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Denver Outdoor Kitchen Mid-sized mountain style backyard concrete patio kitchen photo with a pergola

Part 2 here

Yandere!Miguel x reader

warnings: reader getting chased, dead miguel, Grabriella is not present,

this my first time im open for suggestion and criticism, english not my first language

breath in

breath out

breath in

breath out

breath in...

out

in

out

in....

To hell with breathing, you were hypervalating,overthinking,tired, but on top of it all.

𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙

scared if he's already behind you

scared if he's just lurking and enjoying the show

Scared if those twigs snapping was a stray rabbit or himself

Scared if you stop for even one second he will take the chance to jump at you.

all you know is that you're scared of him.

You run and run for who knows how long your legs suffer from the distance you travelled. You tried contacting any station nearby, but no signal can be detected when you're deep in the neck of the woods

This was supposed to be a vacation for you and your husband, who's weary from work, finally taking a much needed off from work.

Elated from what he announced during dinner, you and Miguel travelled to the forest, expecting a camping site you were surprised with the log cabin he showed,stating that he had planned this trip with you for weeks and finally you both have it.

The cabin is breathtaking as the ambience of the forest,birds chirping at each other,squirrels stuttering about collecting nuts, wild animals minding their own business walking past the cabin

It was as if you're in a fairytale,living with your prince, but then again, not all fairytales get to have a happy ending.

Sunset was when it happened. After touring the cabin, you and Miguel started unpacking clothes and necessities and stored them within cabinets. Miguel noticed the setting sun and wanted a fireplace to relax but with futher notice, no available log was to be seen, he called your name and notified he was gonna collect some wood with an axe he found in a storage area around the cabin.

"Be safe out there. Who knows what kind of snakes or weird bugs are out there" you said, and Miguel chuckled

"Of course, mi amor." He kisses your forehead and starts heading for the door. You wave him goodbye,notifying him that once he comes back, his favourite dinner will be ready.

Oh, how you wish he 𝘥𝘪𝘥 come back.

As you cook and prepare the meal, the moon prepares to come out as you lay out the plates, the stars layout on the sky.

You were now worried.

You checked the wall clock, it was already nine-fifty o'clock.

You tried calling him, but no signal can be shown. With that, you cover the steaming pot of food, took a flashlight and your phone, and a thick jacket that Miguel owns and wore it on

And with that, you ventured outside, hoping to hear his steps, see his face, anything at all.

You walk towards the direction you know Miguel took. As you walk with your flashlight lighting the way, your light landed on what seemed to be a footprint.

Hope rises in you as you follow the trail, but the more you follow it, the more it seems to be ragged and dragged place to place,it seemed as if there were more than one person.

As you walk by, you try to remind yourself not to go too far from the cabin."Miguel, are you there!" You called into the darkness. "Miguel! come on now,it's getting late,we can just gather wood tomorrow!" You called again, no reply...again

You start to shiver from fear and from the cold, but you decide to trek on, folllwing the trail, or what it could be left to be a trail.

Then you see it, a drop of red...

𝙖 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙

You're starting to panic for Miguel's safety. Sure, he's a big muscular buff, man, but he's not immortal.

You're following the trail even further now, to hell with the cabin. If you can't find him,you're not going back till you do.

Did he encounter a wild bear?

a snake?

a wolf?

anything that has teeth and claws?

And finally, you see Miguel, but instead of a hug and kiss for your reunion, you scream his name.

"MIGUEL!" There you see his body laying down all beaten up and bruised, scars on his face, his clothes tattered and ruined bits to bits.

You drop your flashlight and phone to gather Miguel in your arms and try to feel any pulse... a beat ... but not enough beats.

"Come on, Miguel,breath for me, mi amor."As if recognizing your voice,his eyes open as much as he can with the black eye in the way. "Y/N?" he wheezes "no...no no no, no..need..go away"

He tried speaking but his voice breaks with dry coughs, all you know his atleast alive and with that you try dragging him back to the cabin, gathering your phone and putting it in the pocket of the jacket, you pick up the flashlight and light up the way. But as you turn back, a form blocks your way.Not just any form but the form of....Miguel?

And now your running,running away from that man.Before you could even gather words, he moved faster than you could imagine and finished your Miguel off with a final slash of his claws (!?) to his neck

and with that you ran and ran far as much as you can without getting the chance to mourn your husband.

so here you are, panicking and scared of that or beast you encountered, your flashlight died minutes ago and now you rely on the moon for light.Before you could run even further a weight pushes you down on the ground covered with dirt and dead leaves.

"NO! NO NO NO NO PLEASE GO AWAY!" You pleaded again and again but that beast wouldn't move a muscles instead a hand caresses your face, too gentle for a man who murdered someone with their bare hands.

"Y/n mi amor, mi sol, my everything..please...it's me" Miguel pleaded

Ah, yes that Miguel didn't help but added fuel to the fire by adding confusion to the mix of your emotions,

you are scared

you are crying

you are mourning

you are tired

and now you are confuse

"Stop saying that you....you....YOU!"you can't even gather the words to know what to call this....whatever this doppleganger is, all you know his dangerous.

Miguel stared down at your shivering form, hitting his chest in hopes to push him away, he said nothing but snap a watch/bracelet on your wrist and carry you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

You panic even more, he chases you for how long without breaking a sweat and now his kidnapping you, but with how much you run and didn't take note of your oxygen intake (lack of) and your vision starts to blur, and before you know it your fainted on the shoulder of the man that murdered your husband.

Miguel silently noticed this"Lyla, set a course to earth-928"with that command a portal opens,leading you to god knows where.

Very cool 2002 Taos style adobe home in Valdez, New Mexico has the option of going off the grid or switching seamlessly to solar power. 4bds, 4ba, $1.750M.

This home is serene, Zen, and very artsy. An iron gate opens to the property and the first thing you encounter is this wonderful shrine.

There's a large entry with stone flooring and a tile bench with storage cabinets.

The kitchen is so cozy and warm. It has colorful lower cabinets and a huge fireplace/oven. There's a large turquoise island, but I don't know what that thing over it is, with the hanging light. White upper cabinets combine with the warm honey wood of the ceiling and door.

A large dining table under a beautiful Tiffany lamp is in front of a planter and a wall of windows that let in natural light.

Entering the living area through a turquoise doorway with a planter and built-in bookshelves.

This is lovely. Knotty pine columns, a beamed ceiling, fireplace and a mezzanine. Love the twig light fixture, too.

The columns are so interesting, and the ceilings and floors differ from room to room.

In this bedroom, the bed is tucked into a cozy alcove and there is a sitting room with fireplace.

So cozy.

Cool shower room.

The 2nd level mezzanine.

Lovely family room with knotty pine floors and a sweet little fireplace.

A home office has windows that look out on the terrace.

Nice 2nd bedroom has a log ceiling and a corner fireplace.

Here's a lovely bedroom with a platform for the bed. This house has such unique features.

There's a very sunny bath.

The primary bedroom is the most interesting room. It has a step-up area for the bed with a corner fireplace.

It has an en-suite bath and interesting closets.

Outside there's a covered patio with a great view.

And, a roof top deck with a hot tub.

The lot measures 6.88 acres.

10 and 9 with ethubs? (What can i say, im biased) <3

-🍂

10. sharing a blanket with 9. secret ~ // 1,375 words

“You’re not getting out today, Etho!” Bdubs singsonged, grinning. He stood at the monolith entrance, holding the door open against the wind. Snow was neatly piled at the entrance, a clean line where it had blown against the door. It was at least three feet deep.

“I could get through that,” Etho contended, grumpily. He stood at Bdubs’ shoulder, ruffled and clutching his mug of coffee like it was a lifeline. He had just woken up.

“There’s no way,” Bdubs said. “We are having a snow day.”

Etho sighed, but didn’t argue. “This is why I live in jungles.”

Bdubs had initially been thrilled to have Etho as a roommate, to have him only a few flights of stairs away, but he ended up seeing him less often than not. Etho was usually out doing Etho things, and when he was home he was in the basement doing Etho things, crafting loudly and without remorse deep into the night. Bdubs occasionally caught a glimpse of him in passing, or in the kitchen throwing together a quick snack, before he disappeared back underground.

It was sad. Bdubs had wanted things to be like the old days, when they had lived together and worked together and laughed together late into the night… Instead, it was like they didn’t even live together at all.

But today—today, Etho couldn’t escape him. Bdubs practically ran up to the kitchen, wanting to get through his chores as quickly as possible, caught up in his imaginings.

They could sort through the shared storage on the first floor together, Bdubs pressing a few extra redstone blocks into Etho’s hands, and generously declaring “Oh, it’s nothing!” when Etho thanked him profusely.

They could cook together, working on a new recipe, Etho standing against his back and guiding Bdubs’ arm as he… stirred soup, or something. Bdubs honestly didn’t know that much about cooking.

Or they could huddle up in the living room, telling old stories, laughing, Etho’s smile getting fonder and fonder, Etho sliding closer and closer to Bdubs— until the moment was shattered by the crack of a log shifting in the fire, Etho pulling back with a blush painted across his pretty face.

Unfortunately, none of this could happen, because Etho hadn’t made an appearance yet. Bdubs put away the last of the dishes and slammed the cabinet door closed behind it. Where was he? Bdubs thought he would at least have come up to sniff around for breakfast.

Bdubs marched to the basement, lathered up. He stomped on the pressure plate like it owed him money.

Etho was curled up on the couch, wrapped in a deep red blanket. He was still sleep-scuffed, hair sticking up at all angles, face uncovered. The fireplace was lit and gently crackling, the scene lit like something out of a painting. Etho had been writing in his journal. His pen paused over the page as Bdubs stormed in.

“Did you need something?” Etho asked, after a moment of nothing but silence, Bdubs glaring at him, panting from the trip downstairs. “I didn’t accidentally leave the stove lit, did I?”

Etho’s nonchalance knocked the wind out of Bdubs’ sails. Abruptly, he felt like crying. “I thought,” Bdubs tried, “I thought maybe we could hang out today.”

“Oh,” Etho said. “Well, you can join me down here, if you want.”

Bdubs stiffly walked down the stairs and sat on the opposite end of the couch.

“Here,” Etho said, and draped half of the red blanket in Bdubs’ lap. “Good?”

Bdubs nodded, watching the flames jump in the fireplace. There was a brief silence, Bdubs holding his breath, before Etho’s pen began scratching against paper again.

Bdubs pulled the blanket over himself and stared into the fire, tried to ignore the lump growing in his throat. Stupid. He was being so stupid. But why wasn’t Etho speaking to him? Or at least teasing him?

The silence between them grew until Bdubs found it unbearable. “You’re acting weird!” Bdubs bawled.

The pen stopped its scratching. Bdubs turned towards Etho, glare accusatory.

“Am I?” Etho asked. Bdubs narrowed in on Etho’s hands, fidgeting with his pen. He was nervous.

“You are,” Bdubs declared, more confident now. “What’s going on? You better tell me.”

“Nothing’s going on,” Etho snorted, gaze skipping away from Bdubs.

“Ahah!” Bdubs shouted. “You can’t even look at me!”

“Bdubs,” Etho sighed.

“No, no, no, that won’t work on me, buddy boy. I know you too well.” Bdubs pressed his hand to his mouth, mind running a mile a minute. “You’ve been avoiding me… but why?”

Etho groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You… hate me. You’re mad at me!”

Etho lowered his hand, shooting Bdubs an incredulous glance.

“No, you’re right. That’s impossible,” Bdubs snorted. “You’re worried I’ll… discover something? A secret?”

“Bdubs, come on—“

“You’re keeping a secret!” Bdubs gasped. “What is it? Are you stealing from me? Was that huge mess in the kitchen actually you and not Ren, like you claimed? Did you take Mi Amore out for a joy ride without my permission?”

“No, it’s not—that was definitely Ren’s mess, by the way—it’s not any of that.”

Bdubs shrunk back. “It’s something worse than that? Etho, what did you do? Please don’t tell me you pissed off Doc. The monolith is too precious, it can’t be a victim to one of his revenge schemes…” He was babbling now, terrified.

Etho exhaled, visibly frustrated. “Will you just—“ He leaned forward and, abruptly, Bdubs’ spiel was cut off.

Bdubs froze, Etho was looking at him, eyes wide, face flushed. “What was that?” Bdubs asked.

“Uh,” Etho said.

Bdubs pressed his fingertips to his lips. His hands were shaking. “You—“ His voice cracked. “You kissed me.��

“Yup,” Etho whispered.

“Wait,” Bdubs said. His mind, wiped clean by the kiss, suddenly rebooted. “Was this the secret?”

Etho’s expression was morphing from one of shock to one of desperation.

Bdubs covered his mouth with both hands. Something was running through his veins that Bdubs could only describe as liquid glee. “No, no, don’t tell me. Have you been avoiding me because you like me?”

Etho’s face flushed the color of a very ripe tomato.

Bdubs was in a paroxysm of delight. “You like me! You want to kiss me,” he jeered. “Etho, that’s so embarrassing!”

Etho crossed his arms. “No it’s not. I don’t think it’s embarrassing.”

“Ah, sorry, sorry sorry,” Bdubs tried to reign in his smile, but it was difficult when every cell of his body was alight with happiness. “It’s not embarrassing… Wait, I’m not saying this right.” Bdubs leaned forward, tried to be earnest. “You know, I actually have a little secret of my own.”

“Uh-huh.” Etho was wary.

“Yeah…” Bdubs let out a nervous bray of laughter. “Okay, actually this is really embarrassing.”

Etho brow was smoothing, his eyes lighting with comprehension.

“Just…” Bdubs muttered.

They reached for each other at almost the same time, and Bdubs barely had time for another nervous giggle before Etho’s mouth was on his. Etho’s lips brushed against his slowly, deliberately, and Bdubs melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Etho and pulling him closer.

They kissed for a breathless minute, Bdubs’ heart skipping every other beat, and then they shifted apart, Etho warmly cupping Bdubs’ cheek.

Bdubs blinked at him, hardly believing his luck. He nudged forward, rubbed his nose against Etho’s, watched Etho’s cheeks heat up, watched a shy smile wind its way across his face.

Bdubs heaved a sigh and collapsed, tucking his head against Etho’s shoulder. “So annoying,” he complained.

Etho stroked his hair. “What?”

Bdubs harrumphed and buried himself deeper into Etho’s embrace. “Never keep secrets from me again, okay?”

“Okay,” Etho agreed easily. His fingers paused in Bdubs’ hair. “Then I should tell you… that mess in the kitchen really was me.”

Bdubs jerked back. “I knew it! Etho, that took me days to clean!”

Etho laughed, unconcerned. “Here, let me make it up to you.” He tugged Bdubs back towards him and Bdubs’ didn’t stand a chance, really. He pulled Bdubs into a kiss and they curled together, there in the glow of the fire, wrapped up in a deep red blanket.

Fiber craft question: how do you store your excess wool? especially during the wetter months i always fear the goods somehow spoiling

--

In my case, poorly.

I have these tiered wicker Chinese baskets that some of it is in and an art nouveau coal scuttle/fireplace log holder that holds a lot of the rest. The stuff I'm using soon is in a big cottagecore-looking basket on top of the wood bin, and the overflow is in a storage ottoman.

None of these are even slightly good places to store yarn, much less wool yarn.

How you should store depends on whether the big concern is mildew or moths, but in general, you get high end plastic bins with a good airtight seal. You put the wool in the freezer, take it out, put it back (to kill wooly bears in addition to moths) and then immediately transfer to these bins. You make sure not one tiny strand of yarn is stuck in the seal (because then bugs can get in). You can add desiccants and bug repelling things like cloves too.

Nimble Needles has a video on how he stores things, I think.

--

But TBH, I think a big part of the answer is that hoarding is not actually good, and you should keep your stash down to something manageable and look through it regularly. I know this is an unpopular opinion in crafting circles, and I'm guilty of having too much stuff too, but the best answer is to not have more stuff than you can easily look through and maintain.

Ambrose and Elliot #12

Masterpost

Previous

Next

Warnings: explicit sexual behavior (no actual sex), nudity in a sexual setting, implied past torture, implied past non-con, rape mention

Elliot was acting distant again. Earlier he’d clung to Ambrose’s side, and now he stayed just out of reach. What had set him off?

Ambrose decided not to comment on it. 

He filled out a couple order forms, sent them off, and started on moving around storage. The weather was set to cool off tomorrow night, and fall harvest would be in soon. Ambrose could already smell the fresh pumpkin pie and hot chocolate in his future. Not to mention the game the village hunters would bring in. He’d already put a notice out that he’d pay a premium for pheasant, and Jack Miller called dibs on supplying. 

Rearranging was hard work, and took until dinner time. Even during dinner, Elliot was subdued, more than usual. Elliot loved food, and seeing him sapped of enthusiasm for a meal troubled Ambrose. He went up to bed after helping him clean the dishes. Hmm. Maybe today was too much for him after all. He probably shouldn’t have asked him if he wanted to continue shopping. Elliot pushed himself too hard trying to please people.

Ambrose trudged up the stairs. The work was done, the entire first floor clean, and he was ready to collapse until morning. It really was too bad his blessing didn’t cover tiredness. 

He opened the door to his rooms. Maybe he should start eating meals regularly again. It was a pain in the ass when he didn’t technically need to anymore, but it would set a good example for Elliot. 

He placed some logs in the fireplace so he could light it straight away tomorrow night. Ambrose opened the bedroom doors, yawning as he turned the handle.

Elliot was kneeling at the foot of his bed. 

Elliot was kneeling at the foot of his bed naked.

Ambrose froze, mid yawn. Elliot crawled towards him. His jaw snapped shut when Elliot began to kiss his boots, polishing them with his tongue. Frozen in shock, he was helpless to watch Elliot make his way towards Ambrose’s crotch, kissing up his thigh.

Finally, Ambrose got his body to move, jerking away, “Don’t do that!”

Elliot flinched, and bowed back towards the floor, his forehead pressed to the wood. “I’m sorry,” he whimpered.

His back, now that Ambrose could see it clearly, looked covered in spiderwebs from all the scarring. Long, thin, and shiny scars from what could only be a whip. 

Ambrose was gonna throw up.

He darted into the bathroom, dry heaving into the toilet. 

___________________

He’d made Master sick. It was all his fault, and he was going to be punished. So much for helping Master relax. It would take all night to scour the blood from Master’s lovely rug and floors by the time Master was done with him. 

Maybe… maybe if he took initiative, Master could relax and punish him at the same time. Elliot began to lick his hand. 

___________________

Ambrose couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever. Well, he could, but Elliot deserved better. It’s not his fault. He’s doing what he’s been taught to do.

It didn’t make him feel any better.

He grabbed the fluffiest bathrobe he had and walked back into the bedroom. Only to find Elliot fucking himself on his fingers. 

He tossed the robe at Elliot and screwed his eyes shut. “Stop that. Put on the robe.” 

Elliot made a miserable sound, and there was a sickening slick pop and some shuffling.

“Is it on?”

“Yes, sir,” whispered Elliot. Ambrose opened his eyes. Elliot was staring at the floor.

“Elliot. Why?”  Who made you think this was okay?

“I thought you…” he faltered. “Don’t you… Don’t you want me, Sir? To help you relax?”

 Oh no. Everything made sense, and Ambrose hated it.

“Elliot, I’m never going to touch you like that. You can’t be doing this. Never proposition me or anyone else again. Understand? Nobody.” he snarled. 

It was harsh, but by the gods, Elliot needed to get it in his head. He didn’t really want sex from Ambrose. He was asking to be raped. Offering himself up when he didn’t want to. When he was too afraid to say no. Elliot hadn’t refused Ambrose in anything yet, and he doubted he could. Even for something like sex.

Elliot's eyes were wide and afraid, but he nodded. Ambrose deflated. He ran a hand through his hair. 

“Just… get to bed okay? It’s late.” Elliot scrambled for the door.

“Ellie?” he turned back towards Ambrose.

“Everything’s going to be alright, I promise.”

Elliot looked away, and left.

Ambrose wasn’t sure Elliot believed him.

taglist: @cupcakes-and-pain @secretwhumplair @paintedpigeon1 @whump-blog @whump-em @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight

"Draco, what's this?"

Draco looks up from the Daily Prophet, his morning tea already cool in his hands. His wife, Astoria, is calling to him from the study door behind him. The fire in the fireplace does little to stave off the Manor's natural chill.

"What does it look like?" he asks, not bothering to turn around as he stares at the moving black and white photograph.

"A hair tie."

He feels the blood drain from his face. "What?"

He turns, and, sure enough, there in her hand is a clear, coily band. He doesn't have to be closer to know a strand of curly brown hair is still caught up around it. His wife eyes it strangely. His voice comes out a growl. "Where did you get that?"

Her face flushes. "Your old school trunk. I was clearing it out for storage." She blinks. "Don't look at me that way. I swear you haven't cleared that thing out since 8th-year."

He rises, tossing the paper on the coffee table and closing the gap between them in two strides.

His fingers snatch the hair tie from her hands before she could protest. "It's nothing," he grunts and leaves the room leaving her bewildered and blinking.

She wanders over to the discarded paper, noting the untouched cup of tea beside it.

She picks it up and eyes the wedding announcement Draco had been staring at, a couple she hasn't seen since Hogwarts, Weasley Weds the Golden Girl in bold letters at the top of the page.

The redhead is all squinty and smiles, but Astoria's throat goes dry as she looks into the eyes of Hermione Granger, an expression she'd recognize anywhere, far off and lifeless, as if hiding a mountain of regret.

Just the same as Draco on their wedding day.

The cold, cruel embrace of realization settles over her. The sudden crack of fire against a log makes her jump, and she throws the paper in the flames.

As My Friend Has Stood By Me, So Shall I (Part 17)

The City Before The Doors

Two days later, Bilbo is searching for a good hiding spot for The Ring in his room.

Fili and Kili, after his not showing up for their planned trip to the markets and then his incident of falling asleep outside, had decided that taking him to the outdoor markets of Dale might be better. They’re sparse, and crumbling, but they’re in the fresh air and sunlight and beginning to become a proper market and not just cobbled-together ruins. 

And Bilbo could hardly say no when they came, excitedly sharing the idea, grinning ear-to-ear at each other's sides the same as when they showed up on his doorstep all the months ago. 

But he still doesn’t have clothes with pockets.

And so we find him here, scouring his room for somewhere it can be hidden. He won’t risk taking it with him and dropping it- or worse. He still remembers Bard’s suspicion, and something nasty twists in his gut when he thinks of it, a certainty that if the man ever found out about The Ring he would take it.

“Not here, not here- confound these dwarves, there’s no storage space for anything! Where am I- I, oh.” His eyes fall to the one built-in indentation in his walls.

The fireplace.

“You won’t mind a little ash, will you?” Bilbo murmurs to The Ring as he kneels down and hides it beneath the logs and ashes. 

“Can’t have a preference, it’s just a ring,” he scoffs at himself.

“Of course it’s more than a ring.”

“The other place whispers. Not it.”

“Stupid. Stupid thing to say. Stupid thing to deny.”

“Shut up.”

He sits back, satisfied with the hiding, and brushes his hands off on an old ruined tapestry sitting in the corner. Thorin had, apparently, never felt the need to clean the room while it was his, and Bilbo’s been so preoccupied with other things he hasn’t had the chance to do it himself.

With The Ring safely hidden away, Bilbo steps out of the door. 

He stops just over the threshold, swallowing thickly. His hands flutter to his sides, and he has to tear them away and clench them a few times to make them settle. 

“I’ll be back soon enough.” He breathes the words out almost silently.

It takes another minute before he can finally tear himself away from the threshold, an aching, gaping absence swallowing his chest. Each step feels almost painful, but he cannot deny the way a gloom seems to lift from his spirits as well despite the pain, as a splinter drawn from a wound.

He meets Fili and Kili at the end of the hall. Both are dressed much the same as they’d been on the journey- including their weapons. Bilbo himself had the same forethought, the mithril under his tunic and Sting at his side. It’s Spring now, though with the continuing snowfalls Bilbo would never have guessed it without hearing it mentioned by another, yet Orcs still linger around the mountain. It’ll be another year or more yet for the parties from Ered Luin to arrive, and with the rebuilding taking priority there’s no telling what may be encountered along the road to Dale.

Fili and Kili both sling their arms around his shoulders as soon as he’s walked up, grinning down at him. “Uncle told us to take whatever we thought we’d need for trade from the treasury,” Fili says, dropping a bag of coins into Bilbo’s hand. “We took a good share.”

“I can tell,” Bilbo huffs, reaching a struggling, shaking arms up to put the pouch in Fili’s pocket instead. “You’ll have to carry my share. Dori still can’t seem to find any clothes in the whole mountain with pockets in my size.”

“Weird, that,” is all Kili says while Fili shrugs and takes the gold. “Anyway, Tauriel is going to be meeting us at Dale, and I don’t think you’ve spoken with her much since before we moved back in, have you?”

“I must have.” Bilbo tries to think it over. 

“I don’t think so. You’ve been a little… unsociable, the past months.” Kili shares a look with Fili. 

“Unsociable? Me? Nonsense,” Bilbo huffs. “I’m plenty sociable.”

“You haven’t even sought out Uncle much lately,” Fili says. “That especially has us worried.”

Bilbo knows better than to ask why that in particular has them all worried- the only reason he hasn’t acknowledged it to Thorin is…

… Actually, he’s not sure why. It feels very important to voice what they feel for each other aloud, and yet every time he thinks to he just… can’t. He gets caught up in Thorin’s voice, or eyes, or the easy togetherness….

… Which actually, as of late, hasn’t been so easy. Easy to seek out, or to hold onto. There’s always something mucking with it, something small and hard to identify, some feeling of barrier that Bilbo can’t… quite… place…

“How are things, with you and Tauriel?” Bilbo finally says after he realizes they’ve been walking in silence for longer than can be comfortable. “Thorin was warming up to her last I spoke with him about it.”

Kili brightens up like a torch freshly lit. “They’re amazing. Uncle told me that, if I had to go and fall in love with an elf just to try and send him to an early shameful grave, I picked the worst one for that.”

Bilbo runs the sentence through his head a few times. “So that’s a blessing, then.”

“He even told me I could gift her anything I wanted from the treasury. None of what I’ve found is quite right for her, though. Gold feels almost… too simple. She’s made of starlight, and the wind whispering through canopies, and rivers as beautiful as they are dangerous…”

“He’ll go on like this for hours if we let him,” Fili whispers to Bilbo in a pained voice. 

“Well, I do agree. Gold hardly seems like a gift for Tauriel,” Bilbo says, much to Fili’s loud groan of disappointment that the subject continues. “There must be something else you can give her. There were those gems, and-and this shirt, so there’s more than just gold in this mountain.”

“I want to give her something as special as those,” Kili agrees. “It’s just difficult to find. I’ve never been a craftsman myself, but I may take something up just for her.”

“This is disgusting,” Fili says.

“Which is worse, brother? My openness or Uncle’s coyness?”

“They’re both making me sick.”

Bilbo is blushing furiously between the two at the outright statement of Thorin’s infatuation.

“You should give him a gift,” Kili says, looking down at Bilbo. “I’m tired of waiting to call you my Uncle. It suits you.”

“Very Uncle material,” Fili agrees.

Bilbo makes a squeak-like noise far down in his throat without opening his mouth, and then breaks away from their arms on him. “Look at that, we’re almost outside.” He hurries out the entrance, pausing a moment both for the boys to catch up and to soak in the sunlight. The smell of Spring is faint here, and the air cooler and crisper than would be normal in The Shire, but there’s enough of the season present for it to calm him.

The boys catch up, and the three begin their walk- usually goats or ponies would be taken for such a way to travel, but in the wake of their adventure a walk from Erebor to Dale feels like nothing.

“There he is.” Fili bumps Bilbo with his elbow affectionately. “Fresh air really makes a difference in you.”

“Your hair changes color, even.” Kili tilts his head as he looks at Bilbo. “Ever notice that, Fi? It’s like it goes from red to blond to brown sometimes. Is that a Hobbit thing?”

“It’s a lighting thing,” Bilbo says. “My hair is auburn, thank you very much. And it’s paler when I’ve spent a lot of time outside, and darker when I haven’t.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“I think I know my own hair.”

“How? It’s so short you can’t see it without a mirror.”

“Short to you, maybe.” Bilbo reaches up and feels his head, the curls longer and looser than they’ve been practically ever in his life. “Let’s find something else to talk about than me.”

“Aw, but the most interesting thing on the road.” Fili gestures at the empty expanses of land around them. “Unless an Orc comes along.”

“Don’t tempt fate!”

“So we’ll keep talking about you.”

“Fine, ask away.”

Kili speaks up now. “Fili told me you’re magic.”

“Oh, not this again.”

“I told him I think you can sense magic.”

“That’s what I just said.”

“You said I said he is magic.”

“That’s the same thing!”

“Hobbits are not magic,” Bilbo interrupts, looking up sternly at them both, “And we have no better ‘sense’ of magic than Men do. Rivendell just felt like magic, and I think it’s less that I’m over-sensitive to such feelings and more that you lot are dumb to it.”

“How would you know if you and other Hobbits don’t normally encounter magic, though? That you’re not magic?”

“Because if we were I think Lobelia would’ve cursed me ages ago,” Bilbo grumbles. 

“Who’s Lobelia?”

“She married into the Baggins family years back, with my least favorite cousin. I don’t have any siblings and I don’t have any children or spouse, so when I die Bag-End will be up for the taking- or would, but THorin sent word to The Shire that I want it to go to my gardener and another cousin. Anyway, Lobelia and her husband have been after my smial and everything in it for years. She’s been caught trying to steal my silverware more than once!”

“So you’re from a whole family of burglars.”

Bilbo looks up at Kili, mouth agape in offense. Fili punches Kili in the arm, and Kili grunts in pain before shaking his head.

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“What, to compare me to my most hated relative?”

“Right. It came out wrong.”

“It better have. Lobelia is, as I’ve said to Thorin, worse than Smaug in terms of greed.”

Fili and Kili both whistle at such a strong statement.

“... If we’re talking about Smaug now…”

“Don’t be like that.” Bilbo shakes his head. “I hate the tip-toeing around me. Just ask what you want to.”

“... What did he say to you, before Uncle and the others came in?”

“Mostly just tried to scare me. I tried to convince him I wasn’t a thief, just an admirer- which didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. Then he chased me about the treasure while I tried to grab The Arkenstone and ranted at me about all sorts of nasty things. A spiel about you all just using me and intending me to die, a lot of bragging about his grandiosity, and some nonsense about a coming darkness.”

“And you talked back?”

“I wish I could say no, but… I’m not sure why I did. I felt almost compelled to reply, sometimes.”

“Old stories say the gaze and words of a dragon could put a spell over anyone they decided to toy with,” Kili says, looking at Bilbo in wonderment. “An enchantment to make them forget the danger they’re truly in.”

“Then he did a very bad job of it.” Bilbo shudders a little. “... He did… get me to tell him a list of titles. I knew better than to give my name, of course, but…”

Bilbo breathes in. “Barrel-rider, was among them.”

There’s a long stretch of silence at the admission, the boys quickly grasping onto what that means.

“... You didn’t mean anything by it.” Fili gives him a pat on the shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”

“You almost burned to death out there. Hundreds did.”

“But he wouldn’t have died if he didn’t fly out,” Kili tries to point out.

“Neither would half of Laketown.”

“If you’d known he knew about the barrels, you never would’ve said it.”

“I appreciate you both trying to make me feel better, truly. But I think I have to… grapple with this on my own. I don’t even know why I admitted it.”

“Because you don’t have to grapple with it alone. That’s what Uncle Thorin does with guilt, and it makes him impossible sometimes.”

Bilbo lets out a sharp laugh. “I can't argue with that.”

“Besides, it was an accident.” Fili shrugs. “You’re not someone who’d put anyone in danger on purpose, or risk lives like that just to feel clever.”

“... You all think very highly of me. It's a uh, ahem, a little intimidating! What if it turns out I’ve secretly been… very selfish, this whole time?”

“Then you’re a better liar than Nori,” Kili says with a small laugh. “You’re not selfish, Bilbo. There’s literally nothing you’ve done on this whole adventure that says otherwise.”

It’s there, in the base of his throat. A confession, an admittance. An outpouring of it all, the possessiveness, the secrecy, the feeling of bloodlust that day in Mirkwood when a creature dared to even crawl next to The Ring. The words clog his windpipe, block his air, back up into his chest and squeeze like chains around his lungs and his heart, swell like a flood in his ribcage-

“What about the handkerchief?” comes out instead, breathless and a little gasped, the wrong words forcing their way out just like when he’d wanted to tell Gandalf about The Ring at the entrance to Mirkwood. 

If Fili and Kili notice the strange tone to his voice, they don’t react to it. They just lightly snort with laughter at the memory.

“Fine, a tiny bit selfish,” Kili relents. “Does that make you happy now, Master Boggins?”

Bilbo huffs out a faint laugh now at the nickname that infuriatingly, endearingly follows him through battles and betterments. “I’m not unhappy with the praise, Kili. I just… don’t want you all thinking I’m some grand infallible hero. I could do something awful, at any moment.”

“Could and would are different things.” Fili suddenly stops, holding an arm out in front of Bilbo and Kili and crouching down. “Do you two hear that?” he hisses.

Kili and Bilbo both listen. Indeed, there’s the sound of footsteps, carried over the empty plains by scattered small protrusions of stone. The footsteps are too light to be dwarven, too heavy to be Men or Elves, and clearly not of an animal.

Fili nods his head towards a small group of stones just barely big enough to hide the three of them, and they take cover behind it.

The footsteps draw closer, closer, right above them. A single Orc crawls up on top of the stone, Bilbo, Fili, and Kili hidden from its sights only by the blessing of a tilt to the way the rocks stick out of the ground providing a bit of secrecy. The Orc crouches, sniffing for something, letting out a low growl-like gurgle. 

The three wait- if they can avoid marching into Laketown splattered with Orc blood, they’d like to do so. The Orc leans closer to the ground, sniffing more. It’s searching for something.

It creeps closer to the edge of the stones… closer… closer…

Kili ducks out from the hiding space and does a quick sprint out of blood-spurt range and fires off a single arrow into the Orc’s skull.

It slumps immediately, collapsing to the ground and then sliding off of the edge of the stone. The corpse lands in front of Bilbo and Fili, its leg still twitching.

“Good shot,” Fili says, crawling out from the side to avoid having to shove the corpse out of the way, Bilbo following suit.

“What on earth was it looking for?” Bilbo watches the twitching slowly cease. “There’s nothing out here anymore.”

“Nothing but traveling Dwarves and Men to snack on,” Kili growls, kicking the corpse once for good measure. 

“I don’t know if that’s it.” Bilbo looks up at the top of the rock, now smeared with foul blood. “If it was starving, wouldn’t it have just smelt us and attacked?”

“It was alone. Probably knew it couldn’t take us head-on and was hoping to get the jump.” Fili starts back towards the road. “Don’t bother with trying to figure out Orcs, Bilbo. Without Azog, they probably can’t even think beyond food and carnage.”

“... Maybe.”

But as they continue on towards Dale, chatting and sharing stories, the encounter lingers in Bilbo’s mind.

It was looking for something. Something that they three… or at least one of them, had something about their scent that was enough for it to consider.

Suddenly the Spring sun on his back isn’t enough to keep away the chill on the air.

🦉 The Owlry ~ a TS4 Build by szanne7000 🦉

Need a place to get away from it all – for a little while…

…or forever?

The Owlry is the place for you!

This two-bedroom, two-bath log cabin has everything you need. While small, it is comfortable and elegant. There is a full kitchen, laundry, and even an under-the-eaves storage area that could be a third bedroom.

Enjoy the outdoor kitchen and living spaces, including a double-sided fireplace and a sunken jacuzzi!

Ramble down the steps to the pond and do a bit of fishing or just enjoy nature.

Close to the gorgeous mountain lake and waterfall, this secluded space brings peaceful relaxation.

Notes

1 Tree Swing is deco only.

2 This lot has been placed in Granite Falls and made residential through @zerbu's All Worlds Are Residential Mod. Pictures showing the world and location are provided in the included Credits & Links pdf file.

3 Also included with the download are pictures of how to access the tech-hippie (@k-hippie) website.

💞 Thank you to my Bestie, @bodaccia48, for play-testing this build. Love you!!! 💞

As always, without the imagination, time, and genius of the creator community, this build would not be possible.

Please see the Credits & Links for everything used to bring this build to fruition.

Special thanks to @twistedmexi for all you do!

12thDoctor ● 13Pumpkin ● 20thCPlumbob ● 95643222 ● ABormotova ● Afrosimtricsimmer ● AggressiveKitty ● animefemme ● Annachibi ● AnYe ● Aren ● ArteDellaVita ● Asyli ● ATS4 ● awingedllama ● Bakie Gaming ● Bodaccia ● BuffSumm ● CD97 ● Chicklet ● cinamun ● Cowbuild ● crosire ● Cross Design (PralineSims) ● curmudgeoned-lab ● Daer0n ● Dara Sims ● DDAENG Sims ● DINO ● DrGreenie ● Emerald ● Exzentra ● flirtyghoul ● Haruinosato ● Hel Studio ● Helen ● HistoricalSimsLife ● icemunmun ● Ichosim ● IES ● Illogical Sims ● Ilona ● k-hippie ● Kiwisims4 ● Leaf Motif ● Leosims ● lina-cherie ● LittleDica ● lotharihoe ● Lumia ● Lunasims ● Madhox ● mammut (BlackySimsZoo) ● Mango ● Marinoco ● Martine ● Maruska-Geo ● Michelleab ● Mimoto ● Mio-Sims ● Mustluvcatz ● Mutske ● Mxims ● Natatanec ● NynaeveDesign ● OrangeMittens (OM) ● Ozyman ● Peacemaker ● Pierisim ● pocci ● pqSim4 ● Pyszny Design ● qolygonal ● Ravasheen ● RightHearted ● Rirann ● Severinka ● sg5150 ● ShinoKCR ● SIMcredible ● Simp4Sims ● SimPlistic ● Sims4Luxury ● SIXAMcc ● Softpine ● Soloriya (iyaSTS4) ● Sooky ● strenee sims ● Syboulette ● Symphony no. 4 ● Teknikah ● The Plumbob Tea Society (PTS) ● theeaax ● TheNumbersWoman ● TwistedMexi ● ung999 ● Veranka ● WitchZenka ● Wondymoon ● Wykkyd ● Xenaria Sims ● YAKFARM ● Ylka ● Zerbu ● Zx-Ta

(Tumblr will not let me @ everyone; apologies)

❣️🦉❣️ Thank you all so much!!! ❣️🦉❣️

Needed

Expansion Packs: Get To Work, Get Together, Cats & Dogs, Seasons, Eco Lifestyle, Snowy Escape, Cottage Living, and High School Years

Game Packs: Outdoor Retreat, Vampires, Strangerville, Realm of Magic, Dream Home Decorator, and Werewolves

Kits: Desert Luxe Kit

YouTube Presentation

Download MEGA

Download MediaFire

His Cabin. Part 2 (Part 1 here)

(see, very rough floorplan)

Set among some sturdy trees to protect from harsh storms, yet not too close as to never see or feel the sun’s warmth, the cabin could be classed as rather picturesque. Featuring a steeply pitched roof to prevent snow from settling too thickly, and a covered porch to offer protection from the elements, it seems an inviting place (in Gray’s opinion at least). On finer days, the outside furniture of two chairs and a table often sees use in the morning or evening, when Gray enjoys the peace of a meal or drink outside.

Within the cabin, the free-standing fireplace draws the eye as soon as you walk in. Its old but well maintained and looked after, boasting polished surfaces that speak to the recent revival of its life. In the colder times, the fireplace heats the living room/lounge and kitchen very well, reaching even into the bedroom and studio on the right side, if their doors are left open.

The wooden floors have been replaced over the years, with care taken to replace the ruined planks with the same type of wood, so that the repair still fits with the tone of the original. The floors are smooth and dark, a rich and warm shade, the same as the logs and beams used for the walls and structures, making the main descriptor of the interior “cosy.” Adding to that, a couple of large rugs lie in the living room, with another in the bedroom, aiming to lessen the chill that can come to the floorboards during certain times of the year.

In the left corner of the main area, the couch sits invitingly with a worn, yet very comfortable armchair beside it. They hold a few squashy cushions and a soft blanket and wait beneath the natural light provided by the nearby windows, or in the evenings, rest with the glow from the fireplace or lamp nearby. Beneath one of the windows, a large woven basket, plump with a patterned pillow, is ready to accept the sleepy company of one of Gray’s dogs (yet when Gray is not around, the dogs tend to make their bed on the couch instead).

Extending from the living room, the kitchen looks to the back of the property. On the small side, but perfectly functional, the kitchen is kept simple and well stocked. The pots, pans, and various dishes are held by a robust shelf, and their size perhaps reveals the fact that he doesn’t know the meaning of cooking small portions. While standing in the kitchen, it’s easy to stare out the windows and get lost in thought (dangerous to do if you’re cooking). The view of the woods is typically rather peaceful, as long as seeing dark shapes moving at night isn’t off-putting to you.

The kitchen also holds the back door of the cabin, which leads onto another covered porch. Unlike the front, this one tends to be where additional firewood is kept, waiting to be carried inside and used, as the weather has a gentler touch on this side of the small building. A modest little utility room is kept to the side of the porch, a place where laundry is done and muddied boots and tools live. The small sink in this room occasionally makes a rather unnerving gurgling noise, and the pipes seem to creak threateningly, the sounds carry through the wall shared with Gray’s bedroom and sometimes wake him during the night.

Quite purposefully, his bed takes up most of the limited space in the bedroom. He tends to sprawl out in his sleep (not to mention the tossing and turning he’s prone to), and in his opinion, a bed should be the biggest thing in a bedroom and there needn’t be much else there. The bed in question is extremely comfortable, with a newly built wooden frame and quality mattress, and he has a feather/down quilt that always holds the perfect temperature. The bed is hardly ever made, the blankets always rumpled and inviting. Aside from the bed, the room also holds a solid chest of drawers and a bedside table. Set into the wall, an inbuilt closet with folding doors contains additional space for clothes and other items needing storage. A lovely painting of a forest scene adorns the wall on the space between the door and the closet, so that he can look at it from his bed and admire the style in the times where sleep is trying to elude him.

On some nights, the slow and steady drip coming from the bathroom next to him is somehow relaxing, yet on others, it’s irritating. The drip is often fixed and often returns, perhaps the old style clawfoot bathtub it falls into would be too lonely without it. The small room contains the usual amenities (albeit rather cramped), all somewhat recently installed and keeping in style with the rest of the cabin. Above the sink, the mirror is the only item not yet updated, the one thing that has observed and remained since perhaps the beginning. It’s rather small and speckled with age, roughly edged with the darkness of deterioration. He’ll get around to replacing it, one day, he says.

Lining one of the walls outside of the bathroom, and in several other places, bookshelves fit neatly into place. Some of them are rather bare, only holding the odd book or thing, but others are full of books, objects, and one or two small wooden chests. A few picture frames scatter themselves throughout the shelves, adding a little life and colour with their artwork. In the safety of his own space, he supposed he could admit to being a collector of mementos and other things that caught his eye.

In a similar vein, there was a safe place where he could also admit and practise his artistic hobbies. The studio, as he thought of it as, was the first room on the right and captured lovely natural light for a decent amount of the day. A desk in the corner of the room held the light from the windows and offered a steady surface for smaller works, where the square table allowed for projects that were a little bigger in scale. The organised chaos of the room might have seemed a tad overwhelming to some, but he knew his system well. Surplus supplies or those that he used less frequently were stored in the closet, along with a few finished works of his. The room might have been where art was created, but it was not the room it would be displayed in, (unless half-finished projects were what was desired) as there was no such room in his cabin for that, he never cared for his end results, just the process of creating them.

Creativity and perseverance, two parts of his very foundation, helped him rebuild the cabin into what it has become, his home. To look at it, inside and out, gives the knowledge that everything has been done with great care. It is a quiet, comfortable, restful place, with unique aspects and intriguing insights within, if one cares to observe them.

If I Gave You My Hand...

Closed Starter for @thebiggestlies

~~~*~~~

It was a new year. One that held infinite possibilities. So many choices that could rewrite the path a person could take. Often, most fell through. Some stuck by it and followed the trail they chose to walk. Yet if effort was taken then that was what mattered.

For Jayden she found herself wrapping up on the last of the major things she was packing. Cloth had been draped over most of the furniture. The piano she kept for her mother moved into the guest bedroom. She had scheduled a technician to come once a week to keep it tuned and maintained. Her library nook was backed and left barren. The pool table was covered and stored. Bills would continue to be paid as she was leaving the shop open. Left in the capable hands of manager’s she had trained and worked with since she opened. 

The kitchen was cleaned out for the most part. Matters had been settled for Jenna after a very long draining argument. One that Jayden was the victor. Her closet was mostly packed up, her bathroom would be left for last. She would need to talk to Beth and make sure that her older sister knew that this was what she wanted. Her truck would be staying behind, her bike was still parked at Eric’s place as she had decided to fly back rather than drive. 

She thought up of all the ways this could go wrong. But that was part of the thrill of moving. Though this wasn’t from one part of New York to another. This was a move that would take her halfway across the country. Away from the place she had made for herself. A new beginning. 

If it didn’t work out in the long run, then she could finish out her lease and move back. Could turn a trip to being closer to her boyfriend into a trip to reconnect with her family. Of helping out Jessica with her new firm. Spending time with her cousin John now that he was back from his tour of Doctors without Borders. 

Yes, even if this wasn’t meant to be with Eric, she was content that this was a needed step. 

All of that was thought as she placed the most recent box of nick nacks that would be living in storage with the rest of her belongings that she wasn’t taking with her. The space felt empty as it had been when she bought the building. Though restored it was almost as if the brickwork was whispering their goodbyes everytime she took another book or picture down. Yes she would miss her home. But she had faith that it would work out as it was meant to. 

Setting the box by the spare bedroom, she made for the fireplace, stoking the logs to keep the loft warm in the early evening winter of the city. Making for the kitchen next she set up a cup of tea to steep for a bit on the coffee table. Shuffling over to the couch she picked up her laptop and busied herself with double checking her restock order until she knew that Eric would be off work, home and fed. Video calls made things a bit easier for them, but it wasn’t the same as when they could be face to face.

When it was time, she started the call, pulling her sweater around her shoulders with a time smile on her face.

“Hey there handsome.” She said after seeing his face light up her screen.

Interesting 1994 home is in the Jemez Forest in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. It is made of straw bale construction and a metal roof. The style is rustic industrial and includes a guest house and horse stable. 3bds, 3ba, $999K.

The first thing I noticed was the unique cement floor.

In the living room the fireplace looks like a vintage stone style that's been here for ages.

Ceilings throughout the home are corrugated aluminum with beams and 3/4 height walls.

The main living area consists of a kitchen, dining space and family room.

I didn't expect to see a $35,000 Aga stove in here.

There's a very large table built onto the kitchen island, but there's also a separate dining area.

Off the kitchen is nice big pantry.

The home has a 2nd level with a pretty wooden ceiling and 2 large asymmetrical columns.

This could be the primary bedroom with a seating area, plus access to the yard.

This is a large walk-in closet.

The en-suite is also very big.

Upstairs are the other rooms.

There are 2 quite spacious children's rooms up here. I really don't care much for the corrugated ceilings throughout the entire home.

Then downstairs there's a semi-finished basement.

The guest house is a log cabin style.

It looks nice, but it's not being used a residence. As you can see, it's s storage space.

If this is the horse barn, it needs work.

I wonder if the sheep convey.

A narrow stream runs through the property.

And, home is on 29 acres of land.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

March 15, 2023

Heather Cox Richardson

The Justice Department today announced the arrest of Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, also known as Ho Wan Kwok and Miles Guo, charged with defrauding followers of more than $1 billion. The 12-count indictment for wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering says Guo and a co-conspirator, Kin Ming Je, raised money by promising stock in Guo’s GTV Media Group, a high-end club, or cryptocurrency but then used the money themselves for items that included a $53,000 fireplace log holder, a watch storage box that cost almost $60,000, and two $36,000 mattresses, as well as more typical luxury items: a 50,000-square-foot mansion, a Lamborghini, and designer furniture.

The U.S. government seized more than $630 million from multiple bank accounts as well as other assets purchased with illicit money. If convicted, Guo faces up to 20 years in prison. Guo has attracted donors by developing the idea that he is a principled opponent of the Chinese Communist Party, but Dan Friedman, who writes on lobbying and corruption for Mother Jones, points out that this persona appears to be a grift. Guo is close to sometime Trump ally Steve Bannon, who was reading a book on Guo’s yacht, Lady May, when federal officers arrested him in 2020 for defrauding donors of $25 million in his “We Build the Wall” fundraising campaign. Rather than constructing a wall, Bannon and three associates funneled that money to themselves. Trump pardoned Bannon for that scheme hours before he left office. Friedman points out that prosecutors say Guo’s criminal conspiracy began in 2018, which is the year that Guo and Bannon launched The Rule of Law Foundation and the Rule of Law Society. They claimed the organizations would defend human rights in China and then, according to prosecutors, lured donors to other products. In April 2020, Guo and Bannon formed the GTV Media Group, which flooded the news with disinformation before the 2020 election, especially related to Hunter Biden and the novel coronavirus. Sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in September 2021 for the illegal sale of cryptocurrency, GTV paid more than $539 million to settle the case. Bannon’s War Room webcast features Guo performing its theme song. One of the entities Guo and Bannon created together is the “New Federal State of China,” which sponsored the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. In other money news, Hugo Lowell of The Guardian reported today that $8 million of the loans that bankrolled Trump’s social media platform Truth Social came from two entities that are associated with Anton Postolnikov, a relation of an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin named Aleksandr Smirnov. Banks continue to writhe, in Europe this time, as Credit Suisse disclosed problems in its reporting and its largest investor, Saudi National Bank, said it would not inject more cash into the institution. The government of Switzerland says it will backstop the bank. In the U.S., Michael Brown, a venture partner at Shield Capital and former head of the Defense Department’s Defense Innovation Unit, told Marcus Weisgerber and Patrick Tucker of Defense One that the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank had the potential to be a big problem for national security, since a number of the affected start-ups were working on projects for the defense sector. “If you want to kind of knock out the seed corn for the next decade or two of innovative tech, much of which we need for the competition with China, [collapsing SVB] would have been a very effective blow. [Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin] would have been cheering to see so many companies fail.” Federal and state investigators are looking into the role of Representative George Santos (R-NY) in the sale of a $19 million yacht from one of his wealthy donors to another, for which he collected a broker’s fee. In an interview with Semafor last December, Santos explained that his income had jumped from $55,000 in 2020 to enough money to loan his 2022 campaign $705,000 because he had begun to act as a broker for boat or plane sales. He told Semafor: “If you’re looking at a $20 million yacht, my referral fee there can be anywhere between $200,000 and $400,000.” Today’s emphasis on money and politics brings to mind the speech then–FBI director Robert Mueller gave in New York in 2011, warning about a new kind of national security threat: “so-called ‘iron triangles’ of organized criminals, corrupt government officials, and business leaders” allied not by religion or political inclinations, but by greed. It also brings to mind the adamant opposition of then–National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to campaign finance reform in 1997 after he raised a record-breaking amount of money for Republican candidates, saying that political donations are simply a form of free speech. The Supreme Court read that interpretation into law in the 2010 Citizens United decision, but the increasingly obvious links between money, politics, and national security suggest it might be worth revisiting. Money and politics are in the news in another way today, too, as part of the ongoing budget debates. A letter yesterday from the Congressional Budget Office to Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), answering their questions about how to eliminate the deficit by 2033, says that it is impossible to balance the budget by that year without either raising revenue or cutting either Social Security, Medicare, or defense spending. Even zeroing out all discretionary spending is not sufficient. Led by House speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Republicans have promised they can do so, but they have not yet produced a budget. This CBO information makes their job harder. And finally, today, in Amarillo, Texas, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk held a hearing on the drug mifepristone, used in about half of medically induced abortions. The right-wing “Alliance Defending Freedom,” acting on behalf of antiabortion medical organizations and four doctors, is challenging the approval process the Food and Drug Administration used 22 years ago to argue that the drug should be prohibited. While the approval process took more than four years, it was conducted under an expedited process that speeds consideration of drugs that address life-threatening illnesses. “Pregnancy is not an illness,” senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom Julie Marie Blake said. And yet mifepristone is commonly used in case of miscarriage and for a number of other medical conditions. And Texas’s Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review, released in December 2022, concluded that from March 2021 to December 2022, at least 118 deaths in Texas were related to pregnancy. In 2020, 861 deaths in the U.S. were related to pregnancy, up from 754 in 2019. Public health officials note that extensive research both in the U.S. and in Europe has proven the medication is safe and effective. They warn that a judge’s overturning a drug’s FDA approval 20 years after the fact could upend the country’s entire drug-approval system, as approvals for coronavirus treatments, for example, become plagued by political challenges. Kacsmaryk was appointed by Trump and is well known for his right-wing views on abortion and same-sex marriage. Initially, he kept the hearing over a nationwide ban on the key drug used for medicated abortion off the docket, and in a phone call last Friday he asked lawyers not to publicize today’s hearing, saying he was concerned about safety. Legal observers were outraged at the attack on judicial transparency—a key part of our justice system—and Chris Geidner of LawDork outlined the many times Kacsmaryk had taken a stand in favor of the “public’s right to know.” According to Ian Millhiser of Vox, Kacsmaryk let 19 members of the press and 19 members of the public into today’s hearing.

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LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

Jute Baskets and Hardwearing Rugs: Beauty, Utility, and Sustainability in Home Decor

William Morris's assertion that one's home should contain only items that are known to be useful or believed to be beautiful is a principle that resonates deeply in today's eco-conscious world. However, there is a growing trend that adds another layer to this ethos: sustainability. This article explores the dual charm and practicality of Jute Baskets and Hardwearing Rugs, which are not only visually appealing and functional but also boast excellent environmental credentials. The Appeal of Jute in Home Decor Aesthetic and Functional Benefits Jute, with its natural, rugged texture and neutral hue, offers a warm, organic aesthetic that can complement any decor style, from rustic to contemporary. It's versatility in dyeing and weaving allows for a range of designs from simple naturals to vibrant hues, fitting various personal tastes and functional uses in homes. Environmental Impact As a crop, jute requires no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers and is fully biodegradable, making it an excellent choice for those looking to reduce their ecological footprint. Its cultivation contributes to the sustainability of agriculture in many regions of the world, thus supporting not only the environment but also the farmers. Practical Tips for Jute Product Care Maintenance of Jute Rugs Jute rugs are relatively easy to maintain but do require careful handling when it comes to moisture. Regular vacuuming and immediate blotting of spills are recommended to prevent water damage and mildew. The rugs' natural resilience to dirt and wear makes them suitable for both low and moderate-traffic areas of the home. Longevity and Durability Durability is a hallmark of hardwearing rugs, including those made from jute. They are crafted to withstand the rigors of daily use, making them a wise investment for busy spaces. Proper care and maintenance can significantly extend their lifespan, ensuring they remain a part of your home decor for years to come. Choosing the Right Jute Products for Your Home Factors to Consider When Selecting Jute Rugs Selecting the right rug involves considering the size, texture, and color to fit the specific dimensions and aesthetic of a room. Jute's natural expansion over time should also be accounted for when determining the size. Versatility of Jute Baskets Jute baskets are not only practical for storage but also add a decorative touch. Available in various sizes, they can be used for anything from holding logs by the fireplace to storing towels in the bathroom or toys in a child's room, demonstrating both utility and style. Challenges and Considerations Drawbacks of Jute Despite its many benefits, jute does have its limitations, including a tendency to shed fibers and sensitivity to moisture. These factors should be considered, especially in choosing locations for jute rugs or baskets within the home to avoid areas with high humidity or moisture. Conclusion Embracing jute products aligns well with William Morris's philosophy of beauty and utility, with the added benefit of sustainability. By choosing jute, you bring into your home a piece of the earth's natural beauty while also making an environmentally responsible choice. Jute's natural elegance, combined with its robust and sustainable nature, offers a compelling argument for its inclusion in any home. 

Discover the elegance and durability of Jute Baskets and Hardwearing Rugs that combine functionality with eco-friendly design, perfect for enhancing any room in your home.