#roasted peaches sounds DIVINE

[bouncehousemortgage]

I want to make a pasta or pizza that is heavy on the olive oil and grapes, but I'm just not inspired lately idk what to do with it. Maybe an oily pesto, arugula, grapes, and goats cheese? But that's missing something... Maybe it needs balsamic vinegar and toasted pine nuts? I don't know that still sounds like it's missing something. I just know I want it to have olive oil, grapes, balsamic, and a briny cheese. But that feels inadequate, it needs more....

I'm also just really struggling to come up with good sauce lately. Like, I usually love to make sauce and make really good sauce. But I haven't thought of any good sauces. I was thinking of making also a roasted vegetable sauce. I have plenty of garlic to roast and some peppers that are already roasted, I could add tomato and....??? Actually maybe you could combine roasted peppers with a not-super-ripe nectarine or peach and that might be good. Maybe with some small tomatoes that you just cook in a pan until they pop a little? Smack that on good bread with good oil, spicy pepper, salt and garlic? That's probably a good sandwich. That a roasted pepper, garlic, olive oil, tomato, fresh nectarine, and salt. I will try it and report back. But that's just a sandwich, that's no sauce.

I don't know what sauce to make for anything lately. I usually have such, like,,,, divine inspiration for sauce. But lately, I have no good sauce ideas. Not since my last pasta sauce with roasted pepper. With that one I thought to use coconut milk and roasted pepper, and it was sooooo nice. The coconut flavor just really brings something that pepper and tomato lack on their own that cannot be achieved with regular cream or cow milk. I think actually the pasta I made would be better with the coconut flesh inside too, but I didn't have any whole coconut, I only had the milk and no flesh. It was good on bread too, not just on pasta. So you could add olive oil, arugula, and nuts to it and make a good sandwich with it. Very high fat, but also a good sauce nonetheless.

That one was pretty much a basic roasted pepper sauce but just with the full fat coconut added and... something else idk what else I put into it. Again, my sauce is all from divine inspiration so idk what I put in there.

I also used to make the perfect ginger garlic sauce to fry noodles in, but I really can't remember how I made it so good. I've tried to make it since then, but I can't make a good sauce unless I feel the love for sauce. And I haven't had a love for making it lately. Maybe a lemon based sauce would be good and something I could have enough love to make. Or with sweet oranges like with mandarin oranges to fry with soba??

I want to make more sauces, but I have no love for cooking at all lately. So I'm only eating burgers because they're so easy to fry up.

No love for any cooking lately. Even my last batch of batata harra was just OKAY and not excellent because I couldn't drum up enough love to fry them and just put them in the oven instead :( And I had no cilantro.

Maybe I can make a good sour sauce with limes and tomatillos...? But I don't really want to roast anything and I like the roasted tomatillos.

With a bigger and better equipped kitchen I think I'd like to make jams with tomatillos. They'd probably be good with some chili and a sweeter fruit like a peach??? Peach, chili pepper, and tomatillo? That sounds like a good salsa or a good jam. You would want to use the less ripe tomatillos, the more sour ones.

[stiltonbasket]

blue of sea, blue of sky

by stiltonbasket

The year Nie Mingjue turns twenty-three, he marries the youngest moon god, Lan Xichen.

(In which Lan Xichen is the Emperor of Night, Nie Mingjue is a humble fisherman, and Lan Jingyi is the half-mortal child growing up between them.)

As far as Nie Mingjue can remember, none of the stories about mortals falling in love with gods have ever ended well.

“They all end with the mortal lover dying, and the god grieving for eternity,” he grumbled, long before he knew just who—and what—his own best friend would grow up to be, someday. “Why do you like them so much, A-Huan?”

“Well, the moon goddess bestowed immortality upon her husband,” Lan Xichen laughed. “And though he could not join her, she could come when the moon was full, and visit him.”

 It is only later that he learns that the moon goddess from Xichen’s stories had married a young scholar and had two children with him; both sons, one human and one half-divine, and that the elder was fated to join his mother among the stars while his brother would remain on earth, with his father.

“That’s a sad story, too,” he complained—now with Xichen’s lips brushing his cheek, even though Mingjue’s skin smells of salt and the sea, and with their hands entwined on the soft grass beneath them as they gaze up at the sky. “She had to leave her husband, and now her son has to leave his didi.”

That last stung most of all, because Mingjue has a brother of his own, and leaving Huaisang would break him in a way that even his parents’ deaths never did.

“It doesn’t have to be,” his beloved whispered back. “Not for us, my heart.”

Perhaps it was then that Nie Mingjue knew the truth, but he refused to accept it until a year later, when Xichen finally kissed him goodbye on the prow of his little fishing boat and ascended in a blaze of silver starlight.

“I’ll bring something back for you,” Xichen said tenderly, dabbing the tears off Mingjue’s face. “Something very small and sweet, for you to remember me by until I can come to see you again.”

And then he could no longer doubt that his husband would return, because Xichen always keeps his oaths; and he keeps this one, too, descending on the tenth full moon after his departure with a drowsy infant in his arms.

“This is our son, beloved,” he smiles, as Nie Mingjue bows his head and soaks the baby’s sleeping face in tears. “His name is A-Yi.”

None of the other stories have happy endings, he thinks, when his newborn son fills the night with a wail that frightens away all the fish within a hundred yards of their boat. But this one—this one does!  

Lan Jingyi is four years old when he decides to find out why he can only see his A-Die once a month.

“Your A-Die is traveling far away,” his father tells him, bouncing him up and down in his lap while he takes apart a chicken carcass for soup. Father is very good at that, since he can disassemble birds and beasts and great fanged fish no matter how big or small they are, and then he makes delicious meat soups and stews in the kitchen with xiao-shushu’s help. “He can only come once a month. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Can we go see him?” Jingyi asks instead, chewing on a dirty spoon until his fuqin pokes his nose to make him stop. “Fuqin, I miss him.”

The look in his father’s eyes is very sad and far away, and sometimes he wonders how much Father must miss A-Die, if it hurts Jingyi so much to be without him.

“I miss him too, A-Yi,” Father sighs, kissing the top of his head. “More than you can imagine.”

Father misses A-Die with all his heart, so much that he covers the wall with charcoal sketches and paintings of him. He keeps them hidden with thick black curtains whenever anyone visits, though–to keep guests from losing their senses to A-Die’s divine beauty, Uncle Huaisang says, even though Jingyi insists that the whole world should know how pretty A-Die is.

“They already do!” Father laughs, when he says so for the tenth time. “Go ask anyone you know what the most beautiful thing in the heavens is, and you’ll see.”

Jingyi tries this out at school one day, and his teacher–Maiden Jiang, father always calls her, though Jingyi just calls her Aunty–tells him that the loveliest thing in the night sky is the full moon, fully risen and surrounded by twinkling stars.

“The stars come second,” she goes on, very seriously, as if Jingyi had begged her to fill his chubby little palms with treasure instead of just asking her a question. “But the moon rules the realm of night, just as Lord Sun rules the day.”

“You were right,” Lan Jingyi says to his father, when he gets home that afternoon. “Even Aunty Jiang knows that A-Die is the most beautiful person in the world, and she knows everything.”

And A-Die is the most beautiful person in the world, because when he visits, everything he touches glows silver and white like moonlight kissing the ground, and his skin is so smooth and fair that even Jingyi’s favorite bracelet–a first-birthday gift from his little uncle, strung with round beads made of mutton-fat jade–looks dingy and dark when he holds it up to his A-Die’s high forehead.

“Is this a present to remind me of my A-Yi?” A-Die laughs, cradling Jingyi close to his breast and covering his face with kisses. His dark hair slips over his shoulders and covers Jingyi’s back like a blanket, if blankets were cool and silky and soft and covered with little sparkling gems that nearly outshone the stars. “Then A-Die will wear it every day, to think of his little moonbeam.”

“No, no!” Jingyi giggles, snuggling deeper into his A-Die’s embrace. “A-Die has to give A-Yi presents. That’s the rules.”

“Hmm.” The soft gleam in A-Die’s eyes dances like light reflected on moving water, and he thrusts his soft hands into his pockets before pulling out–

“A bird!” Jingyi gasps and lets the little creature perch on his hand. It isn’t like the birds he sees every morning, but it sings even more sweetly than they do, and its wings are made of pure white snow with tiny carved-ice feathers. “Is he a real bird, A-Die? Can A-Yi give him a name?”

A-Die nods and pulls Jingyi even closer. “What will Jingyi call him, then?”

“Xiao-Bai,” he decides, missing the tender, loving looks his parents exchange over his head. “He will sleep on my pillow, and I will feed him Wei-shushu’s tianzi xiao. And chicken.”

Father makes a choking sound before throwing his head back and laughing, curving his arms around A-Die’s waist and pulling his magnificent head down onto his shoulder. “Perhaps you should try the roast duck in the kitchen, too,” he says merrily, his fingers entwining themselves with A-Die’s like vines curling into a knot. “Xiao-Bai might like it. What do you think?”

“No, Father! Jingyi wants it, so Xiao-Bai can’t have it.”

A-Die leaves before Jingyi wakes up the next morning, as usual, but there is a cool dent on his side of the bed, and Xiao-Bai is singing his jiujiu’s favorite lullaby on the windowsill. He wonders for a moment (as he always does) if A-Die was a dream, and if he was ever really here at all–but then Father comes back in with the laundry, and his lips are stained with sparkling stardust like frost on an early peach.

“There’s a new gift coming for you,” he says, helping Jingyi clean his face and hands before carrying him to the table. “Even nicer than your Xiao-Bai. Can you guess what it’s going to be?”

“A sword?”

“A-Yi is too young for a sword,” his father grins. “Guess again.”

“A dog?”

“Absolutely not, your Wei-shushu would drop dead on the spot and then Wangji would haunt me to the ends of the earth.”

“…Two dogs?”

“Jingyi!”

But on the next full moon, A-Die doesn’t bring him more snow-birds, or rattle-drums with stars for beads, or even a new puppy. He arrives on an icy winter night with a little bundle of blankets in his arms: a bundle with toes and two small hands and a pair of big round eyes, and Father gives the bundle a name of her own to go with his, and with Jingyi’s.

“We can’t call a baby Xiao-Bai, darling,” he says, when Jingyi pouts at his new sister and cuddles up against his A-Die. “We’ll call her Ying’er, for now, and when she’s bigger, we’ll call her Jueying.”

Lan Jueying, Jingyi thinks. It sounds a little sweet, like Lan Jingyi, and a little happy, and a little mischievous, too.

“….Do I have to share her with xiao-shushu? I won't! Papa can't make me!”

A-Die tries not to laugh, at that. “A-Yi!”

#nielan #nie mingjue #lan xichen #mo dao zu shi #the untamed #my fic

[random-fandom-scenarios]

Hello! How ya doing? I was wondering if I may request a fluffy, cutesy scenario for Luck (Black Clover)? Prompt setting being his reserved fem s/o crawling to his lap to cuddle for the first time, while camping outside after a mission. I don't know about you, but this odd pandemic summer has been absolute sadist for work as a guide. But at least I learned that peaches roasted in the oven with honey and rosemary is divine dessert and easy to make. Do you like peaches?

the peaches recipe sounds absolutely delicious.  i’m from ga so i’m very biased against ga peaches, south carolina peaches are good too but california peaches are shit.  when theyre in season we get giant bags and go to town on them.

---

It wasn’t uncommon for Luck to use your lap as a pillow or to come up behind you and wrap his arms around your waist and cuddle.  By now the rest of the guild had gotten used to it.  Luck was just very touchy-feely with people he liked.  

But for you to initiate the cuddling was something that caught Luck off guard.  The fire crackling as it died down for the night, you felt the cool wind more now on your back as you crawled over to Luck and plopped down in his lap.

“This is a first,” the blonde grinned as he wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his chin on your shoulder.  “Or are you just cold?” he teased.

“Both,” you said, sinking into his chest and wrapping your arms over his.  

“We should go camping together, as a vacation not after finishing a mission and having to hike back to the mansion,” Luck said.  

“That doesn’t sound bad,” you agreed.

#black clover #black clover scenario #luck

[fayegracexo]

How to Celebrate Lughnasadh

Somehow we are already to our first of three harvest festivals in the wheel of 2019! This year is flying by crazy quick! I can’t believe July is already over and it’s time for Lughnasadh on August 1st! (Fun Fact: The Gaelic word for August is ‘Lunasa’ - Lughnasadh is pronounced Loo-Na-Sah!)

If you happened to catch my last post (if you didn’t, click here! ‘Lughnasadh vs. Lammas’) then you already know the difference between ‘Lughnasadh’ and ‘Lammas’, and some of the history, which means it’s time to get into the fun part...how to celebrate it!

To keep this post simple I’ll put it in list form, and I apologize in advance for mentioning some things more than once, there’s some things that end up being good crossover ideas, so sorry if it sounds repetitive at all! (Just your typical chronically apologizing Libra over here!) 

I’ll start with some traditional ways to celebrate, then list the correspondences, THEN go into a longer list of celebration ideas! I’ll try to keep this short but there’s lots of info and I wanted to give plenty of options, so if you don’t see what you're looking for, just keep scrolling it’s probably there! ;) (It’s long, i’m sorry oh geez)

If not, I’m always available for messages and questions, and i’ll be posting craft ideas, recipes, and more ways to celebrate on my Instagram account that’s connected to this blog. Check the ‘Lughnasadh’ highlight and my story on August 1st for more! @selfcarewitchxo​ 

Now let’s jump in!

How To Celebrate Traditionally

To start, I wanted to suggest some basic ways to celebrate in a more traditional way, and then go into a list with lots more options and details! Some of these might repeat in the list below so sorry in advance! (Libra problems again, I tried to organize the best I could...I’m so OCD)

Lughnasadh is about giving thanks for what has grown in summer, and for the abundance in our lives. We gather what has grown and begin to prep for winter and the darker, colder months, but not before celebrating a successful harvest season!

In the old days, it was tradition to climb a hill and bury or leave an offering of the first and best of your harvest to Lugh, usually the first loaf of bread you've baked. Offerings are left in exchange for blessings, gratitude, abundance, strength, protection, and growth. You can do the same hill idea, or leave your first loaf or other offering on your altar, or another special place.

Lughs’ original festival, was also focused on feasting, games, and athletic competition. Try recreating the same and have some friends over for a BBQ and some friendly competition! 

Gods, Goddesses, Animals and Other Deities

The Celtic God Lugh is the patron deity for this festival, but if you’re not from a Celtic background, don’t use Lugh in your practice, or are from a Dianic tradition, there are many other Gods, Goddesses, animals and deities to choose from to incorporate into your Lughnasadh holiday. 

Tailtiu (Lughs’ adoptive Mother who passed away, the festival is held in her honor) is a traditional female option, but any grain/agricultural/Mother Goddess/Father God figures make great picks. 

For Goddesses, Rhiannon, Annona, Persephone, Cerridwen, Ceres, Demeter, and Isis are all options, and Odin, John Barley Corn, Dagon, Taranis, Vulcan, Mercury, Loki, Tammuz and Adonis are suggestions for the males! This is just to name a few of course! 

As for animals, agricultural animals such as roosters, lambs, sheep, calves, and pigs are associated with the holiday, you can also use the majestic stag! For more mythological options, the centaur, phoenix and griffin are also associated.

Try adding statues, figurines, feathers, bones or other things associated with these Gods/Goddesses/deities/animals as altar decorations!

Decorations

How can you have a holiday without some festive decorations? Take some time to redo your altar space, room, or even your whole house if you want, to get into the holiday spirit! Being a harvest, nature based holiday, there are many cheap, easy, decorating ideas, that include many things we already have at home! 

To start, use some seasonally scented candles, wax burners, or essential oils to make your sacred space smell like Lughnasadh vibes! 

Candles in holiday colors, or tied with holiday colored ribbon, make a good altar addition! (See below for list of color correspondences) 

Dried corn, rice, wheat, corn dollies, fallen twigs, dried straw, herbs, crystals, corn stalks, pumpkins, squash, dried oats, dried beans, a cornucopia, sunflower seeds, flowers, a scythe, a sickle, or a cauldron are quite seasonal options! (Keep reading for suggestions for crystals, scents and herbs!)

Crystals 

These crystals are associated with Lughnasadh. Try using them as altar decorations, in your spellwork, or to meditate with during the holiday!

Amber, aventurine, carnelian, citrine, moss agate, topaz, golden topaz, obsidian, tigers eye, brown agate, clear quartz, cats eye, lodestones, peridot.

Plants/Herbs/Flowers/Scent Associations 

Lumping this one a little since these have dual uses! 

Wheat, Basil, Mint, Queen Anne’s Lace, Calendula, Yarrow, Sunflowers, Marigolds, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Rose, Rosemary, Rose hips, Blackthorn, Vervain, Peonies, Poppies, Ginseng, All Spice and Chamomile all have associations with Lughnasadh. Use these to decorate, make tea, cook or bake with, scent your home or altar space, or to leave as an offering! (Keep reading for suggestions on how to use these) 

Colors

Try candles and ribbons in shades of green, brown, bronze, orange, yellow and gold. Personally, I always choose a yellow, brown, gold, and green candle for my Lughnasadh altar space.

Yellow represents solar energies, happiness, and transformation.

Brown represents earth energies, strength, protection, and animals.

Gold is to illuminate, for success, divine power, and the harvest.

Green represents abundance, prosperity, fertility, growth, wealth, life, and vegetation.

Food & Drink Ideas 

As Lughnasadh is a feasting holiday to give thanks, consider having some friends and loved ones over for a BBQ or potluck! both are great traditional ideas. Try these food and drink suggestions to indulge in holiday flavors!

Foods: BBQ, breads, roasted lamb, pot luck, berries - like blueberries and blackberries, potatoes, pies, nuts, pumpkin, mushrooms, garlic, honey, acorn squash, summer squash, apples, oats, rice, beans, fried chicken, berry pancakes

Drinks: Since wheat is a big thing, beer is a staple drink, but if you’re more of a wine person try elderberry, blackberry or blueberry wine. For alcohol free options, cherry or apple ciders are great, or plain apple juice. 

Mint and chamomile are associated herbs, they make a great tea suggestion! Sweet mint, peppermint or spearmint make lovely iced teas. Blueberry or blackberry teas are also delicious! 

I’m also personally adding mojitos to this list as a modern update. Since mint is associated, adding some from your garden in a refreshing mojito sounds like a good way to incorporate it to me!

Try some oats or blueberry pancakes in the morning with a seasonal juice or herbal tea, then do a bigger feast for dinner of lamb or chicken, with a beer, then pie for dessert!

More Ways to Celebrate 

Bake Bread

There’s lots of recipes online for you to bake your very own loaf. Try adding herbs, or twisting the dough into Celtic knots for extra flair. You can also ‘paint’ the bread! Try Pinterest for some great recipe ideas. Bake extra to give away to a loved one or leave as an offering!

Have a Popcorn Party

Since Lughnasadh is associated with corn, try having a movie night wit friends and making different varieties of popcorn! Do you like spicy, or sweet kinds? This is a great idea to try with kids! 

Have a Beer

As a grain holiday, relaxing with a cold brew is a good way to relax this Lughnasadh. Safely and responsibly of course.

Create a Besom

A besom is a witches broom. This is a good time of year to use dried straw, fallen twigs, ribbons and charms to create your own. Personally I love to see lavender in them, gorgeous!

Make Candles

If you have the supplies (even cooler if you have you own bees and wax!) try making candles. Bonus points for seasonal colors and scents, triple points for recycling old wax and bringing life back to old candles! 

Harvest/Canning

Harvest your fruits, veggies, and herbs you’ve grown to use them in thanks in teas, tinctures, salves, your cooking, spellwork, and to hang up to dry. Make salsas, or preserves or jams to try on your Lughnasadh bread, or try canning to have a treat in the cold months!

Spend Time Outdoors

Take a walk, hike up a hill, have a picnic, visit a Farmer’s Market or produce stand for local goodies, or go pick fruits, like apples, berries or peaches at a local orchard! Find a way to soak up the last of the season’s warmth.

Have a Fire/Light a Candle

Have a bonfire solo or with friends, and consider burning away some things that need to be released. Throw things that don’t serve you (that are fire safe of course!) into the flames and let them be released. Let the fire ‘reap’ the bad from your life, and ‘sow’ positivity back into it.

If you can’t have a fire, choose a seasonally colored candle, or a few, and give thanks by it’s light! You can carve runes into them if you’d like also!

Spellwork

Lughnasadh works with themes of success and abundance, so it’s a great time of year to do spellwork involving your career, health or love life. If you or someone you know is trying for a new job, or hoping for a new relationship, or maybe buying a house, or moving to a new location, try a little spell to help you manifest your (or theirs!) goals.

Scrying/Divination

Break out your tarot, oracle cards and scrying/divination tools! This is a good time to try new methods you haven’t worked with before, such as bones or runes. If you’ve never tried fire scrying, use your Lughnasadh bonfire or candle as a first attempt!

Cooking/Baking/Drink Making

Feasting with friends or loved ones is a good way to celebrate! (Try the menu ideas above!) Try using herbs you’ve grown or purchased from a local stand in the recipes!

Make a Corn Dolly

Traditionally the least sheaf that was ceremonially cut was used to make a ‘corn dolly’, and carried to the village. The corn dolly would be made into a corn maiden (or corn mother) if the harvest was good, or a ‘cailleach’ (Celtic word for witch, hag) after a bad harvest. These dollies could be clothed, or dressed with ribbon. If you make a doll at Lughnasadh, she can be used again in six months for Imbolc, and can be dressed in spring colors. The harvest Mother, becomes the Spring bride! (Some traditions don’t believe in reusing the doll, but that depends on your practice!)

Smudge/Cleanse/Bless Your Space

Smudge away that negativity that’s been lingering, clear the air, and your life, so that you may grow bountiful! Buy a smudge stick or make your own with sage and added herbs if you’d like. Mugwort, rosemary, lavender and juniper are good additives. Open the windows, let the light and breeze in! Start fresh and clean this holiday, and reap those bad energy places!

Make a Gift

Acts of service and selflessness are important on Lughnasadh. We’re in a place of abundance, and it’s time to share the bounty and love with others. Make a gift for a friend, loved one or neighbor to share the holiday spirit. Try flowers you’ve picked, breads or foods you’ve made, jams or jellies you preserved, or another homemade craft item. Make it with love! They’ll be sure to feel the positive vibes. They’ll see this act of kindness, and pass it on...the world needs more love!

Acts of Service

Lughnasadh is centered around themes of prosperity, generosity, continued success, and giving thanks; which makes it a great time to help those around us, and share the blessings of our abundance with others. 

Consider volunteering your time, organizing a community cleanup, picking up trash at the beach, having a friend, neighbor, or loved one over for a hot meal, or offering to help a neighbor with something they need. Devote your time, and watch the blessings come back to you.

Make a Gratitude List

What has ‘grown’ in you life this year that you’re thankful for? Have some seasonal tea, sit by a candle, and make a gratitude list of everything you’re blessed with in life. 

Make a reap/ sow list

On that note, you can also try a reap/sow list. Write down what you’re proud to have “planted” in your life, and watched grow, and also what your’re not proud of. What needs to be ‘reaped’ from you life? What weeds are strangling you, that need to be pulled for a bountiful harvest next year? Use this time as personal reflection, and choose what to reap and sow to live your best life in alignment with your true self. Think in ‘Regrets’, ‘Farewells’, ‘Harvest’ and ‘Preserves’

Regrets: Think about things you meant to do this summer that did not come to fruition. Project your regrets onto fire safe objects, like pine cones, and throw them into your fire. You can also write on dried corn husks or paper. 

Farewells: What’s passing from your life? What is over? Say goodbye. You can use visuals or writing for this, and also throw into the fire to release, or a lake or ocean. You could also use a flower bulb and plant it, to watch it grow back next year.

Harvest: What have you already harvested this year? What is sprouting? Find a way to represent those things and create a visual reminder to hang in your home. 

Preserves: Think about the fruits you have gathered this year and how you can hold onto the sweet memories. Make a remembrance box, or box altar, to help remember special things, times and people. 

Make a Craft

Lugh is the God of craftsmanship, so try making something festive to decorate your home or altar! Wheat can be used for wreaths and door decorations, apples can be turned into seasonal candle holders, or try making your own corn dolly or besom. Search Pinterest for these great ideas or check my Instagram account for the how-to’s! (@selfcarewitchxo)

Go to a Craft Fair

And again, on that note! Since Lugh is the God of this, see if there’s any local craft fairs in your area and buy some local goodies!

PHEW!

That’s it folks! Your complete guide to celebrate Lughnasadh! Thank you for being patient with me as I got this posted. If you hear from me on other sites you know I already typed this whole thing once and it got deleted! Ahh! I’m glad to have this up finally!

Connect with me on Instagram to see what i’ll be doing for the day, and send me the ideas you’ve decided to try out! I’d love to see your crafts or anything you’ve baked! Also if you have any ideas to add, let me know and I’ll post them!

HAPPY CELEBRATING!

Blessed Lughnasadh Witches!

~ Faye ~

@selfcarewitchxo​ 

#lughnasadh #witch #witchcraft #witches #lammas #lughnasadh 2019 #lammas 2019 #pagan #pagans #witchcraft blog #beginner witch #beginners witchcraft #pagan holiday #celtic holiday #lugh #celtic

[business-gnome]

Mercantile Society Newsletter: Issue #1

Fitzkrank Oils and Lotions is coming to Boralus! Look forward to the grand opening of our shop in the harbor on May 15! We are currently looking to employ a local Kul Tiran sixteen gold an hour to work the store! If you are interested, address a letter to Gerald Fitzkrank to set up an appointment!

During one of my first nights, I was able to interview Aneokame, the owner and operator of The Brig and the Ashwood Vale Consortium.

Ran by the kaldorei named Aneokame Crowsong, The Brig is a delightful hole-in-the-wall tavern located just outside of the dwarven district.They are open from six to ten bells nightly and offers a quiet, more mature atmosphere. Things here are taken at an easy pace and one does not feel harried or as though they are surrounded by rowdy rabble rousers like at other bars in the city. Their menu includes a variety of high quality wines, meads, ales, and liquors, a true staple. If you do go to the tavern, make sure to try their moonberry mead, as it is truly out of this world!

Next door to The Brig is Miss Crowsong’s shop, the Ashwood Vale Consortium, who offer a wide variety of strange, unusual, rare, and eclectic goods! Some of the goods include potions, tea leaves, dried herbs, books, furs, beautiful jewels, and artifacts! They even have hand sewn dresses and men’s shirts, a perfect boutique if you are going to a ball! If you are ever in need of a custom piece, the Ashwood Vale Consortium should be your go-to place for fine wear! The Ashwood Vale Consortium is open in the afternoons or by appointment! Stop by today!

(Character name: Aneokame. Character Tumblr: https://aneokame-crowsong.tumblr.com/)

Now in stores, experience an absolutely divine scent of, La Gnome's Tresour lotion and moisturizer! Selling for 22 gold pieces, it is an essential date-night accomplice. The scent is intoxicating -- a sexy, feminine blend of rose, peach and apricot blossom (among other fruity, floral goodness). Plus, the lightweight formula leaves your skin so smooth, it'd be a crime to go un-caressed.

Now in stock: the scent of roasted pine lotion, selling for 17 gold pieces! Available in store or from Gerald Fitzkrank! This scent will leave you smokey and desired, a mature fragrance that will be sure to lead to delightful company! This lotion was created due to the desires of Ms. Seraanna!

Next, I was luckily able to speak to a woman that recently joined the Mercantile Society! Her story is of struggles and triumph, and she is a true self-starter! Unlike Haris Pilton, of course.

Jacqueline McLean was but a girl when she arrived to Stormwind from Gilneas. She had had nothing to her name but the clothes on her back! She had to learn the streets rather quickly, and learn what the denizens of the city wanted and needed. From there, she started working on several ships, taking up whatever tasks she could. She became well known in the docks, Jacqueline McLean becoming a common name for the denizens of the harbor. She then found herself working under a nobleman for some time and that is where she began to invest in a more lucrative business. She studied language, rising up to be one of the leading Gilnean diplomats. She is often stationed in Boralus, maintaining relations with the people there and the Alliance.

She captains ‘The Siren’s Rose’. She acquired it by saving for five years, and it is the product of all her hard work since she arrived in the city. Even though she was quite young to commandeer a ship herself, she was able to make her dream a reality! She accomplished her goals at just twenty-five years old. Now she is twenty-eight, and she is her own boss! Some would even say she is the captain of her own sails! She usually employs for other men, besides her first mate, Troy. If you are looking to work on a boat sailing between Stormwind City and Boralus, then ‘The Siren’s Rose’ may be perfect for you!

Jacqueline McLean’s cargo consists of raw materials such as herbs, cloth, and ores, as well as items for personal clients. If you need a reliable captain to navigate your cargo to another port, Jackie is your gal! Her ship is almost always at the harbor in Stormwind or in the harbor of Boralus, when of course, she is not on the seas. Her door is open most of the time, always welcoming to guests!

(Character tumblr: https://shewolf-jacqueline.tumblr.com/, character name: Jåcqueline)

Say goodbye to the unpopular scents! ‘Pumpkin Gut’ and ‘Peppermint’ beard oils are officially being shelved, as they are truly out of season! They will, however, be replaced by two rejuvenating scents, bringing life to your beard!

The first scent is that of extracted anchor weed, an exotic herb found only in Kul Tiras and Zandalar! This scent is reminiscent of the ocean, and the clear oil brings a beard to its full potential! Make your beard smell of the seas and be as soft as a fair maiden’s touch today! This scent is only available in our Boralus location for 21 gold pieces.

The second scent is true to the season is that of wild steelbloom! Now now, gentlemen! It may not sound the manliest, but the flower offers a hardy scent that is sure to have your partners hoping for more! This scent is offered in all stores and in person for 15 gold pieces!

If you are seeking a rowdy experience every other Friday night, then Kegfist Brewery is for you! The popularity of the joint is astounding, full groups entering and enjoying the festivities the Kegfist offer. It seems their name-sake, the ‘kegsmasher’, is quite the hit. From what I’ve seen, it seems to be a heavily potent beverage that gets the party started. I am starting off with the appetizer of ‘Steamed Mushan Mandu’, a dumpling filled with meat from those large, savory reptile. It tastes vaguely fowl, like chicken or duck, but the seasoning is absolutely delicious. I am drinking their ‘Light Tea’, which helps wash down the heavy dumplings. There even seem to be patrons of the other faction at this establishment, a neutral place to ease the tensions of war that is currently crippling our world.

For my entrée, I decided to sample the ‘Way of the Ramen’, ordering myself some greenstone ramen. It contains lean sliced tiger, cabbage, bean sprouts, and carrots. And while it tastes amazing, one of the kickers is that it is cooked right in front of you! The noodles came out perfectly, the texture helping emphasize the stark tastes within the bowl. The tiger was cooked within the stew, soaking in the broth and the juices of the vegetables. The many different tastes bring forth a delightful sense, the textures aiding the tongue. The carrots are soft and almost mushy, yet they taste as though they were freshly picked. I highly recommend this meal, as it is an all around delicious entrée. It even comes with a fortune cookie!

I ordered from the ‘Way of the Grill’ next, Mr. Kegfist’s specialty. I ordered the black pepper ribs and giant shrimp! Yet again, this was a meal that was cooked in front of me, and boy howdy did it look very interesting! Pandaren cuisine is a marvel sometimes. Mr. Kegfist offered me three options for the ribs; mild, spicy, or dragon sauced! I chose spicy, as I consider myself quite the daredevil, but not to any extreme. I am no Sneevil Cogdeevil! Ah, I remember the days of seeing him do his stunts in the salt flats. May he find peace, wherever his is today. The ribs were delectable, falling off the bone and nearly melting in my mouth! The sauce was indeed spicy, and it felt as though I could breathe fire! The shrimp were out of this world, fresh caught and gutted in the establishment, you could taste the ocean on them! They were spicy as well, popping in your mouth as you eat them!

Finally, it was time to take my tastes to the ‘Way of the Fish’! And I am feeling -extra- spicy this evening, so I ordered the dragon sauce calamari! This may have been the spiciest thing I have ever tasted! Though it was absolutely delicious, a staple of the establishment. And yet again, Mr. Kegfist prepared it right before me! Added fun to the whole experience!

Wupoda Kegfist is the owner and head chef of Kegfist Brewery. He is a Pandaren of Halfhill, and he has been growing crops and learning the way of cooking since he was a child! Wupoda gets all of his vegetables fresh from Pandaria, crediting the magical soil for allowing his crops to grow at rapid paces and with massive growth!

Originally, his name was Wupoda Kegfist, Wandering Merchant of a Thousand Ales. It took them many tries to settle down in Pandaria, as they tried Stormwind, Kul Tiras, and a few other random places here and there in an attempt to appeal to different crowds. Then one night, his group were hired to work an event in this establishment, and they never left!

Kegfist Brewery also do catering! You heard that right, and the best way to get them to cater your event is to reach out to Mr. Kegfist through the mail! They have a pricing sheet and a few different modules for folks to find the best catering package for them. Mr. Kegfist’s tip to those of you wanting to break into the catering scene is: “Find your niche. We thrive because there aren’t many Pandaren chefs out there who have made business out of their skill. Most of us just do it for their friends and family.” So if you have a dream of becoming a caterer, do not be shy to express yourself and be adventurous! You may turn out to be as successful as Mr. Kegfist. If you market yourself as unique, it becomes harder for others to compete with your business! If Mr. Kegfist wasn’t running his restaurant, he would be tagging alongside the Darkmoon Faire! He has learned quite a few party tricks over his years in the bar tending scene.

Kegfist Brewery is always recruiting! “We can never say no to hopeful aspiring employees. We have more positions than just cooks and bartenders, so never consider yourself out just because you’re no good with food! Entertainers are always in high demand. Magic, jokes, a silly costume, it all works if you bring the charm. I’m posted in the Mage District of Stormwind pretty often for open interviews, if you ever see me around, come introduce yourself! -Wupoda Kegfist.

To close, Wupoda Kegfist leaves us with this nugget of wisdom: “Build your tables low to the ground, it is much harder to be drank under them.” He welcomes all to stop by Kegfist Brewery, as their doors are always open with cold drinks and friendly smiles! Be sure to catch them every other Friday night, from six bells to nine bells at The Drunken Hozen!

(Character name: Wupoda, guild tumblr: https://kegfistbrewery.tumblr.com/)

#wra-a #wyrmrest rp #wyrmrest accord #wyrmrest roleplay #wyrmrest alliance

[zombiiesque]

Nocturne Alchemy Seth's Secret Six Collection

Originally published 5/29/2016

So long time no blog, eh? Life has been getting in the way and there are a few things I want to get written up for everyone, including the Summer Teas collection and Seth's Dinos, which I think I read are being renamed the Prehistorics? But first, Seth's Secret Six - I have four to review for you today.

As you can see, two of my labels are a tiny bit different. I got lucky, super lucky, to win one of these scents in a little giveaway during the holidays in the Tent, and the other I purchased during a little Facebook sale they had in the Tent right after the holidays. I really like the new labels!

Seth is apparently a wizard with foodie scents. Yes. I have to tell y'all I am not a foodie woman! Like, not at all. Granted, I have an affinity for coconut scents as I crave it especially in the summer, but that's about as far as it goes. I don't much care for foodie vanilla. I do like fruit scents, particularly peach and fig, but I think that falls into a different category. That being said, and emphasized, these blow me away, and if he continues to make foodie scents, I will continue to purchase them, because like so many other amazing blends from NAVA, they have a way of changing my mind on notes I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole before - I'm looking at you, lavender!

Let's just dive right into it, shall we? First up, Seth's Secret Hot Cocoa Cookie NAVAliday Confection (I'm going to call this Hot Cocoa Cookie for short). Notes are: Cacao Absolute, Seth's Cookie Dough accord, NAVA Hot Cocoa accord, some vegan marshmallows, a touch of French Cocoa, Belgian Chocolate, a little chocolate-amber absolute that Bastet made, a dusting of vanilla and a whole bunch of Cookie Monster love. In the bottle: mmmmm chocolate, cookies! Wet on my skin, yum. Cocoa, cookie, a bit of marshmallow/vanilla? Dry I'm getting a pretty evocative picture, the perfect mug of hot cocoa, complete with floaty marshmallows, with a nice little plate of warm chocolate chip cookies. This to me is more like baked cookie than raw cookie dough, but I am a little less sophisticated with scent detection than so many other great reviewers! This is...amazing. None of these except the coffee would belong in any other category besides foodie (maybe that's not even the best word for this category, either) but this is just - well, divine. It takes foodie to another level completely and for me to fall as hard for this as I have, I'm in shock. Yes, you need this.

Next, we have Seth's Secret Spiced Hot Cocoa Cake NAVAliday Confection (I'll call this one Hot Cocoa Cake). Notes are: Hot Cocoa Accord, Chai Spices, Crystalline, Chocolate Cake Accord, a drop of Black Santalum, a drop of Black Sugar and a smattering of Angel Food Cake accord. In the bottle, I'm getting cocoa, spices and cake. Mmmm cake! Wet: Ooooo chai spice! Chocolate cake! Hmm, something else going on in the background, but I can't pin it down yet. I can see this is complex. Dry on my skin, the angel food cake and vanilla is coming forward a bit and lightening up a very rich chocolate cake and the chai spice. I am catching slight whiffs of the Black Santalum and not really getting the Black Sugar at all, but I'm sure it's there adding to the complexity that this blend has. This is so, so different than anything else I've ever tried, much more foodie to me than Hot Cocoa Cookie, but I'm actually very into it, I absolutely love it. The chai and vanilla make it so interesting, and that little bit of Black Santalum in the background you would think wouldn't work - sandalwood in a food blend? Huh? It's AMAZING here, I think it's delightful. I'm not sure this could be more delicious. I'm in shock over these two blends, they're so very obviously out of my wheelhouse but I don't even mind!

Next up, Seth's Secret Very Vanilla Crystalline Angel Cake (we'll call this Vanilla Angel Cake for short). Well, I knew I'd love this, as soon as I saw the name. I got this initially as a sample skarab, and when I sniffed it, I smelled coconut and knew I was going to be in trouble. Hah. Notes are: SL Crystalline, toasted Coconut, a drop of French and Tahitian Vanilla, Angel Cake accord from Vanilla Bean and Coconut Husk e/o, a drop of Crystal and a touch of Vanille Noir #1. I knew I was going to grab a full bottle if it became available, so when they put this one up on the website, right into my cart it went. In the bottle: Oh man. Cake + vanilla + coconut heaven? Yes please. Wet on my skin - Oh my Gods I want to swim in a vat of this. Angel food cake, and I can actually tell there are several vanillas here, including my beloved Crystalline. Rich, toasty coconut. This feels like a coconut frosting on angel food cake. Dry - yes, coconut frosted angel food cake. Totally foodie and I don't even care. I looooove it. I want to nom my arm off, it's so delicious. The vanillas are beautiful, delicious, rich, buttery. I can't stop using the word delicious in this set of reviews. Sigh. The coconut is not the fresh, raw variety, but toasty. I actually don't much care for coconut to eat it, but I love toasted coconut in cookies and cakes. However, I love the smell of it in all varieties. The angel food cake is light and fluffy and balances out the richness of the vanillas. Seriously, get this blend! Hah.

Last, and certainly not least, is Seth's Secret Sweet Vanilla Bean Black Coffee, or Vanilla Bean Black Coffee for a shortened version. This is one of two new scents that were never sent out as previews before, and when I saw the notes I just knew I should blind buy it. I have only recently tried NAVA's coffee as I came across a full bottle of Mummy Daddy Espresso, and quite loved it. This one sounded perfect too. The notes are: Coffee without the dairy. Vanilla beans from Egypt, Mexico and Australia infused into a blend of roasted Egyptian Black Coffee beans, Arabic Coffee Beans and the accord of an Egyptian Sugar Cube that adds just the right amount of sweetness to give this one a nice wear. I got this and my bottle of Vanilla Angel Cake yesterday, along with a few other bottles, and this was the first one I tried - and went positively nuts over. Boy, was I glad I blind bought it. My notes here are actually transcribed from my review for the Tent: This is the most lovely sweet coffee. In the bottle, it's very soft coffee with vanilla bean. The vanilla is sweet but not too foodie - both it and the coffee are not strong and overwhelming! Oh, nice.Wet on my skin, the vanilla bean is more prominent than the coffee but you definitely get the coffee. Still not an "in your face" scent. Dry, this is delicious. I am obsessed with this. I want to nom my arm off. This was MADE for coffee lovers! This is a softly milky coffee, that vanilla bean is a creamer and there's just enough sugar here! This is actually quite evocative. It softly surrounds you with the scent of coffee, tempting you when you first wake up. So softly delicious, you can't resist. A must have! If you have Mummy Daddy Espresso to compare, I think you will find this one much softer, a less "in your face" coffee than that. Don't get me wrong, I adore MDE too! But this is lovely and if you are a little nervous trying a coffee scent for the first time, you cannot go wrong with this one.

Well, there you have it! Four of the Seth's Secret Six. In my humble opinion, all of these are total wins - I'm so, so glad I was able to get these. I had to unfortunately pass on Fantastic White Truffle Framboise Cream, and I know I will regret it, but I had to pick up a few more of the other Spring scents before they went away (and I still have regrets I wasn't able to get as many of those as I wanted!) so I had to make a tough choice, but if I remember it well enough, my skarab was delicious, and it seems very popular in the Tent! I hope this was helpful if you are still trying to decide which of these lovelies you need. Hah. You need them all, right?

[hannigram-a-b-o-library]

Hey! I was hoping you could help, i'm currently looking at about a bazzillion open ao3 tabs of ABO Hannigram fics and I just don't know where to start. I'd love something long that i can sink my teeth into. can you help???

Hi there @whataboutthefish​!

I picked the brains of the wonderful fannibals in the knitting circle and here’s a list we came up with of some of our favourites, hope they are of some help to you. Behind the cut, in no particular order 💖

As always - heed the tags, but also do check out the writer’s notes as sometimes they explain that tags further and may help you decide if it’s for you if there is anything you squick. There are also some non-canon and AU fics in here, but if you would like some wildly AU fics or rarepairs then drop another line and we will see what we can do!

A Fine Piece of Real Estate by Della19Explicit // M/M, F/M, F/F, Multi // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Series in Progress // selected tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Cannibalism, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mpreg, Will the Morally Grey, Hannibal is Hannibal, Will Graham doesn’t need anyone’s help, Happy ending (with cannibalism), Alternate Universe - Canon DivergenceSummary: And I’m gonna get me some land.Words: 70,638 Works: 4

Been A Son by pinkbagels Not Rated // F/F, M/M, Other // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // selected tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Weirdness, Hannibal is a Cannibal, weird alien booty stuff, I love writing creepy gory things, Original Murders, feminist leanings, wierd sex, implied non con, Hannibal is happily evil, Alternate UniverseSummary: Dr. Hannibal Lecter, world renowned psychiatrist, has been hiding a secret. He’s also the Chesapeake Ripper. Will Graham, Alpha, FBI criminal profiler and all around repressed aggressive mess is brought in to take down the Ripper. In hopes of helping him manage his empathy disorder while working the case, Dr. Lecter is brought in as a consultant to help harness Mr. Graham’s more unstable tendencies. While Dr. Lecter doesn’t mind Will Graham finding out about his murderous hobbies, there are *some* things he’d much rather keep to himself. Will Graham, however, is one persistent Alpha mongoose.Words: 126,185 Chapters: 18/18

Blood Bond by HotMolasses @hotmolasses​Explicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // selected tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Canon-Typical Violence, Murder SexSummary: In a modern, civilized society, most people take suppressants to keep their Alpha or omegan attribute from ever developing. Hannibal of course does no such thing, and is an omega desperate to awaken the Alpha in Will. He finally succeeds when they kill the Dragon together, causing Will to go into rut immediately.Words: 71,562 Chapters: 14/14

I could just eat you up (but not literally) by Orphan AccountExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Dom/sub, Impregnation Kink, Possessive Behavior, oh and cannibalism but I think that’s a given by nowSummary: Hannibal breeds Will. A love story in bodily fluids.Words: 42864  Chapters:5/5

Truths we are dealt by Nalyra @nalyras​Explicit // M/M // Series in Progress // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // selected tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon Compliant, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Possessive Behavior, Mating Bond, Serial Killers, Light Dom/sub, Bonding, Cannibalism, Rough Sex, Voyeurism, Hurt/ComfortSummary: Borne out of one of Bryan’s tweets, this follows current canon, Will Graham embracing his Omegan nature, Hannibal his, with Silence of the lambs compliance and lots of smut thrown in.Words: 54,355 Works: 6

Better Living Through Pheromones by canis_m @unicornmagicExplicit // M/M // Series in Progress // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // selected tags: Alternate Universe - Season/Series 01, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Caretaking, Discussion of mpreg, Daddy Kink, Spanking, Domesticity, Watersports, Come Marking, Praise Kink, D/s undertones, mentions of mpregSummary: On the hunt for the Minnesota Shrike, Will goes into heat early. Good thing there’s a doctor on call.Words: 24,853 Works: 3

Peachfire Whiskey by KareliaSweet @lovecrimevariationsExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Teacher-Student Relationship, Sexual Coercion, Knotting, No mpreg, young!Hannibal, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Teasing, Scent Kink, Knotting Dildos, Bonding, Happy EndingSummary: Will knows he’ll remember this scent until the day he dies. Hannibal smells like firewood, and malt whiskey, and roasted peaches drizzled in honey. He smells like nothing Will has ever scented before, and it is so divine it dizzies him. - The Adventures of Professor Will Graham and His Terribly Naughty Omega Student, Hannibal Fucking Lecter.Words: 22,076 Chapters: 5/5

Who, O Lord, Shall Stand? by AGlassRoseNeverFades @aglassroseneverfadesExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dubious Consent, Cannibalism, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Possessive Hannibal, Angst, Sleepwalking, Nightmares, Someone Help Will Graham, No Encephalitis At Least, Mpreg, Autistic Will Graham - Headcanoned Though Not Explicitly Stated In the Fic, Murder Family, Fluff, WeddingSummary: He was in love from the moment he stepped foot into Hobbs’ kitchen and saw the Omega standing there, chest heaving, pulse racing, spattered in the blood of an inferior Alpha. He had vowed to himself then and there that he would have Will, whatever the cost to the profiler’s sanity and to the lives of others. An Omegaverse story in which male Omegas are considered rare and precious according to society’s standards. Hannibal decides he wants Will and is ready to start a family with him, regardless of whatever Will wants. Starts in Oeuf but doesn’t diverge too drastically from canon until Savoureux.Words: 105,959 Works: 2

A Knack for Monsters by Sugarmouse @sugarmausExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // selected tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Slow Burn, Knotting, Biting, D/s, Cannibalism, Murder, Mating Cycles/In HeatSummary: Will has enough problems dealing with his bad dreams and the fallout of old cases. He does not need new nightmares, he does not need yet another alpha thinking they can run his life. This new alpha though, he’s different. Perhaps they could become friendly, maybe one day even become friends. This is canon divergence from the pilot, how things might have gone differently if Will was an angry omega and Hannibal an intrigued alpha.Words: 66,651 Chapters: 44/44

Sonata Op 57 “Appassionata” Mov3 by DarkmoonSigel @darkmoonsigelMature // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: No mpreg, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, AU, Injured Will, Hurt/Comfort, Hannibal is a Cannibal, Possessive Hannibal, Master/Slave kinda…., Slow Build, Collars, Soul Bond, Psychic Bond, Knotting, Ravenstag, no encephalitisSummary: Will is on the auction block after being outed as an omega. Hannibal buys him for reasons. Hilarity, feels, cannibalism, and the monkey shit show that is Hannigram ensues.Words: 114,367 Chapters: 19/19

The Pleasure of Giving In by DrJLecter @drjlecterExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Canon-Typical Violence, Cannibalism, Hannibal is a Cannibal, Knotting, Mildly Dubious Consent, Fluff, murder!husbands, Manipulative Hannibal, a darker shade of Will, Possessive Will, No mpreg, Kidnapping, Murder, Manipulative WillSummary: Circumstance exposes Hannibal’s status as unbonded Omega. Chance lets him bond to Will before being claimed by another Alpha. What will opportunity bring? (With a side of cannibalism). There’s porn, there’s plot, there are feelings. And knots.Words: 40,133 Chapters: 10/10

Some that are currently WIPs that are being regularly updated and come recommended! 

The Fairy’s Bride by AGlassRoseNeverFades @aglassroseneverfadesExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage, Francis Dolarhyde/Will Graham (briefly), Spoiler Alert: The Major Character Death is Francis Dolarhyde, dub-con, Kidnapping, Captivity, Captor Bonding, Stockholm Syndrome, Manipulation, Abuse, references to necrophilia, About as Much as in Red Dragon, Cannibalism, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dark Will Graham, No mpreg, Forced Bonding, Age Difference, Murder Family but in a Slightly Different Way, Some Implied and/or Imagined Animal Abuse, Autistic Will Graham, some Fluff in Here Too, All the Bad Boys Want WillSummary: “I imagine no matter the circumstances, the loss of one’s mate must be a rather traumatizing experience, particularly after so many years bonded.”Will laughs, just once, a quick, dark, rich sound that causes the hairs at the back of Hannibal’s neck to stand pleasantly on end. He does not shy away from eye contact with Hannibal the way he does with so many others, rubbing his thumb along his lower lip, enough to tug it gently out of place as he considers his response.He curls his lip back into his mouth to wet it before asking, “Tell me, Doctor Lecter, have you ever been mated? Willingly or…otherwise.” But for the barest tightening of his smile and a flash of something once brittle, now hardened, behind storm-colored eyes, one would never suspect the sort of madness and past traumas that lurk behind the omega’s guarded cerulean gaze.Not unless one knows exactly what to look for.Words: 39,717 Chapters: 11/?

Remember (that you are) to die by 13empress Explicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Amnesia, Established Relationship, Implied Mpreg, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Betas rule the world, Dark Will, Gaslighting, Murder Husbands, Attempted Murder, Grey Will, Serial Killer Will, Post Mpreg, Slow Build, Vulnerable Will, Manipulative Will, Hannibal is Hannibal, Secret Identity, False Identity, Fluff, Sassy Will Graham, Happy Ending, Mystery, Murder MysterySummary: “How long have I been here?” Will asked, but immediately waved off her answer, realizing it didn’t matter either way. “Look, my name is Will Graham – I don’t know what happened but you have to give my partner a call.”“I’ll get the doctor,” she told him, her voice trained to the mellow murmur just about all medical professionals used on omegas.Will opened his mouth to tell her that there was no need, that he felt fine, and if she would just listen, he could discharge himself and be out of her hair in thirty minutes flat. He grabbed the safety rails and forced himself to stand, though the motion made him a little dizzy. Something on his peripheral vision grabbed at him. The whiteboard strip above the hospital bed – W GRAHAM-LECTER, omega, male, B positive – struck him like a physical blow.Words: 200,744 Chapters: 24/?

The Baby by SpklvrMature // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Discussion of Abortion, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Knotting, Fluff and Crack, MpregSummary: Will is a very special omega. Special in that he really doesn’t like those smelly, noisy, disgusting, little humans that sometimes grow inside of bigger humans, before tearing apart their birth canal in their grandiose exit into the world. Being in his mid thirties, he thinks he has escaped this nightmare, but mother nature happens to be a bitch…Words: 54,495 Chapters: 15/?

Resurrection Fern by strangestorys @strangestorysExplicit // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // Selected tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mpreg, Pregnancy Kink, Belly Kink, Fluff, A little angst, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Knotting, Unplanned Pregnancy, Discussion of AbortionSummary: After the fall, Will and Hannibal are living a quiet, still celibate life together when Hannibal goes into an unexpected heat. Gratuitous first-time heat sex occurs, and a few weeks later, they’re surprised to discover Hannibal is pregnant. They find themselves building a new relationship and facing the skeletons in their mutual closet as they prepare for fatherhood.Words: 15,055 Chapters: 5/9

Overcoming by purefoysgirl @jadegreenworksMature // M/M // Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter // selected tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Alternate Universe - Regency, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Angst, Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Baggage, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Hannibal is Not a Cannibal, Empath Will Graham, Sassy Will, Past Infidelity, Past Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Child AbuseSummary: A Victorian A/B/O romance in which Hannibal Lecter is the future Duke of Westvale who has been away at war for the past ten years. His Grandfather has made good on a contract made shortly after Hannibal’s birth to procure him a wife. It was supposed to be easy. Naturally, with the Omega, Will, given in the place of his twin sister, it is anything but, because if there is one thing Hannibal Lecter despises, it’s Omegas.Words: 67,214 Chapters: 10/55

#asks #replies

[godlessgeekblog]

Can Air New Zealand make a 24-hour flight bearable? Flying premium economy from London to Auckland

It said ‘premium economy’ on my ticket, but frankly it felt more like business class.

I was flying with Air New Zealand from London to Auckland and from the get-go it was plain to see why the airline’s premium economy cabin has frequently nabbed the top spot at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. It slipped to second place in 2018.

After nestling into my large armchair-style seat, the 24-hour flight suddenly didn’t seem quite so daunting… 

THE LONG-HAUL PREMIUM ECONOMY EXPERIENCE

MailOnline Travel’s Sadie Whitelocks journeyed from London to Auckland with Air New Zealand in premium economy. Sadie said the headphones were pretty sturdy in premium economy (above left) and in the wide seats, she was able to curl up sideways to get some rest (right)

Sadie said there was enough room to stretch her legs in premium economy, even with her bag on the floor in front, above left. Right, Sadie was given an amenity kit that contained socks, a toothbrush, ear plugs, an eye mask, a pen and a good-sized tube of ‘intensive’ lip balm by Ashley & Co

I started my epic trip around the world on a Boeing 777-300ER from Heathrow on a Thursday at 3:30pm.

The 24-hour trip would be broken up with a stop in Los Angeles, which would hopefully prevent the deep vein thrombosis from setting in.

It wasn’t too busy in the 54-seat premium economy cabin and I had a window seat with a free spot next to me.

Before take-off the cabin was already reaping the benefits of premium service with glasses of sparkling wine and orange juice being offered around. I indulged in a glass of bubbles but the pour was pretty sharp in taste and I couldn’t finish it. Not off to a flying start, then.

I also discovered a bottle of water and (unbranded) amenity kit on my 19.3 inch-wide armchair complete with socks, a toothbrush, ear plugs, eye mask, a pen and a good-sized tube of ‘intensive’ lip balm by Ashley & Co.

Shortly after take-off we were treated to dinner – and the meal service was swift and efficient. And what’s more, the food was served on proper crockery.

A friendly attendant presented me with a tray stacked with a smoked halibut, egg and apple salad.

I was then offered some bread, with the divine-smelling selection including wholemeal, sunflower, sourdough and some very pungent slices of garlic baguette. 

In Air New Zealand’s premium economy cabin, the seats have almost 50 per cent more recline than in economy. Other perks include generous armrests, leg rests and foot supports

Air New Zealand’s premium economy cabin (pictured) has frequently nabbed the top spot at the Skytrax World Airline Awards

PREMIUM ECONOMY VS ECONOMY WITH AIR NEW ZEALAND  

Premium economy seats have a:

41 inch pitch

9-inch recline 

Width of 19.3 inches

5-inch wide armrest

11-inch wide touchscreen TV 

Economy seats have a:

31-33 inch pitch

5-inch recline

Width of 17.2 inches

9-inch wide touchscreen TV 

The set-up also included a small bottle of deliciously buttery extra virgin olive oil sourced from Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island.

After the starter plates were cleared, we could choose from three mains off the menu.

There was beef cheek, Dijon mustard-baked chicken and roast cod dressed in a rather fancy-sounding ‘rose harissa saffron sauce’.

I opted for the beef, which came with roast carrots and turnips. The meat melted in my mouth, and I enjoyed the medley much more than expected.

The meal was rounded out with some cheddar cheese, crackers and a wedge of spiced maple pear cheesecake.

I washed everything down with some Johnnie Walker Red Label whiskey – my secret to sleeping on flights – but noted the impressive selection of New Zealand wine on offer. 

Feeling well-watered and fed, I settled in to watch a few films. 

The entertainment offering with Air Zealand on long haul is the same from economy through to business class and there’s an impressive selection of films, TV shows and music.

After watching a couple of new releases, I nipped to the loo before settling in for a sleep.

For dinner in premium economy, Sadie opted for beef cheek with roast carrots and turnips as her main course (left). Thick slices of bread were also served with small bottles of extra virgin olive oil (right)

Before touching down in Los Angeles, the smell of breakfast roused Sadie from slumber. She had a fresh fruit salad, left, followed by creamy scrambled eggs on top of a toasted muffin with corned beef hash cakes on the side (right)

The premium economy section has dedicated toilets, which are pretty roomy and decked out with bookshelf print wallpaper, giving it a bit of a quirky edge.

However, there was no nice hand lotion or air scent, which other airlines generally offer in the premium cabins.

On venturing back to my seat, I found the premium chair was wide enough for me to curl up in a fetal position in. It also reclined by nine inches. 

I found it pretty easy to snuggle in and fall asleep and I managed to rest well until we touched down in Los Angeles. 

It was the scent of breakfast that roused me – fruit salad followed by creamy scrambled eggs on top of a toasted muffin with corned beef hash cakes on the side.

It’s not a traditional morning snack, but we were also offered doughnuts filled with roasted peach and coconut custard and they proved too tempting to resist.

Sadie said she was impressed by the large porcelain mugs in premium economy (left) and the doughnuts that were offered around proved too yummy-looking to resist (right)

After a pretty frantic transit through Bradley International airport (which helped to work off the doughnuts), I boarded the next flight to Auckland, which would take 12 hours and 30 minutes.

This flight followed much the same format as my first flight, but this time I gave the vegetarian menu a whirl.

The food was as tasty as on the first leg, but the ingredients weren’t on the menu. And when I asked the stewardess what I was eating she wasn’t very helpful.

‘It looks like spinach and beans. You’ve asked me to be facetious,’ she replied. I didn’t really appreciate this response and I’m sure people with serious dietary requirements would want to know what they’re about to consume.

Anyway, thanks to the comfy seat, I managed to pack in a good amount of rest before landing in Auckland at 8:25am. The friend that met me even commented on how fresh I looked!

IN THE ECONOMY CABIN TRAVELLING LONG-HAUL

In a bid to test out Air New Zealand’s economy offering on long haul, I switched cabins on my return journey from Los Angeles to London.

I nabbed a central aisle seat and luckily the chair next to me was free.

Immediately I was aware of the downgrade. Sparkling wine on offer? No. Water and amenity kit waiting for me in the seat? Nope.  

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