#National Bird Day 2022

[marianaillust]

Joyeuse fête du Canada 🍁 🇨🇦 🎊 !!!

Happy Canada Day

#canada day #digital art #illustration #snowy owl #national bird #Canada #canada day 2022 #Digital art #Inking #sketch #Cavalieredispade #cavalieredispade art

[rabbitcruiser]

Audubon Day

We greatly admire people working towards conservation activities and this factors into our celebrations of Audubon Day on April 26 each year. Held to commemorate the birth of John James Audubon, a brilliant illustrator, conservationist, ornithologist, and naturalist, this day also recognizes the crucial work done by The National Audubon Society.

WHEN IS AUDUBON DAY 2024?

John James Audubon’s brilliant work and legacy are celebrated on Audubon Day on April 26.

HISTORY OF AUDUBON DAY

This day is celebrated in honor of (and marks the birth of) John James Audubon, a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter who was well-known for his extensive studies on American birds and their habitats. Born in Saint Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon was raised in France by his father and stepmother. He began studying and drawing birds after moving to America, continuing to do so even as he moved to Kentucky with his wife, Lucy. He began delving deeper into his hobby of bird illustrations after the store that he owned went bankrupt, even sailing down the Mississippi River on a flatboat to find new birds to paint. He was so successful that he took his work to England and published it there. This work, Audubon’s greatest work, “The Birds of America,” is now widely considered as one of the most noteworthy examples of wildlife illustration. It set the tone for future wildlife illustrations; even today, artists are measured against this book’s standards.

Years after Audubon’s death on January 27, 1851, one of Audubon’s wife’s students, George Bird Grinnell, went on to co-found the National Audubon Society in John Audubon’s memory. This society promotes and protects the habitats that support the world’s birds, and also sponsors National Audubon Day. Located in the United States, this society is one of the oldest such organizations in the world. Today, there are many branches of the National Audubon Society all over the U.S., connecting John Audubon’s name to bird conservation forever.

AUDUBON DAY TIMELINE

1803

John Audubon Arrives in America

Audubon arrives at his family estate in Pennsylvania, America, where he studies and draws birds.

1820

Illustration Glory

Audubon floats down the Mississippi River on a flatboat so he can paint new species of birds.

1827–1838

“The Birds Of America” is Published

Audubon's exceptional work is published during this period, containing more than 700 North American bird species with 435 hand-colored, life-size prints of 497 bird species.

1905

The National Audubon Society is Born

A student of Audubon's wife, Lucy, establishes the first Audubon Society to protect birds and their habitats.

AUDUBON DAY FAQS

Is Audubon reliable?

The National Audubon Society emphasizes science as their basis for sound policy and action, which shows they are reliable and effective.

What is the bird society called?

National Audubon Society. Their official website states, “The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. We protect birds and the places they need.”

Who helped found the Audubon Society?

John Muir, George Bird Grinnell, T. Gilbert Pearson, are the founders of the National Audubon Society.

HOW TO CELEBRATE AUDUBON DAY

Go bird watching: Bird watching is a very fun pastime enjoyed by around 45 million people, as per data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Step outside for a quick (and safe) walk and observe the birds around you. You can look up details of birds you don’t recognize on the Audubon website. You can even take the fun one step further by learning about their names, habitats, and migration patterns.

Create your own bird-friendly space: Have some space in your backyard? Go ahead and design your own bird-friendly locale with native shrubs, trees, pedestal birdbaths, and more. You can hang bird feeders that you've created from plastic bottles, coffee cans, or even milk jugs for a better environmental impact. If you want to try your hand at more professional-type bird feeders, there are various woodworking tutorials online for making such feeders.

Draw, paint, and sketch birds; By all accounts, John Audubon loved illustrating birds. Take a feather out of his book and immortalize your neighborhood birds too. Grab a pencil and notebook and head to your bird-friendly backyard to draw the birds you see. Add in pops of color using paint or colored crayons.

FUN FACTS ABOUT AUDUBON DAY

Audubon introduced the concept of bird banding to Americas: The process of attaching a small tag to the wing of wild birds to make identification easier was first introduced by Audubon in North America.

His book is worth A LOT! In 2010, the first edition of Audubon's book, “The Birds of America,” sold in London for a whopping $11 million.

Audubon was an exceptional taxidermist. So he could sketch birds, then, if they died, prepare, stuff, and mount them too.

You might recognize a particular student of his: Famous naturalist, geologist, and biologist Charles Darwin sat in on one of Audubon's demonstrations of his methods, as a student.

Audubon made his money selling animal skins. A noted hunter, Audubon's practice of selling animal skins was his primary source of income for much of his life and even funded the printing of his book, “The Birds of America.”

WHY WE LOVE AUDUBON DAY

It brings us closer to nature: Many of us live in concrete jungles where the only brush of nature is a faraway tree, a kitchen garden, or a small shrub. Observing Audubon day brings us closer to nature and to what it means to be human in this world.

We can give back to the environment: The climate crisis reminds us that most of us aren't that mindful when it comes to nature or conservation. Perhaps learning about Audubon's conservation attempts and the Audubon Society's efforts to study and help birds and their habitat will inspire us to make more hands-on contributions, starting by simply being more bird-friendly.

We make some feathered friends: Who says no to making more friends? Only this time, we're making friends with some feathered buddies. All our conservation attempts, creating bird-friendly spaces, and even simply increasing our awareness bring us one step closer to making birdie friends and embracing Mother Nature.

Source

#Red-winged blackbird #vacation #Greater yellowlegs #Canada Goose #blue jay #Brewer's Sparrow #Pomerian Ducks #travel #original photography #tourist attraction #wildlife #animal #bird #USA #Canada #summer 2023 #2022 #National Audubon Day #NationalAudubonDay #26 April #landmark #landscape #countryside #pelican #seagull #Mitred Parakeets #Heron #Red-bellied woodpecker #flamingo #Spain

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Fossil Novembirb 2: The Survivors

The End-Cretaceous Extinction was one of the most devastating - and tragic - events on our planet.

In the blink of an eye, the world changed from a thriving biosphere to a decimated one. The asteroid caused worldwide wildfires, tsunamis, and the dramatic release of particles into the air that blocked out the sun.

Nothing over 25 kg could survive, because they had nowhere to hide from the devastation. Anything under that limit had to have somewhere to hide - water or burrowing worked best - and something to eat, which was easier said than done. When the plants can't eat, nothing can.

And yet, life survived - not just life, but dinosaurs themselves!

Conflicto, by @otussketching

In fact, one of the first fossils we have from the Cenozoic is Conflicto, a Presbyornithid - like "Styginetta" and Teviornis yesterday! - from Antarctica

Why these dinosaurs, and no others?

They had beaks, which would have helped them to access available food sources such as seeds and spores (plant material in a protective casing)

They did not live in trees, but usually near or with water - perfect places to hide

They were powerful fliers, allowing them to escape the flames and whatever else they needed to

Other than that? Random chance.

Much of the evolution of life on this planet is down to Sheer Dumb Luck

Tsidiiyazhi by Sean Murtha

What happened next was truly remarkable: an adaptive radiation of dinosaurs the likes of which is rarely seen

With all of those newly opened niches, Neornithines adapted quickly, so quickly we can't actually figure out how different major groups of Neoavians - aka, most birds - actually relate to one another.

After all, there was just *so much* free real estate!

Qianshanornis by @alphynix

In fact, many of these dinosaurs evolved right back into niches that their ancestors had famously lived in - penguins show up so quickly that we're giving marine birds their own day, replacing the now-lost Hesperornithines; Tsidiiyazhi and others quickly replaced the empty tree-bird niches left behind by the lost Enantiornithines; and raptors show up quickly too, already reminiscent of the lost Dromaeosaurs.

Qianshanornis, a mysterious raptor from China, had sickle claws just like its lost bretheren! In fact, it looks like it might be a Cariamiform, a group of dinosaurs including living Seriemas and the extinct Terror Birds, which often have sickle claws like Dromaeosaurs did!

Don't fix what isn't broken, I guess!

Australornis by @thewoodparable

Non-Neoavians diversified too, with fowl doing just fine across the boundary - Presbyornithids like Conflicto, as well as mysterious forms like Australornis.

Palaeognaths remain weirdly absent, but don't worry - the earilest ones will show up before the Paleocene epoch is done!

The Cenozoic begins with the Paleogene Period, which has the first epoch of the Paleocene - this was a climatic quagmire, with frequent fluctuations at the beginning before a dramatic rise in temperatures at the end. This climate confusion would affect bird evolution greatly - and lead to the diversification of many kinds, some of which we still have today!

Sources:

Ksepka, D. T., T. A. Stidham, T. E. Williamson. 2017. Early Paleocene landbird supports rapid phylogenetic and morphological diversification of crown birds after the K-PG mass extinction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 114 (30): 8047 - 8052.

Mayr, 2022. Paleogene Fossil Birds, 2nd Edition. Springer Cham.

Mayr, 2017. Avian Evolution: The Fossil Record of Birds and its Paleobiological Significance (TOPA Topics in Paleobiology). Wiley Blackwell.

#fossil novembirb #novembirb #dinovember #dinosaurs #birds

[twopoppies]

If someone told me that we will get Harry singing You're Still The One, I Will Survive, Man I Feel Like A Woman, and Hopelessly Devoted To You ALL IN THE SAME YEAR I would not belive them yet here we are. Like-

Never would I have thought SEVEN YEARS since we last saw them together, that 2022 would be one of the larriest years on record.

Hopelessly devoted to Lou

Harry dresses as Danny Zuko for Harryween, just a few days after Louis reminds us, once again, that he played Danny Zuko in a high school production.

Harry flies a rainbow flag with not one, but three Louis cross-eyed smiley faces.

Harry flies a rainbow flag with a huge Louis cross-eyed smiley face

The peace ring returns and Harry is smug about it.

Harry flies a rainbow flag with Only The Brave on it (after doing a double take and noticing it)

Harry sings Still The One at Coachella (more details on why this is a big deal here)

Harry sang I Will Survive at Coachella (369 weeks after he last sang it on stage)

Harry randomly uses an origami fortune teller as a symbol for his song Love Of My Life. It shows the colors red and black (strongly associated with Louis these days) and blue and green (Larry colors). Louis’ album, Faith in The Future, is set to release November 11th. National origami day.

Harry quotes a song from Leonard Cohen’s album, Anthem, which has the larriest cover art ever.

Louis’ music plays at Harry’s venues before the show

The fish on the Pleasing merch at Coachella have blue eyes/thin upper lip or green eyes/full lips

Harry referenced the poet Richard Lax in his You Are Home promo. Lax has collections of poems with titles like "Love Had a Compass", "The Green Island," "The Blue Boat”, and "Circus of the Sun."

Harry doodles H L on his sneakers while on “vacation” with his beard.

You Are Home coordinates match up to a lot of Louis and Larry locations

Harry seen at Louis’ LA show (more here and here)

Harry has a blue and green moment

The You Are Home website tweets a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote about people destined to meet, 12 years to the day after Harry and Louis’ xfactor auditions.

And just in case you think Harry is the only one obsessed with Larry (like rads do):

Louis mentions Harry being at his show

Louis acknowledges a rainbow flag with a huge picture of the Larry hug on it.

Louis wears a “blue bird” colored shirt

Louis adds I Will Survive to his post show playlist the day before H performs that song at Coachella.

Louis plays Lego House as his exit song twice. The first time the day Harry’s House was announced and Harry’s first Coachella performance (where H also performed Still The One). Then Lego House again on the day Harry’s House was released and Harry performed his ONO in NY.

Louis’ merch colors match Harry’s merch colors

Louis wears Harry’s House colors the day of Harry’s House release

Louis changes his Twitter header to a photo with the Larry hug in the background.

Louis makes a point of going out for sushi right after Harry’s House drops, despite rolling his eyes in the past about the trendiness of sushi.

Despite his theme being red/black/white, Louis changes the arena lights to blue and green and he does it again and again and again and again

Louis acknowledges a larrie in a rainbow TPWK t shirt

Louis acknowledges a fan holding a poster of Harry with a rainbow flag (more confirmation here and here)

Louis acknowledged a fan holding a Sing Walls if Larry is Real sign ( more info here and here).

Louis winks at a fan holding Larry dolls (while singing the “come so far from Princess Park line)

Louis give a thumbs up to a fan holding two photos of him and Harry and points to himself while singing Too Young

Louis’ venue plays Sunflower Vol 6, Kiwi, and Sweet Creature before the show.

Louis acknowledges a fan’s I Can’t Change Tattoo

Louis adds Don’t Stop Believing and Halo to his preshow playlist

Louis acknowledges that Prada released a collection with Larry-inspired tattoos by joining a Prada Twitter space the day of the launch.

Louis uses green lights during OTB for the first time, the night Harry launches the You Are Home campaign. Not just for a moment, but during the whole song

I’m sure this isn’t everything they did this year, but it’s a lot. And some of it may be coincidence or a reach, but all of it? I really doubt it.

#2022 larry moments #2022 Larry masterpost

[uwmspeccoll]

National Poets Day

On this National Poets Day, August 21, we celebrate the work of Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). Tagore began writing poetry as a child and remained committed throughout his life to exploring the natural and spiritual world through poetry and prose. He was known as the “Bard of Bengal” and in 1913 became the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his collection of poetry Gitanjali.  

Within the Special Collections we hold the first edition of Moon, For What Do You Wait?, a collection of Tagore poems from his 1916 publication Stray Birds which consisted of 326 verses. Published in 1967 by Atheneum, Moon, For What Do You Wait? was edited by Richard Lewis, director of the Touchstone Center for Children in New York City, with illustrations by award-winning artist and author Ashley Bryan (1923-2022). Lewis manages to whittle down Tagore’s lines without losing any of the imbued wonder and delight present in the original publication. Accompanied by Bryan’s bold illustrations, readers are encouraged to let their eyes wander over the pages, getting lost in prose and imagery.  

View more poetry posts.

-- Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern

#National Poets Day #rabindranath tagore #moon for what do you wait #poets day #ashley bryan #richard lewis #atheneum #tagore #stray birds #poems #poetry #children's books #Historical Curriculum Collection

[samsseptember]

Samtember 2023 Calendar, Rules, and Guidelines!

Hi, Sam Wilson Nation! It's that time of year again when we all get together to celebrate our beloved Sam Wilson's birth month. That's right, it's ✰samtember2023✰ !!! 🎉

As per usual, the event will be running from Friday, September 1st to Saturday, September 30th and there will be prompts set for each day:

Fluff/Family Week (and Two Days):

September 1 - Free Space

September 2 - First Flight | Riley  

September 3 - Delacroix | Louisana

September 4 - Siblings | Uncle Sam

September 5 - Fishing | Camping

September 6 - Day Off | Vacation

September 7 - Memories | The Future

September 8 - Figaro | Sick Day

September 9 - Carnival | King of Mardi Gras

Captain America Week:

September 10 - Cap Quartet 2.0 | Mission Fic

September 11 -  Workout | Team Training

September 12 - Shield | Legacy

September 13 - Interview | Rumor

September 14 - Magic | Multiverse

September 15 - Undercover | Amnesia 

September 16 - Night Out | Madripoor

AU Week:

September  17 - Wings | Angel

September  18 - Western AU | Cowboy  

September  19 - Celebrity AU | Royalty AU 

September  20 - Bird Telepathy | Redwing

September  21 - Zombie AU | Apocalypse AU 

September  22 - Hurt/Comfort | Disaster Fic

September  23 - Birthday 🎂🧁

Canon Week:

September  24 - In the Air Force | Time in D.C.

September  25 - Part-Time Avenger | On the Run

September  26 - Working for Fury | Wakanda

September  27 -  Post-Blip | TFATWS

September  28 - Post-TFATWS | Meanwhile, On the Boat

September  29 - Uniform | Cap Suit 

September  30 - Sam Wilson 

We have opened a collection on AO3 that can be found here, or by typing samtember2023 in the add to collections option.

You can also tag any works you post with #samtember2023 or tag this blog @samsseptember​ - works will be reblogged every day throughout the month. 

Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with! 

What works count for this fan event?

Any of the following count:

fanfic

podfic

fanart

gifsets

photosets / moodboards

graphics

Haikus

videos / edits

playlists

Whichever way you want to celebrate Sam Wilson, it’s up to you! 

The rest of the FAQ and rules are under the cut.

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a Sam Wilson fan event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on for the month. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all 30 prompts at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single day in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Should the work I make be Sam Wilson-centric?

Yes. You can make a gen work or a piece with any ship with Sam Wilson in it, but the main focus should be Sam Wilson.

How long will this event run?

It will run from September 1st to September 30th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There will be! They will come out daily.

Do I have to post my fic for the prompt on the day of the prompt?

You can if you'd like, but it's okay if you post a piece on a day other than the day of the prompt.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the event?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to tag @samsseptember in the post as well as #samtember2023.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re using (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to The Samtember Collection (under Samtember2023).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets or photosets, at least 3 gifs or photos.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 10 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift” and “Sam Wilson is a Saint”.

Have fun and we look forward to your Samtember 2023 works!

#samtember2023 #sam wilson #sam wilson event #fan event #marvel #captain america #tfatws #captain america 4 #the falcon and the winter soldier

[thehopefuljournalist]

Am I a little bit late for some of you? I might be. But anyways. Here's what went right around the world this past week :)

Youth climate activists won a huge climate lawsuit

Sixteens youths (aged five to 22) from Montana, US, have emerged victorious after suing state officials for violating their right to a clean environment.

In their lawsuit, they argued that Montana's fossil fuel policies contributed to climate change, which harms their physical and mental health. Montana is a major coal producer, with large oil and gas reserves. The state has rebuffed these claims, saying that their emissions were insignificant on a global scale.

Judge Kathy Seely, in a 103-page ruling, set a legal precedent for young people’s rights to a safe climate by finding in their favour. “Every additional tonne of GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions exacerbates plaintiffs’ injuries and risks locking in irreversible climate injuries".

This win marks the very first time a US court has ruled against a government for a violation of constitutional rights based on climate change. It will now be up to Montana lawmakers to bring state policies in line.

“As fires rage in the west, fueled by fossil fuel pollution, today’s ruling in Montana is a gamechanger that marks a turning point in this generation’s efforts to save the planet from the devastating effects of human-caused climate chaos.” - Julia Olson, executive director of nonprofit law firm, Our Children’s Trust, which represented the youths in this case.

Number of Mexicans living in poverty fell by millions

Thanks to a new minimum wage boost and increases to pensions, the number of Mexicans living in poverty fell by 8.9 million between 2020-2022, according to new data published by the country’s social development agency, Coneval.

Coneval’s statistics suggest that the number of people living in extreme poverty also fell – from 10.8 million in 2020 to 9.1 million last year – although that figure is still up from a pre-Covid 8.7 million recorded in 2018.

There is still a long way to go, and some critics do claim that during the current president, López Obrador's presidency has been characterized by austerity.

An organised crime group trafficking endangered species has been jailed

The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), a small European wildlife charity, is apparently busting kingpins behind as much as half of the world's illegal trade in pangolin scales. The traffickers began six-year jail sentences a few weeks ago.

The wildlife charity went undercover to expose three Vietnamese and one Guinean national, members of an organised crime group trafficking body parts of endangered species including rhinos. 

They were arrested in May 2022, following a four-year investigation by the WJC, and were accused of trafficking 7.1 tonnes of pangolin scales, as well as 850kg of ivory. Last month they pleaded guilty to smuggling and were jailed for six years.

All eight species of pangolin are listed as threatened animals, four critically endangered - they are protected by international law.

“There has not been a reported seizure of pangolin scales in Asia originating from Africa in more than 550 days,” said Steve Carmody, WJC’s director of programmes. “There is no clearer example of the importance of disrupting organised crime networks.”

AI gave conservationists a breakthrough

The use of AI-controlled microphones and cameras seems set to revolutionise

biodiversity monitoring in the UK following groundbreaking work by researchers at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). They used the tech to record and analyse 3,000 hours of wildlife audio captured by monitors located near London railway lines.

The computers detected dozens of bird species, foxes, deer, bats and hedgehogs, and mapped their locations.

It’s hoped the innovation will help improve conservation and habitat management on Network Rail land.

This year is best ever for UK renewable energy installations

This years looks to be the best year so far for UK renewable energy installations, with record numbers of households fitting solar panels and heat pumps.

2023 marks the first time solar panel installations have topped an average of 20,000 a month, as homeowners look to harvest energy from the sun amid rising utility bills. 

Read the full story here.

The UK’s Tree of the Year shortlist was revealed

The Woodland Trust has announced the shortlist for its annual celebration of some of the UK’s most treasured ancient trees, and for 2023 the spotlight is on the urban landscape.

“Ancient trees in towns and cities are vital for the health of nature, people and planet,” said the charity’s lead campaigner Naomi Tilley. “They give thousands of urban wildlife species essential life support, boost the UK’s biodiversity and bring countless health and wellbeing benefits to communities.”

Article published August 17, 2023

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what interested you, and if there's any specific topic you'd like me to dig into, my DM's are always open :)

Much love!

#climate change #climate #hope #good news #more to come #climate emergency #news #climate justice #hopeful #positive news

[futbol16]

Rio Manuela ・ England Lionesses/Barcelona Femení

This is a platonic story with the England lionesses and the Barcelona Femení girls. The character has a given name, but the story is written in second person. I was also bored enough to make an edit so hope you like that as well.

Id love any feedback you guys could give me! English is also not my first language so excuse me if anything is incorrect. Enjoy!

Word count: 3,7k words

It’s been a month since you and your team have won the 2022 EURO’s and to say team spirit was still high would be an understatement. It was one of the many reasons why your team felt like a big family, especially with being one of the younger ones. 

You were an incredibly successful player at the ripe age of 24 and by many fans' requests, you had been working on a biography. Although you had been keeping it on the down low, it was no secret.

That is exactly why the team was buzzing today as it was the release day of the movie. You on the other hand weren’t only excited but anxious as well. You didn’t have the best upbringing and you were scared of how the world would react to this side of your story. Moreover you were nervous about the team’s reaction, only a handful of people knew and even they only knew what you let them know.

“IT’S MOVIE NIGHT TONIIIIIGHT!” - Ella screamed as she ran around the pitch as training started. A few of the girls laughed at her excited antics, they too couldn’t wait. 

You laughed even bigger as you felt her jump on your back, screeching in your ear when you nearly dropped her.

“All right girls, gather around. We’ll do skill exercises today and a bit of strength training, I need all of you to be ready for the match that’s in two days.”-Sarina called you guys over.

Warming up in pairs you stood in line with the rest as you started training.

You looked up from your feet as you spotted Hempo getting ready to cross the ball. Picking up your speed you jumped into the air hitting a perfect header to the back of the net. Despite it only being a scrimmage in training you ran to the blonde smiling at her and celebrating.

“This is why they call you Barcelona’s bird.”- she grinned, making you chuckle.

“I think it’s also the name, you know, Rio and the movie with those blue birds?”- Rachel spoke up from behind the two of you, most of the team heading for their water bottles as training came to an end.

“Oh, yeah i guess that makes a bit more sense”-You laughed as a look of embarrassment washed over Lauren’s face, nudging her in the shoulder.

“Maybe, but I’m only Barcelona’s bird when I play for them, here, with the national team, I'm England’s lioness just like you guys.”- you smiled at the two then shrieked as they both squeezed the water from their bottles at you. Running away, the other two laughed loudly as they chased you around.

Lucy grinned as she watched the three of you. Turning to the other two as they waited for you. 

“Her biography is out today, right?” - Keira asked with a hopeful expression.

“Yeah, god the kid’s so young and she’s got a movie done for her, makes me feel old.”- Lucy chuckled, though with a proud smile on her face.

“Mhmm, the younger ones are really excited to watch it tonight.”- Leah continued.

“Pretty sure the whole world is. I mean she’s one of the best players in the world, it’ll be interesting to see her journey throughout her younger years.”- Leah’s smile faded a bit at that, she was one of the few people that knew, knew the little you shared.

Sitting in the relaxation room of the national team’s facility, all 23 of you got yourselves comfortable. Carrying three bowls of popcorn you thanked Leah and Alessia as they each took one and handed them to a group of girls allowing you to sit down between Lucy and Ella.

“WHO’S READY TO GET STARTED??”- Ella once again shouted forcing you to cover your ears with a smile as the others cheered.

 “Okay I was thinking about first watching the trailer and then we can start the movie.” - the others voiced their agreements as one of the girls started the trailer. Sitting back comfortably you crossed your arms over your chest as you waited patiently, this would also be your first time seeing the finished product, seeing the story of your football career.

The opening scene flashed across the screen showing you sitting in your cubby in a locker room, your England jersey proudly hanging behind you, the number 10 and Manuela printed onto it.

"All my life I had to fight, no one believed in me, so I had to believe in myself.”

Your back was to the camera as you walked through the tunnel leading you to the stadium’s football pitch. “To all of you, I have one thing to say. I’m not like you, because I’m not you. I am Rio Manuela.”

As the trailer finished, the girls seemed even more interested in your biography than before. Glancing around you took in some of their expressions before your gaze landed on Leah who smiled at you reassuringly and nodded her head. Smiling back at her softly you turned back around as the movie started.

1998, 𝖣𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 10, 𝖱𝗂𝗈 𝖽𝖾 𝖩𝖺𝗇𝖾𝗂𝗋𝗈

Soft cries indicated your arrival into the world, the nurse handing you to your father as he looked down at you with tear filled eyes.

“She’s so beautiful.”- he looked up at your mother, a tear running down his face.

“Have you got a name ready for her?”- one of the nurses asked with a polite smile turning towards your parents.

“Marcia Rio Manuela” - your mother answered, watching as your father placed a gentle kiss onto your forehead, your soft cries subsiding.

2002, 𝖱𝗂𝗈 𝖽𝖾 𝖩𝖺𝗇𝖾𝗂𝗋𝗈

Age 4

“Come on Marcia”- your father extended his arms as he scooped you up, turning back towards the reporter as she asked him something in Portuguese. Quickly getting bored, you got distracted with the short curls on his head, reaching up playing with them as he smiled at you.

Giggling at him you snuggled into his neck as the reporter decided to wrap up with her questions.

You smiled as a few other happy clips were seen playing on the screen. Willing yourself to not tear up, you felt Lucy wrap an arm around your shoulders from your right, allowing you to lean into her.

2007, 𝖲𝖾𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 21, 𝖱𝗂𝗈 𝖽𝖾 𝖩𝖺𝗇𝖾𝗂𝗋𝗈

Age 9

Your little feet hurried towards the ball as you played with a few of your team mates. Hearing your coach call you over, you picked the ball up trying to put it under your arm as you walked towards him.

“Listen Marcia, mom is here to pick you up, she said you needed to go somewhere. Go get your stuff, she’s waiting for you.” the smile fell from your lips as you took in what he was saying.

“But coach practice is not over yet, I wanna play.” - you all but whined, not happy with having been interrupted while you were so close to scoring a goal.

“I know amada (sweetheart), but your mom is waiting for you.” - he smiled at you sadly, confusing you but you blamed it on him also being sad about you having to leave.

Nodding your head you took off towards your mother who didn't spear you a glance as she opened the car door for herself, waiting on you as you got in too.

You didn’t dare ask questions after getting a harsh ‘quiet’ after your first two. 

The car pulled into the driveway of the familiar family house, getting out and into the house, you watched as your mom pulled out suitcases throwing different articles of clothing into them.

“I wasn’t told until after we landed in England that my father had died during one of his missions at the Navy. I remember I was in such despair as the words slipped out of my mother’s mouth. But I know I was also upset that she took me away from home, from all that I knew.”

You spoke into the camera, sitting on a chair with a gray background behind you. Your face showed one of sorrow as you ran your fingers through your hair.

“I decided to go by my middle name after that, Rio, in honor of my dad. He and I both were born in Rio de Janeiro and he always told me his happiest memories were from growing up there, he loved Brazil, it was his home” a small smile made its way onto your face

2010, 𝖫𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗇, 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖠𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖥𝗈𝗈𝗍𝖻𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖢𝗅𝗎𝖻 𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁 𝖠𝖼𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗆𝗒

Age 12

“Go Rio, drive forwards, come on!”- your academy coach shouted at you as he saw your hesitation. Nodding to yourself you sped up coming face to face with one of your opponents, making eye contact with her you sent her a devious look before megging her and running around her to collect the ball. 

Moving past her you skillfully dribbled past four other opponents, looking up you saw you were one on one with the goal keeper. Pulling your leg back you aimed and then watched as the ball soared through the air and hit the back of the net. Your teammates screamed as they piled on top of you, the whistle being blown signaling the end of the match. 

The camera zoomed in on your face as you grinned, your coach sending you a proud thumbs up.

2012, 𝖫𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗇, 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖠𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖥𝗈𝗈𝗍𝖻𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖢𝗅𝗎𝖻 𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁 𝖠𝖼𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗆𝗒

Age 14

“Good job girls, practice is done for the day. Go home and rest alright?”- your coach smiled at the young girls as they ran off towards the locker room. Hanging back a bit you took your time getting to the changing room.

Entering you were met with one of the taller girls on the team, a red head. Her name was Grace and she really had it out for you. “You could’ve passed more today.”

A few of the others looked up from their own chatter, now paying attention to what was about to go down in front of them.

“You weren’t open, you can’t expect me to pass to a player that’s clearly being marked.”- you answered her with an unimpressed look, this wasn’t the first time she came for you.

“Oh shut it Manu, we both know it’s only because of your huge ego.”- she seethed her palms pressing onto your shoulders as she tried to shove you back, but you didn't budge.

Raising an eyebrow at her, a small smirk made itself present on your face.

“That’s all you can do? Come on, I thought you wanted that ball.”- you commented with a smug look. Out of the corner of your eye you saw the short blonde girl stand up about to intervene before this would go the wrong way, but you gently shook your head. She sat back down with a worried look on her face. 

Focusing back on the redhead in front of you, you barely dodged her hit as her fist grazed your cheek. A collective intake of breath was heard throughout the locker room as she tried again, this time you ducked before hitting your elbow to the back of her knee. You watched as her knee buckled and she fell on her bum. Deciding that you’ve had enough, you made your way out of the locker room.

It was half an hour after practice, all of the girls had been picked up already. You sat against the wall as you seemed to zone out staring at the ball in your hands. The sound of boots hitting the ground woke you out of your trance, looking up at your coach as he exhaled.

“Has she not come yet?”- you shook your head at his question, though you thought the answer was obvious enough. - “I’ll be back in 15 minutes, if you’re still here I’m taking you home myself.”

With that you stood up making your way back onto the pitch which by now was lit up by the big lights. Fooling around with the ball at your feet, you already knew you would have to walk home alone.

Entering the apartment you shrugged your coat off as you chucked your training bag onto your bed. Making your way into the living room you spotted her figure hunched over what you assumed to be paperwork.

“Where were you? My practice ended an hour ago.”- you asked her, rightfully upset as she barely acknowledged you.- “You were supposed to pick me up.”

“You’re here now, aren’t you?” - you scoffed at that.- “Eat whatever you find and then go to your room, I’ve got work to do.”

“Diane failed to act like a mother, I could count on one hand the amount of times she’s cared enough to show up for her daughter.”- your academy coach spoke as he looked back on those times. He sat in front of a maroon background as he scratched his chin.- “I’m glad Rio had the academy, she had us and we supported her through everything.”

You felt a few of the girls glance towards your way, Lucy squeezed your shoulder as she sensed your discomfort.

2014, 𝖩𝗎𝗇𝖾 6, 𝖤𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖶𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇’𝗌 𝖭𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖥𝗈𝗈𝗍𝖻𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖳𝖾𝖺𝗆

Age 16

“We both made our debut for the national team in 2014. She was one hell of a player, I think that’s why many didn’t like her at first. Even when we were younger and in the academy, if she wasn’t looking for trouble, trouble found her. People always looked down on her. And then she’d step out onto the field and prove them wrong.”- Leah Williamson spoke as she chuckled at the childhood memories you shared.

A few videos were shown of your debut, your first goals and first assists for the national team.

The girls’ eyes widened as one of the clips showed you jumping over a defender trying to slide tackle you, the ball held firmly between your ankles before you landed at the other side of her and ran towards the goal. 

2016, 𝖴𝗇𝗂𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗆

Age 18

Hey Rio, why are you still here”- a young Leah Williamson appeared on the screen. You were still in your training gear as you smiled at her sheepishly.

“Well..you know.”- you pulled your lips into a tight smile.

“She didn’t come to the game?”

“She doesn’t come to any of them, never has, said she’s got more important things to do”-you looked at the blonde with a confused expression she dragged you towards the stands where her mother and brother stood.

“Rio sweety, come here.”- her mother wrapped you up in a hug as you reached over and ruffled Jacob’s hair who only groaned at your actions. - “Come on, you’re having dinner over at ours.”

You and Leah grinned as you swung an arm around each other, walking out the stadium.

Behind you Leah smiled fondly at the memories grabbing ahold of your hand as you reached it out to her and squeezed it.

2017, 𝖲𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗇, 𝖥𝗎𝗍𝖻𝗈𝗅 𝖢𝗅𝗎𝖻 𝖡𝖺𝗋𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖺 𝖥𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇í

Age 19

“I met Rio this year actually. She amazed us all right in her first training session. We quickly became friends, because we both were the rookies of the team.”- Maria Leon, Mapi laughed into the camera. - “She’s got this amazing personality too. I remember this one time -it was actually when she got her nickname- I remember she scored a banger of a goal with an assist from me and I was so happy I just ran through her legs and lifted her onto my neck”- she laughed out loud, her voice fading as the clip played on the screen, both of your younger selves laughing loudly at each other as someone - you assumed Leila Ouhabi- filmed the two of you, laughing along before speaking up.- “And there goes Barca’s bird”

2020, 𝖲𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗇, 𝖥𝗎𝗍𝖻𝗈𝗅 𝖢𝗅𝗎𝖻 𝖡𝖺𝗋𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖺 𝖥𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇í

Age 22

“What was your favorite goal of the season so far?”- the interviewer asked you in a post match interview, your hair still damp with sweat and a bit out of breath.

“That absolute rocket I just scored!”- you exclaimed happily, adrenaline still coursing through your veins from the win as you pointed your thumb behind you to the pitch. The rest of your team was seen dancing around and celebrating.

“How does it feel to score a winning goal in the Copa de la Reina?”- she asked you as you bounced on the balls of your feet.

“Absolutely fucking amazing!”- you screamed into the camera as you got up close. The camera man and the interviewer laughed out loud as you got swept off your feet and onto the shoulders of your captain.

Mapi ran up behind you as you were seen waving at the camera while Alexia walked you back to your team to celebrate with you. - “That bicycle kick was one for the history books!”

“Bar-celo-na’s li-ttle bird, Rio,Rio! Our goal scoring hero,hero!”- your chants were screamed by the fans in the stadium.

Watching your bicycle kick being played on the screen a sense of pride filled your chest again as you heard not only the fans in the stadium screaming for you but your national team mates sitting around you as well, a few of them leaning over to pat you on the head or shoulders.

 It definitely was still one of your favorite goals.

2021, 𝖡𝖺𝗋𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖺, 𝖲𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗇

Age 23

Another interview was shown on the screen. It was one with a few of your Barcelona teammates, some of your trophies laid out on the ground.

“OH, MIS BEBÉS!”- you shouted as you hugged the two Ballon D’ors close to you. Alexia and Jenni laughed loudly at you as you grinned back at them.

“Those are definitely her favorite trophies.”- Alexia turned towards the camera.

“Are you kidding me? They’d be my favorite trophies too.”- Jenni jokes.

“Don’t worry Jenni, you’ll get your own.”

2022, 𝖴𝖤𝖥𝖠 𝖤𝗎𝗋𝗈𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗇 𝖶𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇’𝗌 𝖥𝗈𝗈𝗍𝖻𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗆𝗉𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉

Age 24

England vs Germany

“Germany has always been a great threat to any country they’ve played against. Today the England Lionesses face them at home grounds, at Wembley Stadium.” - the commentators were heard as your team lined up for the anthems.

“Yeah I think this team has really shown just how good they are. They’ve got great quality and obviously a good mix of experienced and inexperienced players. Every single one of them has great potential, and you know, working together and cooperating, the sky has no limits, this team has no limits and hopefully we get to show that to the world at the final match.”- Sarina Weigman spoke at the press conference.

Dropping to your knees you allowed the tears to fall freely as the final whistle was blown. Looking up at the sky you placed a kiss on your pointer finger before pointing upwards.

Soon you felt a body colliding with you, Leah’s familiar blonde hair clouding your sight as the two of you hugged.

“We fucking did it!”- she all but sobbed, holding you tighter by the back of your head. You laughed in glee, pulling back you wiped her tears.

“We fucking did! My captain, my Leah, we did it!” - you told her proudly as her tears kept flowing down her face. Pulling her up you gave her another squeeze before she sent you towards Lucy.

Falling into the arms of who you considered to be your big sister she spun you around before inviting you to slide into the confetti pooling on the pitch.

2022, 𝖲𝖾𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 21, 𝖴𝗇𝗂𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖽𝗈𝗆

“Who do you think you can thank your success to?”- you were asked. Leaning back in your chair you briefly glanced at the dark blue background behind you.

“I’d rather answer another question first.”- you lightly laughed as the person behind the camera nodded.

“What do you think your greatest trait as a player is?”

“Hmm, I’d have to say my drive to succeed for not only myself but for the club, the country and most importantly my teammates.”- you answered with a thoughtful look on your face.

“Oh it’s definitely her passion for the sport. I have met many great players, myself being one of them, she’s one of the players with the greatest passion towards football. I really do admire that about her.”- Lucy answered halfheartedly in a separate interview, sitting in front of the blue background.

“The strength she has, not only as a player but as a person as well. Her mother sort of..abandoning her…in some sense, obviously hurt her a lot, it would hurt anyone, but not everyone would be able to fight in spite of that. To continuously show up and prove others wrong.” - Alexia answered the same question with a sad smile on her face but a proud look by the end.

“Her love for the sport and for the people around her. She has such a loud and fun energy to her, on and off the pitch. She’s hard to forget.”- Leah smiled with a chuckle.

“Well I mean if nothing else works then she’s got a real good death stare. Like you can see the opposition back down from her…but most of the time I guess her skills are good enough”- Ella laughed as Allessia sent a jab at her ribs, laughing as well before answering. - “Yeah, she’s got it all.”

“Back to the first question, why do you think you succeed and continue to succeed in football?”

“My family.”- you answered, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Your family?”- she asked with a somewhat confused face.

“Yeah, it’s thanks to them that I’m still here. I’ve learnt everything from them and they continue to make me not only a better player but a better person as well.”- you smiled big with a light blush coating your cheeks.

“By family, do you mean your parents?”

“No, I mean I know my dad’s watching me from up there and I know he’s proud of me, that’s more than enough for me. But my family is my club team and national team. All 46 of them have my back and I have every single one of theirs.”- you answered truthfully. - “And I absolutely adore every one of them.”

The girls cheered as your biography ended, some with tearful looks on their faces, others with big smiles but all of them with a proud glint in their eyes. 

Your mother might have not cared enough, that redhead at the academy might have caused you more trouble than you would’ve liked and yeah, your abilities were definitely doubted by many at the start of your career, but you knew you were right where you belonged.

 In the arms of your teammates, your best friends and sisters. And when you’d be back for preseason at Barcelona, you’d be with the other half of your family. 

Football gave you a home.

#woso imagine #woso x reader #alexia putellas x reader #leah williamson x reader #barca femení x reader #england lionesses x reader #mapi leon x reader

[melodramaticmelon]

I was invited as a contributing illustrator for Singapore’s National Day art competition held by the local museum. The prompt was to draw something reminding me of Singapore with the little red dot in the centre integrated into the illustration. A lot of people usually go with food or big landmarks / the skyscape, which I felt were very human things (ew @ the Anthropocene lol) and i was going through a bird phase and dealing with c*vid so i ended up focusing on birds.

I was also going thru a small riso print obsession bc of that one tutorial floating around tumblr in July 2022 and really really really wanted to emulate the CMYK riso print process digitally, it was a super fun challenge and i think one of the few times i had felt excited about art in a long time.

The pandemic offered a chance for everyone to slow down, and I’ve observed more of my friends exploring the natural side of Singapore. In the last few years, I’ve found myself trying to pay attention to the different birds in my neighbourhood. My hope for Singapore and Singaporeans is to develop a greater appreciation for the little natural spaces we have, and to increase our collective respect and protection for the other residents of the island that were here before and alongside us. 

For my artwork, I've chosen to cast a spotlight on the Asian Koel, with its bright red eyes and signature calls—the bird that you either love or hate to hear in the early mornings. While many (including myself) have never seen it in person before, it’s a bird I strongly associate with our local soundscape.

#artists on tumblr #Singapore #Illustration #drawing #digital painting #draws #original

[mtaartsdesign]

In honor of National Bird Day, we’ve added a new exhibition to our guide on the Bloomberg Connects app! “Exploring the Birds in New York’s Underground Art Museum” highlights selections from our permanent and temporary art programs that draw visual inspiration from birds.

1: Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz, “A Gathering” (2001), Canal St (A,C,E) station 📸: MTA A&D/Rob Wilson

2: Carson Fox, “Blue Sky Pursuit” (2009), LIRR Seaford station 📸: MTA A&D/Rob Wilson

3: Josée Bisaillon, “NYC View” (2022)

4: Elizabeth Grajales, “When the Animals Speak” (1998), 34 St-Penn Station (1,2,3) 📸: MTA A&D/Rob Wilson

#mtaarts #publicart #birds #bloombergconnects

[wub-fur-radio]

I Dreamed I Saw Dwight Eisenhower (or, How Come There’s Never an Old Weird American Around When You Need One?)

Come out, ye gifted kings and queens And hear my sad complaint No martyr is among ye now Whom you can call your own – R. Zimmerman

Wub-Fur once again finds it needful to apologize for an overlong absence from the Internet airwaves and offer in recompense (as is our wont) another eclectic mix of contemporary indie rock and such. We recently awoke, as one does, from a recurring prophetic fever dream of a nation teetering on the edge of the fascist abyss and rushed to our virtual turntable to assuage our bewilderment and dismay by finding some excellent new tunes to share with you all. Featuring magical, melodious, and magnificent musical outpourings from Allah-Las, the Softies, Rain Parade, Beach Fossils, Woods, the No Ones, Pink Mountaintops, and 11 more of our favorite artists of 2023.

Nb. We didn’t really like Ike all that much, but he was a freakin’ saint compared to the authoritarian conman the Grand Old Party threatens to return to the White House next year. If you are an American citizen, please act (and vote!) accordingly.

▶︎🎶 Listen on Mixcloud or 🍎 Music

Running Time: 1 hour, 4 seconds

Tracklist

365 (3:06) — flypaper | London, UK

The Stuff (3:55) — Allah-Las | Los Angeles, CA

Marijuana (Acoustic) (2:37) — Together Pangea | Los Angeles, CA

One Day (I'll See) (2:22) — Hot Apple Band | Sydney, Australia

Graveyard Song (4:29) — Jeff Rosenstock | New York

In the Store (2:27) — The Lost Days | California

Change My Ways (1:23) — The Softies | Portland, OR †

Pink Cake (2:45) — Sonny & The Sunsets | San Francisco, CA

Weep (3:34) — Woods | New York

Run to the Moon (3:44) — Beach Fossils | Brooklyn, NY

Bring You Back (3:10) — Rain Parade | Oakland, CA

Sunset on the Faders (3:32) — Hiss Golden Messenger | Noeth Carolina

I Wanna Go Down to the Basement (2:51) — James & the Giants | Wisconsin

Downwards Daze (3:34) — Pink Mountaintops | Los Angeles, CA

Tiger at the Drugstore (3:37) — Skating Polly | Tacoma, WA

Left on Coast (4:52) — The Garment District | Pittsburgh, PA

Time Sent Lewis (4:02) — The No Ones | Portland, OR

The Document (4:03) — Bird Streets | Brooklyn, NY

All tracks released in 2023.

† Apple Music version substitutes “Fluff” (1:30) by Tony Molina (2022) for the Softies track, which is sadly unavailable on that platform (and which is also, not coincidentally, a cover of a Tony Molina song.)

#indie rock #jangle pop #neo-psychedelia #dream pop #indie folk rock #music mixes

[goldammerchen]

buncha quotes from over the years

History Copy Book no.2 (2015):

He will be living with Germany and not doing much for a while still, but even if he disappears, he would be happy knowing that his younger brother has inherited all his knowledge and awesomeness.

2013/2014 Halloween Comic – Page 5:

"I'm happy to mess around even for just a little while. When I'm at home by myself, I start thinking deeply about my own existence like a little bird (...)" "Most of the work is done by my super competent little brother. Meanwhile, I'm reading books with the speed of four in one day and effectively becoming a genius!"

Cleaning Mr. Prussia – Germany (Aug 31, 2010)

GER: Since the unification until now I’ve done everything by myself. GER: This kind of thing is no problem for me. PRU: Don’t overdo it! GER: Ah… PRU: Not just with this, historically speaking too, Germans are quick to overreach themselves! PRU: You’re not alone. PRU: Me and Saxony and Bayern… and Brandenburg and then there’s, um, Hessen and Holstein… GER: It’s ok, I got it, I got it. PRU: Don’t forget that all your older bros are with you! GER: Yeah… GER: You’re right…

September 4, 2010:

What are Germany’s brothers other than Prussia doing? Maybe they retired, maybe they disappeared, something like that. They are all connected to current Germany as they were all passing the baton from one generation to the next.

It’s a Treasure Box of Countries (2011):

Usually, when the culture or the country’s personality dies/disappears, the country would gradually disappear or entrust him/herself to the country that takes over him/her. There are also cases that him/her is not a country but continues to live leisurely as a representative of a region.

Hetalia World☆Stars – Chapter 436 (July 2022)

"You won't won't disappear if you put your heart into it!"

"We [nation-people] can come into existence from anywhere... As long as we have the will to become independent..."

last one added so this isn't a complete a bummer... just kidding: BOOM! Read Private Concert (October 31th, 2014), and re-read the quotes later.

#hetalia meta #sr. tnndr #hello from the queue #“why are you like this?” read my about! #gilbert beilschmidt #bamboo thicket blog #hws prussia

[rabbitcruiser]

National Cocktail Day 

National Cocktail Day on March 24 each year celebrates the tasty alcoholic drinks we have come to know and love.

Cocktails remind us of vacations on sandy beaches, relaxing pool-side lounges, or just Friday night out with the girls. Speaking of, did you know that even though cocktails are now often referred to as ‘girly drinks,’ it used to be frowned upon for women to drink them?

On National Cocktail Day, we celebrate the unique concoctions that remind us of good times.

History of National Cocktail Day

National Cocktail Day was created by holidaymaker Jace Shoemaker-Galloway as a fun day to celebrate a fun drink.

Cocktails were traditionally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters, and some mixed drinks today still conform to this, such as the Old Fashioned Whiskey cocktail, the Sazerac cocktail, and the Manhattan cocktail. Many people believe that cocktails originated in the U.S. While this is partly true, cocktails were actually inspired by British punches from the 18th century. British punches were big bowls of spirits mixed with fruit juice, spice, and other flavors.

No one is exactly sure who first created cocktails, but the world is more than grateful to them. What is known is that by the 1860s, it started gaining popularity. Cocktails became especially popular after alcohol was prohibited in the United States from 1920 to 1933 ironically.

Speakeasies began to sell inferior liquor because it was easier to produce illicitly. Then they started adding honey, fruit juice, and other flavorings to mask the foul taste of this liquor, enabling customers to drink faster, which was very important in case of a raid.

The Industrial Age made a major contribution to the evolution of cocktails with the production of ice. Before the Industrial Age, there was no effective way to make ice blocks and keep them from melting. In the 90s, a group of bartenders at New York’s famous Rainbow Room brought back classic cocktail culture and followed strict quality standards. Today, there is a substantive cocktail culture in the art of mixology, which draws on traditional cocktails, but uses novel ingredients and complex flavors.

National Cocktail Day timeline

1803 ‘Cocktail’ Appears in Written History

The first written mention of a cocktail as a beverage appears in a magazine, “The Famer’s Cabinet.”

1806 The Cocktail is Defined

The cocktail was first defined as an alcoholic beverage in a newspaper, “The Balance, and Columbian Repository” in Hudson, New York.

1862 10 cocktail recipes

Jerry Thomas, the father of American mixology, shares 10 cocktail recipes in his bartenders’ guide, “How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant’s Companion.”

1917 Cocktail parties bring in the fun

In Missouri, Clara Bell Walsh (or Mrs. Julius Walsh) invites 50 friends to her house on Sunday at high noon and coins it as a ‘cocktail party.’

National Cocktail Day FAQs

Is there a National Drink Day?

While there is not a single National Drink Day, there are many holidays celebrating drinks. Some examples are National Drink Beer Day, National Rum Day, National Wine Day, National Irish Coffee Day, National Vodka Day, and National Cocktail Day, among many others.

What is the most popular cocktail in the U.S.?

The most popular cocktail in the U.S. is the Margarita. It ranks top in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Tampa. However, in Chicago, the Old Fashioned tops the list. The Margarita is most popular in the afternoon and evening.

Does the U.S. have a national cocktail?

While the U.S. does not have a national cocktail as Canada does, it has a national spirit. Bourbon whiskey was proclaimed the U.S. National Spirit by an act of Congress in 1964.

National Cocktail Day Activities

Make a cocktail

Throw a cocktail party

Appreciate a bartender

On National Cocktail Day, you can create your cocktail from any of the hundreds of recipes available online. Even better, you can test your creativity by coming up with your very own cocktail recipe.

Gather some of your closest friends and throw the most fabulous cocktail party. Cocktail parties are notoriously great for feel-good times with friends.

We can’t all be master mixologists. On National Cocktail Day, take the time to appreciate your favorite bartender. You could write them a thoughtful note, get them a nice gift, or leave them an extra big tip.

5 Crazy Facts About Cocktails

Ernest Hemingway had a recipe

There’s one with a toe

Stirred, not shaken

Drink a cocktail, get some Chinese wisdom

A drug or a drink?

Hemingway invented his cocktail called ‘Absinthe and Champagne’ or ‘Death in The Afternoon.’

The Sourtoe Cocktail, which can be found in Yukon, Canada, reputably has a real human toe in it.

Martini cocktails are traditionally stirred, not shaken, despite how James Bond likes to take his.

Cocktail umbrellas traditionally contain hidden scrolls of Chinese newspapers, which you can read like fortune cookies.

Some cocktails can help heal or ease certain diseases, like the Atomic Cocktail, which can cure minor fevers, headaches, and depression.

Why We Love National Cocktail Day

We love the tasty buzz

It lets us get our party on

Variety is the spice of life

Alcohol is notoriously bitter, but cocktails break the mold. You can have all kinds of fruity wonderfulness when you get your buzz on with a cocktail. Cocktails make you feel good with drinks that taste good.

On National Cocktail Day, every hour is cocktail hour (don’t tell the boss). National Cocktail Day is all about having good times with wonderful people. When you have a cocktail in your hand, you can let your hair down and truly have fun.

One of the greatest things about cocktails is that there are so many choices. Although the International Bartender Association only recognizes 77 cocktails, there are at least 300 different cocktail recipes in the world. With cocktails, there are so many options to choose from and you can enjoy the true joy of variety in life.

Source

#Jalapeño Margarita #Jungle Bird #Habanero Margarita #Mojito #Strawberry Margarita #Dark 'n' Stormy #Mule Daze #summer 2022 #USA #don't drink and drive #Caipirinha #Spiked Texas Tea #Whiskey Gingembre #National Cocktail Day #24 March #2018 #Canada #Portugal #2021 #travel #vacation #restaurant #original photography

[april-is]

April 1, 2023: Reasons to Live Through the Apocalypse, Nikita Gill

Reasons to Live Through the Apocalypse Nikita Gill Sunrises. People you have still to meet and laugh with. Songs about love, peace, anger, and revolution. Walks in the woods. The smile you exchange with a stranger when you experience beauty accidentally together. Butterflies. Seeing your grandpar- ents again. the moon in all her forms, whether half or full. Dogs. Birthdays and half-birthdays. That feeling of floating in love. Watching birds eat from bird feeders. The waves of happiness that follow the end of sadness. Brown eyes. Watching a boat cross an empty sea. Sunsets. Dipping your feet in the river. Balconies. Cake. The wind in your face when you roll the car window down an open highway. Falling asleep to the sound of a steady heartbeat. Warm cups of tea on cold days. Hugs. Night skies. Art museums. Books filled with everything you do not yet know. Long conversations. Long-lost friends. Poetry.

==

‘bout that time, eh, chaps?! Happy National Poetry Month once again. 

As a reminder, you’ve signed up to receive a poem every day in April. Anyone can do the same right here. Or follow along on Twitter, Tumblr, or RSS. Hooray, poetry.

==

Many(!!) years of Aprils predate this one. You can browse the archives by jumping to the poem sent on today’s date in:

2022: New Year, Kate Baer 2021: Instructions on Not Giving Up, Ada Limón 2020: Motto, Bertolt Brecht 2019: Separation, W.S. Merwin 2018: Good Bones, Maggie Smith 2017: Better Days, A.F. Moritz 2016: Jenny Kiss’d Me, Leigh Hunt 2015: The Night House, Billy Collins 2014: Tim Riggins Speaks of Waterfalls, Nico Alvarado 2013: Nan Hardwicke Turns Into a Hare, Wendy Pratt 2012: A Short History of the Apple, Dorianne Laux 2011: New York Poem, Terrance Hayes 2010: On Wanting to Tell [ ] about a Girl Eating Fish Eyes, Mary Szybist 2009: A Little Tooth, Thomas Lux 2008: The Sciences Sing a Lullabye, Albert Goldbarth 2007: Elegy of Fortinbras, Zbigniew Herbert 2006: When Leather is a Whip, by Martin Espada 2005: Parents, William Meredith

(Insider secret: you can usually find my top tier favs by looking at what was sent on April 1 and April 30.)

Thanks for being here, friends.

#prose poem #lists #singing about the dark times #nikita gill #apocalypse #feast on your life

[k-s-morgan]

How are you?

Since you sent this ask today and it's the last day of the month, I decided to use it for my monthly post! I hope you don't mind <3

I'm doing more or less okay, though February marked one year anniversary since the start of the senseless war. There were repeated bombings through February; more apartment complexes and residential buildings were hit, more people died - all because of the outdated ambitions of one government and the stupidity, greed, and bloodthirstiness of a half of the nation it rules. Ruzzian soldiers keep invading Ukraine to kill Ukrainian people, bomb Ukrainian territories, burn Ukrainian ecology, including wild life, pets, and birds, destroy Ukrainian crops, buildings, and culture, and condemn millions of people to the loss of their loved ones and the homes they spent a lifetime saving up on. Why? None of them can give even a semi-believable answer. This is a unique phenomenon that psychiatrists should study for decades to come.

Here's a photo of the building situated across of mine. Second day of war, February 25, 2022 - the first results of a new reality Russia decided to bring to its neighbours. The explosions, the terror, the separations; endless queues in the stores; air raid sirens; deadly silence in the huge building that used to be full of voices, laughter, and arguments.

But February 25, 2023 was different. My building was full of chattering again. A neighbor was singing in the shower as he always does; my pigeons were arguing; two annoying children downstairs were yelling and arguing. Life has returned, and this year made all of us stronger.

Last year, I was sure that Russia was about to win. I had no faith in Ukraine, only bitterness because my country was never perfect and it made its share of huge mistakes. But now, things have changed. Russia humiliated itself on a global level. It will forever be remembered as a hotbed of fascism and mindless greed, and there is every chance that Ukraine will win. I have faith now, though I understand that many scenarios are possible. Either way, I'm extremely proud of my country, and I have Russia to thank for turning me into a passionate patriot of Ukraine.

I did a lot of writing this year, and everyone who supported me through comments, Patreon and messages largely contributed to it. I don't have many friends in real life, I'm not a very communicative person and I'm a hopeless introvert, so you all played a huge role in inspiring me and giving me strength. Thank you, I will never forget this.

On a personal front, my three wonderful idiot cats are doing fine; I'm still fighting for the health of 4 of my pigeons, though. One pigeon in particular is in danger now. Here she is: her name is Aristrokratka.

She's always been a wild pigeon - I was feeding her from my window for over a decade; one day, I noticed that someone broke her wing. She struggled to fly: once she reached the top of a streetlight (this was as far as she could go in her state), she stayed there for over 24 hours to regain her strength. I was despondent, so I, my brother and my mother tried to catch her. The entire neighbourhood watched how we chased her under the cars and on the mini-roofs. Finally, I managed to trap and get her.

She's been living with me for over 2 years now. Sadly, she has an egg stuck inside her. It's old, it got entwined with her insides by now, and she needs surgery. It's risky, so we decided to do it only if she starts feeling poorly. Her condition isn't perfect, but she's well enough, so I don't want to possibly steal whatever time she has left.

While I'm sad that she might leave me soon, her story is not sad. She has had a long and fulfilling life, and she has everything I can give her.

Here's the recent video with my two cats: Tom, my clumsy boy, couldn't climb up from the hole he hid himself in, and Laoriy tried to help him. Though I suspect he wanted him out just because he wanted to hide there himself :D

Thank you all again for staying here and supporting me. I hope 2023 will be happier in every respect for my country, as much as it's possible. But we'll see.

#personal #ukraine #kyiv #kiev #russia is a terrorist state

[lost-carcosa]

The Devastating Effects of Fireworks on Pets and Wildlife

By: Kendra Coulter     

Fireworks have become a fixture of many celebrations around the world, from weddings to national holidays. But there are many among us, including the furry, feathered and finned, who feel fear with every thundering boom.

Animal caretakers, wildlife rehabilitators and fire services see firsthand the damaging — and sometimes fatal — effects whenever and wherever fireworks are deployed.

Real risks for animals

Cats and dogs both experience sounds at far greater intensity than humans. Fireworks appear for them as discordant noise without warning.

Studies suggest up to 50 percent of dogs are afraid of fireworks. Frightened animals awakened from sleep or startled from a state of relaxation will hide, pace, shake, cry or flee, unable to process what is going on or find a safe haven.

I had a tough and confident rescue dog named Ms Macey who was only afraid of one thing: fireworks. She would try to find reprieve by hiding in the bathtub.

Horses’ innate fear responses can take over when they hear fireworks. This led to the tragic death of a horse in Nova Scotia in 2022, neither the first nor last related equine casualty.

So far this year, Murphy and Tallulah were two horse victims of fireworks, the latter so afraid she ran through a wooden fence.

It’s not only animals who are at risk either. Spooking horses can accidentally hurt people trying to handle and comfort them. Bystanders can also be injured when horses bolt out of fear.

Wild animals’ responses

The dangers are serious for wild animals like birds, squirrels, frogs and fish too. During fireworks explosions, nearby resting birds will flee in fear en masse from trees and ponds, and fly off into the night sky.

Some birds have flown so far out to sea, they would not physically have been able to return to land alive. Birds can crash into buildings, get lost and disoriented and literally fall, by the thousands, onto communities.

Because fireworks are launched at night, the full effects on wild animals are challenging to document. Researchers expect that millions of birds are affected around the world and that the results linger after the smoke has disappeared.

In spring and early summer, when animals like birds and squirrels are nesting or in the early stages of rearing their offspring, the risks are even greater. Babies die of dehydration or starvation when terrified or disoriented animal parents cannot find their way back to their nests and burrows. These painful deaths are particularly tragic because they are completely avoidable.

Risks to people

The negative impacts of fireworks extend beyond animals — they can also trigger refugees and veterans.

When set off, fireworks can release toxic chemicals and pollute the environment. And during warnings of the potential of an intense and dangerous fire season, the incendiary risks of fireworks are even more dire.

Nearly 20,000 blazes were started by fireworks in the United States in 2018 alone, killing five people and injuring dozens more. The fact that fires are already decimating forests and communities makes these facts even more alarming. It’s difficult to see why fireworks are permitted at all.

Harm is nothing to celebrate

Thankfully, some communities are taking action and exploring alternatives to conventional fireworks.

In 2018, the Italian town of Collecchio made headlines as the first in the world to implement “silent” fireworks; they aren’t completely noiseless, but make far less noise than traditional fireworks.

That same year Banff, Alta. moved to a much quieter pyrotechnic display for its Canada Day event. And this year, the city suspended the light show to “review the impacts of noise and light flashes on wildlife and the secondary impacts on pets and people in the community,” which is laudable.

It is a disturbing display of ego that the human desire to light up the quiet night sky with explosions continues despite the serious effects it has on vulnerable people, other species and our shared environment (not to mention the cost when governments are footing the bill).

Since backyard and community-run fireworks continue in most places, concerned animal caretakers should take steps to protect their animals.

But individual actions aren’t enough to mitigate the damaging effects of fireworks on domesticated and wild animals. The more this issue is raised, the more likely this harmful practice will be replaced with alternatives that are more respectful and genuinely joyful. Harm should be prevented not cheered. Governments ought to ensure celebrations consider the well-being of humans and other animals alike.

#fireworks #dogs #cats #wildlife #ptsd