nice seeing these two put on a stellar title match with many of their big spots. I was geeking out as soon as I saw Barbaro start to tear down the corner, because I knew that meant we would be getting one of those great through the post suicide dives from him. Barbaro didn’t take the belt here, but with how solid he is it seems only a matter of time before he gets CMLL gold again. Weather or not it’ll be Volador Jr’s gold only time will tell.  

Highlights :

#CMLL #NJPW #Fantastica Mania #Drone #Star Jr. #Disturbio #Puma #Soberano Jr. #Fuego #Ryusuke Taguchi #YOH #SHO #Okumura #Satoshi Kojima #Atlantis #KUSHIDA #Hirai Kawato #Rush #Tetsuya Naito #Hiromu Takahashi #BUSHI #Niebla Roja #Angel de Oro #Gran Guerrero #Ultimo Guerrero #Sanson #Cuatrero #Mistico #Dragon Lee #Volador Jr.

[beingmad2017-blog]

The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News

New Post has been published on https://beingmad.org/the-virginia-living-museum-in-newport-news/

The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News

This museum combines exhibits of the natural history of Virginia with living exhibits of animals, birds, and fish native to the state. The VLM is not a zoo, please note – all of the animals there were either injured, orphaned, or born in captivity.

I’ll discuss how to get there first, and then describe the exhibits and activities you’ll see there. To get to the nitty gritty immediately – this is an excellent museum, and is popular with kids, so families will enjoy it, as will anyone with any interest in natural history or the environment.

How Much Time Will You Need?

You should plan to spend about two hours at the museum, although you can certainly spend as much time there as you like. There are four Galleries featuring the natural history exhibits, a few large aquarium tanks, and a long outdoors, handicapped-accessible elevated boardwalk which enables you to walk through various habitats and view the animals, as well as various types of trees.

A new “Wild Side Café” opened in late September 2007, so it’s possible to get food, and then take it outside to the picnic areas in order to relax and eat.

How To Get There

The Museum is located at 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd. I suggest you get precise directions from your location to the museum via an Internet driving directions site.

J. Clyde Morris is an extremely busy stretch of road, with three lanes of traffic heading south, and three north, for much of its length, so you will do well to have a second pair of eyes looking out for the signs – most of which are relatively small, pale cream-colored, with pale green print alerting you when to turn.

The museum is located in a hollow, such that, if you’re driving north/east on J. Clyde, across the three lanes of traffic coming in the other direction, you won’t be able to see the buildings themselves. You’ll see a sign for the SPCA on your right – and the large sign for the Virginia Living Museum is on your left. There are a set of stop lights here so it will be easy for you to turn left, go across the three lanes onto the frontage drive, which you’ll follow along to the right.

If you’re coming south/west on J. Clyde, you will first pass the Riverside Hospital, then go up a bit of a hill. Looking to your right, down in the hollow, you’ll see the green roof of the museum, as well as a silver cupola on the right-hand side of the building that houses the observatory. You will see a small sign telling you that the Museum is the “next right,” and the first turning you come to on your right, which also happens to be the first set of stop lights you come to, is the one you take onto the frontage road. (The large sign, visible in the other direction, isn’t visible from this direction until you’re right on top of it.)

If you miss your turning, in either direction, don’t despair. U-turns are allowed here – so simply turn around at the next appropriate spot and go back.

Parking Lot

When you first come to the frontage road, you’ll have a choice to go left or right. Go right. To the left is the road to Deer Park Elementary School. The first parking lot you come to is an “overflow” parking lot for school buses. Just keep on going to the parking lot in front of the museum.

What Time To Go – Seasons

This museum is visited frequently by schools during the school year. Usually not in September – but come October, the field trips begin. However, school buses must be back at their schools by 2 pm, so if you do not want to deal with a lot of kids running around, plan your visit for after that time. (Note the Outdoor Trail closes at 4.30 pm and the museum itself closes at 5 pm.) On the other hand, seeing the excitement of children as they touch the horseshoe crabs and other marine animals in the Touch Tank, or spot an animal on the Outdoor Trail, can heighten your own enjoyment of the museum.

Entrance

As you walk towards the front entrance, you’ll see on your left a small sculpture of two bobcats chasing a rabbit. There’s also a sundial set into the walkway, with yourself as the gnomon.

–Virginia Garden

Before you enter the museum, look to your right. (Or you may have noticed this already, depending on where you’ve parked.) To your far right, you’ll see a building that houses the planetarium (closed now, except for special occasions), and various classrooms. In front of that building is a new, permanent outdoor “exhibit” which opened in March 2007 – the Virginia Garden, featuring plants indigenous to Virginia from the time of the Powhatan (1607) onward. You can wander through this short trail, with explanatory signs in front of variously-planted plots, free of charge…

Enter the museum, and you’re in a large foyer. To your right is the Wild Things Museum Store, full of books, T-shirts, plush toys, birding tools and so on. (You can go into the store without having to enter the museum, and it’s a fun place to browse around, so if you have the time…) Also to your right is the Wild Side Cafe.

The Admissions Desk is straight ahead. At the time of this writing, tickets for adults are $13 (with the discount for seniors) and $10 for children – under the age of 12! Consider getting a membership if you live anywhere in the area.

To your immediate left is the room in which the Changing Exhibits are held. You can go there first, or wait until you’re done with the rest of the museum. These exhibits usually run for about 4 months each.

Events and Volunteers

Be sure to pick up a flyer at the Admission Desk which lets you know what events are happening that day – and be sure to ask the clerk at the Desk if anything special is scheduled. Various feelings of the animals take place on a regular basis, and those in the Touch Tank and Aviary are fed every day at specific times.

The observatory is open to observe the sun (with proper protection of course) and the moon during the day, and on selected occasions at night. However, this is all dependent on volunteers being available to staff the observatory – so ask at the desk or call beforehand to find out if the observatory is open.

There are seasonal events as well – running only a couple of days each. For example at the time of this writing, flyers for the “Night of the Living Museum,” a non-scary Halloween event, are set out on the counters. There are plenty of school activities and activities for kids going on all the time, and astronomy programs for adults and kids, so check out their website (given at the bottom of this article) to see what’s happening.

The Galleries

The Virginia Living Museum consists of two floors, with two galleries on each floor. Their galleries provide information on the Piedmont and Mountains, the Coastal Plain, the Virginia Underground, and the World of Darkness (i.e. nocturnal animals).

You enter the museum on the Upper Level. The entrance to the Outdoor Trail and Exhibits is on the Lower Level, and if you want to do that first, either take the spiral staircase or elevator, down to that level.

Upper Level

Piedmont and Mountains Gallery

On your left is the Piedmont and Mountains Gallery. There’s a “Hands-on Activities” niche there, usually unoccupied when school tours aren’t in evidence, but you can still poke around them.

The Piedmont is “a plateau between the coastal plain and the Appalachian Mountains, including parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.” Walk through this gallery into the Appalachian Mountain Cove, an “outdoors” area reproducing the Appalachian habitat. You are actually looking down over the Cove, which extends upwards from the Lower Level.

Coastal Plain Gallery

Before you go into the Coastal Plain Gallery, you’ll want to visit the Touch Tank, which is always manned by a volunteer to encourage visitors to touch the horseshoe crabs and other marine crustaceans on offer in the tank. There’s also a docent inside the gallery, to talk about the Bay aquarium through which you walk on the way to the rest of the exhibits. And then, out into the “outdoor” exhibit of the Cypress Swamp, where you can see alligators, turtles, ducks and so on. Again, you are looking down over the Cove, which extends upwards from the Lower Level.

Descend to the Lower Level via the spiral staircase in the center of the building, or take the elevator. The first thing you’ll see is a dinosaur sculpture. Plenty of dinosaur tracks have been found in Virginia, but no dinosaur bones.

Virginia’s Underground Gallery

To your left is the Underground Gallery. Again, there’s a hands-on activity section, which is only manned during field trips, but you can still poke around it.

The Underground Gallery itself consists of a mock-up of a limestone cave and an underground mine.

Virginia’s World of Darkness Gallery

Poke around the hands-on section, then journey int the World of Darkness Gallery, to see animals that come out at night, such as owls, flying squirrels, and so on.

Outdoor Trail and Exhibits

When you exit to the Outdoor Trail, you will see a butterfly garden in between the doors. On your right a couple of beavers, busy beavering away. There’s also a large tank with a couple of otters. The waters over which you walk on the boardwalk are a tributary of Deer Park Lake, a tributary of the James River.

You’ll pass through the 5,500-squarefoot Coastal Plain Aviary – filled with coastal birds such as pelicans, herons, egrets and ducks. Then you walk on the boardwalk through the various habitats of animals – red wolf, bald eagle, vulture, bobcat, deer, wild turkey, skunk and opossum, coyote and fox. (And again, the animals here cannot survive in the wild.)

Know Before You Go

The goal of any museum is to tell you what you need to know when you’re in the museum. The Virginia Living Museum has excellent explanatory placards everywhere. But you will get so much more pleasure out of the experience if you are actually familiar with the topics before you enter the museum. So check out a few books on the geography and physical features of the state of Virginia – you’ll be glad you did!

Opening and Closing

The VLM is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except during the Winter season (Labor Day to Memorial Day), when the Sunday hours are noon to 5 pm. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Better Safe Than Sorry

The phone number for the museum is 757-595-1900. I’m going to suggest that you call the Museum before you set out, to ensure that it is open. This may seem like a waste of time, but I actually had the experience this summer of dropping in to visit the museum only to discover it was closed because of a power outage caused by a storm the night before! Now that’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime event, nevertheless, it doesn’t take long to make the call and it will save any disappointment later.

Website

Exhibits change on a regular basis, so check the website at http://www.thevlm.org to see what’s new.

Another website to visit is the Hampton Roads Bird Club at http://www.hamptonroadsbirdclub.org.

Other Attractions

If you exit out of the Museum and turn left, you’ll be heading in the direction of the Mariners’ Museum. Just keep going straight until you get to it. If you turn right, the first turning on your right will be at the junction of the Deer Park Elementary School. Keep going, and you’ll come to the parking lot for Deer Park, where you can walk through several nature trails.

[giveuselife-blog]

The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News

New Post has been published on https://giveuselife.org/presenting-sheila-blinoff-and-carole-stimmell-from-the-beach-metro-news-a-centre-of-information/

The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News

This museum combines exhibits of the natural history of Virginia with living exhibits of animals, birds, and fish native to the state. The VLM is not a zoo, please note – all of the animals there were either injured, orphaned, or born in captivity.

I’ll discuss how to get there first, and then describe the exhibits and activities you’ll see there. To get to the nitty gritty immediately – this is an excellent museum, and is popular with kids, so families will enjoy it, as will anyone with any interest in natural history or the environment.

How Much Time Will You Need?

You should plan to spend about two hours at the museum, although you can certainly spend as much time there as you like. There are four Galleries featuring the natural history exhibits, a few large aquarium tanks, and a long outdoors, handicapped-accessible elevated boardwalk which enables you to walk through various habitats and view the animals, as well as various types of trees.

A new “Wild Side Café” opened in late September 2007, so it’s possible to get food, and then take it outside to the picnic areas in order to relax and eat.

How To Get There

The Museum is located at 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd. I suggest you get precise directions from your location to the museum via an Internet driving directions site.

J. Clyde Morris is an extremely busy stretch of road, with three lanes of traffic heading south, and three north, for much of its length, so you will do well to have a second pair of eyes looking out for the signs – most of which are relatively small, pale cream-colored, with pale green print alerting you when to turn.

The museum is located in a hollow, such that, if you’re driving north/east on J. Clyde, across the three lanes of traffic coming in the other direction, you won’t be able to see the buildings themselves. You’ll see a sign for the SPCA on your right – and the large sign for the Virginia Living Museum is on your left. There are a set of stop lights here so it will be easy for you to turn left, go across the three lanes onto the frontage drive, which you’ll follow along to the right.

If you’re coming south/west on J. Clyde, you will first pass the Riverside Hospital, then go up a bit of a hill. Looking to your right, down in the hollow, you’ll see the green roof of the museum, as well as a silver cupola on the right-hand side of the building that houses the observatory. You will see a small sign telling you that the Museum is the “next right,” and the first turning you come to on your right, which also happens to be the first set of stop lights you come to, is the one you take onto the frontage road. (The large sign, visible in the other direction, isn’t visible from this direction until you’re right on top of it.)

If you miss your turning, in either direction, don’t despair. U-turns are allowed here – so simply turn around at the next appropriate spot and go back.

Parking Lot

When you first come to the frontage road, you’ll have a choice to go left or right. Go right. To the left is the road to Deer Park Elementary School. The first parking lot you come to is an “overflow” parking lot for school buses. Just keep on going to the parking lot in front of the museum.

What Time To Go – Seasons

This museum is visited frequently by schools during the school year. Usually not in September – but come October, the field trips begin. However, school buses must be back at their schools by 2 pm, so if you do not want to deal with a lot of kids running around, plan your visit for after that time. (Note the Outdoor Trail closes at 4.30 pm and the museum itself closes at 5 pm.) On the other hand, seeing the excitement of children as they touch the horseshoe crabs and other marine animals in the Touch Tank, or spot an animal on the Outdoor Trail, can heighten your own enjoyment of the museum.

Entrance

As you walk towards the front entrance, you’ll see on your left a small sculpture of two bobcats chasing a rabbit. There’s also a sundial set into the walkway, with yourself as the gnomon.

–Virginia Garden

Before you enter the museum, look to your right. (Or you may have noticed this already, depending on where you’ve parked.) To your far right, you’ll see a building that houses the planetarium (closed now, except for special occasions), and various classrooms. In front of that building is a new, permanent outdoor “exhibit” which opened in March 2007 – the Virginia Garden, featuring plants indigenous to Virginia from the time of the Powhatan (1607) onward. You can wander through this short trail, with explanatory signs in front of variously-planted plots, free of charge…

Enter the museum, and you’re in a large foyer. To your right is the Wild Things Museum Store, full of books, T-shirts, plush toys, birding tools and so on. (You can go into the store without having to enter the museum, and it’s a fun place to browse around, so if you have the time…) Also to your right is the Wild Side Cafe.

The Admissions Desk is straight ahead. At the time of this writing, tickets for adults are $13 (with the discount for seniors) and $10 for children – under the age of 12! Consider getting a membership if you live anywhere in the area.

To your immediate left is the room in which the Changing Exhibits are held. You can go there first, or wait until you’re done with the rest of the museum. These exhibits usually run for about 4 months each.

Events and Volunteers

Be sure to pick up a flyer at the Admission Desk which lets you know what events are happening that day – and be sure to ask the clerk at the Desk if anything special is scheduled. Various feelings of the animals take place on a regular basis, and those in the Touch Tank and Aviary are fed every day at specific times.

The observatory is open to observe the sun (with proper protection of course) and the moon during the day, and on selected occasions at night. However, this is all dependent on volunteers being available to staff the observatory – so ask at the desk or call beforehand to find out if the observatory is open.

There are seasonal events as well – running only a couple of days each. For example at the time of this writing, flyers for the “Night of the Living Museum,” a non-scary Halloween event, are set out on the counters. There are plenty of school activities and activities for kids going on all the time, and astronomy programs for adults and kids, so check out their website (given at the bottom of this article) to see what’s happening.

The Galleries

The Virginia Living Museum consists of two floors, with two galleries on each floor. Their galleries provide information on the Piedmont and Mountains, the Coastal Plain, the Virginia Underground, and the World of Darkness (i.e. nocturnal animals).

You enter the museum on the Upper Level. The entrance to the Outdoor Trail and Exhibits is on the Lower Level, and if you want to do that first, either take the spiral staircase or elevator, down to that level.

Upper Level

Piedmont and Mountains Gallery

On your left is the Piedmont and Mountains Gallery. There’s a “Hands-on Activities” niche there, usually unoccupied when school tours aren’t in evidence, but you can still poke around them.

The Piedmont is “a plateau between the coastal plain and the Appalachian Mountains, including parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.” Walk through this gallery into the Appalachian Mountain Cove, an “outdoors” area reproducing the Appalachian habitat. You are actually looking down over the Cove, which extends upwards from the Lower Level.

Coastal Plain Gallery

Before you go into the Coastal Plain Gallery, you’ll want to visit the Touch Tank, which is always manned by a volunteer to encourage visitors to touch the horseshoe crabs and other marine crustaceans on offer in the tank. There’s also a docent inside the gallery, to talk about the Bay aquarium through which you walk on the way to the rest of the exhibits. And then, out into the “outdoor” exhibit of the Cypress Swamp, where you can see alligators, turtles, ducks and so on. Again, you are looking down over the Cove, which extends upwards from the Lower Level.

Descend to the Lower Level via the spiral staircase in the center of the building, or take the elevator. The first thing you’ll see is a dinosaur sculpture. Plenty of dinosaur tracks have been found in Virginia, but no dinosaur bones.

Virginia’s Underground Gallery

To your left is the Underground Gallery. Again, there’s a hands-on activity section, which is only manned during field trips, but you can still poke around it.

The Underground Gallery itself consists of a mock-up of a limestone cave and an underground mine.

Virginia’s World of Darkness Gallery

Poke around the hands-on section, then journey int the World of Darkness Gallery, to see animals that come out at night, such as owls, flying squirrels, and so on.

Outdoor Trail and Exhibits

When you exit to the Outdoor Trail, you will see a butterfly garden in between the doors. On your right a couple of beavers, busy beavering away. There’s also a large tank with a couple of otters. The waters over which you walk on the boardwalk are a tributary of Deer Park Lake, a tributary of the James River.

You’ll pass through the 5,500-squarefoot Coastal Plain Aviary – filled with coastal birds such as pelicans, herons, egrets and ducks. Then you walk on the boardwalk through the various habitats of animals – red wolf, bald eagle, vulture, bobcat, deer, wild turkey, skunk and opossum, coyote and fox. (And again, the animals here cannot survive in the wild.)

Know Before You Go

The goal of any museum is to tell you what you need to know when you’re in the museum. The Virginia Living Museum has excellent explanatory placards everywhere. But you will get so much more pleasure out of the experience if you are actually familiar with the topics before you enter the museum. So check out a few books on the geography and physical features of the state of Virginia – you’ll be glad you did!

Opening and Closing

The VLM is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except during the Winter season (Labor Day to Memorial Day), when the Sunday hours are noon to 5 pm. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Better Safe Than Sorry

The phone number for the museum is 757-595-1900. I’m going to suggest that you call the Museum before you set out, to ensure that it is open. This may seem like a waste of time, but I actually had the experience this summer of dropping in to visit the museum only to discover it was closed because of a power outage caused by a storm the night before! Now that’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime event, nevertheless, it doesn’t take long to make the call and it will save any disappointment later.

Website

Exhibits change on a regular basis, so check the website at http://www.thevlm.org to see what’s new.

Another website to visit is the Hampton Roads Bird Club at http://www.hamptonroadsbirdclub.org.

Other Attractions

If you exit out of the Museum and turn left, you’ll be heading in the direction of the Mariners’ Museum. Just keep going straight until you get to it. If you turn right, the first turning on your right will be at the junction of the Deer Park Elementary School. Keep going, and you’ll come to the parking lot for Deer Park, where you can walk through several nature trails.

[russellthornton]

Fun Challenges to Do with Friends: 13 Funniest Things You Can Do

Bored on a Saturday night or looking to post the latest viral video? These 13 fun challenges to do with friends are sure to please.

Making a list of fun challenges to do with friends guarantees you’re going to make some fantastic memories together. Challenges range from small games like Chubby Bunny to huge life goals like traveling across your country or seeing a new part of the world. Do the entire list with one friend or break it up to include a ton of people you love hanging out with.

These lists are not only hilarious, they also involve some huge accomplishments. Whether you’re into sharing these challenges as videos on YouTube or are about to embark on a new life adventure such as marriage, babies, travel, or work, there’s nothing better than making lasting memories with your closest friends.

13 fun challenges for you and your friends

Side note? Your safety is always more important than jumping into a sub-zero lake in your undies or trying to eat a million pickles! When it comes to fun challenges to do with friends, it’s always safety first. Now without further ado, here are 13 challenges you’re going to love.

#1 Travel across your country. Want a challenge that involves a little legwork? Instead of shoving food into your mouth and throwing it on the internet, why not make your challenges a little more memorable. Make it your goal to travel around your country with your friends over the course of the next year. [Read: 15 reasons why you should travel at least once a year]

#2 Chubby Bunny. Who hasn’t heard of Chubby Bunny? This classic food challenge involves shoving as many marshmallows into your mouth as you can and then exclaiming “Chubby Bunny” audibly. The winner is the friend who says the phrase clearly with the most marshmallows in their mouth.

#3 Waterfall challenge. What’s more beautiful than chilling on a rock in front of a massive waterfall, taking in the sights and sounds of nature? Basically nothing. Similar to traveling across your country, the waterfall challenge involves scoping out exciting sights and checking your list off one waterfall at a time.

There are actually printable lists of waterfalls found around the world for you to explore. Here’s a top four to get you inspired:

– Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park – Victoria Falls, South Africa – Niagara Falls/Horseshoe Falls, Canada – Ban Gioc–Detian Falls, Vietnam

Start with a top five list and make it your goal to visit all of them in the next couple of months. Bonus? I personally know a whopping three girls who have done this challenge with their boyfriends and all ended up engaged by the end of the experience. So, if you’re looking to get hitched, this challenge may be the right path for you. [Read: How to have fun with friends – 30 really fun ways to beat boredom]

#4 Bean Boozled Jelly Beans. Bean Boozled is one of the most fun challenges to do with friends. If you’re way behind on social games that involve candy, let’s fill you in.

In this game, each color jelly bean has one of two tastes. For example, the pink jelly bean may taste like a strawberry smoothie or it may taste like a dead fish. The white jellybean may taste like beachy coconut or rotten milk. Peach might be barf, berry might be toothpaste, and buttered popcorn may be rotten egg.

Believe it when people say these really taste like what they say they do. This game of chance is definitely hilarious to play, but not for those with a weak stomach!

#5 Racing challenge. No, this doesn’t mean challenge your friend to a race around the block—though that’s totally acceptable too. We’re talking challenging your bodies and training for a community race. Taking up a local race with a friend is a great way to challenge your body while supporting a local cause. Search Run for Charity to find a cause to support. [Read: The real meaning of YOLO – 15 ways to live life to the fullest]

#6 No mirror makeup challenge. Get your friends together and try to put your full face of makeup on without any mirrors. The results are going to be both hilarious and horrifying. If you’re extra brave, head out for a drink or a coffee post-challenge and see who’s really the bravest among you!

#7 Accent challenge one. What do you call a sweetened carbonated beverage: pop, soda, or a soft drink? This is just one of the fun questions in the Accent Challenge tag. This is a great challenge to do with friends to get to know each other’s background.

This challenge asks you to identify objects to see if where you come from has a different idea what to call a can of Coke than your other friends. This challenge also has you pronounce different words such as “caramel” to see what kind of accent you have. Definitely a short and sweet challenge to do with a group of friends.

#8 Accent challenge two. The second version of the accent challenge is more literal than the BuzzFeed version. Make a list of cards with different accents on them. Group up into teams, put on a one-minute timer and have your friends take turns doing the accents on their cards and see if their partner can guess which accent they’re trying to do. [Read: 40 saucy truth or dare ideas for a fun night]

#9 Card castle challenge. Challenge your friends to a card castle building challenge. This may sound a little 1980’s, but this challenge gets intense.

#10 No thumbs challenge. Tape your thumbs to your forefinger so that you can’t use them and try to complete a list of tasks. Whoever completes the task first wins.

Tasks include writing your name on a piece of paper and then cut the paper in half. Other tasks include tying your shoelaces, open a pack of crackers, and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. If you’re playing this one with a lover you can definitely create a dirty version. [Read: 10 dirty drinking games for naughty guys and girls]

#11 Smoothie challenge. This is truly one of the most disgusting fun challenges to do with friends. Gather together a bunch of delicious smoothie ingredients together such as strawberries, bananas, peanut butter, and yogurt. Gather together an equal number of disgusting ingredients such as mustard, horseradish, cold cuts, and soy sauce.

Write down each ingredient on a piece of paper. Once you have written out each ingredient, fold the pieces of paper and throw them into a jar. Take turns drawing scraps of paper until the jar is empty. Mix your separate smoothies and have a race to see who finishes their smoothie without losing their lunch. [Read: 40 grossest would you rather questions to make you squirm]

#12 Whisper challenge. The whisper challenge is definitely a fan favorite. The rules are simple. One friend wears headphones listening to loud music while their other friends whispers a phrase or word. The friend wearing the headphones then guesses what the whispered word is.

This game has been featured on Jimmy Fallon and has quickly become an adorable way that people are announcing pregnancies and engagements. All together now: Awww!

#13 Pickle challenge. Similar to the Chubby Bunny challenge, the Pickle challenge involves shoving a bunch of pickles into your mouth and devouring them. Think your love of pickles knows no bounds?

Trust me, this is going to be the tipping point. Line your pickle jars in a row and get ready for some action. Have everyone in your group of friends eat an entire jar of pickles, including all the juice. See who can get through the vinegary goodness first.

[Read: 32 crazy things to do with friends: Life is short, live it up]

Creating a list of fun challenges to do with friends is an absolute must, especially post-college. Create memories with those who mean the most to you before your life gets too crazy for stuffing a dozen marshmallows into your mouth at the same time.

The post Fun Challenges to Do with Friends: 13 Funniest Things You Can Do is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.

[virginiabeachresidence]

Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach

Mount Trashmore is a uniquely named park in North Central Virginia Beach. Families from all over Coastal Virginia come here to relax or exercise! If you’re new to the area, don’t be alarmed. You won’t be wading through trash while you are here. Mount Trashmore is some wonderful example of environmental engineering! The 60 foot high attraction was created using soil and trash, which is obviously the root of the moniker.

Mt Trashmore Stairs

On this day, I went there to walk around. I accomplished plenty of that! Mount Trashmore Park is on 165 acres! You can burn off a couple of extra calories walking up and down the “Mountain”. Or if flatland is more your style, you can do laps around Lake Trashmore. The Lake Trail, as it is called, is a 1.5 mile trek. The Perimeter Trail goes around most of the park and is 2.2 miles. People often walk, jog, run, bike, skateboard, scoot and hover board around the trails. They are flat, so strollers are an option. Along the trails are outdoor fitness stations! Dogs are welcome!

The main mountain, again is 60 ft high, and 800 ft long. The sides are a huge temptation for kids to roll down! On any nice day, you can see children running up and down

Mt Trashmore Play Parks

The park has several playgrounds for kids. The big one, Kids Cove,  is just north of the mountain. There are extra nice bathrooms for you to powder your nose! If you get tired of all that walking, there is plenty of seating for parents to get a good view of the kids. There are covered picnic areas for family meals. The playground has the nice soft ground that makes falling children a lot more safe! It’s better on your feet than Dr Scholls!

Mt Trashmore Skate Park

For those of you with slightly older kids, there is a skate park north of Kids Cove, closer to Lake Windsor and Encore Hill. Bikes, scooters, skateboards and inline skaters are encouraged to enjoy this attraction. Participants will be expected to obtain a park pass ahead of time. Information on getting a pass can be found here. Expert riders may be excited to know about the 13.5 foot vert ramp here! Helmets are required to participate.

There are various extra large picnic shelters. There are areas for volleyball or horseshoes. There are vending machines and liberal amounts of restrooms. And seasonally, concession stands are available! For shelter reservations, please call 385-PARK.

All of this is easily accessible from nearby neighborhoods! I am a Realtor, so you know I need to mention it. Should you desire to live near this incredible investment in the Virginia Beach population’s happiness, you should check out the homes for sale in these neighborhoods.  Thalia Village, Windsor Woods, Thalia Trace, Windsor Oaks, Windsor Oaks West, Holland Meadows, and Larkspur. High Schools that serve these neighborhoods are Princess Anne High School, Kempsville High School and Green Run High School.

I always have a great time at Mount Trashmore. It is one of the most picturesque Virginia Beach areas to walk around outside and get some sun. if you would like to start looking at homes in this area, I am your Virginia Beach specialist. I grew up in Virginia Beach and I can help you find just the right property for you and your family. I also market the heck out of Virginia Beach, so I can get your home sold quicker and for more money. Give me a call and lets get started towards your goals!

Tom Taylor 757-589-1237

#dogs #Green Run High School #Holland Meadows #Kempsville High School #Lake Windsor #Larkspur #Mt Trashmore #play parks #Princess Anne High School #skate parks #Thalia Trace #Thalia Village #Windsor Oaks #Windsor Oaks West #Windsor Woods #Real Estate #Tom Taylor #Virginia Beach

[virginiabeachresidence]

Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach

Mount Trashmore is a uniquely named park in North Central Virginia Beach. Families from all over Coastal Virginia come here to relax or exercise! If you’re new to the area, don’t be alarmed. You won’t be wading through trash while you are here. Mount Trashmore is some wonderful example of environmental engineering! The 60 foot high attraction was created using soil and trash, which is obviously the root of the moniker.

Mt Trashmore Stairs

On this day, I went there to walk around. I accomplished plenty of that! Mount Trashmore Park is on 165 acres! You can burn off a couple of extra calories walking up and down the “Mountain”. Or if flatland is more your style, you can do laps around Lake Trashmore. The Lake Trail, as it is called, is a 1.5 mile trek. The Perimeter Trail goes around most of the park and is 2.2 miles. People often walk, jog, run, bike, skateboard, scoot and hover board around the trails. They are flat, so strollers are an option. Along the trails are outdoor fitness stations! Dogs are welcome!

The main mountain, again is 60 ft high, and 800 ft long. The sides are a huge temptation for kids to roll down! On any nice day, you can see children running up and down

Mt Trashmore Play Parks

The park has several playgrounds for kids. The big one, Kids Cove,  is just north of the mountain. There are extra nice bathrooms for you to powder your nose! If you get tired of all that walking, there is plenty of seating for parents to get a good view of the kids. There are covered picnic areas for family meals. The playground has the nice soft ground that makes falling children a lot more safe! It’s better on your feet than Dr Scholls!

Mt Trashmore Skate Park

For those of you with slightly older kids, there is a skate park north of Kids Cove, closer to Lake Windsor and Encore Hill. Bikes, scooters, skateboards and inline skaters are encouraged to enjoy this attraction. Participants will be expected to obtain a park pass ahead of time. Information on getting a pass can be found here. Expert riders may be excited to know about the 13.5 foot vert ramp here! Helmets are required to participate.

There are various extra large picnic shelters. There are areas for volleyball or horseshoes. There are vending machines and liberal amounts of restrooms. And seasonally, concession stands are available! For shelter reservations, please call 385-PARK.

All of this is easily accessible from nearby neighborhoods! I am a Realtor, so you know I need to mention it. Should you desire to live near this incredible investment in the Virginia Beach population’s happiness, you should check out the homes for sale in these neighborhoods.  Thalia Village, Windsor Woods, Thalia Trace, Windsor Oaks, Windsor Oaks West, Holland Meadows, and Larkspur. High Schools that serve these neighborhoods are Princess Anne High School, Kempsville High School and Green Run High School.

I always have a great time at Mount Trashmore. It is one of the most picturesque Virginia Beach areas to walk around outside and get some sun. if you would like to start looking at homes in this area, I am your Virginia Beach specialist. I grew up in Virginia Beach and I can help you find just the right property for you and your family. I also market the heck out of Virginia Beach, so I can get your home sold quicker and for more money. Give me a call and lets get started towards your goals!

Tom Taylor 757-589-1237

#dogs #Green Run High School #Holland Meadows #Kempsville High School #Lake Windsor #Larkspur #Mt Trashmore #play parks #Princess Anne High School #skate parks #Thalia Trace #Thalia Village #Windsor Oaks #Windsor Oaks West #Windsor Woods #Real Estate #Tom Taylor #Virginia Beach

[virginiabeachresidence]

Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach

Mount Trashmore is a uniquely named park in North Central Virginia Beach. Families from all over Coastal Virginia come here to relax or exercise! If you’re new to the area, don’t be alarmed. You won’t be wading through trash while you are here. Mount Trashmore is some wonderful example of environmental engineering! The 60 foot high attraction was created using soil and trash, which is obviously the root of the moniker.

Mt Trashmore Stairs

On this day, I went there to walk around. I accomplished plenty of that! Mount Trashmore Park is on 165 acres! You can burn off a couple of extra calories walking up and down the “Mountain”. Or if flatland is more your style, you can do laps around Lake Trashmore. The Lake Trail, as it is called, is a 1.5 mile trek. The Perimeter Trail goes around most of the park and is 2.2 miles. People often walk, jog, run, bike, skateboard, scoot and hover board around the trails. They are flat, so strollers are an option. Along the trails are outdoor fitness stations! Dogs are welcome!

The main mountain, again is 60 ft high, and 800 ft long. The sides are a huge temptation for kids to roll down! On any nice day, you can see children running up and down

Mt Trashmore Play Parks

The park has several playgrounds for kids. The big one, Kids Cove,  is just north of the mountain. There are extra nice bathrooms for you to powder your nose! If you get tired of all that walking, there is plenty of seating for parents to get a good view of the kids. There are covered picnic areas for family meals. The playground has the nice soft ground that makes falling children a lot more safe! It’s better on your feet than Dr Scholls!

Mt Trashmore Skate Park

For those of you with slightly older kids, there is a skate park north of Kids Cove, closer to Lake Windsor and Encore Hill. Bikes, scooters, skateboards and inline skaters are encouraged to enjoy this attraction. Participants will be expected to obtain a park pass ahead of time. Information on getting a pass can be found here. Expert riders may be excited to know about the 13.5 foot vert ramp here! Helmets are required to participate.

There are various extra large picnic shelters. There are areas for volleyball or horseshoes. There are vending machines and liberal amounts of restrooms. And seasonally, concession stands are available! For shelter reservations, please call 385-PARK.

All of this is easily accessible from nearby neighborhoods! I am a Realtor, so you know I need to mention it. Should you desire to live near this incredible investment in the Virginia Beach population’s happiness, you should check out the homes for sale in these neighborhoods.  Thalia Village, Windsor Woods, Thalia Trace, Windsor Oaks, Windsor Oaks West, Holland Meadows, and Larkspur. High Schools that serve these neighborhoods are Princess Anne High School, Kempsville High School and Green Run High School.

I always have a great time at Mount Trashmore. It is one of the most picturesque Virginia Beach areas to walk around outside and get some sun. if you would like to start looking at homes in this area, I am your Virginia Beach specialist. I grew up in Virginia Beach and I can help you find just the right property for you and your family. I also market the heck out of Virginia Beach, so I can get your home sold quicker and for more money. Give me a call and lets get started towards your goals!

Tom Taylor 757-589-1237

#dogs #Green Run High School #Holland Meadows #Kempsville High School #Lake Windsor #Larkspur #Mt Trashmore #play parks #Princess Anne High School #skate parks #Thalia Trace #Thalia Village #Windsor Oaks #Windsor Oaks West #Windsor Woods #Real Estate #Tom Taylor #Virginia Beach