#highly recommend a trip to the outlands | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

accidentalspaceexplorer · 4 years

Text

End of the Decade Favorite Books

I was tagged by @howlsmovinglibrary and @lizziethereader to do this tag! Credit also goes to @bookcub for creating it in the first place - here’s the link to her original post, so that you can see what the original categories were! I ended up shuffling mine a bit because I have slightly different taste in books.

1. High fantasy books that are obsession worthy

Recently, every N.K. Jemisin book I’ve read so far. I also used to be really into Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe and the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher.

2. Retelling I keep coming back to

I never really had a favorite fairy tale until I read Tam Lin by Pamela Dean. Janet is strong, independent, and capable, both in the book and in the original ballad, and I really love how complicated it is.

3. Portal fantasy I fall in love with over and over

In Other Lands, which is so hilarious and wonderful. Elliot is so snarky, and the elves are such an interesting satire.

4. Delightful road trip books

The Martian by Andy Weir and the Long Road to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers both involve road trips (technically :D) that are hilarious and poignant and I highly recommend them!

5. Slightly niche genre I couldn’t resist

I was really into steampunk for a good portion of this decade, and one of my favorite series is the Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger. Funny and adorable with just the right amount of heat.

6. Action-packed space adventures that dragged me all over the galaxy

The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold is full of Miles going on some new crazy adventure and dragging his friends and family along, and the Imperial Radch books by Ann Leckie are also full of political machinations and ship-based adventures. I only read them this year, but I also have to rec the Machineries of Empire series by Yoon Ha Lee here!

7. Happy, happy, happy and sad, sad, sad

The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, which never fails to make me laugh, cry, and cheer up.

8. Surprise that expanded my reading life the most

What Makes This Book So Great by Jo Walton, which I picked up on a whim, pushed me to discover so many new fantastic books, like Tooth and Claw and a lot of Ursula K. LeGuin’s classics. It really pushed me to widen my reading scope beyond what my high school library had to offer.

9. Engrossing historical romances I couldn’t put down

Despite all three of them having very different feels, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean, and A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotsen all captured my heart, and I have many many feels about them.

10. Just one more story...

The Starry Rift: Tales of New Tomorrows is a science-fiction anthology from all sorts of names in the genre, covering a wide variety of futures and stories. I love basically every story in it.

11. Like I’m scared, but I’m happy about it

The only semi-scary thing I read and enjoy is the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French. They’re very character-driven murder mysteries, and they’re very twisty, very atmospheric, and a little surreal.

12. Classically favorite

Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare! It’s just my favorite, I’ve seen like every adaptation, I want to be Beatrice when I grow up

13. Party in my ears

I’m not a huge fan of audiobooks, but I loved the Going Postal audiobook! The narrator is fantastic and Pratchett is so funny and insightful.

Also, like @howlsmovinglibrary, I wanna rec some of my favorite audiodramas: the ongoing Penumbra Podcast, with my favorite genderqueer noir detective Juno Steel; the completed Wolf 359, about found family and aliens in space; and the Adventure Zone, of which I’ve only finished the Balance arc so far.

14. Fascinating alternate history...with dragons!

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik is about a Napoleonic England where the war with Napoleon is also being fought with in the air - with dragons! I love the dragons, and the world is really rich and well-developed.

15. Oh wow, that’s me!!

The Wanderers by Meg Howry, Fire by Kristin Cashore, and To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers all dug deep into my soul and took root.

16. I can’t stop thinking about this book

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer is a weird book, but the world it portrays is an incredibly thought-provoking one, and I still can’t stop thinking about it.

17. A book I got from Tumblr that made it to my fave

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson - I had so many feelings when I was done with this book! Be ready for the pain.

18. A book I had high expectations for and then the author OVER delivered

I’d already read a lot by Robin McKinley and loved all of it, and then I read Sunshine, which became my favorite book for a while there. I just really wasn’t expecting such a good take on vampires, although with McKinley writing it, I really shouldn’t have been surprised!

I tag: everyone who hasn’t gotten a chance to do this yet!

#end of the decade #book recs #personal

25 notes · View notes

studythepages · 4 years

Text

Quarantine Tag Game

I've been tagged by @studydiaryofdoctora, thank youu!!

I tag: @arquistudies @how-to-get-away-with-study @uoa-discipula

1. Are you staying home from work/school?

My university closed right before our exams were due to take place and therefore everything was done online! The only time I leave the house is for work and then I head straight back!

2. If you’re staying home, who’s there with you?

My roomate :)

3. Do you have pets to keep you company?

Nope!

4. Who do you miss the most?

My friends who I've not seen months BEFORE quarantine started because of our individual study schedules as well as the travel distance between us

5. When was the last time you left your home?

Today!

6. What was the last thing you bought?

Apart from my groceries, a candle which smells of blackberries and raspberries

7. Is quarantine driving you insane or are you finally relaxed?

I've been using this time to work on things that I've put off to the side as well as working on myself physically and mentally

8. Are you a homebody?

Definitely!

9. What movies have you watched recently?

The Man from U.N.C.L.E, watched it several times, highly recommend!

10. An event that you were looking forward to that got cancelled?

A special birthday trip to Italy

11. What’s the worst thing that you’ve had to cancel?

Birthday trip

12. What’s the best thing you’ve had to cancel?

Going outside every day tbh

13. Do you have any new hobbies?

Wouldn't say new as I was an avid reader a couple years back, but I've definitely rediscovered my love for it recently :) I did buy a puzzle a couple days back so I'm excited to get it started

14. What are you out of?

Baking powder

15. What music are you listening to?

The song which is currently paused (as well as one of my favourite songs atm) is Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron

16. What shows are you watching?

Started S2 of Outlander

17. What are you reading?

About to finish A Court of Wings and Ruin from the ACOTAR series. I am LOVING IT!!

18. What are you doing for self-care?

Started listening to my bodies cues, so if I'm hungry: I'll eat, if I'm full: I'll stop, if I'm tired: I'll rest and not burn myself out. Been slowly releasing that if I take my time with things, I'll actually get things done quicker and be much happier with the results

19. Are you exercising?

I've been doing pilates and low impact workouts for a couple years now and I've been planning to start a higher intensity workout plan later on in the week

20. How’s your toilet paper supply?

Been lucky enough to not have much issues tbh

21. Have you made any changes to your hair during quarantine?

Just a smidge longer but no dyeing just yet! However...there were moments where I considered cutting my fringe (they're lovely but unfortunately don't fit my face)

4 notes · View notes

oldshrewsburyian · 4 years

Text

Escapist fiction rec round-up

@stripedroseandsketchpads

I recommend Treasure Island because like. Everyone already knows the plot but it was pretty entertaining iirc and like. Over the top pirates!! Hooray!

Also, it’s completely absurd but I LOVE the Master and Margarita by Bulgakov which isn’t really the same genre but it’s historical in that it’s set in the 30s and escapist in that it’s a bunch of highly chaotic and amusing demons destroying the day to day bureaucracy of Soviet Russia for kicks

True story: I read Treasure Island when I was 10, and I am still terrified of Blind Pew, Long John Silver, and the black spot. Currently loving Black Sails, though. The Master and Margarita is one of those I keep meaning to get around to!

@junomarlowe

I'm currently enjoying Golden Hill a great deal. I suppose it's a literary picaresque swashbuckler, with bickering and fun 18th century vocab

This sounds amazing.

@lochtayboatsong

Swashbuckler: Pirates! by Celia Rees has been one of my favorites since I was a teen. I haven’t read it recently to see how it holds up when read as an adult, but it immediately came to mind.

...delightful.

@literarymagpie

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is about a young woman in 1920s Mexico who has to help the Mayan god of death reclaim his throne. (The MC is a young woman, but it's not a YA novel.)

Obviously something I never knew I needed.

@ressiart

Sarah Perry, The Essex Serpent or Melmoth for some historical gothic romance. The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik if you'd like to dabble with dragons, the napoleonic wars, fuck colonialism and trips to Turkey, China, Africa, Australia and Brazil. Circe by Madeline Miller, for a lovely first person retelling of the witch's story. The Ancillary Justice series by Ann Leckie. This one's a space opera/SF, but I think you'll appreciate the parallels to the Roman Empire.

You know, I read about how The Essex Serpent deals with cultic Protestant communities and I’ve been emotionally unprepared ever since. I’ll look for the Ann Leckie. Somehow I thought Naomi Novik was YA, so I’ll have to check that out. I found Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles to be so boring, reductive, and unimaginative that I’m loath to give her another try, I confess.

@msmaple

Oxford Time Travel series by Connie Willis is a pleasure

Yes, yes it is.

@kirstenseas

Well, at the risk of being a bit juvenile, the Temeraire series is really good - Napoleonic wars with dragons. It is a constant delight with only a few weak moments and some really brilliant character arcs.

Has Naomi Novik been writing for grownups this whole time? My mistake.

@novelogical

I would like to recommend to you all of Susanna Kearsley’s books - specifically The Winter Sea, The Firebird, The Shadow Horses.

Ooh. The plots look more interesting than the prose, but I might give them a try. Thanks!

@counterwiddershins

For something swashbuckly, I might recommend Georgette Heyer's "The Masqueraders," but if you want some political intrigue and fantasy there's Bujold's Chalion series with "Curse of Chalion" and "Paladin of Souls." (I know Chalion is a familiar rec so you may have read either book by now.)

Thanks!

@countingnothings

if you haven't picked up any Guy Gavriel Kay, that would be my recommendation! he calls what he does "history with a quarter-turn to the fantastic," and his older stuff is more fantastic while the newer is more historical. if you're in a mood for the former, Tigana or Sailing to Sarantium are my recs! if the latter, Under Heaven or A Brightness Long Ago. his first trilogy, The Fionavar Tapestry, riffs on Tolkien & Arthuriana but is a bit heavy-handed

Another author I was sure was YA... maybe I was confused because I read his books in my teens.

@thelibraryiscool

The Lies of Locke Lamora gets old after a while but the first book is very solid. The Cadfael chronicles are some of the most calming escapist books I know (but you’ve probably read them). The rivers of London series is also amusing. Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrel is a delight. And I suppose Poldark, while, in my opinion, much worse than Outlander, has some of that same vibe if that’s what you’re after.

Thanks! I do love Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and I really should get around to Rivers of London. I’m afraid I have the Cadfael books semi-memorized by this point. “Much worse than Outlander” is, uh, not a ringing endorsement, and I’ve heard enough opinions on Poldark’s misogyny that I might give it a miss.

#adultbooklr #book recommendations #fantasy #historical fiction

13 notes · View notes

littlesilverplatinum · 5 years

Text

Sinnoh’s Major Travel and Transportation

---

Map credit: mamep21 on deviantart, who also have done maps for all the other regions – which I highly recommend having a look at!

Note: This map does not display any and all transportation for vehicles such as busses, subway, trams or inland air travel/ship travel between minor destinations (such as Canalave and Iron Island as well as Sandgem and Pal Park), nor does it show every line of railways meant for goods transportation and the like. This is merely to show the lines/places of importance.

---

---

The major cities connected by train (highlighted in RED) include; Jubilife City, Oreburgh City, Hearthome City, Eterna City and Snowpoint City. --Oreburgh serves as the centrum for all transportations by train (be it transportation of people, or goods), as well as being the starting point for the two major lines specifically designed to pull TGV models. ‘Core’ is the model taking you to the heart of the region – Hearthome City, while ‘Northern Star’ takes you up north towards Snowpoint City. These tracks are specifically made for the high-speed trains, as the travel to these points take more than 12 hours to complete (not counting the returning trip). Therefore, these vehicles offer housing as well as having carts specifically meant for dining, shopping and even boardrooms for those traveling due to work.

It should be noted, however, that these passenger trains most often are used by foreigners on vacation (as well as companies and their workers) – or by the more wealthy families taking trips to see relatives or experience a change in scenery. It’s more about the experience of traveling somewhere, than the fastest possible means of getting to the desired destination.

This is a travel method very much favoured in the western sphere of the region.

(The trains traveling between Oreburgh, Jubilife and Eterna are generally a cheaper option for travel between the metropolises, and many workers within Oreburgh’s mines use them to get back to their families after their shift has ended.)

---

The major cities connected by ship routes (highlighted in BLUE) include; Snowpoint City, Fighting Area, Veilstone City, Sunyshore City and Pastoria City. --Canalave is an outlier in this regard, as it more serves the purpose of tourist cruises and out of country travel – rather than routes within its own region.

However, much like Hearthome and Snowpoint having specifically designed TGV’s – here, too, special care has been taken in ensuring the most pleasant (or interesting) trip possible. SS Spiral serves as the ice breaker taking you from the frozen, cold northern sea down into significantly warmer waters. Its route, generally, stays within the vicinity of its mother port and the neighbouring Battle Zone – though during the winter months its course extends all the way down to Veilstone for a set time period.

As mentioned before, Canalave serves a purpose much different from its sister ports; yet it’s not the only one offering cruises out into the rest of the world. Sunyshore as well as Pastoria aid in the travel to neighbouring regions, no matter the distance – and make a pretty penny while doing so. However, they do still offer inland travel of all sorts. This is a travel method very much favoured in the eastern sphere of the region.

---

The major cities housing out of region airports (highlighted in ORANGE) include; Canalave City, Eterna City, Snowpoint City, Hearthome City, Veilstone City and The Resort Area. --Out of region airlines is an addition to the region that has only been around for about twenty odd years, and the process of adjusting the already established ports for such large aircrafts has been a very slow process. Therefore, not every large city within the region allow these trips.

Currently, Sunyshore is in the process of expanding its resources and within the next two years, another airport will be opened up for outland travel.

(Most cities, however, do house inland ravel airports.)

#(ooc - mun)#world building #sinnoh #-hc-#pointless hc time #listen i just like the idea of the tgv train lines a lot tbh #mamep21 #plz travel and photo blogs fuck the fuck off #the tags arent here anymore so #pray pray pray

18 notes · View notes

pastpresentrp-blog · 5 years

Text

Hi guys! This is our FAQ to help you understand the Past & Present world a little better. If you have more questions that you’d like clarified, we’d love to hear them!

Are people aware of what happened during the Void? Very few people are aware of what happened during the Void, as the government has and continues to put a lot of effort into burying the truth. High-ranking members of the government may know parts of the truth, with only a handful knowing all of it. Please discuss with an admin how much your character would know. Who runs the government? Three elite families took control of the government after the Void - however, they prefer to be unknown and operate from the shadows. Their main interest is consolidating power and understanding abilities. To this end, they have given the most amount of power to the Advanced Ability Research division and to Security & Intelligence.

The Directors of the main branches of government all have their own interests and often compete with each other, but their ultimate goal is to preserve their own positions and to keep London walled-in.

What kind of work does Advanced Ability Research do? Advanced Ability Research (AAR) focus is mainly on rare ability research: how does time-travel work? what genes exactly are responsible for research? can those genes be modified? and so on. Very little of it is at all ethical. The division has a lot of power, and there’s very little they are not capable of doing in the name of their research. What are Sweepers? The Sweepers is how people in the outskirts most commonly refer to the Field Division (FD), operating under Advanced Ability Research (AAR). They regularly sweep through the outskirts, taking people, most often babies and young children with rare powers. What happens to the children that are kidnapped from the outskirts?They are taken away either to be raised by the government, some in foster homes, or to be used in the AARs research, meaning human experimentation. How does education work? Education works pretty much as it does in our own world. Kids have to learn algebra here too, sorry, or not sorry if your character likes that sort of thing. The schools in London are better than those in the outskirts, but still there are differences between schools for the elite, and schools for the rest. There are school in the outskirts as well, ensuring that people get an education there too, though they don’t have as many resources at their disposal. Ability training is another thing altogether, and you can read more about that in our ability guide. Industry is a big thing, you say, how’s Mother Nature doing? She’s all right, actually. The Industrial Zone, while not a place for visiting unless one happens to work there, is not the second coming of 19th century London. Environmental policy is considered important, in part to ensure the survival of British agriculture, but also for the overall health of the city’s inhabitants. How often do people see the wall? It depends on where you live. The industrial and agricultural zones are close enough to the wall for it to be visible for the people who work there. For those living closer to the city center the wall is not visible in the horizon. That said, it is not uncommon for people to take day-trips to the agricultural zone to get away from the buzz of the big city for a while. Some schools even organize trips, bringing students out the agrilands and the wall over weekends or during holidays. How does someone get to the outskirts? If you’re a government employee, this is fairly easy - you’ll have access to go beyond the wall, but not too frequently unless it’s related to work. If you’re from Greater London and want to go to the outskirts, you can attempt to do so on your own but it’s risky - you will most likely get caught before you figure out the way. The best way is to find someone in the Safehouse Network or someone from the Underground Movement that can help - the UM acts as guides, helping you through the intricate underground tunnel system to the outskirts. You will be vetted by them too, because they’re not about to risk their hide for some undercover government agent, so having a good recommendation helps. How does London interact with the international community? It doesn’t, not as far as the average person in the street is concerned, anyway, but London does maintain formal, diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, though only the people high up in the government are allowed to leave the country. There are some exceptions, such as people deployed through the military or traveling to represent England in sports championships. Money and the right contacts might make a trip possible too. It's not common and if you have been outside of the country, there is a risk that the memory department may pay you a visit. How the international community interacts with London and England in turn is influenced greatly by the fact that England enjoys overwhelming technical and military superiority. Other countries mostly leave England to its own devices, keeping up tenuous trade agreements. What’s happening in the international world? The world is the world, still divided into the states we know today. It's in turmoil with a great deal of ability-related trouble, as the rest of the world does not have access to the ability regulatory technology that helps keep the precarious peace within London’s wall. The global superpowers are now London, Russia and China - American warfare has led to it being tried at international courts in mid 2020s, and it’s been struggling to recover its reputation and power ever since. Does social media exist? Yes it does, though inside the walls everything is surveilled by the government, while in the outskirts you can’t count upon particularly good reception and there aren’t as many social platforms as in our day. There are Facebook, IG, Snapchat equivalents, but highly regulated internally. Why does the Elephant Graveyard look so weird? The Elephant Graveyard is a peculiar looking area, few who live there will know why it looks nothing alike anywhere else in the surrounding area, and they are not likely to find out considering the landscape was shaped as such by events wiped from collective memory during the Void. That said, it doesn’t necessarily take knowledge about the Void to start theorizing that powerful elemental manipulators might have been involved in creating the strange terrain, and in that they would be right. So, the mysterious Outlands, could you tell me a bit more? Cities outside of government control are scattered across what used to be Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Many are ruined and few live in them. All are under heavy surveillance by the British military. Military bases are scattered across the British Isles, as are research facilities run by the government, also under heavy military protection. The people living in the Outlands are the descendants of those who chose to stay behind back in 2019, and though they are largely cut off from the rest of the world due to the military controlling the borders, they were not influenced by the memory deletion of 2019, as were all the people whose descendants now live in the inner city and in the outskirts. That said, due to the nature of what happened during those years, most of those who stayed behind and who managed to stay alive would have been people without abilities. Today these cities and settlements exist mostly at the mercy of the British government, but they can defend themselves and must be self-sufficient. Certain settlements and groups are more aggressive than others in face of the military patrols, and clashes happen, often with catastrophic results for both sides. These settlements do have some quality technology to deal with ability based violence and warfare, and some have also proved to be problematic by breaking into research facilities, stealing valuable technology and information. Are sports still a thing? Yes! Inside London, sports are still very much a thing— football (soccer), rugby, cricket, etc. All of these are still popular. Same with in the Outskirts. Internationally, London has Olympic teams which do go and compete, but their memories are inspected and “adjusted” after they return. Is it right that my character can have more than one power? Yes and no. This goes only for elemental manipulation as this is a special category of powers. Elemental manipulators are most commonly born with the ability to manipulate all of the four basic elements, meaning water, fire, earth and air. However, all elemental manipulators will have a clear affinity for one (sometimes two) elements. Mastering two elements completely is rare, though some do, and in those instances two particular combinations may lead to magmakinesis (earth and fire manipulation) or atmokinesis (air and water manipulation). It is far more common, however, for elemental manipulators to master one element only, from which they can develop. Cryokinesis develops from hydrokinesis, while both botanokinesis, metallokinesis and tectokinesis develop from geokinesis as different forms of specialization. In this case, cryokinesis and hydrokinesis will count as two elements, even if they are tied together. A character may not master cryokinesis and also know pyrokinesis, for example. Can I request an ability? If there’s an ability you’d like that’s not on our list, provided it can fall under an ability family, please ask an admin, we can’t promise we’ll okay it, but please ask! We’ll only allow this after site opens.

#pastpresentrp #preview

1 note · View note

sampanattack9-blog · 5 years

Text

Mahindra Bolero - most Chosen Sports Utility Vehicle In India

https://preciseservicebodies.com All I knew was that whenever my gas tank was empty, I would fill it up. I didn't worry because I'd personally fill up my tank using a credit card that my father had given me after i went on college and which he paid for as a a part of a deal we had worked out when I went to varsity. It wasn't until after I'd graduated college and purchased had turned my credit cards over for me that I even remotely began to concentrate. Suddenly, To become responsible producing sure my partner and i not only filled up my car but that if the bill came each month, Having been able shell out for this method. Back then, gasoline prices were still fairly cheap, so I wasn't terribly worried. Is 2007 the year to better of the bandwagon for automobiles? Consider that using hybrid technology is often more expensive whenever compared with purchasing the common vehicle. A degree of top vehicle makers have released a formidable line of hybrid vehicles for 2007 that will probably make car buyers scamper to showrooms similar to bored wives going to be able to mall trade. Ford Territory is a Crossover SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). A Crossover is build as that the platform used is of a different sort of car and therefore the various parts of the body of car are incorporated thereafter. The woking platform for the Ford Territory is while using Ford Falcon. Fortunately her children aren't harmed. In the event the accident, the children, "a 7-year-old girl; a 3-year-old boy; and a 2-month-old boy," were transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore to be examined. According to Ms. Lynch, the 42-year-old Mohamed demanded that Bultemeier turn your SUV's recommendations for the then it used the pistol to shoot Mister. Bultemeier point-blank. The type of vehicle that you must book for that transfer comes next. Specialists primarily dependent up round the size belonging to the traveling community. If you are organizing a vacation for a group of people, it is far better to invest on a mini-bus or at best a multi utility vehicle. Please bear notion that above of renting the vehicle can increase dramatically while using the size of this traveling cluster. You are in luck if happen to be traveling alone or like a couple. The majority of the transfer companies operating around Geneva are usually more than content to offer some of the finest deals which you will ever get hold of. The type and extent of discount varies. For instance, an individual are book the expertise of a transfer service much earlier than the designated trip, you gets steep prices. Along that isn't australian ute usual plethora of Triumphs and MGs, the show always has an fine showing from the first cars of your 1950's, MG-TC, TD, TF and MGA, as well as early TR3s. Unusual cars a lot Reliant Scimitar GTE also captured the imagination within the attendees, another car seldom seen regarding U.S. But this event always discloses the unusual and rare vehicles from across water-feature. Farms and ranches with forest acreage or rocky terrain can benefit from the new Can-Am Outlander 1000 XT-P. With enough power to obtain you on the steepest hills, the heavy-duty wheels and protected undercarriage rolls right over rocks and fallen branches without a bunch as a snag. Plus, the 2012 XT model was considered the best ATV of 2012, study course . new version has was highly anticipated by weakness enthusiasts.

1 note · View note

strawbaraminkshake · 6 years

Text

More About Me

I was tagged by the lovely @pikapeppa to do this, and I thank you very much!

Name: There are a lot of things I could put here, but I’ll keep it simple: Becca!

Nickname: Bec, mainly, but my name is also technically a nickname

Height: 5′10″, or a little over--its been a while since I’ve checked

Nationality: I’m from the United States, which is regrettable most days

Favorite Fruit: I think that strawberries rank out on top, followed very closely by raspberries and maybe peaches? Or the combo of raspberries and peaches is great, I think the technical term is melba? Not sure.

Favorite Season: Fall! I love when big cozy sweater weather comes around, and being able to read outside on a windy day bundled up. I love winter as well, right up until I have to clear out ten feet of snow in an hour. Then it sucks.

Favorite Smell: I think lilac comes out on top for me. We have giant lilac bushes in the back of our house that have hundreds of blooms every summer, and it’s the best thing when the smell just flows in on a breeze through the windows. Combined with the smell of fresh cut grass? Heavenly.

Favorite Color: Purple!

Favorite Animal: Cats, hands down.

Tea, Coffee, or Hot Cocoa: Tea and coffee are tied, it depends on how I’m feeling at the moment. I’m not fond of chocolate in the first place, so I tend to avoid hot chocolate.

Average Hours of Sleep: Uhhhhhhhhh it depends on the night. On a day when I haven’t been up working until five AM? Probably like 7 hours.

Dogs or Cats: Cats, hands down. They’re fluffy and sweet, and one of mine sits on my shoulders like a parrot.

Dream Trip: I would love to go back to Italy, and go to Venice this time. I’ve wanted to go since I was really little, and read a fiction book about a huge masquerade ball in Venice, with all the rivers and waterways lit up.

When my blog was created: I honestly can’t remember, sometime in middle school maybe? My friend would know better than I do, since he was the one who created it for me since I had no internet in my house, and no idea what a theme was! # of Followers: 126, but I’m convinced that most of them are either inactive or not real people in the first place.

Random Fact: Hmm. I think the most interesting thing I can think of myself at the moment is that I identify as Wiccan, and do a lot of herbal/plant based craft?

Favorite Food: Chicken Riggies. Specifically from Utica, New York.

Favorite TV Show: I don’t really watch TV that often, I get bored really fast with most exaggerated story lines. Can I switch it to favorite music instead? Love me some punk and metal. Also, Marian Hill- a recent find, she’s amazing. Would recommend, hands down.

Favorite Movie: Now this is my JAM. I always say Underworld or any of the Star Wars movies, because I’ve loved them since I was a little girl. I loved the Harry Potter movies too, I always have. I also really love movies spun out of context. Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies? I thought it was great. Same with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I also can’t get enough of The Raven, which is fiction about Edgar Allan Poe and why he died. But I’ll watch most things, because they’re a one-and-done kind of thing, unlike TV that gets drawn out.

Favorite Vine: “An avocado? Thaaaaannnnnnksssss.” Also shark backpack.

Sexuality: Not sure? Not straight for sure. Pan, Ace (maybe?), honestly it’s a toss up most days.

Gender: Goblin. Or maybe non-corporeal vapor cloud. Jokes aside, mainly female.

Favorite Book Series: At the moment, I think this trophy goes to the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Mass. I love it to death, and highly recommend to anyone who also enjoys young adult fantasy fiction. Other than this, though, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon comes in a very close second, with the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop in the same slot.

Favorite Video Game: MAN. I can’t pick one, because I love most games. Anything by Bioware really, my fave console series by them being Dragon Age, followed closely by all of the Mass Effect games. PC, though, it hands down goes to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2. I never get tired of it.

Favorite Subject: Astronomy! I’m actually in school for forensic psychology at the moment, but I would kill to learn about stars and outer space as a job. I realized this too late in life.

Favorite Fandoms: Dragon Age is on top, I think, mainly because of the beautiful fan art and fanfictions. Y’all are so creative and nice and sweet that it hurts sometimes. If anyone wants some recommendations? Hit me up. I love Mass Effect for the same reason. I tend not to be too actively involved in fandoms, though.

Favorite Superhero: Deadpool

Guys or Girls: Dragons!

Celebrity Crush: I don’t really have one? I think the last person I found at least a little attractive was Jason Momoa? I don’t think about it too often. (Actually scratch that, as I was reading over this again I thought of Eva Green. What a stunner. Would date in an instant.)

Last Time I Cried: Um, probably a few months ago? I don’t cry very often, most things don’t get me that worked up.

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Grey

I’ll tag forward to anyone who wants to do this! I know people don’t always like being called out by someone they don’t know so well, so I’ll let y’all decide! This is a lot of fun to do, though, 10/10 would recommend.

#about me #alphabet soup #thank you!!

4 notes · View notes

thefaeriereview · 3 years

Photo

Title: The Hunted and the Hind

Series: Lost in Time #3

Author: A. L. Lester

Publisher: JMS Books LLC

Release Date: 30 December 2020

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male, Male/NB

Length: 40,000 words

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Non-binary, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Historical, 1920s

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Inadvertently tumbling through the border after Fenn and then thrown into the middle of the internecine political disputes of their people, Sergeant Will Grant of the Metropolitan Police has spent three months in prison in the Underhalls of the Frem. When Fenn comes to free him and return him home through the border, he has very little time to work out what’s going on before the sudden appearance of Fenn’s missing younger sibling, Keren, throws Fenn for a loop.

Instead of returning them to London as planned, the trio step through the border to the Egyptian desert. Once they work out where they are, it’s a two week trip back to England with the possibility of pursuit both onboard ship and when they reach home.

Will the journey give Fenn and Will time to resolve the feelings they have been dancing around since the day they met? How will they keep Keren from recapture by the faction who tried to persuade Fenn they were dead? And has Will’s friend Alec forgiven Fenn for lying about their motives when they first traveled to London four months ago?

The Hunted and the Hind is the third and final book in the 1920s ‘Lost in Time’ trilogy. The books need to be read in order.

Rating & Review

5 out of 5

The Hunted and the Hind is wonderful. OK, first I have to say as a non-binary person I have a soft spot for fiction involving enbys done well. This was excellent! Not just the non-binary, but the story overall. You get quickly immersed and can feel the world surround you the deeper you go into the book. The characters and world are well-developed, and the story has great pacing. Highly recommend!

Excerpt

“Can I ride the one over there, please, Will Grant?” Keren called across the yard, pointing at creature with a white stripe down it’s face that they’d become enamored of earlier.

Will Grant nodded and came across the courtyard toward them. “You may. That was my intention, anyway.” They looked at Fenn. “Do you have animals you ride in the Outlands?” they asked.

Fenn stroked Olive’s nose. “Not like these,” they said. “These are beautiful creatures. We sometimes ride the antacas we use for pack animals. Some people breed them for meat, too. They have horns and a very sharp spine. And are extremely bad tempered. They’re smaller than these, though. Bumpy.”

Will Grant leaned against the stable door next to Fenn, as Keren took themselves across the yard to quiz the horse-keeper. He rubbed at Olive’s ears absently. “You’re not bumpy, are you girl? No-one would dream of accusing you of such a dreadful thing!”

The horse shook its head and buffeted Will Grant’s stomach. He staggered a little against Fenn’s side and blew out a laugh. It was very strange to see them like this, out of their city clothes, in what Fenn assumed were special clothes for riding. The humans seemed to have a variety of different clothes for each task, rather than sensible clothing that would serve for most things. Here in private, both Fenn and Keren had donned the extra clothes made for them in Port Said, patterned more or less on their usual loose trousers and robes.

It was even stranger to see Will laugh like this. After the conversation with their parent this morning, Will had seemed to let go of a little of the tension that had gathered round them since this trip had been mooted. It was a nice look on them, Fenn decided. Underneath it all was the tension and sadness that was Will’s permanent signature. But a little of that had eased. Fenn wondered what it would take to ease the rest of it.

“Come on, then,” Will Grant said, straightening. “Let’s get Keren up and we can go out for a wander through the woods and down to the lake. And once we’re there we can try our kias out near the water. We’re lucky Mama has kept the stable going, with no-one but her here to ride.” He glanced around. “The men coming home needed the work.”

Fenn nodded. “Your parent is a good person,” they said, cautiously. “They reminded me of Ana. Very…,” they searched for an accurate, polite word.

Will Grant laughed. “Very, yes,” they said. Their eyes had softened. “I haven’t done right by her,” they said. “I’ve been too wrapped up in my own head. I should have come home before.”

“It doesn’t sound like you were ready,” Fenn replied. “Home is a difficult place to be, sometimes.”

Will Grant shook their head. “But still. She’s my mother and she lost all of us. Father died a few years before the war and she missed him dreadfully. It was a love match, I think. They spent a lot of time together, anyway.”

Both of them were leaning against the stable door now, talking quietly whilst they watched the bustle as the horse-keepers got animals out for them all to ride.

“Is that not always the case, here?” Fenn asked, curiously.

Will looked at them over Olive’s nose. “For Mama’s generation, not always. Sometimes, marrying well is more important than whether you have strong feelings for your potential partner. Making the marriage and producing children is the thing, you see.”

Fenn looked at him.

“Not for me,” they hastened to add. “Mama has given up trying to marry me off. She made it clear this morning that she has no expectations in that direction at all.” They hesitated. “She said, you are welcome to visit here, too. She knows that I…have feelings…for you.”

Fenn was silent for a moment. “I would be honored to visit them,” they said. “Whether or not you have feelings for me, Will Grant.” They felt the shiver of embarrassment in Will’s kias. Humans did not talk about this sort of thing, apparently. Probably because most of them didn’t have kias and had to articulate everything verbally. It was very graceless and left a lot of room for misunderstanding. How did people without any kias at all between them manage?

They gently opened the edges of their kias to Will Grant and allowed their own feelings to be felt. Admiration, friendship, desire, love. All of it. Will glanced over and smiled, clearly picking some of it up without even trying to reach back.

The two of them stood against the door in amicable silence until the chief horse-keeper called across the yard, “Ready, Mr William? I’ve got Peter tacked up for you, here!”

Will Grant started. “Coming, Ralph. Thank you.

Purchase at Amazon

Meet the Author

Writer of queer, paranormal, historical, romantic suspense. Lives in the South West of England with Mr AL, two children, a badly behaved dachshund, a terrifying cat and some hens. Likes gardening but doesn't really have time or energy. Not musical. Doesn't much like telly. Non-binary. Chronically disabled. Has tedious fits.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blitz: The Hunted and the Hind https://ift.tt/3rL93Hg

#IFTTT #Blogger

0 notes

mygarage · 4 years

Text

16 Essential Camping Gear You Should Rent to Save Money

Introduction

Camping can be a lot of fun, but it takes a full set of gear to fully enjoy the experience.

Depending on the type of camping, the total cost of a full set of gear can be a shocker for most.

For those pursuing camping as a hobby, filling up the inventory can be beneficial, since they will be using these items quite often.

But for those one-time campers, it might not be a good idea to spend for a whole bundle of gear, since they will barely be using these items again anyway.

That begs the question, what can the one-time camper do to save their wallets from complete obliteration while still enjoy the fully-equipped experience of camping?

Renting might just be the missing link you one-time campers are looking for.

Read on and find the answer to what I suppose your next question is, “Which camping gear should I rent?”

1. Tent

If you’re going on a camping trip that requires a tent, then yes, you can and should rent a tent.

A good strong and hefty tent will cost you a fortune, and unless you will be using the tent more often than not, renting one is indeed the smarter way to go.

2. Sleeping Bag

Again, depending on the kind of camping trip, the sleeping bag is a must-have when going out camping.

Unless the campsite you’re headed to has nothing but soft and smooth grass; without a sleeping bag, you will most likely be sleeping on rocks and dirt.

3. Camping/Hiking Bags or Backpacks

It is important to keep in mind the kind of bag or backpack you will bring. With a sturdy and durable backpack, you ensure the safety of your valuables from getting wet or falling off during the trails ahead.

The only issue is that good quality camping bags can be quite a costly item.

4. Lights

It can get dark at night, whether you’re camping out in the woods or on the mountains, the pitch-black darkness outdoors is nothing compared to the darkness we experience indoors.

A good source of light is a camper’s most trusted friend and is something you cannot forget to bring with you going camping.

5. Tools

There usually are specific tools for each specific kind of camping. But the general necessary tools for all camping consist of an axe, a multi-purpose knife, and a shovel.

You will need an axe for gathering up wood for a nice campfire, a swiss army knife for whipping up your canned goods and popping open your soda bottles, and the shovel for personal reasons I need not mention.

6. Portable Stove/Camping Grill

If you’re planning to car or RV camp, then you might want to take with you a portable stove or camping grill. With the vast storage space in your vehicle, taking with you a stove or a grill will not pose as a problem at all.

Stove and camping grills truly amp up the vehicle camping experience, there’s just something about it that adds to the already homey vibe of camping with an RV or a car.

7. Water Filter

Not all camping activities will require you to bring a water filter. A water filter is more suited for those backpacking and hiking.

It’s important to know before heading out whether you will be passing by any riverbanks or lakes and whether these bodies of water might have bacteria and require a water filter or not.

8. Cooler

Another one for those planning on an RV, Outlander, or car camping trip.

It is highly suggested that you bring a cooler for your beverages and frozen goods!

Not all RV’s will have built-in refrigerators in them after all.

9. DSLR or Mirrorless HD Camera

While not all of us have the privilege of owning a DSLR or mirrorless camera due to its known immoderate pricing, the camera is still essential to have around when camping.

With the right camera and proper lens, you will be able to capture the memories and jaw-dropping sceneries from your camping trips in high-quality HD.

Someone has posted their Canon 5D right now for rent! Visit My Garage Rentals now and you can rent the camera for as low as $20 per day! Click here: https://bit.ly/3imfXg1

A Tamron 28-75mm lens is up for rent as well and you can rent it for as low as $10 per day! Click here to rent it today: https://bit.ly/33npDCK!

10. Storage

It’s always a good idea to have masculine and sturdy storage for your valuables when camping, it ensures the safety of your valuables while you roam around the woods or sleep in your tents or RV’s at night.

Portable storages are there to protect your things from getting wet from possible rain or from getting ravaged by any possible wildlife.

11. Portable Tables and Chairs

There won’t always be rocks and logs conveniently set up and placed for you to sit on as you gather around the campfire.

If you’re tent camping, car camping, or RV camping, then tables and chairs should be on your list of stuff to bring.

There are kinds of portable chairs and tables specifically built for outdoor camping too, these kinds are much sturdier than the conventional chairs and tables.

12. Smart Binoculars

Great tool for sight-seeing, bird watching, and spotting out other wildlife; some binoculars even reach far enough for you to have a closer look at the moon.

If your camping involves adventuring and a lot of hiking, the binoculars can be very useful for being on the lookout for the trail up ahead.

Smart Binoculars, compared to ordinary binoculars, provide GPS and WiFi. Some even allow you to take photos and videos.

Luckily, there’s a pair of smart binoculars available for rent right now at My Garage Rentals. Click here to rent it today!

13. Power Bank

The power bank should be very self-explanatory, it doesn’t take an Einstein to see the importance of its functions in the wild.

It’s very important to keep your phone charged up in case of an emergency and the power bank can help with just that.

Our phones are more than just a way of contacting the emergency hotline, it works as our map and compass as well; with the GPS feature, finding your way back to the campsite will be a breeze.

A power bank can also recharge our other devices like our AirPods for music and smartwatches, just to name a couple. I can’t stress enough how much convenience comes with bringing a power bank along with you as you camp.

14. Emergency Portable Generator

If you’re a writer like me who enjoys writing articles with the sound and the ambiance of nature in the surrounding, you will most likely be bringing your laptop.

An emergency portable generator will help power up your laptop and other electronic devices that need more electricity than a small power bank can hold.

These usually cost a lot, but renting them out instead of buying one brand new will make a huge difference.

15. Camping Clothes

Depending on the kind of camping you’ll be doing, such as backpacking, primitive, winter, or dry camping; camping clothes is a necessity.

Camping clothes can consist of a pair of boots, a jacket, gloves, cargo pants, and a cap. It’s a whole fashion statement.

Depending on the brand, buying these overall may just cost you dearly. So we highly recommend you take advantage of My Garage Rentals and rent instead.

16. Portable Insect Repeller

The Insect Repeller is a great gear to drive out creepy crawlies and pesky mosquitoes away from your campsite, ensuring a more comfortable camping experience, especially during your sleep.

These machines don’t come cheap though, as a repeller can cost you roughly $80 or more brand new, depending on the brand.

Conclusion

In planning on a camping trip, it is important to first consider what type of camping you will be doing.

As you’ve probably noticed in our article, we’ve mentioned that some of these items are only necessary for certain camping trips.

That being said, knowing the kind of camping trip you’re planning will determine the items you need on your list of things to bring.

Once you’ve completed your checklist, you can point out those you think you would benefit more from renting over buying.

You can utilize My Garage Rentals, a peer-to-peer rentals platform that offers rental services for any kind of gear, tool, or equipment!

Did we mention you could make money by joining My Garage Rentals too? Talk about hitting two birds with one stone; saving and making money that is.

If you own any of the items listed in our blog, you can list them for others to rent, making the opportunity to earn from your own belongings!

It will also be doing a first-time or one-time camper a favor; by renting out your old but well-conditioned gears to them, you help them save a lot of money in the process!

Use our platform at www.MyGarageRentals.com to rent and save, or to rent and make money today!

0 notes

rikrakyarnncrafts · 6 years

Text

Our Favorite Multitasking Media

Whether you’re traveling over the next couple of weeks, furiously knitting to finish up gifts, or simply just relaxing this holiday season, a good podcast or TV show is an excellent way to entertain you. Monotonous tasks just seem so much better when you have friends around, even if those friends live in your earbuds or on your screen. Since all of us here at Knit Picks are big fans of various multitasking media, we thought we share some of our favorites with you.

Podcasts

Of course, you should listen to our podcast! Usually around a half hour every two weeks, we discuss all sorts of yarny related things and other stuff we love. Stay tuned for 2018, where we’ll have more guests and topics suggested by you!

Hannah, Elaine, and I have become obsessed with Casefile, a true crime podcast out of Australia. They discuss both big and little known cases in Australia and all over the world – the recent episodes on Alcatraz was a personal favorite and a good place to start. If you’re also a true crime fan, other fact-based ones we love are Criminal, Slow Burn, Serial Killers and Cults. For fictional crime stories, Homecoming and the hilarious Deadly Manners are great, with a lot of famous actors lending their voices to these radio dramas.

Hannah listens to a lot of interview based shows like Death, Sex & Money, Here’s the Thing, and Fresh Air as well as what we call “life question” pods such as Heavyweight, Modern Love, and Terrible, Thanks for Asking. Both she and Kate are also fans of How Did This Get Made?, which is devoted to dissecting the worst and most ridiculous movies ever made.

Daniel and Brooke enjoy more historical podcasts. Daniel says “I have to plug The History of Rome podcast. I’ve never listened to a lot of podcasts, but I marathoned this one after it was finished. It’s very detailed and never boring. And I’ve only recently discovered that the same producer is doing another series called Revolutions and is currently covering 1848, which was possibly the single most fascinating year in European history.” while Brooke highly recommends Hardcore History, especially the ones on Genghis Kahn.

I tend to listen to political pods (NPR Politics, Code Switch and the Crooked Media shows) but when I need something a bit lighter, I listen to a lot of pop culture podcasts such as Pop Culture Happy Hour, It’s Been a Minute, Nerdette, Storm of Spoilers, You Must Remember This, and several shows on the Previously.tv podcast network. I also love trivia podcasts such as Good Job Brain (unfortunately on hiatus, but the older episodes are still great) and No Such Thing As A Fish.

In the same vein, audiobooks are great for a long trip or when you have a marathon crafting project. Hannah’s favorites of all time are Three Bags Full (sheep mystery – perfect for yarny folks) and Shadow Drivers (a nonfiction mystery involving submarines.) The ones I listen to over & over include Murder on the Orient Express (wonderfully read by Dan Stevens), Good Omens, the Harry Potter series (I love the US version but the UK ones are fabulous too), and my all time favorite, the original His Dark Materials novels, which has a full cast reading the novels (the newest book, The Book of Dust, is also wonderful, but does not have a full cast.)

TV Shows

Binging on tv shows was made for crafting! Curling up on the couch with yarn, needles and hooks and marathoning an excellent show is a weekend favorite for all of us here and we all have a wide range of tastes. Most of these programs are available on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon if you’re looking for a new show!

Alexis is my baseball buddy, so she & I watch a lot of baseball games during the season (which is perfect for knitting time), however during the winter months, she turns to teen dramas. As she says “Yes, teen dramas. I will own my love of all things Degrassi and 90210, old and new, The Inbetweeners, Skins (UK only), The Carrie Diaries, Freaks & Geeks, Daria… The list is plenty and I haven’t even touched on the rabbit hole of Korean shows!”

Some of Brooke’s favorites include Cosmos and Blue Planet – learn while you knit! Other fun favorites for her include Unsolved Mysteries, Dr. Who, Star Trek, and Forensic Files.

Daniel tends to rewatch older shows as well – “I like to go back and watch shows that I’ve seen a lot of and am mostly familiar with, but have never sat down for a complete watch through. The amount of attention those shows require is a lot more flexible, so I’m not having to repeatedly fix mistakes in my knitting or replay scenes of the show because I became fixed on one or the other. And the knitting makes it easier to get through episodes of. . .questionable quality. Star Trek has been good for this and I’ve made it through the Original Series, Next Generation (made A LOT of knitting progress through those first couple seasons. . .), Voyager (for the first time, actually), and DS9 (. . .mostly). I’m intermittently making my way through the original Twilight Zone now. I also watched the first couple of seasons of the Gilmore Girls before I realized that I was watching it mostly for the sweaters.”

My most marathoned shows tend to be all over the place. Right now, my significant other and I are rewatching Rome and other favorites include American Gods, Westworld, Justified, and my all time favorite show Deadwood. I also love quirkier shows like Pushing Daisies, Legion and, recently, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. If I’m watching shows by myself, I tend to rewatch shows like Outlander and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

Now we want to suggestions from you! What is your favorite multitasking media? What podcast, books, or TV shows have you been consuming lately?

The post Our Favorite Multitasking Media appeared first on KnitPicks Staff Knitting Blog.

from KnitPicks Staff Knitting Blog http://ift.tt/2knYOaD via IFTTT

#IFTTT #KnitPicks Staff Knitting Blog

2 notes · View notes

johnmurphysass · 7 years

Text

Tagged by: @m-y-s-t-3-r-y an amazing badass

1) Name/Nickname: Tricia

2) Gender: Female

3) Star Sign: Sagittarius

4) Height: 5'6

5) Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

6) Favourite Animal: Tiger

7) Hours of sleep: On a good day 4-5 hours

8) Dogs or cats: Cats

9) Number of Blankets: Too many to count

10) Dream Trip: Ireland or Scotland

11) Dream Job: Writer

12) Time: 8:423pm

13) Birthday: December 12th

14) Favourite Bands: AAR, Blink 182, Matchbox 20, Radio Head, Linkin Park

15) Favourite Solo Artist: Ed Sheeran

16) Song Stuck In My Head: Heaven Knows by The Pretty Reckless

17) Last Movie I Watched: Murder on the Orient Express

18) Last Show I Watched: Shameless

19) When I created my blog: 3 or 4 years ago

20) What I post/reblog: randomness

21) Last Thing I Googled: Movie show times

22) Other blogs?: only one

23) Getting Asks: answer them

24) Why I Chose my URL: Andy McNally said this about two addicts robbing a diner...still funny

25) Following: a lot

26) Followers: less than 500

27) Lucky Number: 3

28) Favourite instrument: flute

29) What I’m Wearing: leggings and a tank top

30)….

31) Nationality: American

32) Favourite Song: More than Anyone by Gavin Degraw

33) Last Book I Read: The Slave Across the Street (highly recommend)

34) Top Three Fictional Universes I’d Like to Join: the 100, Outlander, Steven Universe

I tag: @moonshinemonty @bellarke @sergeantdodds @youremykindagirl @andysmcnally @yourartmatters @fisherford40 @kay-emm-gee @tvismylifelove @maryam0revna and whoever else wants to do it

#about me #randomness #questions #my life

2 notes · View notes

hannahreadsstuff-blog · 5 years

Text

Book Review: What the Wind Knows

This was a timely read in so many ways. I recently binged the first four Outlander books, but have since been on a bit of a break. When I came across What the Wind Knows by Any Harmon, I saw two things that really peaked my interest - Ireland and traveling through time.

In 2001, Anne Gallagher stays by her grandfather as he passes away, making him a final promise to spread his ashes in his home country of Ireland. She keeps true to her promise, spreading his ashes in the Lough when fog rolls in and she is transported in time to 1921. Anne is certain that she is dreaming until she is rescued from the Lough by Dr. Thomas Smith, the guardian of her late grandfather. A beautiful story filled with a lot of love carries out from there.

I became invested in this book very slowly...it took longer than I had hoped, but once I felt connected to it, I was all in. It was a sweet story that really connected to my love of historical fiction, a little fantasy, and the beautiful country of Ireland. And the ending made the whole read worth it.

I loved reading this around St. Patrick's Day and just shy of a year since our amazing trip to Ireland last year. I would highly recommend this book to those who love love and love history.

4.25⭐

#book review #bookreview #bookreader #bookworm #books #booklover #bookish #booklr #amy harmon

0 notes

zachthevagabond · 5 years

Text

Next Stop...Portugal!

It’s Thursday afternoon here in Luxembourg. As you know, that means Friday afternoon for me -with my balling four-day teaching schedule! It’s 10:45am and I just got home from the lycée. I taught one lesson this morning on the American Education system, and then did an hour of rubric grading with Liane for another class.

I think my kids really enjoyed the lesson today. They thought it was so interesting to compare and contrast what school is like in Luxembourg and the United States. I showed them some videos of cheerleaders, and they were surprised to see that the football-cheerleading-prom depictions of American high school in the movies isn’t all that far from our reality. My students in this class are the equivalent of high school juniors, and I have to say that they are one of my classes. I also have to point out here that I say this about every single one of my classes that I teach...why have I been the luckiest teacher on the planet to always have such great students during every chapter of my teaching experience?!

Next week, I am taking on a new class at the lycée. They are cinquièmes in the Luxembourgish system, which translates to 8th grader/high school freshmen in English. They will be the youngest students that I have had in Luxembourg. Their teacher is Marina, a twenty-something-year-old hipster teacher who could pass for an American with the most American English you’d ever heard from a foreigner. She studied at the University of Hawaii (are you as jealous as I am?) as well as the University of Rochester. Small world, or what? Needless to say, I am so pumped to be working with her this upcoming semester, and to be teaching a new level.

I’m currently writing this while throwing a backpack together for Portugal. That’s right, PORTUGAL! Taylor is teaching until around noon today, and then she and I are off! Our flight is at 6pm tonight, but we’ve planned to head into Luxembourg City early to enjoy lunch together and then wander around the city before heading to the airport this afternoon. As is our little tradition, the restaurant of choice for lunch is Pizza Hut. Sometimes you just need a taste of home!

I am beyond excited for our four day weekend get-away, and we have decided that this trip will be entitled “Eating and Drinking Our Way Through Portugal.” Taylor and I both have Portuguese students (did you know that the highest immigrant population in Luxembourg is the Portuguese?), and we’ve told them about our upcoming trip. They’re ecstatic that their American teachers are able to see their home country, and provided us with all kinds of tips and restaurant recommendations. Despite a great deal of discrimination that Portuguese immigrants face in Luxembourg, I have personally found my Portuguese students to be the most hardworking, good-hearted, and animated students that I’ve ever had in class.

I say this about every time I post, but I’m sorry that I don't find time to post more often. Life happens so fast here, and it’s impossible to share everything with you. Please know that I miss you as much as you miss me reading this, and I promise to be better with the blog to keep you on this wild adventure with me.

I’ve decided to divide the rest of this update into sections to give you the most information in the most concise and efficient matter (if that sentence isn’t indicative of some of my Germanic genetics LOL)!

Here goes it...

Current Obsession on Netflix: Outlander. I am completely invested in it. Some of the English teacher that I work with at my lycée were talking about it a couple of weeks back, and I wanted to watch it to have a perspective to add to the conversation. I’ve become obsessed with it. I’m currently on episode 11 of season one. I highly recommend to anyone looking to start a new series.

Currently on my playlist: Is music not a great way to think of people? Check out some of these songs. Know that on trains and planes 4,000 miles away, I’ll be jamming out to the same ones.

Lucky Strike [Troye Silvan]

J’aurais voulu être un artiste [Nicole Croisille]

No Matter What [Calum Scott]

Come Home [OneRepublic]

Fool for You [ZAYN]

Just like a Pill [Pink]

Balance ton quoi [Angèle]

American [Lana Del Rey]

Toute ces choses [Céline Dion]

Health: My knees are lower back are still really bothering me. I’ve seen a really good chiropractor here who has reset certain areas in my back and legs, but the pain creeps back shortly after visiting him. I’m currently not running or doing anything too extensive at the gym for fear of making matters worse. I was almost 15,000 steps a day, so I am at least keeping myself active in that sense. I think something is seriously wrong. When returning to the U.S. in July, I want to see some specialists to know what the F*$% is going on with my body. I’m 23 years old, and was running six miles a day this time last year. Weight gain nightmares keep me up at night, because I can’t exercise as much and in the ways that I use to be doing regularly.

I’m moving. Again. Yes, you read that correctly. This will be my third and final time being displaced from the fire incident back in September. The University Housing has informed us that we will be leaving our studios and move across the street to a smaller room without a kitchen. I still can’t cook, so the kitchen poses no problem to me. I am looking forward to lower rent, as well as having a new space. Taylor will be in the same building as me, so there’s not one thing about this move that I have the right to complain about.

I’ll have a green tea, please! As per my New Year’s Resolution post back at the end of December, I am actively trying to reduce my daily consumption of coffee. No, I haven’t completely given up the bean of wonder, but I am reducing how many cups I have a day and trying to not drink it on the weekends. While I always drink my coffee black, green tea seems to be emerging in the dieting world as the most beneficial caffeinated drink for health and weight maintenance. I do have to admit, I’m becoming a fan of the taste!

Upcoming travel: Taylor and I are planning a trip to Morocco for spring break. It will be my first time in Africa, and the second time for her. We haven’t booked anything yet, but have started to compare prices and look into the best airline deals. I am also dying to go to Switzerland, which will be the last Francophone country on my list to visit in Western Europe. After watching Outlander, I have also recently become obsessed with the rolling hills and fog scenes of Scotland and Ireland. Have you seen some of the pictures of these countries online? We are thinking of trying to head to the ‘highlands’ and Ireland for a four or five day weekend, but we have to see how our $$ situation is after Portugal and Morocco. I hope I wasn’t the only one who didn’t realize that Ireland was on a different landmass than England and Scotland?

Melissa Etheridge: After learning that one of my favorite lesbian chill artists is coming to Luxembourg, I pulled the trigger. As a birthday gift to myself and my sister-from-another-mister, I bought Taylor and I tickets for the end of February. I can’t even tell you the last time I went to a concert, but I am so much looking forward to it. We have been blasting her music together every time we hang out.

New Friends: Taylor and I have been blessed with some new friends this past week. We met a group of expats living here in Luxembourg from Turkey, Spain, and Sri Lanka. Among them is our new friend Thambo, who is an executive at J.P. Morgan Luxembourg. One of the most well-traveled and cultured people I have ever met, Taylor and I are infatuated with his stories and take on living as an expat in Luxembourg. We also have a new friend that comes from Normandy. His name is Mayeul, and he is just finishing up his third masters degree before going to law school back in France. He lives in the city, and Taylor and I see him a couple of times a week for drinks. The three of us are trying to plan a weekend trip somewhere close together one of these upcoming weekends.

Conclusive Statement: If I could be doing anything anywhere in the world right now, it would be exactly what I’m doing right here in this moment. And that realization, ladies and gents, makes me one happy dude. ZJ

0 notes

vanessaiaaunderwood · 6 years

Video

youtube

Buy it on Amazon - https://ift.tt/2rJXsd9 - Buy at Best Price! Outland Firebowl 870 Premium Outdoor Portable Propane Gas Fire Pit with Cover & Carry Kit, 19-Inch Diameter 58,000 BTU Smokeless for Camping RV Backyard Deck Patio -- Click the link to buy now or to read the 188 4 & 5 Star Reviews.Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXxWLYmA6JR0L6aMM_xUwgw?sub_confirmation=1 Buy at Best Price! Outland Firebowl 870 Premium Outdoor Portable Propane Gas Fire Pit with Cover & Carry Kit, 19-Inch Diameter 58,000 BTU Smokeless for Camping RV Backyard Deck Patio Used the Outland Firebowl Premium for the first time this weekend and absolutely loved it! The construction quality is excellent and the firebowl is very easy to set up and use. It was nice to be able to place our camp-fire where we wanted it as opposed to where the campsite fire ring was located. Very pleased with the purchase - construction and operation are first class! Six stars! Thank you! ... Reviewer : Matt C This portable propane fire pit was amazing! It really was the easiest campfire I've ever set up. We have a burn ban in the Pacific Northwest right now, and we were super bummed we couldn't bring firewood. But the burn ban said that propane fire pits and stoves were allowed. So we thought we could try this one and we are glad we did! The hose is pre attached so you don't have to deal with that. It only took a mild test run to make sure that there were no leaks and to learn how to use it. Seriousl... Reviewer : Iris Click https://ift.tt/2rJXsd9 to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. Re-fashioned base and ergonomically designed valve assembly offers a refreshed contemporary look with stainless steel enhancements of the burner, fasteners, and a decorative belt. Includes cover/carry kit, pre-attached 10 ft. hose w/regulator, propane tank stabilizer ring, and decorative rock set. NEW CSA approved Natural Gas Conversion Kit 785 and Outland Carry Bag 760 now available separately! 19 diameter CSA approved fire bowl ensures consumer satisfaction and safety of use, certified fire pit is safe to use during most campfire bans. Lightweight and portable, the 58,000 BTU Outland Firebowl Premium allows for an easy set up anywhere outdoors with no tools required. We used this on a backcountry trip a few weeks ago where the camp fire restrictions were in place and it worked really well. Our first stop was at Trinity Lake, which was over 7,000 feet. With the flame on high, at that altitude, "high" wasn't all that high, but we were able to roast s'mores over it just the same. The next night, at Anderson Reservoir (closer to 3,000 feet), putting the flame at medium it was more than sufficient. I would highly recommend some sort of carry bag for... Reviewer : Kitty Pryde Click https://ift.tt/2rJXsd9 to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. ***Let Us Know What You Think… Comment Below!!*** Watch my other review Videos – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXxWLYmA6JR0L6aMM_xUwgw Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXxWLYmA6JR0L6aMM_xUwgw?sub_confirmation=1 #Outland Living, #Outland Firebowl 870 Premium Outdoor Portable Propane Gas Fire Pit with Cover & Carry Kit, 19-Inch Diameter 58,000 BTU Smokeless for Camping RV Backyard Deck Patio This is a review video for : B00TNS8HMI Manufacture : Outland Living Related Videos in Channel

#IFTTT #YouTube

0 notes

wandersofmylife-blog · 6 years

Text

Scotland

I’ve always identified as being Greek - as a kid I went to Greek Orthodox Church Camp in Greece, I savour baklava and I eat copious amounts of lamb on Easter. However, when I meet people they always seem to be surprised that I'm Greek - could be the fair skin and freckles, which I inherit from my Scottish side. I had never been interested in my Scottish side, despite my extremely Scottish and common last name, Ramsay, until I was introduced to the show Outlander this year. For those of you who have watched it, it takes place in Scotland, and I finally had an interest in going. I’m not sure if it was because of the hottest read-headed Scot I’ve ever seen being on the show(Jamie Fraser), or if it was seeing that the history of Scotland was rich, and something I had overlooked all my life, but I decided to make the trek out there this July.

Scotland is a beautiful country. It reminded me quite a bit of Iceland and in certain parts, just not as cold when I was there. It does rain quite a bit, but going in July I only had 1 of my 9 days where there was any precipitation, so I don’t believe it’s as dark and gloomy as people expect it to be. Edinburgh and Glasgow, two of the main cities, are located closer to the south of the country. There are some fantastic beaches to hit south of these two cities, mostly on the west coast. Even travelling north, the west coast is more dense and has more to see than the east. Scotland is not a heavily populated country, and travelling north you’ll find many small little towns that pass in the blink of an eye, but the highlands are definitely worth checking out. That was actually my favourite part of the trip - the north has something amazing about it, and I’m very glad I rented a car to get up there and see it.

The one difficulty with this is that in Scotland, they drive on the opposite side of the road. It’s quite a shock to see cars coming at you on the wrong side of the freeway, so wherever you are, make sure you do a little bit of small driving before you get onto the big roads. I always use rentalcars.com to book my cars, and by doing it at least 1 week in advance you’ll save a ton of money. For 1 week my car rental was $350.00 by booking in advance, but at the counter it would have been over $1000.00 - you have been warned!

I tried to cover as much as I could during my 9 days, and if I were to go back a second time I would do a few things differently. I would stay longer up in the North, and check out some more of the Isles. I only got to Skye, which was absolutely stunning, but there are many more out there to explore.

Day 1 - I flew WestJet and arrived in Glasgow. WestJet has a night flight, so you get there in the morning, which means you avoid losing a whole day of travel as long as you can sleep on planes. The Glasgow airport is quite small, so it was easy to pick up my rental car and drive around a bit to get myself familiarized. From here, I made my way up to Dalwhinnie, a 2 hour drive out from the airport. There is not much to see in Glasgow itself, as it’s very industrial, but there are some nice parks and downtown areas. This is actually where my Scottish family is from - they were a poor, working family who didn’t seem to have much until they went over to Canada. On the way to Dalwhinnie, you’ll hit Perth, where you can stop for lunch and also see the Scone Palace. It’s a great little town that has some awesome Haggis and Ale, if you’re looking to stop for a nice Scottish lunch. From here, I carried on and ended at Balsporran Cottages in Dalwhinnie. It really is a cute little B&B in the middle of nowhere. There’s a few nice streams and hiking opportunities in the surrounding hills, which is very nice, but don’t think you’re going out drinking if you stay here. It’s very peaceful, clean and well-kept - perfect for a first relaxing night in Scotland. If you’re arriving on a weekend, I’d suggest staying in Edinburgh so you can enjoy the nightlife there, but coming in here on a weekday is just fine.

Day 2 - From here, I started up to Mallaig, which is a 1.5 hour drive from Dalwhinnie. On the way, there are a few great things to stop by and see. En route, you have to stop at Fort William, an old Scottish fort-town. It’s got tons of great shops and little restaurants to eat at. I bought an awesome raincoat here for $60, so it’s not outrageously priced. It’s definitely a must to stop at, and is also close to Ben Nevis. Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in the Scottish region that take about 8.5 hours to climb, round trip. If you’re outdoorsy, it’s a big tourist destination and can get you moving and your blood pumping. The view at the top is one you’ll never forget. If you’re a new climber, I’d think it may be a good idea to do a half-climb up, as it does get quite tricky in some areas. Just past Fort William you’ll find Glenfinnan, where they have the Hogwarts Express. It’s a quick 20 min detour from the main route, and you’ll see the train winding through the mountains as you drive as well. This is actually called the Jacobite Stream Train, but if you’re a Harry Potter fan, this is definitely a quick stop you must take. Finally in Mallaig, you’ll smell the sea and salt, in this little ferry town. There are a couple of great coffee shops here, and I highly recommend staying at the West Highland Hotel. The rooms are small but clean, there are no key-cards for the doors(they are actual keys), but the bathrooms are completely renovated and there is a bar, restaurant and library on the main level. At night, people sit in the reception area and there is live music near the bar, so it’s perfect to meet other travellers and enjoy some Scottish sounds. The hotel is also located a bit up on a hill, overlooking the inlet. It’s a great view, and I would definitely stay here again. If you are taking a ferry the next day to the Isle of Skye, it’s best to book it the night before, It books up quickly, and if you don‘t have a confirmed ticket, there’s no guarantee you’ll get on with a car. You can book the ferry tickets at CalMac: www.ticketing.calmac.co.uk/booking/asp/web100.asp .

Day 3 - I made an early start in Mallaig to catch the 8am ferry over to the Isle of Skye. There’s a small coffee shop right by the ferry dock, where you can grab a quick bit to take and grab some java. The ferry is a short 30 minutes to the Isle of Skye, where you’ll land in Ardvasar. The island is actually quite large, so unless you stay a night here it’s best to do a pass-through and end up back on the mainland. I chose to visit the Fairy Pools, which is about an hour from the ferry. Staying on the island can be quite costly, running you about $200/night for a small room. Along the road to the fairy pools, you’ll see tons of gorgeous waterfalls and off-road scenery. It‘s an awesome drive on a good sunny day. When you get to the fairy pools, located in Glen Brittle, you’ll see parking is limited. It’s best to park on the road, and then walk down to the entrance. It’s really just a bunch of waterfalls running down from the mountains, which makes for an incredibly breathtaking scene. You can walk up quite a bit, but once you get to a certain point they all look the same, so I suggest going up about 30 minutes. The water is cold, clear and refreshing. If you're daring, you can definitely take swim, but it is quite chilling and there is no place out of the open to dry off. You can also check out Dunvegan, which is another hour north, however the Fairy Pools are the so serene, it’s good to budget at least an hour and a half here. Look out for Moo-Cows as well, which can be found en-route to the Fairy Pools. Head back to Kyleakin, where you can take cross over a bridge to the mainland. Right in Kyleakin there is a grocery store, gas station and some really cute restaurants. You can enjoy a late lunch here on your way back over. The bridge is pretty cool, and quite long, offering a great view of Loch Alsh. Try to do the cross-over before 4pm or so, as you’ll be able to stop into Eilean Donan castle. It’s got tons of great history, and has been passed down for generations within the current family, so there are tons of interesting objects in the home. It’s right on the loch, which makes for some incredible photo opps. The castle closes around 6pm, so be sure to get there before. From the castle, head up to Inverness, which is about 1hr30min. You’ll drive right beside Loch Ness - unfortunately, I didn’t catch Nessy on my trip, but maybe you’ll be lucky enough to. Inverness was by far my favourite place in Scotland. It’s all based around the river, and there’s a decent nightlife here as well. There’s tons of things to do for tourists here, as well as great shopping at their main downtown mall. Small boutique shops have tartans for every clan you can imagine in the downtown as well, and there’s tons of food(including McDonalds - however please don’t,,.. just don’t). All of the bars and pubs run along the River Ness, making it easy to pub-hop and check out all sorts of different bars. You can stay at the Crown Court Hotel($164/night), which is about a 10 minute walk into downtown through a few beautiful side street. The houses along here are all older and covered in flowers and greenery, so it’s a great walk. You’ll pass Inverness Castle on the way in, and if you really like you can go to the top of the castle to see a great view of the entire town during open hours.

Day 4 - The next day, grab breakfast or brunch in Inverness(tons of great spots downtown), and then head out to Culloden Moor, which is just outside of Inverness. You can pay for a tour by entering into the main building once you arrive, or you can park a bit closer near the entrance itself and walk yourself around the fields. This is where the Jacobite army fought against British troops, and were basically destroyed. There are tons of plaques as you do the walk around explaining different components of the battle, as well as headstones for the different clans and flag poles marking the position of the British and Jacobites. It is a must-see, full of history and amazing to see what happened on that soil back in 1746. After checking out Culloden, you can either stay another night in Inverness(which I would have done if I could redo the trip), or head up to Dornoch. Dornoch is a bit more north, and follows the sea with is really nice. However, the farther north you go, the cooler it gets. Up in Dornoch, there’s the opportunity to see Dunrobin Castle before heading into your hotel. This is an incredibly well architected castle with amazing gardens, and really cool to see. If you decide to stay in Dornoch, I highly recommend staying at the Dornoch Hotel($90/night). It’s right off the sea, and has a great restaurant in the hotel. Dornoch itself is a great little Scottish town, with some awesome restaurants and sweet shops. It’s quite small, so you can walk downtown from the hotel, but if you choose to drive there are tons of parking spots available. If you get to Dornoch before sunset, it’s a quick walk through the golf course outside of the hotel to the beach. The beach is absolutely stunning, with white sand and cool water. I actually ended up getting a sunburn here, not realizing how strong the sun was!

Day 5 - If you’re up for it, I highly recommend doing a horseback riding tour at Highlands Unbridled, about 30-40 minutes from Dornoch. You can choose rides of a few hours, or a day ride. Depending on your experience level, you’re able to gallop along the beach, or just happily walk along - they’re great at gaging the best experience for the group. They have a ton of different ponies, all of which are fantastically well cared for and seem quite happy, including Highland Ponies. I am not a pony person, I prefer horses, however these ponies were my absolute favourite! The day trek includes a stop at the top of one of the hills for lunch, so be sure to pack enough water and food to get your through a 6 hour day. You can check them out here: www.highlandsubridled.co.uk. After the horse trek, you’ll most likely be quite tired, so staying in Dornoch is idea. The Dornoch hotel has great ocean views and is quite relaxing - you’ll most likely be sore the next day if you’re not used to riding.

Day 6 - Make a late start to head back down Fife area. You can do this 1 of 2 ways depending on your tolerance for driving. You can take the coastal route down the east coast, stopping in Aberdeen for lunch and completing a total trip of 5 hours, or you can cut through the inland for a total trip time of 4 hours. Both are great drives, but if you like the sea then I would suggest spending that extra hour. Your destination is Anstruser, a small town with the most amazing fish and chips you can possibly find. Even the Princes eat the fish and chips from here at the Anstruser Fish Bar, and were seen here often during their studies in St. Andrews. It is absolutely to die for! This little sea town has tons of one-way streets, which can be a bit frustrating at times, but there is little need to walk if you stay at the Murray Library Hoes Hostel. Although it’s a hostel, can book private rooms here as well for a great price. It’s has renovated washrooms, super clean rooms, awesome common spaces and is right beside the sea. The hostel owners are extremely friendly, and the place is very secure. I would highly recommend to stay here if in the area. There are also a ton of great trails in this little town, one of which will take you out to the meadows outside of town. The Scottish landscape can truly be appreciated here, giving you a mix of beautiful fields and the sea. In the summer there’s live music and festivals in the main square by the beach, which is a great spot to meet people. The town is super friendly and a great place to wind down and ground yourself.

Day 7 - Make your way down to Edinburgh, which is about an hour from Anstruther. There’s no need to rush out, as it’s beautiful to watch the sun rise over the ocean. Once you get to Edinburgh, there’s a ton of great sites to see. There’s lots of walking to be done, so park your car at the Safestay Edinburgh, where you can stay the night and be central to the city for $120/night. Head into the old town of Edinburgh, where you’ll find old architecture and, of course, the Edinburgh Castle. You’ll have to pay a fee to get in, but it’s something that should be done if you’re interested in history. The gardens around the castle are also beautiful, and you can walk around the main streets into back alleys and different shops, which are scattered all over the old town. There's also tons of churches that are absolutely stunning. Be ware - you can’t take photos unless you pay a fee, so if you’re going to use a camera make sure you’re sneaky about it! The bars and pubs here are endless, so if you’re looking for some good nightlife the city is really your oyster. Bramble is a small bar that has amazing beer, and is very well known - making it easy to meet people as it’s always packed. For breakfast, try Roseleaf, which has amazing reviews and lives up to these reviews with their awesome food. Edinburgh is really a city for walking and drinking, so enjoy the livelihood and density, which is a sharp change from the north.

Day 8 - This day can either be spent in Edinburgh, or you can head out on this day to Glasgow(an hour drive) to catch a flight home. If you prefer, you can also leave from Edinburgh, however dropping the car here will most likely be more expensive as it will be different from where you picked it up.

Scotland is a stunning country rich of heritage and thick accents. The north is absolutely perfect if you’re looking for adventure, with the stark contrast to Edinburgh and it’s density, which makes for an awesome nightlife and the opportunity to meet tons of new people.

Hopefully you have the opportunity to enjoy Scotland and all it has to offer. Happy travels, and remember -

Travel far, Wander further.

Dede

0 notes