Bunny rabbit

@thejonderettegirl also said bunny! So here’s a little sketch page

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E116-119 (Dec. 15, 2020)

Hi! I missed the first three minutes or so and opened the stream to Brian giving an absolutely incoherent ...ad? for some jewel game? Six thousand jewels just for logging in? Some app in the app store and he’s literally been talking about this now for six minutes and I don’t know what he’s talking about. He finally wraps up, Laura brings the show to a close, and we’re all a little worse than we were before.

Ashley tries to get us back on track and Henry bays over her. Brian tries to ask the first question and breaks off into feigned sobs halfway through. This is chaos incarnate.

Tonight’s guests: Laura Bailey & Ashley Johnson.

How’s Yasha feeling right now about Molly? She and Jester both are desperately curious about whether there’s a spark of Molly left in Lucien that can be brought back. It’s not the same as when Yasha was controlled by Obann; this seems more like just the way this is now. They’d settle for even finding the good in him, like they did with Essek. Brian jokes that they can monitor his mental state if Matt’s Irish accent starts to slip a little bit.

Jester is a little wary about scrying on Lucien now since he’s able to see her back.  She’s interested to try again now that Fjord’s given her the necklace.

Ashley has to run and grab a replacement set of headphones from Brian after hers get “crunchy.” It’s pretty cute seeing them run around and smooch on another screen. Brian teases that he doesn’t have any more questions for Jester since Caduceus has been doing all the healing lately. Laura tells us indignantly that she had Heal prepared for Caduceus in that last big fight, but Fjord got to Cad first. Brian explains how this is the same as all the good jokes he always lines up for Talks but never tells. Ashley’s crunchiness continues and we go briefly to a technical difficulties screen while Brian hops up to fix it.

Dani pips in to get this show back on track. Save us, Dani!

Ashley hadn’t thought about the aspect of Lucien controlling his friends’ minds, but finds it really creepy. It’s a cool game dynamic, and it’s a little different because they’re there willingly, but it’s really weird.

Jester thinks that “the tarot cards know all. She wants to buy into it real hard.” If it doesn’t make sense now, it will later. Laura has an Idiot’s Guide to Tarot Reading.

They’re super interested in why Aeor is like it is. Were they more advanced than us? Did they evolve along a different line? Ashley loves sci-fi and is all about this, especially since she wasn’t there for Happy Fun Ball time & hasn’t been able to get caught up on some of the things she missed in between, so she’s using this as an erstwhile replacement. She can already tell there are some things from this campaign that will bother her the way the unopened box did from C1. She and Laura both seethe at the camera about having to leave the spider behind.

Cosplay of the Week! Harland3r on instagram with a gorgeous winged Pike with a shield & mace. It’s an incredible photo and the wings look great.

Travis distracts Laura by dancing like a Trex offscreen. That seems right for this episode.

Jester’s encouragement of Yasha pursuing Beau was important in a lot of ways, not least because Ashley considered herself as uninterested in D&D romance as Travis & was a little unsure of activating a romance among her friends. However, it felt really natural within the game and it was really helpful to have Jester’s in-game encouragement. Yasha’s grown a lot and is in a much more positive place and is ready to find out what’s possible. Laura: “Jester from the get-go has seen Yasha as this wonderful soul from the beginning, and has seen how sad Yasha’s been through everything, and to see the difference that she exhibits when talking about Beau is drastic and wonderful. Jester’s joy in life is helping others find joy.”

Ashley points out it’s also so fun to “yes-and” with Laura because you’re like a little kid being dragged along by the hand - you don’t know where it’s going, but you know it’s going to be fun along the way.

Ashley does have a sense of “thank goodness Marisha isn’t jumping right into this” so she can coax herself into it, but when she tried to figure out the poem she had a lot of drafts that didn’t survive. She intentionally crafted the letter to give Beau an out if she didn’t feel the same way. There’s a lot going on with Lucien right now and there’s constantly a running thought in the back of her head about “maybe Beau is not into this.” Even the last couple episodes with Jester & Fjord have had Ashley finally understand shipping.

Brian brings us to the moment “almost as romantic as the pre-season finale of the Bachelorette.” Jester was “goo” afterwards. Early on in the campaign, Jester was very forward with her flirtations with Fjord & he shut her down. And then he kissed her underwater and immediately went and slept with Avantika, and Jester automatically shut herself down, because she thought she was misunderstanding & would only be hurt by those emotions. She deliberately focused on just being there with her friends, making everyone healthy and happy. These last few episodes where Fjord was flirting back felt like “my teenage heart again, my first kiss, the boy I like actually likes me back!” and she was able to open back up.

Yasha definitely has some instrument plans for those bones. She doesn’t know if she’s going to add to her harp or create a new one.

Ashley and Laura cheer about Travis stepping out his comfort zone. Laura thinks it was really good that he was doing it with her, his real-life wife, to see if he likes that sort of stuff in his D&D campaign. “It was just so sweet. It was just so sweet.” Brian says he’s actually a really romantic dude & Dani is so glad he asked before the kiss. Brian: “It’s going to be so sad when he breaks your heart and goes back to the corpse of Avantika.” Laura: “It’s fine, Jester will be long dead by then anyway.”

Jester does believe the four-year time trade was worth it, but that the city leaves “a mark on your brain,” especially as in-depth as she saw it. “Jester’s always been reticent to talk about her age because she’s aware she’s perceived in a juvenile way by a lot of people, and she’s insecure about that. She grew up by herself without a lot of social interactions and is experienced in a lot of ways now and naive in others; she’s very aware of human emotion around her, but chooses to see it in a certain way.” Losing the time makes her wonder if she needs to grow up & become an adult about certain things now. Laura: “I think actually she’s closer to Fjord’s age now. Actually, I’m not sure about his age. I don’t know how old he is - I’ve never even asked Travis!” Brian: “I think he’s definitely fifteen.” Laura: “Travis, how old is Fjord?” Travis, off-screen: “Sixty-five,” but he’s had the Mask of Many Faces up this whole time. Later, he adds that he’s in his early 30s.

Ashley has really enjoyed digging into Yasha’s more humorous side lately. It’s how she gets comfortable as a player, making it fun and light in a way that this year needs. “It’s also really funny to think that Yasha doesn’t know how Message works.”

Brian congratulates Laura & Ashley both on their game awards nominations. Brian vamps trying to get himself in as the presenter, but incidentally refers to Laura as his sister in the conversation and it’s super cute. “I would like to be the one to give the award to either my fiancee, or my sister!”

Fanart of the Week: @ethanmaldridge with an illustrated page from the Katzenprinz book. It’s just beautiful.

Jester’s polymorph gambit was terrifying, but the stakes got even higher when everyone else got stunned. She does lament choosing a bunny at the start. “Frickin’ Fjord’s armor!”

Yasha loves being polymorphed lately. She thinks it’s kinda funny, especially given her rigid upbringing with such defined roles.

Laura feels like Jester and Vex are weirdly two halves of herself. Brian: “You see the very bargainy, I’m gonna use my wit & smarts to negotiate situations. But at the same time, you’re very open to what people are thinking & feeling and navigating that. What you end up putting out (though it comes across as innocent and naive) is something pure because she truly believes it.” Laura thinks Yasha and Pike are the same way for Ashley, though Ashley feels a little closer to Yasha right now. Sometimes you just feel really exposed. Laura compares how much idealism she put into Jester to her character from Fruits Basket.

Since Yasha didn’t belong to either side in the war, she’s not hugely concerned by the fallout; she more wants to make sure her found family are okay and safe. Jester is the same way, Laura tells us. Jester doesn’t have any greater vision of the Empire & Dynasty interacting; she cares about the people, and it hasn’t been until the vision with the city that she kind of woke up and realized they have to really stop this now. It feels bigger than the Dynasty/Empire. Ashley: “It seems more of a thing for Beau and Caleb to care about.”

Really, up to now Jester was mostly concerned about getting Molly back, but now the stakes seem much higher. “We have to do this. We have to complete this, to beat them, to keep them from doing this.” Yasha is just going with the flow for now. There’s a lot coming at them and they are ready to find out what’s next.

And that’s that for tonight! Brian thanks the crew especially for working incredibly hard on switching everything to home-based streaming. He then gets stuck halfway spinning around in his chair and the last thing we hear is him idly wondering “What’s Fjord taste like?” which seems pretty on brand for tonight’s show. Is it Thursday yet?

Sherlolly Self-Interviews 2020

Well hi 👋

Ignoring the internal image of Gilderoy Lockheart smiling smugly while flashbulbs pop and saying ‘In my autobiography, Magical Me...’ 🙈😆 I shall take the opportunity of this lovely event to introduce myself as a writer of Sherlolly fanfiction on AO3...

I am English and somewhere over 30.  I watched the show as it aired, and lost my heart as quickly to Molly Hooper as to Sherlock Holmes.  The kiss is British television history.  Series 4 is my favourite.  Moriarty on the beach is life.  The Holmes brothers break my heart every time.

I am extremely lucky to have been provided some questions to answer here by @ohaine and @mybrainrots - huge, huge love and thanks to these two lovelies, and not just for this.  I admire you both so much as writers, and your support means the world to me ❤️ Thanks too, to @sherlollyappreciationweek!

Where did you begin to write, and have you written for other fandoms?  I wrote my first fanfic when I was eleven years old - a 100 page ramble about The Monkees.  Oh yes.  Then in 2018, I fell for the characters of the Disney Pixar film Cars and began writing and publishing.  So far so random!  Writing in this fandom sprang from binge-watching all four series of Sherlock during lockdown.  I remembered reading Louise Brealey talking about being disappointed Molly didn’t get chance to ‘roundly kick Sherlock’s arse’ and agreeing with her wholeheartedly.  That, over a few weeks, turned into my first fic - Who You Really Are.  

You’re a recent (and welcome!) arrival to the Sherlolly ship, and I was wondering if writing in an established, less active than it used to be fandom has been a challenge?   Thank you, firstly.  My experience of this fandom has been incredibly positive - the sense of welcome has been wonderful.  I will admit I was terrified posting the first fic - there are hundreds of times more stories posted daily in the Sherlock fandom as in the one I had some experience of.  But I needn’t have worried, it’s been a blast.  I will also admit, that it’s no small thing to be surrounded by such brilliant writing and the long-standing passion which goes with it.  But I find that inspiring in itself, and I’m very glad to be here - how supportive the fandom are makes me feel like I always have been!       

What’s your favourite place and way to write?  My aesthetic is Lin-Manuel Miranda in his in-law’s laundry room 🤣 I wrote my first ten-thousand words on the notes app on my phone before my other half told me to stop being ridiculous!  I switch between the laptop, my phone and longhand (I’m a sucker for a nice notepad and a Uni-Ball Eye) and, more often than not, not sat up properly at a table.   

Since you’ve (done something I’ve never managed successfully and) written a novella length fic... how did you organise/keep track of all the details and where you wanted the story to go?  Did you outline/plot in advance?  First of all - I would love to see a novella length fic from you @mybrainrots!  The final scene of Who You Really Are came to me very early on and I knew I wanted the fic to fit within TFP - a lot of it takes place in the timeframe of the final montage.  At first, it was going to be much more about Sherlock’s relationship with the ideas of sentiment and love (the phrase ‘I’m not sentimental about you, I love you,’ haunted me for a while) and I spent some time researching the psychology and playing with scenes from throughout the series - one of my favourites I didn’t go on to use was inspired by the final scene of THoB.  Using scenes from the canon gave an automatic structure, and I was always aiming for the final one I wrote early on - the two of them on the beach (everything is about the beach, with me!)  As I went along and started, inevitably, to slow down, I mapped out the chapters with a short note of what I wanted to be in each, then would add notes or phrases as they came to me - often emailed from my phone!  I had to force myself through a tricky section set in Baker Street at one point, but it came together in the end.  I did plot The Pathologist’s Skeletons on paper first, as I found with a casefic which remains a WIP, that I can get confused and lose focus when it comes to details and how to reveal them in a way which stays paced and interesting.  I’ll certainly do that from now on with longer stories and cases.  How did you keep up enthusiasm for the work?  I want to write an original novel, so I am forcing myself to work through the knotty bits and blocks as a learning experience.  Not everything is destined to be finished or finessed, of course, but I’m finding this process is building my confidence that I can overcome problems and slow periods.  I also find I know when I need some external inspiration - some of my favourite scenes have come to me while out walking the dog or sitting on the beach.  I’ve also been inspired by books or other series or things going on in the world, as we all are, and sometimes that’s pushed me on.  Plus, of course, I’m a newbie - I’m very much in the honeymoon period of my writing, even though I’ve loved Sherlock for ten years! (Ten years! Bonkers.) 

You’ve got a knack for writing Sherlock’s thoughts and capturing his voice.  That said, which character do you find easiest to write?  Which is the hardest?  Thank you so much.  I absolutely love writing Sherlock and Mycroft, and I’m sure that’s because they suit my somewhat over-the-top writing style!  I find Molly and her POV really difficult.  I want the scenes I write from her perspective to sound completely different to Sherlock, but that means writing in a style which doesn’t come as naturally to me.  I’m a long way off happy with that at the moment, but I’m enjoying the challenge.

Is there a scene or character that specifically inspired you to start writing Sherlolly?  The whole of TFP, but especially from the moment Sherlock arrives at Musgrave onwards.  I am desperate to see what a Sherlock Holmes who has been reacquainted with his own heart would look like.  I find his emotionality in those final scenes hugely compelling (Mycroft’s office is one of my favourite moments from across all four series) and, as I have always believed in him and Molly, I practically jumped up back in May after watching it and said ‘right, where’s my notebook?!’.

There’s a lovely peaceful, quiet feeling to your fic ‘We’re All Right At The Moment’.  Can you tell us what inspired it and if you’ve thought of doing the backstory that goes with it?  Thank you!  Like everyone, I would go back to January of this year and start again in a heartbeat, but I am hugely fortunate to be able to say that I have a lot to be grateful to the UK lockdowns for.  I might never have begun writing in this fandom otherwise, for one, and I have had a brilliant time so far and met some lovely people. Honestly, I don’t feel able to do any sort of justice in my writing to what has happened in the world in any broader sense than drawing on my own experiences of staying at home and enjoying my family.  This particular super-short fic sees Molly cutting Sherlock’s hair at home in Baker Street.  I wrote it in the evening after I had cut my other half’s hair and had been reminding myself that despite how horribly worried I was - and still am - about everything, we were all right in that moment, and to focus on that as much as possible.  I wanted to try to capture that, if for no reason other than to look back on this entire experience and remember something lovely, so I am so pleased to hear you felt the fic did that.  It was only after I finished it and reread it, that I realised it is ambiguous as to whether Molly is worried about Sherlock contracting the virus, or whether she is remembering him being treated for it... As I say, I don’t think I could write more about these extraordinary circumstances - perhaps it’s just too close at the moment - so I don’t plan on extending it.  But you know how it is, the plot bunnies hop where they will... 

Do you have a Sherlolly music playlist?  What are your top five favs from the list? Here’s a run down of (6 🙊) songs I have been getting emotional over in the last little while, leading my brain to assign their significance to my favourite couple...

Kissing You - Des’Ree - It’s so 90′s, it’s a bit cheesy, it’s oddly disturbing.  It helped me write A Request, Made Properly, and that gave me an excuse to have Sherlock kiss Molly in the snow.

How Long Will I Love You? - Ellie Goulding - part of the playlist, but also in remembrance of a friend who passed away recently.  Life is very short, love is forever.

High and Dry - Jamie Cullum - It’s made me emotional for a very long time.  The original is my partner’s version of choice, this is mine.  

Think About You - Delta Goodrem - Okay, this one isn’t emotional, and it’s not my usual vibe!  Blame the zoom exercise class I do!  But oh my goodness, it’s Molly.  Bless her.

Blinded By Your Grace (P.T.2. F.T. MNEK) - Stormzy - One of the best ever, I reckon.  Spent an awful lot of time thinking about angels and demons, grace and what it takes to save someone, while writing my latest - The Pathologist’s Skeletons.  This has been in my head most of the (blimmin’) time!

Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding - I didn’t know I was a fan of Ellie until I wrote this list... I don’t subscribe to the theory that the love Molly wants or that which Sherlock has to offer is any lesser because it isn’t ‘normal’ or expected. I don’t think romantic entanglement would come easy to either of them. But it’s still love and it would be beautiful.

Thank you so much for reading.  Thanks and love to @ohaine and @mybrainrots. And thank you @sherlollyappreciationweek for the event and for everything you do ❤️

Feel like I should sign off with a quote from the show...

“You’re not a puzzle-solver, you never have been. You’re a drama queen!” Dr John Watson (Moffat & Gatiss) 2014 😜

X

A fav fic of mine by @mybrainrots

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7563193

A fav fic of mine by @ohaine

https://archiveofourown.org/works/10562904

My stuff:

https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglandsGray/works

Toy Story 4 Spoiler Review

Spoilers will be under the cut, but for a non-spoiler review: I absolutely love Disney (more than Chris Evans), so I was more than excited to see the new movie. It was so incredible. I did cry, but good cry. It had a very similar feel to Toy Story 3 ending and the Toy Story 2 plot if that makes sense.

Also, I have to share a story. One of my co-workers is so upset that Forky is not “Sporky”. She brought this up on multiple days.

The first scene really threw me off. I was expecting a short, which in a sense it was. From the previous movies, I was under the impression that Bo Peep was sold at a yard sale, so it wasn’t so sudden, and there was a chance of getting her back, but this absolutely broke my heart.

“Sometimes toys get misplaced” 

(And the Barbie coordination)

Bonnie at school. Bruh, I could relate. I hated kindergarten, so I played pretend a lot, and I’m sure I made my own friends like she did with Forky. 

And the lesbian couple. Is no one talking about them? Was I just seeing things?

But, that was not the point of the movie. The antique shop was absolutely terrifying. Those Goosebumpsesque dummies. 

I’m going to go through character by character because there were so many new characters!

Woody: I kinda like how Woody hasn’t really grown. Like, at his root, he still wants attention. He still wants to be the favorite, so much so that he pushes himself out of being the favorite among his other toys. With Forky, he lives the same story he did with Buzz, which was very entertaining to watch him struggle with this again. 

Buzz: The lack of Buzz! He was just there for comic relief like the end of Toy Story 3, which was very frustrating. Especially when they were saying goodbye and all he did was a hug. Like, after all they’ve been through, this is it?

The rest of the gang: There was very little of them. I mean, there’s a whole lot, so I get not including all of them, but they were completely abandoned for 90% of the movie.

Bo Peep: Going into the movie, I was under the impression that we couldn’t really trust her because she was trying to keep Woody away from Bonnie, but she became my favorite character. Not only is she the best dressed (with impeccable use of the hair tie). And her whole, not needing a kid thing was very interesting. Like, toys are made for kids, but she is doing just fine without them. She’s doing better than she ever was with Molly and Andy (even if she still loved them).

Giggle McDimples: Are we going to ignore the fact she said she had a thing with He-Man???

Forky: I. LOVE. FORKY. The realization that he wasn’t trash, or rather Bonnie was trash, and how he explained it to the knife at the end was very wonderful. I also love how naive he was to give Gabby Gabby all this information. But, it seemed a bit odd to have him be a major driver of the plot but not really be in the movie. 

Gabby Gabby: Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. The fact that she has manipulated everyone into working for her and that she just takes the voice box??? Pardon??? But, when she got her child, I cried. I mean, lost child and lost toy? How could I not?

Duke Caboom: I loved him, but did he have a point? Other than to explain that kids suck.

(I could find a gif of them) Ducky and Bunny: I absolutely love them. I want a cartoon of the adventures of Ducky and Bunny. I loved their plan (or one plan), but when they followed the woman home (my family has the exact same casserole dish) I lost it.

Easter Eggs: You can’t watch a Pixar movie without looking for easter eggs. These are just the ones I saw: Grape Soda pin, Coco guitars (?), the tin drummer. I know there’s got to be many, many more, but I only say those

Message me if you want to talk about this any more!!

This Month On The Farm: November 2020

  my "helper" hard at work....

November oh November, where have you gone?  So many have wished for 2020 to come to an end and it's hard to believe that it's almost granted!  

November was a pretty busy month for us, relatively speaking.  While it certainly wasn't the same as most years, we've had a lot going on with our soap & skincare business so that certainly makes the time fly on by.  We have been blessed with a lot of online orders as many shopped early for the holidays.  We also set-up two local consignment orders for the holidays and one of them, the Brookside Museum, receives a lot of product.  We were in a really good place as far as soap goes and then suddenly, as order after order came in, each with a lot of soap, we realized we were running very low.  So, we picked up production again but soap takes about a month from start to finish, so we are just getting some of the scents back in stock now.  It's been a hard year to predict.

We, for the first time in a LONG time, had our indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations up by Thanksgiving.  Every single year I say "hey, we should really try to get the outdoor decorations up while the temps are above freezing".  And every year my husband says "yeah, let's make sure to do that".  And every year we forget.  But not this year!  We even had the lights turned on by Thanksgiving night!

Thanksgiving was quiet as it was just the two of us.  We usually have a handful of friends over to share the day with but, of course, opted against that this year.  I baked a chicken for Jay and a lentil dish for me.  I usually do my grocery shopping every month and a half to two months and had timed it so I wouldn't be going to the market the week of Thanksgiving.  But then I tasted the new (to us) apple variety I had purchased from the health food store the week before Thanksgiving.  They are, in one word, amazing.  Have you tried the Sugar Bee apples?  Crisp, sweet, and juicy.  

the BEST apples ever (and perfect for hoarding)

Soooooo...because this store doesn't always continue to carry the same fruit, and because I couldn't find the organic version anywhere else, I decided I needed to go back and get a dozen more apples.  Yes, I hoard any fruit that will last a few weeks and is delicious.  

I usually shop Monday mornings when they first open so that's what I did.  The Monday of Thanksgiving week I pulled into the lot right before they opened and, surprising to me, so did everyone else.  It wasn't too bad once I got out of the produce section, which was a bit of a madhouse.  Luckily, no one else was worried about getting apples so I was able to grab my stash and go.  While I was there I picked up another pack of the Sweet Earth Hickory "Bacon" and a pack of their "Chik'n", because although I don't eat faux meats regularly, sometimes I like to add them to a dish.

Jay has always been leery of vegan food until the past year or so.  He now realizes that I won't ask him to try something that I don't think he'll like (like the Hickory "bacon" - it doesn't taste like or have the texture of bacon but I think it's delicious), or anything that (God forbid) has kale in it.  So, he's now open to tasting anything I throw his way.  I asked him to taste the "chik'n".  I had made a pasta stir fry with teriyaki sauce and handed him a piece of teriyaki chik'n on the fork.  He put it in his mouth, thoughtfully chewed it, then swallowed.  His immediate response was "that's scary".  Yup.  They got the texture perfect as long as you fry it first in either a bit of water or oil.  He concluded that he'd never know it wasn't chicken.

Anywhoo, the quick trip to the store went ok and I now have a nice stash of delicious apples!

In The Coop

The coop girls are doing well.  What very few eggs they've laid, one of them (or more) has eaten.  By the time we meander out to look for them all that remains is the empty shell.  We've had this problem in the past and getting an egg eater to stop eating eggs is nearly impossible.  And so, crazy as it sounds, we continue to feed almost 30 chickens and buy our eggs elsewhere.  Jay has finally turned their light on so they feel they are getting a couple of hours more daylight.  This should pick production back up now that their molt is complete.

Sidenote:  we now have an understanding of what our egg customers have been telling us.  Our eggs look and taste much better then the others at our market.  I have no idea why.  Maybe the feed?  We purchased one dozen eggs from another farmer's market vendor 2 years ago and we definitely saw a difference.  This time around we've purchased them from a number of different local farmers and cannot get eggs with the same firm deep yellow yolks, thick whites, or clean taste.  This has given us confirmation that we will continue with a small flock of chickens to supply our home with eggs once our larger flock naturally reduces.

In The Kitchen

The kitchen remains a fairly busy place.  Because we both eat quite differently, 2 separate meals are made 2 times a day (Jay's on his own most mornings for breakfast and I almost always have oatmeal). Our pantry and freezers are well stocked, allowing us the opportunity to space our trips to the store apart quite a bit.  

I plan to start sharing our weekly meals and shopping trips again.  Many of you have asked for it's return and I enjoy looking at other blogs meal plans and shopping trips too, so I am determined to bring it back as a regular feature.  It's just a matter of making it habit again.

I've been going through my cookbook collection, one at a time, and trying a handful of new recipes each month.  I've found some winners to add to the regular line-up!

Oliver & Jackson

Well, the boys are doing well.  Oliver is sleeping back in his own bed (woo hoo!!!) and Jack has his own suite for night-time.  You've gotta sell it with fancy wording, right?

It's the spare bedroom.  

But you know what?  For some reason, at 10 minutes to 10, EVERY night, he comes looking for me to tuck him into his suite.  And so I do.  Gladly!  He gets his (affiliate link) Bach's Rescue Remedy (fondly referred to as his anti-jerk medicine) which he seems to like, and then to bed he goes.  Now this is a huge win-win.  For one, it makes Oliver incredibly happy to know Jack won't be creeping around him in the middle of the night.  And two, our toes can freely become uncovered while we sleep with no risk of a cat attack.  

In the morning I get Oliver up and out to do his business, feed him, give him meds, get the chickens up, and then let Jack out.  He sits by the door and patiently (can you believe I'm saying the words patient AND Jack in one sentence????) waits for me to open it for the day.  

The first 2 weeks were absolute torture, but after that he's been perfectly content with the new arrangement.

In The Garden

Well, the garden was officially put to bed at the end of the month.  I decided to harvest all of the greens before snow buried it, so production is done until spring.  It's left open so the coop girls can visit while they are free ranging, and those who make their way into the raised beds absolutely love them.  They scratch and peck and sunbath.  We also have 2 rather large wild bunnies who visit every evening, which is perfectly fine by me.  They are locked out during the growing season but encouraged to visit now.  They can get the last bits of greens and dropped berries from one of our trees.

What I've Been Reading (contains affiliate links)

I've read a couple books that I wasn't crazy about - actually one of them, Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker, an author I enjoy, I stopped reading halfway through because I just didn't like it.  It's the first of a series that has a lot of positive comments, but it just isn't for me. 

Two of the books I really enjoyed this month are:

Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop, by Rebecca Raisin

The Bitter And Sweet Of Cherry Season: A Novel, by Molly Fader (I really enjoyed this book)

And on a completely unrelated note, I splurged on a new pair of slippers this month from Vermont Country Store and I LOVE them!

That's November around the homestead!

This Month On The Farm: November 2020 was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)

On Days Like This | Chapter 4

teamiplier + oc, romantic/angst/platonic

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Ethan and I missed a grand total of two shows. At least he got to perform the night we arrived to the Akron Civic Theatre. I couldn't sing until the next afternoon, and I really wanted to sing. I needed to sing. I also wanted to down a bottle of wine in one go, but I couldn't have that either. Had to earn my 4 month chip when we got back from tour, after all.

I tried to keep to myself as much as I could, but that was hard given the amount of people that worked with us. While the guys were onstage, though, it was pretty quiet in the green room. I was curled up on the couch, deep in my phone now that I had it back. I tweeted out my appreciation for those who were concerned. I also reassured them that I was perfectly fine to go on with the tour without telling them what exactly had happened. There were other people in the room, like Molly, Mandy, and Day, but they were in their own conversation. For once, I didn’t mind coming off as rude and staying quiet when they walked in the room. I just stayed focused on my phone.

That was a good way to act like I didn’t notice those three, along with other members of the crew watching me. Of course, upon arrival to the venue I got that sympathetic head tilt and the borderline condescending “how ya doing?” from practically everyone. Don’t get me wrong, it was reassuring that I was cared about, but the attention was aggravating. The more attention I got, the harder it was to forget this whole fiasco. Besides, the people that did know about the miscarriage didn’t really know how to react, give that the dead baby’s parents were generally unfazed by the events. We just carried on like normal, despite the awkward tension. Honestly, it really was a shitty way to kick off the tour. Way to set the mood, Bella.

There was a TV on the wall opposite to where I was sitting. It was playing the show, and it made me glad I hadn’t gone home. Here, I had things to keep myself busy. I helped Amy and Kathryn put together the VIP backpacks and screen the improv prompts from the audience. Tomorrow I would start singing. At home I had nothing, and having nothing meant I would go crazy and probably relapse. That would just cause more problems, and I already created enough commotion.

My eyes darted back to my phone when Kathryn and Amy entered the room. Their presence meant the show was almost over, and then there would be more people in the room. I took a deep breath.

Amy sat next to me. For a moment, that was all she did. But then, she placed her arms around me and pulled me into a side hug. She squeezed me once and let me go.

“Glad you’re back,” she said simply.

Mildly startled by the physical gesture, I looked at my lap. “Thanks.”

“Glad you’re not dead,” Kathryn added.

“Same.” I paused and then looked up. “Thanks for calling the ambulance and stuff…” My tone was stiff and borderline reluctant, but that was because I wasn’t sure how to properly express that gratitude.

“No problem.” Kathryn sounded just as awkward, but we left it at that anyway.

Eventually, the guys ended their show and came over to the room. I smiled and celebrated with the group. I gave Ethan a hug and a kiss, despite that he was really sweaty and that things were still rocky between us. No one needed to know that, though. We all pretty much stayed in the green room while everyone took turns showering, and then we were on the bus by two in the morning.

I was pleased to discover that my mattress and blanket were replaced while I was gone. No sleeping on a dried up fetus for me. I wanted to say that out loud, but quickly realized how dark it sounded. Too soon. Besides, I wasn’t sure who knew exactly what happened. Best to keep to myself.

~

“What was it like?” I asked Mark the next day.

We were in a private room at the venue: Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Illinois. We were rehearsing our set together alone before rehearsing onstage. Tonight was my first time singing on stage in front of people. I would have been crapping my pants had I not almost bled out on the bus. Things like that change your perspective a little bit.

“Well, I was more nervous than I had ever been,” he explained as he mindlessly strummed his guitar. “I actually started with The Man With No Shadow because I was freaking out so much. But after the nerves pass, it’s incredible. The audience has been really amazing and understanding so far. You’re really gonna like it.”

I nodded and bit my lip. My anxiety nausea was threatening to make a comeback, but I kept drinking my weight in chamomile. Not only that, I couldn’t shake this feeling of despair. Luckily, I had my healthy coping mechanism here.

“We’re starting with Give Me Love, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, you sure, though?” Mark replied with some uncertainty. “It won’t be too much for you?”

“I’m fine,” I told him. “And it would be better if I wasn’t treated like a fragile little bunny, okay?”

Mark held up a hand in surrender. “Got it. Don’t hold back.”

It was cathartic when it was just the two of us. On stage, in front of my friends and the crew, it was a little intimidating. So intimidating, in fact, that I couldn’t hit my high notes in any of our songs. Dan had to guide me through them, and we all had to pray I wouldn’t falter during the set. This was way different from just singing in my bedroom.

When the time actually came, I wanted to shit myself. I made frequent trips to the bathroom as the VIP audience took their seats. The third or fourth time I left the backstage toilet, Ethan was waiting for me by the door. I felt like a deer in headlights in front of him due to the nerves. Also, we hadn’t really spoken to each other that day, given that our argument on the bus didn’t exactly get resolved.

“Babe,” he said sympathetically, “are you-”

“Shh!” I hushed as I hysterically flapped my hands around. “Don’t talk about it. I won’t think about it til it’s over.”

Ethan nodded. “Okay. Can I hug you?”

I shook my head, averting eye contact. I did, however, silently hold my hand out.

Graciously, Ethan squeezed my fingers. He kept looking at me and slowly pulled me in closer, but I couldn’t return the contact. It felt especially weird because from the ride to Akron up until now, things were quiet between us. Still, he was here and I wasn’t sure why.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” There it is.

I let go of his hand. “Thanks for the support.”

“Hey, that’s not what I meant.”

“You don’t just say things like that!” I snapped, my voice shaking.

“You just got out of the hospital!” he reminded me in an equally unhappy tone. “You had surgery! You almost bled out on the bus!”

“That doesn’t make me weak! I’m not broken!”

“I didn’t say that!”

“You didn’t have to! I’m singing, I don’t care if it kills me!”

Ethan sighed. “Don’t say things like that…”

I rolled my eyes and went back to the wings. I was kind of glad I didn’t see the look on his face; I knew I had upset him. But I needed him to understand.

It was hard to tell if the surrounding people were acting like they heard any of what just happened. It was weirdly tense, though, but I had to shake it off.

“Can we do the sad one first?” I asked Mark as I took my place next to him.

“Which one?” he replied.

“Last Kiss. It’s easy, it’ll get the nerves out.”

“Alright.”

All sound was muffled as we stepped onto the stage. I couldn’t even see, but I still made it to my microphone stand. Mark was on my left; I think he greeted the audience. I think I said something in response too. The only thing I heard after that was Mark strumming our first duet.

From there, I closed my eyes and let it happen.

______

next

WEBCOMICS

I think I broke my links page with too many links, so it’s about time I made a rec post for some of my favorite webcomics! MAYBE YOU’LL FIND SOMETHING NEW TO LOVE.

This will always and forever be an incomplete list as I am always finding/looking for more stuff to read. I’ll probably reblog it every so often when I add more.

COMPLETE: Lady of the Shard by Gigi D.G. - I still haven’t gotten to Cucumber Quest but you had better believe I read this the day it came out. Follows a temple acolyte who is in love with the goddess she serves, and all the complicated turns of events that come out of this. Drawn in a loose, experimental pixel art style that makes it all the more immersive to read. The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver - Eisner-nominated gay roadtrip romance you’ve probably already heard of. Some of the best character acting I’ve ever seen. The Muse Mentor by Amy King - Artistic muses (and one vague notion) try to find their purpose on the astral plane, which happens to look sort of like a cute fantasy version of San Francisco. A sincere and kind-spirited read, highly recommended if you struggle with feeling adrift and inadequate. Also, many drawings of delicious-looking food. Power Ballad by Molly Brooks - I just started this but it’s really fun and funny. A masked vigilante/pop star’s personal assistant develops a crush on her boss. It’s gay, it’s got superheroes, and it’s complete! IN PROGRESS: Agents of the Realm by Mildred Louis - I had a couple false starts getting into this one, not having grown up on Sailor Moon, but then I picked up the first volume at a con and I’m really enjoying it. The unclear, complicated intentions of the mentor figure(s) are intriguing, and I love how the artist draws faces, especially funny reaction faces. Alice and the Nightmare by Misha Krivanek - A magical uni/boarding school piece with super cute art, compelling mysteries, and a Lewis-Carroll-inspired world that’s fresh and fun I.E. not another Hot Topic rehash. FINALLY. Away to Nowhere by Ezra Shape - Monsters and magical beings adapting to life in our world (or a world like ours)--currently just scratching the surface of what seems like some really cool worldbuilding. Features Zio, my nonbinary dragon grandma. Balderdash by Victoria Grace Elliott - Cute coming-of-age witch adventures. Beautiful colors and a richly-textured world. FOOD. So much good food. Banquet by A. Szabla - [coming soon]

Beauty by Eric J. Lee and Rhiannon Rasmussen - From the about page: “Bugpunk Beauty and the Beast” and honestly WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW. Okay I’ll tell you some more: There’s a baroque alien bug civilization rendered in incredible detail. It’s gorgeous.  Blackwater by Jeanette A. and Ren Graham - Episodic supernatural comic set in the small fictional town of Blackwater, Maine. Just started, but the art is extremely polished, expressive, and atmospheric, and the characters are cute. Also it’s queer and full of monsters. Sold.

Brainchild by Suzanne Geary - Paranormal mysteries on a college campus with supremely cool monster designs and great art. The monsters: So cool. I also really like the attention to fashion details on the characters--you can tell a lot about each of them by how they present themselves. Demon Street by Aliza Layne - All-ages fantasy adventure starring queer kids with magic powers! Great use of vivid, saturated color to set otherworldly scenes. Excellent queerification of folkloric tropes.

False Edge by M. R. Shaw - Just started, but a long-awaited comics debut with fantastic art. Features adorable big-cat shapeshifters. Warning, it’s supposed to get nasty (there’s an advisory page with specifics when you start). Feast for a King by Kosmicdream - I just started this (”just started” = 300+ pages in) but HOLY CROW it’s one of the most bizarrely creative comics I’ve seen. Warning for like, unrelenting gore/body horror (and eventually monster sex I think?) Gotta admire the scope of this one. Galanthus by Ashanti Fortson - [coming soon] Goodbye to Halos by Valerie Halla - Fantasy/action-adventure with an all queer-and-trans cast! Huge-scale, trans-dimensional cosmic plot stuff. The art is supremely cute and the color design is fantastic. Harlowe Vanished by Amy King - A lonely teenage girl accidentally finds herself in some kind of oceanic fantasy world! Scary military stuff is going down! BEAUTIFUL scenic art and a colorful cast that we’re currently just getting to know. The latest from Amy, who did The Muse Mentor, rec’d above. Heirs of the Veil by Phineas Kaldinski and Jassy Klier - Urban fantasy with lots of cool magic, a queer cast, and amazingly detailed environments that feel lived-in and full of history. Can’t wait to see where it’s going. Hilga from Below by Val Wise - This just started but that means I’m COMPLETELY CAUGHT UP on the  archive and so far I can tell that it has: Excellent colors, a cute dog person, a fallen angel or alien or something, and some really unsettling stuff lurking under the surface. How to be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore - Another one I just started, but really enjoying it so far. After twenty years of isolated lycanthropy, an urban werewolf is mentored by the first of her kind she’s ever met, amidst a mysterious lurking threat to their kind. Kidd Commander by Aria Bell - This is the most fun I’ve had reading a webcomic in a long time. Kidd Commander is an epic shonen-style adventure with an immensely likable cast. Seriously, I love every last one of the characters, and their perils and triumphs and misunderstandings hit me right in the emotions like a ton of bricks. I’m probably gonna cry at some point in this comic. I KNOW I’m gonna cry at some point in this comic. But it’s also hilarious, with really well-timed comedy beats and expertly deployed reaction faces. The world also feels HUGE and full of interesting lore. This is just one of those ones where you can tell it’s an absolute labor of love and the creator enjoys every minute of making it. I could gush about KC forever. But I won’t. This time. I’M DONE. Kids These Days by Noora Heikkilä - Fresh webcomic from the creator of Judecca and Letters for Lucardo, which, if you’ve read either YOU’RE FREAKING OUT TOO, RIGHT. It’s about a group of young adults in the eighteenth-century-flavored city of Osk, refusing to fit the molds society has created for them. And it’s already great. Killjoys by Woods - Criminal mayhem set in a squishy cartoon circus toyland. Had me at “Fluffy hot-tempered clown bunny with they pronouns, in a suit.” Something about this one speaks directly to my id. Kill Six Billion Demons by Tom Parkinson-Morgan - SPRAWLINGLY EPIC action-adventure in hell with vast-scale environments that will make you fall to your knees weeping. Also, like everyone in it is super hot and also a monster or some kind of divine construct. Violence. Lots of that. Larkspur by Grace Mulcahy - Post-apocalyptic action/crime/comedy piece centering on girl gang rivalries. Everyone is some kind of really cool-looking post-radiation mutant. Lush, vibrant colors set against dark comedy. Warning for some sex trafficking stuff at the start (not explicit) and general CRIME/VIOLENCE. Log Date by H. Kasof - [coming soon]

Monster’s Garden by Ash G. - Urban sci-fantasy about a misunderstood prizefighter (who happens to be a lizard-man) who just wants to be left in peace--but is suddenly faced with the challenge of caring about others and having them care about him. Full of cute and sympathetic characters. Monster Pop! by Maya Kern- Light and fun college dramedy with a cast of colorful monsters (and some humans), including a cyclops, gorgon, and witch. The art is super cute. Queer and trans characters! Never Satisfied by Taylor Robin - A group of flawed, complicated teens compete for a prestigious role that is basically something like State Wizard. The characters are SO GOOD, sympathetic across the board even when they’re being misguided jerks, and the comedy highs and dramatic lows are equally prime. The main character is nonbinary and they are my sweet, emotionally stunted child. Oglaf by Trudy Cooper and Doug Bayne - Everyone’s favorite bizarro-comedy-porn medieval fantasy comic. NSFW, as if I had to tell ya. Parhelion by R. Smith - Sci-fi adventure featuring a huge and hugely-gender-various (and queer) cast with a lot of choice trope subversions. The writing is super witty and I find myself laughing out loud a lot. Puu by Ashkay B. Varaham - An own-voices slice-of-life webcomic about gay/trans roommates and the people connected to them, set in India. Look, I am a huge goopy romantic and this comic has EVERYTHING that feeds my soul. The Sea in You by Jessi Sheron - Lonely, environmentally-conscious goth girl with a jerk boyfriend makes the acquaintance of a MUCH BETTER (girl?)friend in the shape of a mermaid. Another one with very cute art and an interesting, creative mermaid design. Everything teen me ever wanted in a comic. Warning for the boyfriend being an emotionally abusive jerk. String Theory by Dirk Grundy- Probably the comic I’ve been reading the longest. Sci-fi/post-apocalyptic/alternate history/crime stuff centering around morally sketchy characters on their path(s) to super villainy. The art is frigging phenomenal and the comic has been going for like, ten years so if you wanna see some art evolution, check it out. Laurence is my fave. Superpose by Kieran and Han - [coming soon] Unconvent by Emil N. Tót - Romantic historical fiction about queer nuns in eighteenth century Brazil! I like how simple and straightforward this comic is. We are promised happy endings. (Update: Unconvent is now on indefinite hiatus but the author has started a new comic, Dead Scholars’ Whispers) That’s it for now! Let me know if I screwed up any of the links or attributions.

This Month On The Farm: November 2020

  my "helper" hard at work....

November oh November, where have you gone?  So many have wished for 2020 to come to an end and it's hard to believe that it's almost granted!  

November was a pretty busy month for us, relatively speaking.  While it certainly wasn't the same as most years, we've had a lot going on with our soap & skincare business so that certainly makes the time fly on by.  We have been blessed with a lot of online orders as many shopped early for the holidays.  We also set-up two local consignment orders for the holidays and one of them, the Brookside Museum, receives a lot of product.  We were in a really good place as far as soap goes and then suddenly, as order after order came in, each with a lot of soap, we realized we were running very low.  So, we picked up production again but soap takes about a month from start to finish, so we are just getting some of the scents back in stock now.  It's been a hard year to predict.

We, for the first time in a LONG time, had our indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations up by Thanksgiving.  Every single year I say "hey, we should really try to get the outdoor decorations up while the temps are above freezing".  And every year my husband says "yeah, let's make sure to do that".  And every year we forget.  But not this year!  We even had the lights turned on by Thanksgiving night!

Thanksgiving was quiet as it was just the two of us.  We usually have a handful of friends over to share the day with but, of course, opted against that this year.  I baked a chicken for Jay and a lentil dish for me.  I usually do my grocery shopping every month and a half to two months and had timed it so I wouldn't be going to the market the week of Thanksgiving.  But then I tasted the new (to us) apple variety I had purchased from the health food store the week before Thanksgiving.  They are, in one word, amazing.  Have you tried the Sugar Bee apples?  Crisp, sweet, and juicy.  

the BEST apples ever (and perfect for hoarding)

Soooooo...because this store doesn't always continue to carry the same fruit, and because I couldn't find the organic version anywhere else, I decided I needed to go back and get a dozen more apples.  Yes, I hoard any fruit that will last a few weeks and is delicious.  

I usually shop Monday mornings when they first open so that's what I did.  The Monday of Thanksgiving week I pulled into the lot right before they opened and, surprising to me, so did everyone else.  It wasn't too bad once I got out of the produce section, which was a bit of a madhouse.  Luckily, no one else was worried about getting apples so I was able to grab my stash and go.  While I was there I picked up another pack of the Sweet Earth Hickory "Bacon" and a pack of their "Chik'n", because although I don't eat faux meats regularly, sometimes I like to add them to a dish.

Jay has always been leery of vegan food until the past year or so.  He now realizes that I won't ask him to try something that I don't think he'll like (like the Hickory "bacon" - it doesn't taste like or have the texture of bacon but I think it's delicious), or anything that (God forbid) has kale in it.  So, he's now open to tasting anything I throw his way.  I asked him to taste the "chik'n".  I had made a pasta stir fry with teriyaki sauce and handed him a piece of teriyaki chik'n on the fork.  He put it in his mouth, thoughtfully chewed it, then swallowed.  His immediate response was "that's scary".  Yup.  They got the texture perfect as long as you fry it first in either a bit of water or oil.  He concluded that he'd never know it wasn't chicken.

Anywhoo, the quick trip to the store went ok and I now have a nice stash of delicious apples!

In The Coop

The coop girls are doing well.  What very few eggs they've laid, one of them (or more) has eaten.  By the time we meander out to look for them all that remains is the empty shell.  We've had this problem in the past and getting an egg eater to stop eating eggs is nearly impossible.  And so, crazy as it sounds, we continue to feed almost 30 chickens and buy our eggs elsewhere.  Jay has finally turned their light on so they feel they are getting a couple of hours more daylight.  This should pick production back up now that their molt is complete.

Sidenote:  we now have an understanding of what our egg customers have been telling us.  Our eggs look and taste much better then the others at our market.  I have no idea why.  Maybe the feed?  We purchased one dozen eggs from another farmer's market vendor 2 years ago and we definitely saw a difference.  This time around we've purchased them from a number of different local farmers and cannot get eggs with the same firm deep yellow yolks, thick whites, or clean taste.  This has given us confirmation that we will continue with a small flock of chickens to supply our home with eggs once our larger flock naturally reduces.

In The Kitchen

The kitchen remains a fairly busy place.  Because we both eat quite differently, 2 separate meals are made 2 times a day (Jay's on his own most mornings for breakfast and I almost always have oatmeal). Our pantry and freezers are well stocked, allowing us the opportunity to space our trips to the store apart quite a bit.  

I plan to start sharing our weekly meals and shopping trips again.  Many of you have asked for it's return and I enjoy looking at other blogs meal plans and shopping trips too, so I am determined to bring it back as a regular feature.  It's just a matter of making it habit again.

I've been going through my cookbook collection, one at a time, and trying a handful of new recipes each month.  I've found some winners to add to the regular line-up!

Oliver & Jackson

Well, the boys are doing well.  Oliver is sleeping back in his own bed (woo hoo!!!) and Jack has his own suite for night-time.  You've gotta sell it with fancy wording, right?

It's the spare bedroom.  

But you know what?  For some reason, at 10 minutes to 10, EVERY night, he comes looking for me to tuck him into his suite.  And so I do.  Gladly!  He gets his (affiliate link) Bach's Rescue Remedy (fondly referred to as his anti-jerk medicine) which he seems to like, and then to bed he goes.  Now this is a huge win-win.  For one, it makes Oliver incredibly happy to know Jack won't be creeping around him in the middle of the night.  And two, our toes can freely become uncovered while we sleep with no risk of a cat attack.  

In the morning I get Oliver up and out to do his business, feed him, give him meds, get the chickens up, and then let Jack out.  He sits by the door and patiently (can you believe I'm saying the words patient AND Jack in one sentence????) waits for me to open it for the day.  

The first 2 weeks were absolute torture, but after that he's been perfectly content with the new arrangement.

In The Garden

Well, the garden was officially put to bed at the end of the month.  I decided to harvest all of the greens before snow buried it, so production is done until spring.  It's left open so the coop girls can visit while they are free ranging, and those who make their way into the raised beds absolutely love them.  They scratch and peck and sunbath.  We also have 2 rather large wild bunnies who visit every evening, which is perfectly fine by me.  They are locked out during the growing season but encouraged to visit now.  They can get the last bits of greens and dropped berries from one of our trees.

What I've Been Reading (contains affiliate links)

I've read a couple books that I wasn't crazy about - actually one of them, Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker, an author I enjoy, I stopped reading halfway through because I just didn't like it.  It's the first of a series that has a lot of positive comments, but it just isn't for me. 

Two of the books I really enjoyed this month are:

Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop, by Rebecca Raisin

The Bitter And Sweet Of Cherry Season: A Novel, by Molly Fader (I really enjoyed this book)

And on a completely unrelated note, I splurged on a new pair of slippers this month from Vermont Country Store and I LOVE them!

That's November around the homestead!

This Month On The Farm: November 2020 was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)