#it has pale gills and a dark stem

[sabertoothwalrus]

my mom just came in my room and handed me a mushroom. okay

#anyone wanna help ID? it looks like psilocybe cyanescens but the colors look wrong ? #it has pale gills and a dark stem #photos #mushroom #mycology #inaturalist #mushroom identification #sf bay area

[mycoblogg]

FOTD #096 : enokitake! (flammulina filiformis)

enokitake (sometimes shortened to enoki) is an agaric fungus in the family physalacriaceae. it grows naturally on dead wood in china, korea & japan, but is now cultivated commercially almost worldwide !!

the big question : can i bite it?? yeah, absolutely :-) it is eaten in many different countries & has good nutritional value.

f. filiformis description :

"individual fruit bodies are up to 50 millimetres (2 inches) tall, the cap convex at first, becoming flat when expanded, up to 45 mm (1+3⁄4 in) across. the cap surface is smooth, viscid when damp, ochraceous yellow to yellow-brown. the lamellae (gills) are cream to yellowish white. the stipe (stem) is smooth, pale yellow at the apex, yellow-brown to dark brown towards the base, & lacking a ring."

[images : source & source]

#• fungus of the day !! • #[flammulina filiformis] #: enokitake : #: enoki : #096 #|| #mycology #fungus #mushrooms #mushroom #fungi #earth #cottagecore #forestcore #foraging #nature #fotd #flammulina filiformis #enoki #enokitake

[rebeccathenaturalist]

How to Identify Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Click here to learn more about the How to Identify article series.

Name: Turkey Tail Mushroom (Trametes versicolor, syn. Coriolus versicolor and Polyporus versicolor)

Range and typical habitat(s): Commonly found throughout North America, but found in varying amounts on all continents except Antarctica

Distinguishing physical characteristics (size, colors, overall shapes, detail shapes): Turkey tail is one of a number of small, shelf-shaped mushrooms that grow on decaying wood. Most specimens are only a couple of inches across, though remarkable examples may reach eight inches across. The cap lacks a stipe (stem), and is often semicircular in shape with a ruffled edge. Like a turkey’s tail, it has several concentric bands of color, usually various shades of brown, and the center being darkest, though individual coloration may vary. Some bands may acquire a greenish tint if algae grows on them. The outermost band, which is actively growing, is white. Close examination may reveal very fine hairs on some parts of the cap. The hymenophore on the underside has very tiny pores and is usually white to pale brown.

The pored white underside of the turkey tail mushroom.

Turkey tail usually grows in big, layered clusters; some particularly large flushes may have hundreds of individual mushrooms. It only grows on the dead wood of deciduous trees. As it decays the lignin (and, to a lesser degree, cellulose) in the wood, it is included among the white-rot fungi. While many mushrooms only last a few days to a couple of weeks, turkey tails may persist for months.

Other organisms it could be confused with and how to tell the difference: There are several shelf-like mushrooms that are quite similar to turkey tail. Let’s look at a few of the more common ones.

False turkey tail (Stereum ostrea) at first glance looks very similar, with its varied rings of brown and pale outer edge. However, a look at the underside reveals a smooth surface rather than the pores of true turkey tail. It also tends to be more reddish in tone and lighter overall, lacking the dark center often seen in turkey tail.

Note the smooth surface on the pale underside of the false turkey tail mushroom. By JSmall, CCA-4.0

The gilled polypore (Trametes betulina, formerly Lenzites betulina) looks rather like an old, pale, washed-out turkey tail. As its common name suggests, though, it has gills instead of pores underneath the cap.

Note the gills on the underside rather than the turkey tail’s pores. By Wilhelm Zimmerling PAR, CCA-SA-4.0

There are other Trametes species that do have pores like turkey tail does; ochre bracket (Trametes ochracea) is one example. In this case, careful examination of the coloration of prime specimens will reveal paler colors on average.

Note how much paler these T. ochracea are.

Splitgill mushrooms (Schizophylum commune) may superficially look like turkey tails at first glance, but upon examination the more uniformly pale upper cap and deeply grooved gills underneath give it away as another species entirely.

White splitgill mushrooms showing their namesake.

Splitgill mushrooms (Schizophylum commune) may superficially look like turkey tails at first glance, but upon examination the more uniformly pale upper cap and deeply grooved gills underneath give it away as another species entirely.

Anything else worth mentioning? While turkey tail mushrooms are not generally considered to be edible, they may be an organic substitute for chewing gum. They also have purported medicinal value. Japan allows its compound, Polysaccharide-K, as a supplementary treatment for cancer; it is also taken as a dietary supplement elsewhere. Studies regarding PSK’s efficacy in treating cancer, immune deficiencies, or other ailments are contradictory at best. While long-term use does not seem to have any particularly toxic effects, it is not recommended for pregnant people, and taking turkey tail can cause darkened stool and fingernails, and diarrhea.

As with any supplement that has not received FDA approval, caution is advised, as is speaking with your physician prior to use. The fad associated with recent Western use often skirts the line of pseudoscience, and most of the websites I found about this species were people selling it while exaggerating potential effects regarding things like gut health and general immune responses. While turkey tail is a common mushroom, overharvesting in an area can reduce the availability of spores and potentially hinder the fungus’ reproduction there.

Further reading:

Mushroom Expert: Trametes versicolor

MDC Field Guide: Turkey Tail

Midwest Mycology: Trametes versicolor

Encyclopedia of Life: Turkey Tail

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

#turkey tail #turkey tail mushrooms #mushroom identification #mushrooms #shrooms #mushroom hunting #mushroom foraging #foraging #nature #outdoors #fungus #fungi #herbalism #pseudoscience #caveat emptor #mycology

[3ofpents]

100 Palettes Challenge // Palette #13 // Fairy Circle

Today's palette comes from the cover of a bit of sheet music printed in 1912.

Normally I wouldn't share the specifics, but it was so unusual that I have to. It's called "Red Onion Rag" and you can hear it played here. Why is it called "Red Onion Rag"? I have no idea! But in looking for an answer to that question, I found out that the Library of Congress has an entire collection of sheet music dating all the way back to the 1500's!

I was really dreading this one and was expecting to face it down next week. But I was struck by sudden inspiration late last night! I was thinking about a possible future blue mushroom tattoo and realized OH, the classic illustrated mushroom that everyone loves and loves to draw are the red spotted mushrooms, and of course green is a forest-y color. I also suspected that I'd be able to use the light green for the stems, which I would've used a cream or grey-ish white for normally, and I think it worked out well! Because even though red and green are complimentary colors, which would normally mean that they would enhance each other, when you have a dark/bright color next to a pastel color, the vividness of the darker color, it makes the pastel color look even more desaturated in comparison.

Honestly? I would've used the pale green for the spots too if I didn't also have to use that pink. And I wanted the contrast for the stems and gills so I couldn't use the pink there, and I've been playing Tears of the Kingdom, so it felt wrong using the pink for the moon.

Anyway, I love this, and this is almost certainly not going to be the last mushroom piece I make for this challenge.

#artists on tumblr #mushrooms #cottagecore #fairy circle #art challenge #personal challenge #100 palettes challenge

[northshoretreeservices]

12 Fungi You Must Avoid

According to reputable tree loppers Sydney, fungi are fascinating organisms that play an essential role in the environment. They decompose organic matter, recycle nutrients, and form symbiotic relationships with plants and animals. However, not all fungi are harmless. Some species can produce toxins that can cause serious illness or even death if ingested.

The list below discusses the fungi that grow on or near trees that you should avoid touching or eating. These fungi can cause a variety of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and liver damage. In some cases, poisoning can even be fatal.

Death Cap (Amanita phalloides)

The death cap is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world. It is responsible for more mushroom poisoning deaths than any other species. The death cap is a large, white mushroom with a pale green or yellow cap. It has a skirt-like ring around the stem and white gills.

Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa)

The destroying angel is another deadly mushroom that closely resembles the death cap. It is a large, white mushroom with a pale green or yellow cap. It has a skirt-like ring around the stem and white gills.

False Morel (Gyromitra esculenta)

The false morel is a poisonous mushroom that resembles the true morel, a popular edible mushroom. False morels are typically larger and have a more wrinkled or convoluted cap than true morels. They also have a distinctive reddish-brown colour.

Jack-o'-lantern (Omphalotus olearius)

The jack-o'-lantern is a poisonous mushroom that glows in the dark. It is a small, orange mushroom with a funnel-shaped cap. It has gills that are white to yellowish-brown.

Galerina marginata

Galerina marginata is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters on dead wood. It is a small, brown mushroom with a bell-shaped cap. It has gills that are brown to reddish-brown.

Lepiota brunnea

Lepiota brunnea is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in grassy areas. It is a small, brown mushroom with a bell-shaped cap. It has gills that are white to yellowish-brown.

Chlorophyllum molybdites

Chlorophyllum molybdites is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in grassy areas. It is a large, green mushroom with a bell-shaped cap. It has gills that are yellow to green.

Clitocybe illudens

Clitocybe illudens is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in grassy areas. It is a small, white mushroom with a bell-shaped cap. It has gills that are white to cream-coloured.

Cortinarius rubellus

Cortinarius rubellus is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in forests. It is a small, orange mushroom with a bell-shaped cap. It has gills that are yellow to orange.

Entoloma rhodopolium

Entoloma rhodopolium is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in forests. It is a small, pink mushroom with a bell-shaped cap. It has gills that are pink to reddish-brown.

Paxillus involutus

Paxillus involutus is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in forests. It is a large, brown mushroom with a funnel-shaped cap. It has gills that are orange to reddish-brown.

Boletus Satanas

Boletus Satanas is a poisonous mushroom that grows in clusters in forests. It is a large, red mushroom with a bulbous stem. It has pores that are yellow to orange.

What to Do If You Think You Have Been Poisoned by a Mushroom

If you think you have been poisoned by a mushroom, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Do not try to identify the mushroom yourself, as this could delay treatment. Symptoms of mushroom poisoning can vary depending on the species of mushroom, but they can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, liver damage, and kidney failure.

Preventing Mushroom Poisoning

The best way to prevent mushroom poisoning is to avoid eating wild mushrooms. Only eat mushrooms that have been purchased from a reputable source. If you are unsure about a mushroom, do not eat it.

It is also important to teach children about the dangers of mushroom poisoning. Children should be taught not to touch or eat any wild mushrooms.

Fungi can be beautiful and fascinating organisms, but they can also be dangerous. It is important to be aware of the dangers of mushroom poisoning and to take steps to prevent it.

#treelopperssydney

[octopodarts]

Shamshrooms Set 1

[Image ID: A digital design of five different types of fictional mushrooms in a row on a dark grey background. The first mushroom has a tall bright white cap covered in raised red rings that seem to glow the same color red as the stem. The second mushroom has a wide lavender cap with pale yellow spots and an off white stems. The third set is a miniature set of 5 purple blue interwoven caps with a spattering of tiny white spots. The second to last mushroom has a thin winding stem and has a gray lace like cap that seems to drip a bright blue liquid. The last mushrooms are two dark purple mushrooms twined together. They have inverted caps that are a bright contrasting golden yellow gills.]

#Shamshrooms #mushrooms #design challenge

[magicmushroomstore]

What Is Psilocybe Azurescens And How Do You Cultivate It?

Psilocybe azurescens is a species of psychedelic mushroom that contains psychoactive compounds such as psilocybin and psilocin. It is native to the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and is known for its high potency and distinctive appearance.

Cultivating Psilocybe azurescens mushrooms requires a specific growing environment and careful attention to detail. Here are the general steps for cultivating Psilocybe azurescens:

Obtain spores or a spore syringe: Psilocybe azurescens spores can be purchased online or obtained from a reputable supplier.

Prepare the substrate: Psilocybe azurescens mushrooms grow best on a substrate made of hardwood chips and sawdust, which should be sterilized to kill any competing microorganisms.

Inoculate the substrate: Using a spore syringe or a culture, inject the spores into the substrate and mix thoroughly. The inoculated substrate should be sealed in a container to prevent contamination and allowed to colonize for several weeks.

Prepare the fruiting chamber: Once the substrate has fully colonized, it can be transferred to a fruiting chamber. This can be a large plastic container or a specially designed grow tent, which should be kept at a consistent temperature of around 15-20°C (60-68°F) and high humidity.

Induce fruiting: To induce fruiting, the substrate should be covered with a layer of peat moss or other casing material, and the humidity and temperature should be adjusted to promote the growth of mushrooms. The fruiting process can take several weeks, and mushrooms should be harvested as they mature.

How To Identify Psilocybe Azurescens:

Psilocybe azurescens is a species of mushroom that contains the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. Here are some features that can help you identify it:

Cap: The cap of Psilocybe azurescens is usually 3-10 cm in diameter and has a conical to convex shape when young, then flattens with age. The cap is often a caramel color when young but becomes paler as it ages, and it has a distinct margin that is often slightly turned upwards.

Gills: The gills of Psilocybe azurescens are attached to the stem and have a dark purplish-brown color when mature.

Stem: The stem of Psilocybe azurescens is usually 6-15 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter. It is often thicker at the base and tapers towards the top. The stem is usually white or pale yellow but can have blue or greenish hues at the base.

Spore print: The spore print of Psilocybe azurescens is dark purple-brown.

Habitat: Psilocybe azurescens is usually found growing in wood chips, sawdust, or decaying wood of various hardwoods, particularly alder trees, and only grows in certain regions such as the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Drying And Storing Psilocybe Azurescens

Drying and storing Psilocybe azurescens is an important step to preserve their potency and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria or mold. Here are some steps to follow:

Harvest the mushrooms: Harvest the mushrooms by cutting them at the base of the stem using a clean, sharp knife.

Clean the mushrooms: Use a soft brush or cloth to remove any debris or dirt from the mushrooms.

Dry the mushrooms: There are several ways to dry mushrooms, but the most common method is to place them on a wire rack or hang them upside down using string or twine in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight. A fan can be used to increase airflow and speed up the drying process. It may take 2-5 days for the mushrooms to fully dry, depending on the humidity and temperature of the drying area.

Store the mushrooms: Once the mushrooms are fully dry, place them in an airtight container such as a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or a vacuum-sealed bag. Store the container in a cool, dark, and dry place away from moisture and direct sunlight. Psilocybe azurescens can remain potent for up to a year if stored properly.

[foragingincanadamb]

Honey mushroom

Find:Always found growing on some sort of wood, usually at the base of trees (quite often oak).

Time:Late summer to fall

Description:Long and whitish with a ring around the upper stem. This ring is a remnant of the partial veil, the piece of tissue that covers the gills when young. There is no bulb around the base of the stem.Another important honey mushroom identification feature is the attachment of the gills. They should be attached directly to the stem and sometimes begin to run down it. Always inspect the gill attachment on these mushrooms.

Look alikes:The poisonous jack-o'-lantern (Omphalotus illudens) is orange with a smooth cap.

Oyster mushroom

Find:Grows on standing and fallen trees and large branches, especially but by no means exclusively, on beech. It seems to do particularly well on lightening damaged trees.

Time:May–October

Description: 5-20cm diameter pale to dark grey, brown or occasionally olivaceous brackets growing in overlapping tiers; crowded cream to fawn gills running down the full length of the underside, converging to a “nub” but no obvious stipe. Oyster mushrooms can be very variable in appearance according to the substrate on which they are growing.

Look alikes:The poisonous jack-o'-lantern (Omphalotus illudens) is orange with a smooth cap.

Veiled oyster

Find:on wood of dead deciduous broadleaf trees, particularly Beech, oaks and Horse Chestnut; also quite commonly on dead-wood parts of living trees, such as where a branch has been removed.

Time:Late summer and autumn.

Description: Cap white or cream, convex and usually bracket-like with either radial or eccentric stem; convex, gradually flattening but often retaining a broad umbo; surface is felt-like, often breaking into large scale-like patches; 5 to 15cm across.White, decurrent.White or cream; up to 3cm long and 1 to 2cm dia.; tapering towards base; with a short-lived white or cream ring.

Look alikes:The poisonous jack-o'-lantern (Omphalotus illudens) is orange with a smooth cap.

Turkey tails

Find:It is found virtually anywhere there are dead hardwood logs.

Time:May through December

Description:The cap of a turkey tail measures anywhere between 2 to 10 cm (1 to 4”) across, with an outer edge that may be either smooth and uniform or lobed and wavy. The cap is characterized by defined bands of different colours, which include various shades of cream, grey, yellow, orange and brown. The cap surface is finely fuzzy or velvety. Many turkey tails clearly resemble a miniature turkey’s tail. The white inner flesh is 1 to 2 mm thick and rubbery. The underside is covered in tiny, shallow pores spaced about 3 to 6 pores per millimetre.Turkey tails do not have gills, they have pores.

Look alikes:The closest look alike are types of crust fungus, namely Stereum ostrae.  They look enough alike that these actually go by the common name “false turkey tail.”  From the top surface, they look pretty darn similar.  They both have rings of color, they’re both thin and tough.  Once you flip them over, it’s easy to tell the difference.The good news is false turkey tails are not poisonous, although they are not particularly tasty or useful as far as we know.

False turkey tails

Find:Grows in large, layered groups on stumps and logs of deciduous trees, especially oaks. It is extremely common.

Time:May through December

Description:Much like the true Turkey Tail though, the key to identifying it lies on the underside of the mushroom.False Turkey Tails have a smooth non-porous underside, usually beige in color.Large, layered groups of leathery, parchmentlike brackets with multicolored zones; underside smooth. Grows on stumps and logs of deciduous trees. Year-round. Cap semicircular, irregular; zones of browns, rusts, and sometimes green (from algae); texture leathery, hairy. Underside buff-colored, smooth. Stalk not present. Spore print white. Spores magnified are cylindrical, smooth.

Look alikes:Turkey tails.

Chicken of the woods

Find:is found growing on or at the base of dead or dying hardwood trees; most commonly on oak but also cherry or beech. It can also be found on dead conifer stumps. Chicken of the woods has been known to fruit on living trees as well.

Time:June to November

Description:The chicken of the woods is a bright sulphur-yellow fungus comprising several thick, overlapping brackets. The individual brackets are soft and spongy when young and exude a yellow liquid if squeezed. They are fan-shaped with an undulating margin. The upper surface is velvety and yellow-orange with a zoned margin, while the underside is yellow and covered with pores.

Look alikes: no ture Look alikes.

#honey mushroom #fungus #fungi #jack o lantern #oysters mushroom #turkey tails #faults turkey tails #chicken of the woods

[queroze]

Holding back

Happy holidays, @worrynotso ! I hope you enjoy!

@sanderssidesgiftxchange

Summary: A vampire merman and a marine biologist meet. Love at first bite? Not quite....

Angst with a happy ending, Analogical 

TW: its a vampire mermaid: fangs, blood, water, biting, non-consensual biting

Word Count: 3533

Link to AO3

Virgil was hungry.

Very hungry. It had been far too long since he had eaten. He was desperate. Weak and dizzy he looked up from his cave of coral on the seafloor, the sandy muck and seaweed around him swirled as he moved. Shadows moved over him, blotting out the small amount of light that managed to make it to his glowing purple eyes.

Food.

A grouping of large sea animals cast dark shapes above him. They were too large to be fish. And it didn’t matter what they were. If they moved in groups and they were as bulky as they seemed, they were warm blooded. And that’s what Virgil needed. His stomach panged as he moved out of his cave and up and out with a quick flick of his tail. The bodies were sleek and quick.

Dolphins.

He swam, lithe and fast toward a pod of dolphins. Darting, chasing, gabbing, squeaky skin just out of reach. They scattered, each going a different direction, effectively confusing Virgil's luminescent violet eyes. Because there wasn't an old weak one among them, Virgil didn't get a chance to pick one off. He let his body fall listless to the bottom of the sea, the sand catching him and puffing around him.

Virgil would have never tried for a dolphin were he not confused by hunger gnawing away at his gut. His hands went into the sand, hoping to find some kind of mollusk to chew on at least. It wouldn't give him the nutrition he craved, but it would at least give his pointed teeth something to do, rather than him biting his own tail. The thick, strong and rough appendage was tucked under him as his thin pale hands came up empty of shells.  

Blood.

Mammal blood. That's what he needed. Warm, live and pulsing. Heart pumping away into his mouth, veins his glass, teeth his cutlery. Seals were ideal. Slow on land, thick with blubber sure, but at least it wasn’t that rubber band bounce of a dolphin. Whales were marginally better than their squeaking cousins. But also, extremely hard to catch. But their size made it easier to feed off a single one for months before Virgil sucked them dry. But he needed something, anything now.

There was no warning when the net fell on him, other than the slightest change in the shadows that surrounded the merman in the sand. It tangled him, caught his hands and arms, twisted at the base of his tail, cut into his skin. The net was making it hard to breathe, restricting his movements, until all he could do was a pathetic wiggle, sand filling his mouth as he struggled. After what seemed like an eternity, water catching in his gills frantically, a new movement happened. Virgil was being pulled up.

Virgil thrashed against the net, as he moved from the sea floor thru the empty middle expanse of the ocean. The thin twine cut into his tail, his back, his face.

But up he went.

His sharp teeth were useless, because he could not get purchase with his mouth against the tight weave of the net. But that didn’t stop him from biting the water uselessly.

And up he went.

The merman’s arms were pressed, folded awkwardly at his sides, as he attempted to claw at the net to no avail. The short stout claws would have done the job in a hurry if he could only get to the net.

Still up he went.

Until he broke the surface, rump first, tail flopping his own face as the full force of gravity hit his body dripping over the water. It was dark. It could have been a day with a storm, or a clear night for all Virgil was aware. Something jabbed at his side as he slowly turned in his dangle. Rough voices excited and fearful hit Virgil's ears as his body turned sluggishly around. A fishing boat, men in bright yellow shiny coats, as rubbery looking as a dolphin. Virgil snarled at the men, wiggling like a worm on a hook.

Something jerked and his body was moving closer to the boat. The movement was smoother than the easiest swim. The merman kept thrashing, snapping and snarling in vain. When he got close enough, hands grabbed him, callus and rough, pulling him into the boat. There was yelling, incomprehensible and confusing. The people aimed the merman over a large hole in the deck, dark and menacing to Virgil's violet eyes.

Trapped.

Virgil was dropped into the darkness, the deck of the ship disappearing above him. He landed with a splash into water. The water was wrong. It was too warm, too still, too hard, too scratchy. It stung his glowing eyes, the gills along his neck and his tender and pale upper body skin. Virgil’s body dropped like a stone, until it hit the hard and smooth bottom. The net loosened around his body and Virgil moved and thrashed until he was free, the net an evil puddle on the smooth floor.

Free finally to move about Virgil swam quickly around a small circle. A tank, he was in a tank. Legends of humans and their cruelty were abundant. Catching, killing, eating, maiming. He had heard them all….before. Before the only thing that sustained him was blood. Before when flesh was what he needed to survive. Before his tail turned dark, his torso pale and his eyes glowed. He had heard about the cruelty of humans.

And according to Virgil, those legends were right.

Chapter 2

"Unusual coloring on the upper quadrant of the specimen indicates a wider variation in population than previously hypothesized." Logan pressed pause on the recorder. He cleared his throat and turned to the merman in the tank. The 9-foot-long merman was laying at the bottom of the tank, its eyes tracking Logan's movement. Pressing play again he continues. "Incisors and canines are also 60% larger than other specimens that we have studied." Logan continues to take notes walking up the ramp that curved around from the bottom of the tank to the top. He paid no mind to the glowing violet eyes following him.

"The specimen is also at the point of starvation. Live fish, dead fish, and processed food have been offered and so far, rejected. The specimen…." Logan, nearing the top of the tank, checked the tag. Each of the merpeople that have been caught had been assigned a letter. This specimen was assigned the letter V. "The specimen V, as it will henceforth be referred to, seems to be on the brink of malnourishment. Because of this, in order to keep the specimen V alive in captivity for as long as possible for optimum scientific inquiry, some kind of nutrition needs to be entering its system without delay. Intravenous methods are being considered at this time."

Logan looks down into the water holding the merman, purple eyes look back from the bottom of the large tank. The merman wasn’t moving. But it’s fluttering gills and open eyes the only thing betraying the fact that it was alive. "The specimen V has been tracking me all the way up the ramp. That suggests alertness and awareness of its surroundings. This is encouraging as its malnourishment has not yet affected its cognitive abilities." Logan bent down to take a sample of the water. "A water sample of the specimen is going to be taken at...gaAHHHH!"

As quick as lightning, a pale arm breaks the surface of the water and pulls the marine biologist down under. Artificial saltwater fills Logan's mouth and lungs burning his esophagus and nostrils. He fights for the surface, reaching with his hands but the edge is getting further away. He fights against the strong thin hands that hold him, one around his torso, and the other around his face. But already the lack of air makes it hard to fight, to struggle, to get away, to get to the edge of the pool that was only 2 feet away.

A clawed hand tugged his hair, pulling his head back. Teeth sharper than scalpels cut into his neck, staining the water red around him. Logan's body, already heavy with clothes, is impossibly heavier as blood is drained from him. Darkness creeps the edges of his watery vision. Logan is being drained and drowned at the same time. The only thought in his head, clear despite facing impending death was: What is going to kill me? The water in my lungs or my blood in the water?

Blackness overtakes him.

.

.

.

.

Thump

Thump

Thump-thump

Thump-thump

Stinging, salt and chlorine erupts from his face. Logan coughs, fresh new air burns and it begins to fill his chest. He is laying precariously close to the edge of the tank. Something hard and plastic is pressed into Logan’s hands by someone pale and wet, his apparent rescuer. His glasses. Logan smashes them onto his face, blinking away the harsh water.

The merman looks back, mouth painted with blood. Logan's blood. Logan clutched the wound on his neck, still wet. But from his own blood gushing forth or from the saltwater clinging to him, he can't tell. He scrambles up, but almost falls back into the tank for his trouble.

"Dude. Chill."

Logan tries to focus on the voice, but as it happened to be coming from the direction of the merman, the very same merman who currently has Logan's blood on his lips, Logan was looking for any other source of the sound. Hand still clenched on his neck, stemming any potential blood from escaping him he finally makes eye contact with the…. vampire merman.

"Sorry about that." The voice of the vampire merman was low, gravely, and rocky in all the right places.

"Biting me?!" Logan asks, finding his own voice to be higher and raspier than it normally was.

"Yeah...I uh...hadn't eaten. And you were right there." The vampire merman actually looked embarrassed, his hand on the back of his neck, eyes downcast.

Logan looked dumbstruck at the sea creature talking to him. None of the other specimens had even said hello, let alone mumbled an embarrassed apology for blood sucking. But Logan's instinct for correction overrode the astonishment.

"You didn't eat. We provided a variety of options."

"I don't eat fish." Came the simple yet significant reply.

"You suck blood." Logan hypothesized, hand still on his neck, still stemming whatever bleeding was happening there.

"Mammal blood" The vampire merman corrected with his rocky stormy voice confirming what Logan was about to say.

"Mammal blood. You drink mammal blood." Logan plops hard on his rump, blinking in disbelief, his hand still on his neck. It was cold, not warm. Did that mean there was no bleeding?

The vampire merman reaches out and gently moves Logan's hand from his neck. "Your fine. You won't bleed out." The care in his gravelly voice is apparent.

Logan goes along with the movement, looking wide-eyed at the most unique creature he has ever studied. "I won't? But the blood...my blood...it was in the water."

Specimen V's pectorals turn a dark purple. "Yeah, my bad. I was starving, so it got everywhere. Usually I'm cleaner than that."

Logan nods dumbly unsure how to respond. He finally looks at his hand, the one that was supposed to be stopping the blood from the bite wound. It was clean, as Specimen V had said. “How?” was the only word the biologist could form.

“oh…uh…I don’t really know?” The merman looks everywhere but at the human. “Something to do with the venom….”

“Venom?!?!” Logan says moving away from the fanged monster.

“Woah dude…It won’t kill you…probably…” The merman winces. “I’ve never fed off a human before…So probably.”

Logan shakes his head a hundred questions lighting up in his brain. “How are you talking? None of our other specimens talked.”

Specimen V's looks at the slightly cowering human with sharp eyes. “Other …specimens?”

“The other merpeople.”

“How many?” The fanged voice is all sharp rocks and crumbling cliffs.

“You are the 22nd” Logan says scooting away from the merman, the tank, and all the mysteries they hold.

“Oh no…” The merman grabs at the scientist’s ankle like lightning, even quicker now he was out of the water. “You’re not just going to leave. You have to let me out of here.”

The vampire merman, after displaying a surprising number of emotions, now shows the most surprising one of all: fear. Terror is etched into every line of his skin, bone, and body. From the way his muscles were taunt as he held Logan from escaping. To his pale face, violet eyes frantic and darting, looking for an exit. His angled jaw set, fangs poking out of his lips menacingly.

Logan pulls his leg hard trying to get away, but the creature's grasp is tight. “Let me go, I cannot release you from here.” He reasons confidently.

Specimen V, eyes still looking for a way back to the ocean himself, finally settles on the man he is holding distrust in his eyes. “How do I know you will?”

“You don’t.”

Chapter 3

Virgil lets go of the human. There wasn’t much more he could do. His captor was probably telling the truth, as there was nothing within reach that looked like the ocean to him. The human scrambles up and runs down a curve and out of sight. And Virgil waits, skin feeling tight as the too clean saltwater dries on his skin. He rubs the gills on his neck in a self-conscious movement. He could dip back in the tank with the water that was all wrong, relieve his gills, give his tiny lungs a break. But being out of the tank gave him a better view of the goings on of the human. The human who had been gone for an exceedingly long time….

“Hey! Don’t you dare do anything funny!” Virgil calls, his voice echoing unpleasantly off the metal walls making him wince from the reverb.

Nothing calls back. In fact, is suspiciously silent. Virgil pulls himself forward, tail dragging on the grates under him. “Are you there?” he calls again, voice high and tight in suppressed panic.

Then footfalls, fast and heavy are coming up the ramp that hugs the tank. The man comes into view, this time he is armed with a spear as long as Virgil.

“No! No please!” Virgil yells holding his arms up to protect himself.

“Get back in the tank!” The human yells at him.

“Please! Please just let me go!” Virgil cowers now, the human getting closer. He had never seen spears up close, but the victims of such weapons left little to the imagination.

“Back in the tank! Did you really think I am going to let such a unique specimen go?” The scientist laughs hauntingly. “In addition, you speak. You and I are going to have a number of conversations.” With a free hand he holds up an impromptu muzzle made from a bungie cord and some extremely large fishing hooks. “One way or another.”

The cruelty of humans is well known from before his tail turned dark, his skin pale and his eyes glowed. But never did he hear of the cold calculation of a man of science. Of an ambition and ivory towers. No, if Virgil had heard about that he would have starved himself at the bottom of the tank, with its too clean saltwater and too smooth floor.

And there he heads now, splashing sideways, spear poking at his side, just this side of cutting into his skin. He looks at the man bearing the spear defiantly. “Someday you will get too close again. And I will not hold back.”

The vampire mermaid and the human scientist stare each other down, each one a monster in the other’s eyes.

 Chapter 4

         Months pass.

And Virgil is fed. Not always on purpose, and sometimes on accident, but he no longer starves.

                          Months pass.

And Logan learns more. Not always on purpose, and sometimes on accident, but he knows more now than he ever has.

                                                Months pass

And each of the monsters grow softer to the other.

Logan is kinder and gentler now to the merman he has learned the name of. Logan learns he doesn’t like it too bright, too warm, or too loud. The biologist learns that the merman in his care knows all about the prey he hunts, doesn’t know anything of his kind. That after being left for dead by the one who had bitten him, he had not interacted with merpeople since. He had no mate, nor friends.

Virgil is softer and sweeter now to the biologist he has learned the name of. Virgil learns he hates to repeat himself, dislikes not being listened to, and craves praise. The merman learns that the biologist who harbors him knows all about the creatures of the sea, but knows nothing about his own race. He didn’t know how to interact with them, how to find a mate, and how to make friends.

As they pity each other for what they don’t have, each develops a want. One that they each try and squash.

When Logan feels the want, he refuses to meet Virgil’s eyes.

When Virgil feels the want, he can’t stop looking at Logan.

                                                      Months pass.

                                                                    And the want grows.

 Logan is reading to Virgil. Virgil is on the outside of the tank, laying on a makeshift sofa made from an inflatable raft. Logan is on a stool, hunched forward, nearing the end of the tale. Virgil is enraptured by Logans voice, the story, everything, his eyes drilling into the hunched figure in front of him. As Logan concludes the book, he closes it and looks up at Virgil, meeting his eyes.

“Did you enjoy that one?”

“Yes….and I liked you reading it.”

This catches Logan off guard. “Only because you’ll get the pages wet.”

“I like your voice Lo.” Virgil says his own stormy and rocky tones  that send shivers up Logans spine.

“Your sample size isn’t that large.”

“I still like it. Its soothing.”

“It’s monotone.”

“Same difference.”

Logan smirks setting down the book. Virgil perks up. “What are you doing now?”

“Not leaving. Don’t worry. Its Friday night, so I have no plans.”

“Lo?” Virgil’s voice is soft, like the foamy part of the waves.

Logan looks toward the merman, and notices his chest is a darker purple again. That happens sometimes. But Virgil assured him it was not bad. But it was still curious. “Yes Virgil?”

“You can plan to stay here. Then you would have plans.”

“Well reasoned. That does make me feel better. Plans created and executed. I am now fulfilled.” Logan says deadpan.

The merman laughs, fangs catching the light.

“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” Logan asks undoing his tie already.

The purple on Virgil’s chest gets darker, eyes not leaving Logan’s face. “I mean…. we could find someone else…”

“It’s the weekend. It isn’t good when you go three days. If you drink today, we will get you someone else on Monday.”

Virgil’s stare intensifies. “Alright.”

Logan comes closer, and sits next to Virgil, shivering next to the colder merman. Virgil reaches for Logans head and pulls it down into his lap gently. The merman cradles Logan’s head, his neck exposed and waiting. Logan breathes steady under him. Virgil bites, fangs going deep into the pulse of the human’s veins. Logan hisses until the toxin makes its way into the wound, numbing the area. Logan’s eyes flutter closed, the toxin and the blood loss a potent combination. Virgil drinks deeply, brine and blood in this mouth and on his tongue. He finishes with a press of his lips on the open wounds, and they knit close, new skin tender and shiny.

Logan opens his eyes, and he sits up unsteadily. His face close to Virgil’s, he can feel the sharp breath on his cheek. His eyes drop to the dark purple chest of the vampire merman. Virgil’s chest was always dark purple when he drinks from Logan, but never when he drinks from someone else. When Logan smuggles him someone homeless, drunk, or drugged it’s a ghostly pale white of his normal coloring.

Virgil tips Logan’s chin up, their eyes meeting. “My eyes are up here sailor.” He whispers playfully.

Logan swallows, eyes stopping at the lips of the merman, one of his fangs caught on the outside of his bottom lip. “Virgil?”

“Yeah?” As he speaks, the fang is tucked back to where it belongs.

Eyes still on his lips Logan surges up and kisses the vampire merman. Virgil, surprised, is knocked back, into the inflatable raft, his tail squeaking against the rubber. The biologist, embarrassed, scrambles back.

“Oh no you don’t…” Virgil grabs the human by the ankle and pulls him into the raft. “I have been wanting to do that for months!”

Logan laughs crawling into the raft, “Why didn’t you?”

“I was already drinking…it seemed a lot more to ask…but now…” Virgil brings Logan into a Vampire kiss, fangs pressing into Logan’s lips. “Now…I’m not holding back.”

#sanders side fic #sanders sides #logan sanders #virgil sanders #vampire #mermaid #vampire mermaid #so crazy it just might work #fanfic #sanders sides fanfiction #quewritesalot

[nunoxaviermoreira]

Hypholoma brunneum. by Bernard Spragg Hypholoma brunneum is a wood-rotting fungus grows on decaying wood usually in dense clumps, possibly only in Australia-NZ. It has a brown to dark brown cap, to 60 mm, with whitish scales towards the margin. The gills are yellowish to greenish, darkening as spores develop; spore print purple brown. The stem is fibrillose, especially towards the base, colour pallid to pale brown, with a fibrillose ring of fine veil remnants. https://flic.kr/p/2kZqUNZ

#IFTTT #Flickr #hypholomabrunneum #mushrooms #fungi #nature #sony #fprestfloor #wetknee #fungus

[doctoraliceharvey]

hey, could you write malice where matthew gets angry (not necessarily with her but in general) and how alice deals with this because it’s been implied before that she can’t deal with shouting?

uuuuh this got long, but I hope you enjoy it and I really enjoyed exploring this entire aspect of Matthew and Alice.

it's of a different fic (and felt like it took me forever to actually write it), but honestly the idea of actually exploring a little of WHY Matthew yells and how that could affect a potential relationship with Alice was too interesting to pass up. The working title of this fic was "Matthew Goes to Therapy" and honestly most characters on this show probably should, but I'm very proud of Matthew actually sitting down with his feelings and anger and dealing with them. Please enjoy! - Dee

tw: mentions of abuse

Flowers In The Darkest Part of My Mind

AO3 | FF.NET

-----

"What brought you here?"

Matthew sighed as he shifted on the couch; it was a comfortable couch and Matthew had gotten to know it over the past few weeks of coming to Dr. Graves, but at his question, suddenly Matthew felt like he had at the beginning: out of place.

"Matthew?"

Glancing over at the doctor - a tall, quiet man about Matthew's age with his dark grey hair starting to go white - Matthew sighed again.

"There was… an incident."

"What sort of incident?"

"One of the constables - a little green around the gills, no fault of his own - messed up on a case and it happened that I was… stressed out that day. I'd been stressed quite a bit before this incident, but this was the day it all just kind of… blew up. A… friend and colleague overheard the yelling and… she pulled away from me because of it. Alice… I won't say much because I also don't know much, but she… didn't have a happy childhood and I'd seen the way she was like when someone raised their voice or moved too quickly towards her."

"Ah," Dr. Graves nodded as he jotted down a few notes. "So, Alice pulled away?"

"Yes, she stopped coming by the house for dinner, stopped bantering with me at work, only doing the bare minimum in interacting with me or the police, so… after talking with Jean - who knows a lot more of Alice's past - I realized Alice was afraid of me… of my anger."

"And that's not something you want?"

Matthew shook his head, "I don't think it's something I've wanted for a long time. Besides scaring Alice, who's a close friend… I'm just tired of being so angry for so long. Angry at my father, angry at my past, angry at Lucien, angry at the higher ups, angry at the world… God, I'm just so tired."

"Hm, interesting."

He liked Dr. Graves; the psychologist never pushed and had a sort of eclectic way of looking at the world - it almost was like he'd found another "Alice" and found it easy to talk to the man, regardless if he'd been nervous at first.

The way Alice had looked at him after running into him in the hallway once he'd been through with carpeting the constable, the way her eyes were wide, scared, and how she'd stepped back from him - flinched, really - confused him; they'd gotten through so much and had started to fall back into the friendship both enjoyed prior to Lucien going missing, that her pulling back so suddenly frustrated him.

It wasn't until Alice didn't show up for dinner a few nights in a row, that he finally turned to Jean for her input.

"You remember the day you were reaming out the constable?" She'd asked him quietly as the tea steeped between them.

"I do."

"You weren't in the bullpen with us, but… Alice was shaking."

"Shaking?"

"Yes, she'd come by to drop off a report and was chatting with me and Peter when you started in; I nearly thought she would faint dead right then and there."

He couldn't picture Alice close to fainting, but Jean looked serious.

"She couldn't hide the way her hands shook or the paleness of her cheeks, so I told her to go outside for fresh air."

"I ran into her on her way out, and she flinched from me, Jean. She's… she's never done that before even before we really knew each other."

"But you don't know each other, not… I mean, you're close, but there's still so much you don't know about Alice and things she doesn't know about your past."

Matthew pulled at his hair as he ran a hand through it; letting out a frustrated sigh, he watched Jean pour them tea.

"What am I missing, Jean? I don't… I don't want it to be like this, I… I miss her."

Jean continued to pour the tea and fix their cups to their liking - staying quiet for a long time (and Jean could draw out her silences when she liked to) before she took a sip and sighed.

"I think… I think Alice was startled and got scared… by your anger, Matthew."

"My anger?"

"The yelling."

Scrubbing his face with his hand, Matthew frowned, "But… why?"

"That's probably for Alice to tell you, but… from what I can tell she didn't have an easy childhood. Lucien and Charlie once mentioned she'd told a suspect that she 'didn't need protecting since she was twelve years old'... I'll let you speculate as to why."

Matthew sighed, a tired, weary sigh, and leaned his head in his hand; he'd seen enough children abused by their parents to hazard a guess (hell, he'd been through some with his father), and the flinching, the startled, almost deer-in-headlights look Alice got when she'd overheard his yelling started to make a little more sense.

"Oh, Christ."

Jean hummed and pushed his tea towards him, "So… I suppose to fix this… you might need to do some thinking and reflecting."

At that he huffed a silent laugh, "Thinking never helped me get anywhere… just leads me in circles."

"Then maybe you need someone to help guide you… your brother-in-law works in the field of psychology, does he not?"

"Yeah, but I don't think I could tell him all about this… I know there are things that Vera never told him about our past and I don't want to drive a wedge between them. Vera's moved on as much as she could."

"Then see if he has a friend or colleague who might be open to new patients."

Matthew sighed again as Jean patted his hand and he stared off into space as he mechanically sipped at his tea - not really tasting it as Jean started on cleaning up the kitchen post-dinner. Would he really do this? Could he really do this? Go and talk to a stranger about… well, everything?

If he didn't, would he lose Alice?

And so, here he was, a few weeks later after a few days of self-reflection and knowing something needed to drastically change in order for his world to right itself; Matthew reached out to his brother-in-law, Daniel Anderson, and found someone to help him figure out where to go from there.

Doctor Maxwell Graves was certainly an interesting choice, but Matthew liked how he made him feel at ease even when asking deeply probing questions about his past, his father - everything, really. Through the psychologist, Matthew was able to take the demons of his past and shrink them down into more manageable battles; he gave Matthew new tools to work with - a journal, counting to himself when he found his anger rising, breathing exercises - and never judged Matthew if he fell a little behind or had to reschedule. The practice he ran with his wife - also a psychologist who tended to see the women of the practice, and specialized in victims of abuse - had become a place of comfort to Matthew in the weeks since his last outburst.

"Matthew?"

"Hm?" Matthew felt his cheeks grow warm, realizing he'd drifted off into his thoughts for far too long.

"What were you thinking of?"

"Just… just how much everything's gotten better since I started coming to see you, Doc."

At that, Dr. Graves smiled. "I'm glad to hear it, and I think that I've finally figured out the source of all of this."

"Really?" Matthew sat up slightly to make eye contact with the doctor. "What is it?"

"I don't think your anger is actually anger, I think it's grief."

"Grief?" That wasn't what Matthew was expecting to hear at all.

"Mm-hm," his psychologist nodded. "I think it's grief that you never let yourself feel; grief for your childhood, grief for your father, grief for your friend, Lucien. It comes out as anger, but I think you're lashing out from a place of sadness and hurt."

"I understand that part, but… I also get angry when things are unfair… is that also grief?"

"In a way, it's grief stemming from your immense capacity for empathy; you're sad - and angry - at the world because you genuinely wish it could be a better place and through all you've seen at work it feels like you haven't made a difference at all. You get stuck on all the things that haven't changed, all the good that hasn't been done instead of the good impact you've had, that it builds up and lashes out on unsuspecting constables."

Matthew chuckled, "I suppose that makes sense… does that change anything?"

"Not really," Dr. Graves smiled. "Same sort of coping mechanisms, but also allow yourself to feel everything… don't hold back if you need to grieve or cry or whatever when a case gets to you, or something happens in your life; and of course I'll be here for you to talk to - in person or over the phone if it's particularly bad."

"Hm…"

"I know it sounds very simple, and also goes against everything you've been told growing up about how to be a man, but allowing yourself to feel is a lot harder than it sounds. It takes quite a bit of bravery, but I assure you it'll be better for you, your emotions, and your relationships in the long run."

"I'll try, Doc."

Dr. Graves patted his shoulder, "That's all I ever ask, Matthew. Now, continue your journaling, work on the breathing exercises, and allow yourself to truly feel something this week besides frustration or anger."

Matthew snorted a laugh, but shook Dr. Graves' hand as he stood. "Thanks, Doc. I should get back to Ballarat."

"Have a safe trip, and, Matthew?"

"Yeah?"

"I would tell your Alice about all of this… it sounds like you really care for her and I think she should know the effort you've been making to deal with your anger."

Matthew nodded and headed out of Dr. Graves office with a lighter heart. It was still hard work to confront his past and unlearning old habits, but he deserved better.

(And so did everyone around him)

-----

Alice felt lost; this wasn't the first time (nor the last time), but this time she felt it much more keenly than before. It all started with a letter.

She didn't know how they'd found her; she'd left that life long ago - as well as her sister - and wanted nothing to do with her parents. Alice battled with the urge to read the letter or to simply throw it in the fireplace - the very sight of the return address bringing up memories that were never far from her nightmares. They affected her sleep, which affected how she came across to people, and Alice could tell Jean was starting to notice, when that fateful day in the station happened.

Her emotions were already holding on by a tightly wound string, and to hear Matthew yelling in that way had violently shook her to the core; his voice morphed into that of her father's - the letter still burning an image in her mind - and Alice tried to hide the way her knees suddenly grew weak and threatened to give out underneath her.

"Alice?"

"I'm fine," she'd tried to smile - to reassure both Jean and Peter.

"You're as white as a sheet, let's get you out for some air, hm?"

Flinching just a little away from her friend's grasp, Alice shook her head, "I… I can find it on my own, thank you."

All but running from the bullpen, and away from the questions that would arise if she stayed any longer, Alice gasped when she nearly ran into Matthew.

"Alice?" he reached for her and she flinched away - her mind not knowing the difference between him and her father, all it urged her to do was to get out of the building, to run to where it was safe.

'Matthew is safe though,' she tried to tell herself, but his sudden outburst of anger scared her.

Shaking her head with a faint apology and fighting tears, Alice tore out of the station and back to the hospital - trying to calm herself down in the process.

She knew Matthew got angry when things were unfair, and that he had to keep a strict hand on the station lest it got out of control, but… she'd never quite heard or seen him this way. He got short, yes, or abrupt, but not like this; the closest he'd come was when he'd snapped at Jean outside the morgue - she'd been more annoyed with his treatment of their mutual friend than scared, and still felt safe around him, knowing he was different than the men of her past.

But would he be safe now after this? Would he get angry again, and angry at her? Could she risk her heart like that?

Alice sighed and leaned back on her couch - no closer to answers than she had been weeks ago. Against her wants and wishes, Alice drew back from Matthew - not going around for dinner with him and Jean, no lingering conversations or looks in the morgue or station, and mainly going through the motions she had to for her job. It hurt; she missed Matthew, but she couldn't risk all the progress she'd made in her life to be around someone who got angry like that.

But has it really been progress? Has she really been getting over her past? Or was she still running from it like she had when twelve years old?

Eyeing the letter on her coffee table - still unopened - Alice felt so damn lost… and desperately wished someone was here to help guide her through it all.

The sound of her doorbell jarred Alice from her thoughts and she leapt to her feet - trying to calm the rapid beat of her heart as she wiped her sudden clammy palms on her robe and went to see who'd come around to her little bungalow. Peering through the peephole, Alice bit her lower lip when she saw Matthew standing there.

'Why is he here?' she thought, even as she slowly unlocked the door and peered out through a crack.

"Hi," he gave her a slight, nervous, smile. "Uh… I hear it's your birthday today, and I didn't want you to think I forgot."

Honestly she'd forgotten about her own birthday - most people did, at least until she'd come to Ballarat. The sight of the small bouquet of daisies (he'd remembered her preference for them over other more… obviously romantic flowers usually picked), and a gift bag in his hand nearly made her start crying.

"I, um, I understand if you don't want me to linger or come in, or even if you don't want to accept the gift, Alice," Matthew cleared his throat and continued. "But I want you to know… that I've been working on my anger, and the yelling, and the… overall grumpiness. That's… that's what I've been doing this past few weeks when you pulled back, and I don't blame you at all. I don't think I've been happy with myself for quite some time, and… well, I'm getting help - professional help - with all of it."

At that, Alice opened the door further and silently stepped up to Matthew; sliding her arms around his shoulders, she buried her face in the crook of his neck - smiling when she felt him hesitate before pulling her closer.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome."

Drawing back from the spontaneous hug, Alice wiped at the tears falling and waved him in.

"You're sure?"

Smiling at the way he shifted his weight like a schoolboy about to be scolded, Alice nodded; Matthew stepped into her home, watching her quietly as she closed the door behind him. Knotting her fingers in front of her, Alice shuffled nervously next to him.

"I… I've missed you," she admitted in the uneasy silence between them.

That got her a shy smile, "I missed you too."

"Tea?" She motioned further into her home and led him to the kitchen; it felt… right to have him here - sitting silently at her table as she bustled around readying a brew for two. Alice hadn't realized just how much she'd missed him until that moment; he had always made her feel comfortable (he shared a silence with her the same way Lucien always made her at ease by filling up the air with words and pulling her out of her shell).

"Still white with two?" she asked him.

"Yeah, you still take honey in yours?"

"Yeah," Alice smiled over her shoulder as the kettle boiled.

"Why honey?"

"It's what Mum had on hand most of the time… cheaper than sugar since one of our neighbors had a hive."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Oh, the other neighbors hated it, but since it was up on the roof, they couldn't complain much," Alice shrugged. "At least we got free honey."

Matthew's faint chuckle warmed her heart as she brought over the steaming cups; watching him blow gently on his before taking a sip and (predictably) burning his tongue a little, Alice smiled as the warmth in her chest rose - she'd missed him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Why?"

"For… for pulling away."

"Don't be," Matthew reached out a hand and squeezed hers when she met him halfway. "Don't be, Alice. If you hadn't… I probably wouldn't have gone to get help."

"What do you mean?"

"I wondered why you pulled away, why you hadn't come by for dinner, and Jean finally sat me down and told me you'd gotten scared of my… yelling, my anger."

Alice squeezed his hand as he drew in a deep breath.

"And… as awful as it was not having you around, I'm grateful for it… it pushed me to get help and I can't express enough of how much better I feel for it. I'm… I'm sorry it took something like what happened in the bullpen to have me look for help, but…"

"You're still grateful for it, I understand."

"And… I want to tell you about why I tend to yell."

She could feel the way his hands started to shake in hers, and saw the nervous tick of him chewing on his inner lip; she'd never seen him this nervous, not even when he'd bucked up the courage to ask her out to dinner that first time.

(How she hated to have to let him down gently, as much as she wanted to finally go forward in their dance)

"Okay," Alice nodded. "Okay, yeah, do you want to stay here and tell me or move to somewhere more comfortable? How's your le-?"

"Alice, sweetheart," Matthew smiled, cutting off her concerned questions, and her stomach fluttered a little at the term of endearment.

"Anywhere is fine, I just… it's harder to talk about this than I thought, which is stupid because I just talked about it all with Dr. Graves."

"It's not stupid, it's not."

Matthew shifted in his seat and sighed, "It still feels stupid."

"It's not," she squeezed his hands. "I know how hard it can be to admit these things to people you care about because you don't want things to change… or how they view you to change. How about we move to the couch and maybe that'll help you figure out what you want to say?"

"Okay," he nodded.

Alice made new, fresh cups of tea for both of them as Matthew shuffled out of the kitchen to the couch; as she brought the mugs in, she saw him eyeing the letter still on her coffee table.

"Not a fan of opening your mail?"

"Not overly fond of mail from Sydney… I'll tell you after you get whatever it is off your chest, that's what you came for after all."

He nodded and smiled when she handed over the fresh cup of tea. It all came out - slowly, and frequently punctuated with long silences as Matthew worked out what he wanted to say; she had no idea what a brute his father had been, and how similar their childhoods were. Matthew's father was more emotionally distant - with somewhat violent drunken outbursts - and tended to gamble things and money away rather than beat the living daylights out of Matthew, and Alice wondered if it was because Matthew started fighting back once he got older and stronger than Alice had been - ultimately more of a coward than her own father.

Matthew's upbringing along with the bullying he'd faced at the hands of McAvoy (no wonder he'd been so stressed during the Ballarat West case) shed light on his overall grumpiness and anger - it had all been a wall, a way to separate himself from the world, from getting attached because his heart felt too much. Alice squeezed his hands - their tea cups abandoned on the table, cooled and forgotten - as he went into all that the doctor had told him about how his anger was actually his grief manifesting from a place of hurt.

"Now that you know, what is he having you do to help?"

"I have a journal," Matthew smiled - their joined hands on his good knee. "Dr. Graves has me write down something good each day - even if it's just as simple as 'I had a really good cup of tea', and that way I can look back on the week and see how much good really is in my life, so I don't lose focus of that when work gets to be a lot."

"Good, I'm glad."

"Me too," his smile widened and he wiped away the lingering tears he'd shed earlier; Alice leaned over and kissed his cheek as she hugged him.

"I'm so proud of you."

Matthew sniffled some - clearing his throat in a way that told Alice he was trying not to cry again - but he held tight to Alice and she felt her shoulder grow a little damp.

"I'm so proud of you," she told him again as he drew back to wipe his tears.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

Alice felt her cheeks warm as he softly kissed one; Matthew smiled when she immediately reached for his hand while he took a little time to recover.

"Now, uh," he cleared his throat, "what about Sydney mail hits you the wrong way?"

"Where to start," she sighed, but with Matthew's hand tight around hers, she drew the strength to tell him of her past.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of the shining look in Matthew's eyes - not pitying like some had done - as he remained silent throughout her tale (exactly like she had in his - squeezing her hands reassuringly whenever her throat closed around her words), but she greatly appreciated finally telling someone the whole sad, sorry lot she'd received in life. Finally, Matthew would understand why she was so touch-averse from people she didn't trust. Finally, he'd understand why any type of raised voice could set her on edge. And finally, he'd understand why it took her so long to open up to anyone (and how Lucien had done that by simply accepting Alice for herself - no expectations, no restrictions, just pure acceptance of her as a doctor and her as a friend).

"Oh, Alice," he gently pulled her in for a hug. "I'm so sorry you ever had to go through that, and I'm proud of you."

Alice held on tight to him - taking comfort in his solid, steady warmth - and though the tears fell, she felt so relieved to finally get it out in the open; she was no longer running from her past - not quite confronting it, but willing to stop and walk with it instead of away from it.

"The yelling and the anger on my part… was that another reason you were so hesitant about… us?"

"I… I think so."

"Then I'm definitely glad I went and got help. I know, I know, I shouldn't want to change for the hope of a relationship, sweetheart, but I also wanted to change for myself and you're worth changing for."

Alice simply held him tighter - not knowing what to say, but it did give her a little bit of hope that maybe their dance could resume.

"So… are you worried that your parents have finally found you with this letter from Sydney?"

"Yeah," she wiped her eyes.

"Want me to open it for you and then you can read it?"

"Oh, would you? I-I don't know if I could ever buck up the courage to."

Matthew kissed her forehead and leaned forward to pick up the letter; the address of her parents' house glared up at Alice as she leaned her head on Matthew's shoulder - though she didn't recognize the handwriting. He gently ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter.

"Can…" she sighed when he held it out, "Can you read it? Out loud, please?"

"Yeah, I can," he kissed her forehead again.

"Dear Alice," the letter began, "I know this letter might come as a shock, or completely unwanted, but I hope you've decided to open it and find out. It took awhile to track you down, but Father's lawyer finally did, and I'm writing to tell you that Father is dead. Mum's still alive, and I'm taking care of her as she deals with both her grief and relief over the fact that she's out from under his abusive thumb. I'm also writing to tell you that I never hated you for leaving, my dear sister. You got out when you could, and I was thankfully shielded from Father's abuse by Mum, who didn't want to lose her other daughter. You made your choice to leave, and I made my choice to stay after I got older, and I just… I wanted you to know that both Mum and I worried after you. I hope you reach out to us again now that Father's gone, I'd love to introduce you to your niece - she reminds me so much of you every day. Yours, Peg."

"Oh…" Alice covered her mouth with her hand as she gently took the letter from Matthew's hand - more tears springing up in her eyes as she poured over the slanting handwriting of her baby sister - so very different from when they were young.

"Oh, Matthew…"

"Seems like good news, hm?"

"I… I don't know."

He kissed her temple as she stared at the letter, "Well… your father's dead, and it sounds like your sister and Mum miss you."

"What if it's a trick?"

"There's one way to find out," he pointed to the phone number written down at the bottom. "If it is a trick, you've still got me and Jean and the whole of Ballarat's police force to help protect you. We'll do whatever we need to do."

That did make her feel better; she had a family here in Ballarat - one unlike she'd ever had before, and she felt more confident that she could confront any negative consequences from reaching out to her family.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

She nodded, "Okay. I want to call and find out."

"How about tomorrow, it's getting a little late."

Alice looked down at Matthew's watch and giggled at the late hour.

"Might have to sneak out of here, but first, you have a gift to open."

"I completely forgot."

"Sit tight, I'll get the gift," with another kiss to her forehead, Matthew got up with a slight groan and quickly retrieved the bag he'd brought in.

"Happy Birthday, Alice."

She peered into the bag and giggled at the familiar sight of Jean's biscuit tin. "Did you nick Jean's biscuits, my dear Matthew?"

"No!" He protested even as she laughed. "No, no, no, it was all that was on hand to hold your present. As if Jean would let me nick her tin anyways."

Alice continued to laugh and opened the tin - inhaling the scent of baked shortbread drizzled in chocolate; they weren't perfect, some of the pieces were a little wonky, but when she pulled one out to sample they were just as delicious as Jean's usual shortbread (and the added chocolate made her want to eat the entire tin in one go).

Matthew cleared his throat again, "Sorry some of them look weird, I'm not as skilled as Jean is in the kitchen - though she did hover over my shoulder while I made them."

"You made these?"

His cheeks turned pink (as did his ears), but he nodded, "I, uh, I wanted to give you something a little special, but not too over the top."

"It's perfect, Matthew," Alice leaned over and hugged him - the tin still in her hands as her friend laughed. "Thank you, I love it."

"Good," he kissed the top of her head as she lingered in his arms, "I'm glad."

"And I'm glad you've gotten help, and that you've trusted me with everything."

"Just as I am with you trusting me with your past."

She hummed a little happy hum before kissing Matthew's cheek as she drew back from the hug; he smiled at her - his hand coming up to trail over her cheek - it widened when she leaned into his touch.

"It's getting late," Matthew told her softly.

"It is… you'll come back tomorrow?"

"Yeah, or you could come over to the house - have some privacy in the studio before staying for dinner."

"Is this your way of asking me over for dinner?" She teased.

"Maybe," he kissed her cheek, "that and Jean also misses you coming by."

"Alright… provided we don't get called in on a Sunday, I'll drop by in the afternoon to make the call… you'll be there, right?"

"For as long as you want me to be, sweetheart."

"Good," she smiled and leaned in to press her lips softly against his. "Good."

Alice's smile widened when he stared at her for a moment before a wide, boyish grin spread across his face, and she giggled as he pulled her in for another kiss - the shortbread tin lifted from her hands to be placed on the coffee table as he kissed her again.

It was getting late, and Matthew probably should leave, but Alice mused (as they traded more kisses) that he wasn't leaving any time soon.

-----

"How have you been since our last meeting?" Dr. Graves asked him, and Matthew couldn't stop the goofy grin spreading across his face at the memory of kissing Alice the night of her birthday.

"Matthew?"

"Sorry, Doc," he cleared his throat, but the psychologist waved him off.

"It's good to see you so happy. What happened?"

"I, uh, I told Alice about everything."

"That's good," Dr. Graves smiled. "And?"

"And what?"

"What's causing the grin?"

Trying to bite back another grin - and failing - Matthew ducked his head.

"Ah, well… Alice and I have a date… after sharing a few kisses."

The answering smile from his psychologist made it feel even better.

"Good, very good."

#alice harvey #matthew lawson #matthew x alice #tdbm fic #writing of dee #Anonymous

[mycoblogg]

FOTD #124 : false parasol! (chlorophyllum molybdites)

the false parasol (AKA green-spored parasol, green-spored lepiota, green gill or vomiter) is a widespread agaric fungus. it most often grows on lawns or in parks, especially in areas near human habitation..- it is very often confused with the parasol mushroom (macrolepiota procera).

the big question : can i bite it?? no !! they are poisonous. though consumption has never lead to death, the symptoms* are very unpleasant. most mushroom poisonings in the US are due to this mushroom.

c. molybdites description :

"it is an imposing mushroom with a cap ranging from 8 to 30 cm in diameter, hemispherical & with a flattened top. the cap is whitish in colour with coarse brownish scales. the gills are free & white, usually turning dark & green with maturity. it has a rare green spore print. the stipe ranges from 5 to 30 cm tall & bears a double-edged ring. its stem lacks the snakeskin pattern that is generally present on the parasol mushroom. flesh thick, firm at first, soft with age, white, unchanging or sporadically becoming reddish-brown to pale reddish-pink, almost orange in the base of the foot when cut or crushed."

[images : source, source & source] [fungus description : source]

*symptoms include : vomiting, diarrhoea & colic, often severe, occurring 1–3 hours after consumption.

#• fungus of the day !! • #[chlorophyllum molybdites] #: false parasol : #: green-spored parasol : #: green-spored lepiota : #: green gill : #: vomiter : #124 #|| #fungus #mushrooms #mushroom #mycology #nature #cottagecore #earth #foraging #forestcore #fungi #chlorophyllum molybdites #fotd #fungus of the day #undescribed #image undescribed #false parasol #green-spored parasol #green-spored lepiota #green gill #vomiter

[spidermilkshake]

A handy cheatsheet guide to determining if, truly, what you have poppin' out of your local stump are oyster mushrooms or a close relative. While oysters are a good beginner mushroom to forage they do have a number of look-alikes, most of which are also edible mushrooms. However, a few are mildly toxic and should be avoided, and it's always smart to exactly which mushrooms you're eating, oyster or edible relative. Key Pleurotus ostreatus (True Oyster or Winter Oyster) traits: -Always grows from wood, typically hardwoods that still retain some of their bark layers. -Grows out in flat, gilled shelves in dense clusters that often share a stem. -Pale gills, from pure white to cream colored, which run in parallel down the visible stem portion. -Thick, substantial cap flesh and meaty stems which are almost always off-center. Most of the time, oyster mushroom caps and stems will be shelf-like, with no gills developing on the back side at all (this might be different if the mushroom is growing straight up from the top of a log or stump. -Spore print of oysters is always white. -Unusual but pleasant aroma, most similar to aniseseed. -Cap color is usually tan or grey, with a variance in darkness and hue. The cap will always be darker than the stem and gills. -Large size, usually the mature, flattened out caps will be no smaller than 2 inches across. Pleurotus pulmonarius, also known as the Summer Oyster, is a close cousin and is also a very choice edible. The differences are: -Summer species can only be found in, you guessed it, summer months. -Cap is usually somewhat paler than the Winter Oyster. -Prefers growing from the top side of logs and stumps, maturing into almost tubular fan-shaped mushrooms. It is overall a longer stemmed mushroom that does not spread out to as wide a shelf. Another oyster species, not pictured, is the Golden Oyster (Pleurotus citrinopileatus), which is identical to Summer Oysters except for its lovely golden color. Oyster mushrooms, after the common Button Mushroom and Shiitakes, are one of the most often cultivated species in the world with growing them in straw substrate in greenhouses the most common method. They are even reported to thrive in and sprout from old spent coffee grounds! Kits can even be bought online where everyday mushroom lovers can grow huge tufts of tasty 'shrooms from a box indoors. Most cultivated oysters are the winter species, Pleurotus ostreatus. There are plenty of relatives and mimics to Oyster Mushrooms found growing on various types of wood throughout the world, and in the interests of celebrating them and foraging safety I have included illustrations of them on the right side of the page as well. Late Fall Oyster/Olive Oysterling: This mushroom is an edible and medicinal mushroom, most commonly foraged for food in Japan where it is known as Mukitake, though it can be found across the entire northern hemisphere in temperate forests. It is extremely oyster-like in shape and growing habits, and typically appears in, you guessed it, late fall (and sporadically in winter warm spells). They are frequently enjoyed by deer and squirrels as a food source in winter. Panellus serotinus identification traits: -Oyster-like cap and stem arrangement, with branching shelves of caps being the common growth pattern. -Cap color is usually a faint olivey green, though it can also be brownish or tan. -Gills are cream-colored and run to the stem where they attach. Unlike Oysters, the gills do not run all the way down the stem. -Stem is thick and stubby, often branching to form multiple caps. -Typically smaller than an Oyster mushroom, cap size between 1 and 1.5 inches across. -Spore print is cream colored, buff, or light tan. Crepidotus species: Crepidotus species, often referred to as "Creps", are generally not regarded as edible though none are known to be dangerous. They can often be mistaken for small oyster mushrooms by novice foragers but there are many observable differences between the two genera. Pictured is the most common Crep in the Eastern U.S., Crepidotus mollis or Crepidotus crocophyllus, the Hairy Crep which has very obvious wiry hairy structures on the cap and a pale orange to yellow cap. Crepidotus identification traits: -Typically grows on more degraded wood, sometimes nearly disintegrated stumps. -Colors range by species: can be white, tan, light orange, or yellowish. -Almost never grows in clusters, more often in single caps scattered across the log or stump. -Never has a visible stem, but instead attaches directly to the wood. -Many have a slightly hairy or scaly cap skin which is easy to peel from the cap flesh. -Cap flesh itself is very thin and insubstantial, watery. -Gills are typically yellowish colored and do not run parallel. Instead, they all originate from a single central point where the cap is attached to the wood. -Typically do not exceed 2 inches in cap width. -Spore prints are orange-brown to brown, never white. Elm Oyster (Hypsizygus ulmarius): A pleasant edible mushroom that was once categorized as a true Oyster species, it has since been rightfully given its own genus. The Elm Oyster is always found on dead or dying Elm trees and from a distance looks exactly like a Winter Oyster. However, up close it has a few distinguishing characteristics. Hypsizygus ulmarius identification traits: -Always on elm wood, usually dying elms or recently dead trees. -Has an off-center stem which is fleshy, tough, and pale in color with faint vertical striations running down it. -Has pale, cream-colored gills which run slightly down the stem. -Always lacks a stem ring (annulus). -The tan cap, which tends to crack with age and lack of humidity, is slightly convex to flattened. Often has a few small scales or hairs on its surface. -Often grows in cluster, though from individual stems that do not branch. Ghost Mushroom (Omphalotus nidiformis): A toxic mushroom that may be mistaken for Oysters or Elm Oysters in its native regions of Southeast Asia and Australia, but more important to learn lately due to spots of invasive populations in the rest of the world. This fungi is interesting for its non-culinary properties, for while it is toxic it is also a bio-luminescent species that glows a wonderful lime green color in the dark. It is a close relative of the bright yellow-orange Jack-o-lantern Mushroom, Omphalotus olearius--which is also toxic and bio-luminescent! Omphalotus nidiformis identification traits: -Grows on degraded wood most often. -Has a mostly-central stem. Often grows in branching clusters, but never in shelf-like clusters. -Cap flattens rapidly with age, often becoming upturned at the edges. -Cap is whitish in color, typically with a dark stained area towards the center. -Gills are pale and run down the stem somewhat. -Glows in the dark. -Lacks an annulus (stem ring). -Spore print color is white. Angel Wing (Pleurocybella porrigens): Well now... this would have to be my first "controversial mushroom" I cover, as it has sparked some fear due to recent deaths attributed to it in Japan, where it is known as Sugihiratake. To date over 40 people, all in Japan, have reported severe poisoning symptoms after consuming this species of mushroom. However, especially in the Pacific Northwest, this species is foraged and consumed with no incident. I'm not convinced this is the "deadly toxic mushroom" often warned about in top ten lists... I'm actually pretty sure this is an edible mushroom with possibly a high number of allergic people or a variant population in Japan only which is toxic. Another theory is that a certain locality of these Angel Wings is contaminated somehow, and the mushroom is picking up the toxic contaminants. I'm going to go forward saying this is an edible species, provided a forager uses caution and avoids specimens gathered in Japan specifically. Pleurocybella porrigens identification traits: -A purely white mushroom, growing in oyster-like, ruffled shelves with very little to no stems. -Very wide caps with thin flesh, similar to a Crepidotus. -Found often in late summer months. -If it has a short stem, the closely-bunched gills will run down it similar to an Oyster mushroom. -Typically found growing on conifer trees and wood, not hardwoods. -Spore print is white. -Caps are typically smaller than Oysters, between 1 and 2 inches wide (though some have been found as large as 4 inches wide). -Faint, mossy aroma which is sometimes sweet (not like aniseseed). Mock Oyster (Phyllotopsis nidulans): A beautiful but toxic mushroom that is sometimes mistaken for oyster mushrooms by very inexperienced foragers. While it does have a similar growth pattern to Oysters and fruits at the same time, it is rather distinct from true Pleurotus or any of its mimics. Never eat this fungus as it is known to be quite toxic, causing vomiting and painful cramps that may last for 48 hours or more. Phyllotopsis nidulans identification traits: -Pale yellow to bright orange mushroom growing from degraded wood of all types. -Branching, thick stems and growing in large clusters. Sometimes the stems are so fused that they sprout multiple caps from each other rather than the stems. -Sometimes has a foul smell, particularly when it grows in abundance. -Top of the cap has at least one thickly hairy zone (an Oyster will never have hairs on the cap!). -Gills run to the stem, but do not run all the way down it. -Spore print color is pale pink. Happy oyster foraging, and remember the safe mycophage's motto: "When in doubt, throw it out!"

#mushroom #mushroom identification #oyster mushroom #oyster mushroom look alikes #traditional media #traditional art #colored pencils #phyllotopsis nidulans #pleurocybella porrigens #crepidotus #pleurotus #omphalotus nidiformis #hypsizygus ulmarius #panellus serotinus

[ursusesuriit]

Choosing the Best Ingredients

Tips from the market: How to choose the best ingredients

Vegetables

Artichoke: The plump ones have the most meat and taste. It should be fresh and green all year around. Not dark brown or black at the tip.

Aubergine/Eggplant: Should feel heavy or else it’s too old. It’s important that the stalk is fresh and green.

Avocado: An avocado can be green or brown, shiny or granulated (rough) without it affecting its quality.

Broccoli: Bursting with health and grass green. A dull head of broccoli is like a dull dinner guest-not worth inviting

Carrots: Potent orange coloured carrots are the ones with the best quality. It’s best to buy a lot of small ones rather than a few large ones.

Cauliflower: Look for fresh leaves. The head should be white or ivory.

Cucumber: Shiny and dark green skin. A pale, soft spotted cumber isn’t worth buying.

Lettuce: Should burst with freshness. Although outer leaves may be limp don’t let that discourage you, usually the head is solid and crisp underneath.

Peppers: The bigger the fruit the milder the taste. The red peppers are the sweetest. If a pepper is really fresh is it void of tears, scratches or spots. The surface should be shiny and smooth.

Fruit

Figs: Fresh figs should ”perspire” with small drops of juice that makes the skin gleam.

Grapefruit: The thin-skinned ones are the juiciest.

Kiwi: A ripe kiwi should yield a little if you press gently where the stem is. If the fruit is too soft, it’s probably already fermenting.

Lemons: Round lemons are juicier than the oblong shaped. The more yellow the lemon, the more vitamin C it’s packing. The green ones should be avoided or disposed of. They’ve been added for ripening purposes.

Meat

Beef: Should be red. Should not be brownish.

Chickens: Forget the butcher, forget the supermarket, drop the market, and drive out to the country to a local farmer that has free-range chickens. These are the tastiest.

Duck: Choose female duck, they have the most succulent meat. The fat should be white rather than yellow.

Fish

About fish generally: Must have a nice fresh smell of the sea or seaweed. Fish eyes should be clear (and bulging) and the skin glistening with scales adhering firmly to it. The skin should be firm to the touch and “bounce back” when you press it with your fingers. Check that gills are red and not pale or slimy.

Cod: Cod is best bought during the colder months. Cod meat gets looser in the warm months when it feeds the most, as opposed to the winter and the shedding periods in the spring.

Flounder (Plaice): If there is any doubt about the freshness of flounder, fry it. Fresh flounder shrinks in the pan.

Herring: Silvery in the skin. It’s ok if its soft at the belly bust it should not be porous. Avoid long skinny herring.

Mussels: Prepare live. You can check this easily by placing them on the kitchen counter where they’ll open if they’re alive. You can tap them gently on the edge of the sink if you’re still in doubt. If they close immediately, they’re definitely still alive.

Smoked herring: Should be uniform in colour and uncut to prevent the dark brown skin from coming in contact with the meat- it makes it taste of soap.

#ingredients #foodgasm

[ameryth74]

Louis **** Title Generator Tool

** **** it 

LOL.... go!

Two letter words:

There are 107 acceptable 2-letter words listed in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 6th Edition and the Official Tournament and Club Word List:

AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY, BA, BE, BI, BO, BY, DA, DE, DO, ED, EF, EH, EL, EM, EN, ER, ES, ET, EW, EX, FA, FE, GI, GO, HA, HE, HI, HO, ID, IF, IN, IS, IT, JO, JU, JY, JZ, KA, KI, KO, LA, LI, LO, MA, ME, MI, MM, MO, MU, MY, NA, NE, NO, NU, OD, OE, OF, OH, OI, OK, OM, ON, OP, OR, OS, OW, OX, PA, PE, PI, PO, QI, RE, SH, SI, SO, TA, TE, TI, TO, UH, UM, UN, UP, US, UT, WE, WO, XI, XU, YA, YE, YO, ZA

Two letter contractions: I’m, I’d

Four letter verbs:

abet, abut, abye/aby, ache, alit, ally, ante, arch, aver, avow (10).

baby,  bach, back, bade, baff, bail, bait, bake, bald, bale, balk, ball, band, bang, bank, bant, barb, bard, bare, barf, bark, base, bash, bask, bate, bath, bauk, bawl, bead, beam, bean, bear,    beat, beck, bede, beef, been, beep, bell, belt, bend, bent, bere, best, bias, bide(archaic usage), biff, bike, bilk, bill, bind, bird, birl, birr, bite, bitt, blab, blat, blaw, bled, blet, blew, blip, blob, blot, blow, blub, blue, blur, boak, boat, bode, body, boff(vulgar usage), boil, boke, bomb, bond, bone, bong, bonk, boob, book, boom, boot, bore, born, boss, boun, bowl, brad, brag, bray, bred, brew, brim, buck, buff, bulk, bull, bump, bung, bunk, bunt, buoy, burl, burn, burp, burr, bury, bush, busk, buss, bust, busy, butt, buzz (117).

ca-ca, cage, cake, calk, call, calm, came, camp, cane, cant, card, care, carp, cart, case, cash, cast, cave, cede, cere, chap, char, chat, chaw, chid, chin, chip, chop, chow, chug, chum, cite, clad, clam, clap, claw, clay, clew, clip, clog, clop, clot, cloy, club, clue, coal, coat, coax, cock, code, coif, coil, coin, coke, comb, come, comp, cone, conk, conn, cook, cool, coop, cope, copy, cord, core, cork, corn, cosh, cost, coup, cove, cowl, crab, cram, crap, crew, crib, crop, crow, cube, cuff, cull, curb, curd, cure, curl, curr, cuss (90).

dado, daff, damn, damp, dang, dare, dark, darn, dart, dash, date, daub, dawn, daze, deal, deck, deed, deem, defy, deke, dele, demo, dent, deny, dial, dice, died, diet, dike, dine, ding, ding, dint, dirk, disc, dish, disk, diss, dive, dock, doff, dole, dome, done, doom, dope, dose, doss, dote, dove, down, doze, drab, drag, draw, dray, dree, drew, drip, drop, drub, drug, drum, duck, duel, duet, dull, dumb, dump, dung, dunk, dupe, dusk, dust, dyke (75).

earn, ease, echo, eddy, edge, edit, emit, envy, espy, etch, even, exit (12).

face, fade, fail, fake, fall, fame, fard, fare, farm, fart, fash, fast, fate, fawn, faze, fear, feed, feel, fell, felt, fend, fess, fete, feud, file, fill, film, find, fine, fink, fire, firm, fish, fist, fizz, flag, flap, flat, flaw, flay, fled, flee, flew, flex, flip, flit, flog, flop, flow, flub, flux, foal, foam, foil, foin, fold, fond, fool, foot, ford, fork, form, foul, fowl, frag, frap, fray, free, fret, frig, frit, fuel, full, fume, fund, funk, furl, fuse, fuss, futz, fuze, fuzz (82).

gaff, gage, gain, gait, gall, game, gang, gaol, gape, garb, gash, gasp, gast(obsolete), gate, gaum(US), gave, gawk, gawp, gaze, gear, geld, gibe, gift, gild, gill, gimp, gird, girt, give, glad(archaic), glom, glow, glue, glug, glut, gnar, gnaw, go by, go on, goad, golf, gone, gong, goof, gore, gown, grab, gray, grew, grey, grid, grin, grip, grit, grow, grub, gulf, gull, gulp, gush, gust, gybe, gyre, gyve (64).

hack, haft, hail, hale, halo, halt, hand, hang, hare, hark, harm, harp, hash, hasp, hast, hate, hath(archaic), haul, have, hawk, haze, head, heal, heap, hear, heat, heed, heel, heft, held, helm, help, hent(obsolete), herd, hewn, hide, hike, hill, hint, hire, hiss, hive, hoax, hock, hoke(slang), hold, hole, home, hone, honk, hood, hoof, hook, hoop, hoot, hope, horn, hose, host, hove, howl, huff, hulk, hull, hump, hung, hunt, hurl, hurt, hush, husk, hymn, hype, hypo (74).

idle, inch, iris, iron, isle, itch (6).

jack, jade, jail, jape, jazz, jeep, jeer, jell, jerk, jest, jibe, jilt, jink, jinx, jive, join, joke, jolt, josh, juke, jump, junk (22).

kayo, keek(Scots), keel, keen, keep, kept, kern, kick, kill, kiln, kilt, kink, kiss, kite, knap, knew, knit, knot, know (19).

lace, lack, laid, lain, lair, lake, lamb, lame, land, lard, lark, lase, lash, last, lath, laud, lave, laze, lazy, lead, leaf, leak, lean, leap, lech, leer, left, lend, lens, lent, levy, lick, lift, like, lilt, limb, lime, limn, limp, line, link, lisp, list, live, load, loaf, loan, lock, loft, loll, long, look, loom, loop, loot, lope, lord, lose, lost, loup(Scots), lour, lout, love, lube, luck, luff, luge, lull, lump, lure, lurk, lust, lute, lyse (74).

mace, made, mail, maim, make, mall, malt, mark, marl, mart, mash, mask, mass, mast, mate, maul, maze, mean, meet, meld, mell, melt, mend, meow, mesh, mess, mete, mewl, miff, milk, mill, mime, mind, mine, mint, mire, miss, mist, moan, moat, mock, moil, mold, molt, moon, moor, moot, mope, moss, move, muck, muff, mull, mump, muse, mush, muss, must, mute (59).

nail, name, near, neck, need, nest, nick, nigh, nill(obsolete), nock, nose, nosh, note, nuke, null, numb (16).

obey, ogle, oink, okay, omen, omit, ooze, open, oust, over (10).

pace, pack, page, pain, pair, pale, pall, palm, pang, pant, pare, park, part, pash(Austral), pass, pave, pawn, peak, peal, peck, peek, peel, peen, peep, peer, pelt, pend, perk, perm, pick, pike, pile, pill, pimp, pine, ping, pink, pipe, piss(vulgar), pith, pity, plan, plat, play, plod, plop, plot, plow, plug, pock, poke, pole, poll, pond, pool, pore, port, pose, post, pour, pout, pray, pree, prep, prey, prim, prod, prog, prop, puff, puke, pule, pull, pulp, pump, punt, purl, purr, push, putt (80).

quad, quip, quit, quiz (4).

race, rack, raft, rage, raid, rail, rain, rake, ramp, rang, rank, rant, rape, rase, rasp, rate, rave, raze, razz, read, ream, reap, rear, reck, redd(dialect), rede(archaic), redo, reed, reef, reek, reel, rein, rely, rend, rent, rest, re-up, rice, rick, ride, riff, rift, rile, rill, rime(archaic)/rhyme, ring, riot, rise, risk, rive, roam, roar, robe, rock, rode, roil, rolf, roll, romp, roof, rook, room, root, rope, rose, rout, rove, ruck, ruff, ruin, rule, rush, rust (73).

sack, said, sail, sale, salt, sand, sass, sate, save, sawn, scab, scam, scan, scar, scat, scud, scum, seal, seam, sear, seat, seed, seek, seel, seem, seen, seep, sell, send, sent, sewn, shag, sham, shed, shim, shin, ship, shit, shoe, shog, shoo, shop, shot, show, shun, shut, sick, side, sift, sigh, sign, silk, silt, sing, sink, sire, site, size, skew, skid, skim, skin, skip, slab, slag, slam, slap, slat, slay, sled, slew, slid, slim, slip, slit, slog, slop, slot, slow, slub, slue, slug, slum, slur, smut, snag, snap, snip, snow, snub, snug, soak, soap, soar, sock, soil, sold, sole, solo, soot, sorb, sort, soup, sour, sown, spae(scottish), spam, span, spar, spat, spay, spec, sped, spew, spin, spit, spot, spud, spur, spurn, stab, stag, star, stay, stem, step, stet, stew, stir, stop, stow, stub, stud, stun, suck, suds, suit, sulk, sung, sunk, surf, swab, swag, swam, swan(brit), swap, swat, sway, swig, swim, swob, swop(brit)/swap, swot, swum, sync (155).

tabu, tack, tail, take, talc, talk, tame, tamp, tang, tank, tape, tare, task, taut, taxi, team, tear, teem, tell, tend, tent, term, test, text, thaw, thin, thud, tick, tide, tidy, tier, tiff, tile, till, tilt, time, tine, ting, tint, tire, toil, toke, told, tole, toll, tomb, tone, tong, took, tool, toot, tope, tore, torn, toss, tote, tour, tout, tram, trap, tree, trek, trim, trip, trod, trot, trow(archaic), true, tube, tuck, tuft, tune, turf, turn, tusk, twig(Brit), twin, twit, type (79).

undo, urge (2).

vade, vail(archaic), vamp, vary, veal, veer, veil, vein, vend, vent, vest, veto, vide, view, vine, visa, vise, void, vote (19).

wade, waft, wage, wail, wait, wake, wale, walk, wall, wane, want, ward, ware(archaic), warm, warn, warp, wash, waul, wave, wawl, wean, wear, weed, ween, weep, weet, weld, well, welt, wend, went, wept, were, wert(archaic), wham, whap, whet, whid(Scottish), whip, whir, whiz, whop, wick, wile, will, wilt, wind, wine, wing, wink, wipe, wire, wise, wish, wisp, wist, wite, wive, woke, wolf, wont, wood, woof, word, wore, work, worm, worn, wove, wrap, writ(archaic) (71).

x-ray (1).

yack, yank, yard, yarn, yaup, yawn, yawp, yean, yell, yelp, yerk, yeuk, yock, yoke, yowl, yo-yo(informal), yuck (17).

zero, zest, zinc, zing, zone, zonk, zoom (7).

IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT

(yes there are 28 ITs)

#louis tomlinson #song title #** **** it #lt1 #lol 😂 #*** **

[apixiedyedhere]

🍄🧚🏾‍♀️Mushrooms: The Vegan Meat🧚🏼‍♀️🍄

Hi all. If you're vegan or low calorie, and want to replace meat with a new staple in your diet, here's a tip: mushrooms! 🍄

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of various species of fungi. Fungi are a lifeform between plants and magical wisps. Despite being texture & flavor PACKED, they are 90% WATER.

Almost all mushrooms, especially the ones on this list, have scientifically proven healing powers, vitamins like D, B12, and manganese, and cancer fighting properties. Mushrooms have been used in ancient medicine around the world for thousands of years and even today.

White/Button

White buttons are the most common mushroom you'll see in any grocery store. These have a neutral taste and pick up any flavor. Best roasted or toasted then seasoned with oil and spices. These have a chewy texture that is enhanced by sautèeing. These taste good in anything. Small ones are good for slicing. Big ones for stuffing! Try stuffing with veggies, potato etc.

Baby Bella/Cremini/Crimini

These are actually the same family as white mushrooms, just brown, smaller versions of the portabella. They have a deep, earthy flavor that takes well with Caribbean spices. Clove and black pepper bring the best out of these. They have a meatier texture than their pale cousins. Can be ground up to make burger patties.

Portabello/Portabella

These are the huge brown caps with the dark gills you'll see in the supermarket for jacked up prices. These have such a meaty texture (enhanced by lemon juice and sautèeing after roasting) that the intact cap itself can be made into portabello steaks and burgers. They also make superb stuffers. It has an earthy flavor. Marinate for best taste! These are known for their vitamin D.

All 3 varieties above are amazing with mashed or baked potatoes!

Royal Trumpet/Trumpet Royale

These mushrooms have tall, thick+wide stems and small caps. The caps can be white, tan, brown or even gold. They have a tough, rubbery texture and are great to replace pork. Use with Asian sauces and spices like garlic and sesame oil. Marinate for best taste. Great for use with rich sauces. Slice or bake whole! Your choice.

Enoki

This is an exotic Japanese mushroom that resembles noodles with tiny round caps. They have an airy, nutty, unique aroma and mild, nutty flavor. These are good in soups, sautee, and pastas. Given their skinny shape, they have a pre-al dente noodle texture with some chewiness.

Maitake/Hen of the Woods

These mushrooms are of the wavy variety. Unlike other mushrooms they do not have caps but thin, wavy bodies that come in dark, heather colors. They have a fresh woodsy aroma and chicken like texture. They can also be used in place of bacon in breakfast when toasted and seasoned with a smokey flavoring. Excellent in rice, avocado, mixed veggies or alone. A superfood. Vitamin rich and good for longevity.

Oyster Mushroom

This mushroom is the vegan fish you've been dreaming about. These mushrooms are the type with long exposed gills that do not need to be scraped off, with long wide bodies that resemble smooth seashells growing together from one base. They can be white, tan or gold. This mushroom replaces fish in any dish. Sauteed or boiled, this mushroom is a great replacement for salt fish in Jamaican dishes. A superfood. They also have cleaning properties. They can be used to purify areas affected by oil spills without acquiring any toxins! Amazing.

Shiitake

This mushroom is popular in Japanese and Thai food. It has a unique metallic taste and tough meaty texture almost similar to beef. It absorbs flavors well and definitely favors salt! Shiitake are often russet brown or mouse brown with speckles and narrow white stems. When ready the caps tend to be wide and flat like a pancake. They have a distinct metallic aroma. A superfood. Expensive, rare and powerful.

Beech

Beech mushrooms are white or tan-capped with long narrow stems and small round caps. They look very cute and grow in clusters. They have a mild almost nutty aroma and taste good with the simplest flavorings possible. You can sautèe and eat them as is or with a favorite side like spinach, rapini or dandelion greens.

All in all, this is only a tiny portion of the dozens of edible varieties you can find at the market. Other edibles that'll surprise you are morrels, turkey tail mushrooms (yes, the weird colorful ones you see growing out of dead trees that look like Thanksgiving decor!) And even fly agarics, the red spotted kind from Alice in Wonderland! Fun fact, they also come in yellow and orange.

Mushrooms are extremely low calorie so you can eat as many as you want. You can binge on them and still rock hipbones! If you want to stay pixie skinny without destroying your body, eating mushrooms daily will allow you to feel full (they're about 90% water!), get vitamins, and enjoy a meaty texture for chewing!

Hope you found this useful!

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