#everyone needs a bit of cajun spice | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thedisneychef · 11 months

Text

Canned Black Eyed Peas Recipe: Quick and Easy Meal Ideas

Hey everyone, I'm so excited to share this delicious canned black eyed peas recipe with you! Not only is it easy and quick to make, but it's also a great way to add some flavor and nutrition to your meal. Whether you're looking for something simple for lunch or dinner, or if you just want a tasty side dish that goes perfectly with any meal, this is the perfect option. In this article, I'll be sharing my favorite canned black eyed peas recipe as well as some tips on how to make it even more flavorful. Let's get started! Ingredients I'm a huge fan of black-eyed peas. There are two main ways to buy them: dried or canned. For convenience, I usually opt for the canned version, but I know that some people prefer the flavor of dried beans. With both versions, there are plenty of different flavors you can add too - from smoky bacon and cajun spices to garlic and onions. No matter which type you choose, one thing's for sure - these little legumes pack a ton of nutrients! They're high in fiber, iron, protein and folate. Plus they have an earthy taste that goes well with just about any dish you can think of. When it comes to cooking with black-eyed peas, it really depends on your preference and time constraints. Canned beans require minimal prep work while dried need to be soaked overnight before using them. Either way, they make a great side dish or addition to salads and soups! Directions I'm getting ready to make a delicious pot of black-eyed peas! First, I'll start by gathering all the ingredients I need. Then, I'll give the peas a good rinse before they go into the pot with some water and my choice of seasonings. Once everything is in the pot, I'll let it simmer until the peas are cooked through. Now I'm ready to enjoy my tasty meal! Preparing The Ingredients First, let's start with gathering the ingredients for this tasty black eyed peas recipe. You'll need one pound of dry black-eyed peas, diced onion, garlic cloves, vegetable broth or water and a few spices - cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes to taste. Don't forget to grab some salt too! I like using extra virgin olive oil when cooking any dish so that it adds an extra layer of flavor. Next step is to get all the ingredients prepped before you begin cooking. Start by rinsing the beans in cold water then placing them into a large pot along with enough liquid (either vegetable broth or water) to cover them completely plus two inches more. Then add in the remaining vegetables such as onions, garlic and your spice selection; including cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes for heat if desired. Give everything a good stir until everything is well combined. Now comes the easy part – just wait! Put the lid on and bring it up to a boil over medium-high heat stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until the beans are tender but not mushy. Once done turn off the heat and enjoy your delicious canned black eyed peas recipe! Cooking The Black-Eyed Peas Now that all of the ingredients have been prepped, it's time to move on to cooking the black-eyed peas. Depending on how you want your dish to turn out, there are a few methods you can use when preparing them. For example, if you're wanting softer beans then soaking them overnight is recommended before boiling them in vegetable broth or water for about 30 minutes until tender. If convenience is what you're looking for then I'd suggest using canned black eyed peas and simply heating up the contents in a pot with some seasonings added for flavor. No matter which method you choose for storing and soaking your beans, make sure they’re cooked thoroughly before eating! With just a little effort this simple recipe can be transformed into something truly delicious - so let’s get cooking! Variations Now that you know how to make classic canned black eyed peas, let's explore some variations. To give your dish a bit of kick, try increasing the spice levels with additional chili powder or red pepper flakes. You can also add in various herbs for flavor; rosemary and thyme work particularly great with this recipe. If you want something extra special, consider adding bacon bits or chorizo sausage for an added punch of protein. With these delicious additions, your dinner will be sure to please even the pickiest eater. So get creative with your spices and herbs; you never know what delightful combination you'll come up with! Serving Suggestions I love the versatility of canned black eyed peas. Not only are they incredibly easy to make, but they also can be seasoned with a variety of spice combinations and served alongside many different dishes. Whether you’re looking for something light or hearty, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings! When it comes to seasoning up my canned black eye peas, I like to experiment with various mixes of herbs and spices that bring out their natural flavor. A few favorites include garlic powder, oregano, paprika, basil and red pepper flakes – just the perfect combination for adding some zing without overpowering the dish. You can also add in some diced onions or bell peppers if desired. For side dishes, I often serve mine over brown rice or quinoa along with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. If you’re feeling more adventurous, try pairing them with roasted vegetables like carrots and potatoes - the possibilities really are endless! With all these tasty options at hand, there’s no excuse not to enjoy a delicious meal made from canned black eyed peas. Tips And Tricks Now that you know how to make the perfect canned black eyed peas, let's explore some other tips and tricks for preparing them. Cooking with black eyed peas is a great way to add flavor and texture to your meals without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. Here are some of my favorite cooking tips: First, be sure not to overcook your beans! If they're cooked for too long, they can become mushy and lose their shape. A few minutes shorter than the recommended time should do the trick. Second, if you want even more flavor from these tasty legumes, try adding herbs or spices like cumin or thyme. Finally, feel free to get creative with your ingredients - adding things like bacon or diced tomatoes will give your dish an extra kick of flavor. When it comes to storing advice for black eyed peas, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind. First off, always store any leftovers tightly sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Secondly, make sure that any unused portions of opened cans of beans are also stored properly; this means transferring them into separate containers and keeping them refrigerated until ready to use. Doing so ensures that your beans stay fresh longer and don't spoil prematurely. So now you have all the knowledge needed to prepare delicious dishes using canned black eyed peas! Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Shelf Life Of Canned Black Eyed Peas? When it comes to shelf life, canned black eyed peas can last up to two years in your pantry if stored correctly. To get the most out of them, keep the cans in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and sources of heat. If you want to reduce sodium content, you can rinse the beans under cold water before use; this will help wash away some of the salt used during processing. As long as they're stored properly, these storage tips should ensure that your canned black-eyed peas stay fresh for when you need them! Is There A Way To Reduce The Sodium Content In This Recipe? If you're looking for a way to reduce the sodium content in your recipes, there are several salt alternatives that can help. You may want to try substituting some of the regular salt with potassium chloride or sea salt. Both of these options provide flavor without adding as much sodium as traditional table salt does. Another great option is low-sodium stocks and broths which can be used instead of pre-made sauces with high sodium content. All of these alternatives will still give you flavorful results while helping you keep an eye on your daily sodium intake. How Many Servings Does This Recipe Make? Making a great meal doesn't have to take all day, and that's why this canned black eyed peas recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. It serves about 6-8 people so you can feed the whole family without having to spend extra time cooking or worrying about nutrition facts. Plus, with just a few simple ingredients, it comes together in no time! What Are Some Other Complementary Dishes That Can Be Served Alongside This Recipe? If you're looking for a delicious, meatless option to pair with your canned black eyed peas recipe, you can't go wrong with roasted vegetables. You could also consider seasoning suggestions like garlic and rosemary or chili powder and lime juice depending on the taste profile you'd like to achieve. Another great accompaniment would be fresh crusty bread for dipping in any extra juices from the beans. Are There Any Health Benefits Associated With Eating Canned Black Eyed Peas? Yes, there are lots of health benefits associated with eating canned black eyed peas! They contain a variety of important vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Plus, they're high in dietary fiber and protein. The best way to maximize the nutritional value of these legumes is by soaking them first. This will help remove some sodium from the beans if you check the nutrition label before cooking. Conclusion In conclusion, canned black eyed peas are a tasty and versatile dish that can be enjoyed year-round. I love how easy it is to prepare them at home without sacrificing flavor or nutrition. The shelf life of these beans is quite long, so you don't have to worry about them going bad quickly. If you're looking to reduce the sodium content of this recipe, look for low-sodium versions when shopping for canned goods. This recipe yields four servings and pairs well with other dishes like steamed vegetables or roasted potatoes. Not only do they taste great but they also provide various nutritional benefits including protein and fiber! Thanks to their convenience and health benefits, canned black eyed peas will continue to be a staple in my kitchen for years to come. Read the full article

0 notes

ifmywishescametrue · 3 years

Note

WAIT I DIDNT KNOW YOU SHIPPED SAMTONY TOO!!! another oneeee #13 "I saw you looking at it last time we were in the store together, so I got it for you." for samtony

samtony is a very pure ship 😌 thank you for sending a prompt, and I hope you like it!

It starts on a perfectly average Tuesday morning.

“Why do I do this to myself?” Sam pants out, folding himself in half with his hands on his knees. “Every damn time I say it's the last time, and every damn time here we are again.”

Bucky claps a hand on his back and almost knocks him over with one touch. “Maybe you're a masochist, Sammy.”

Sam feebly flips him off, walking off the elevator on jelly legs. “I told you not to call me that.”

“You let Tony call you that,” Bucky points out, following him towards the kitchen.

"I actually like him. We're friends."

“That's offensive. I'm literally your best friend. Your favorite person. The Abbott to your Costello. The Tom to your Jerry. The Lucy to your Ethel.”

Sam snorts, “You're not even my favorite hundred year old man in this building. Also, if anyone’s the Lucy here, it’s me.”

Bucky scoffs, but whatever retort he had coming cuts off when they enter the kitchen. “Oh, damn, are those banana pancakes?”

He reaches for one on the top of the stack, and Tony slaps his hand away with the spatula. “Where are your manners, Barnes?”

“You’ve got like ten there,” Bucky whines. “Why can’t I have one?”

“You can have one when it’s your turn.”

Bucky gives him a dramatic pout that has no effect, and Sam laughs at the scene as he collapses into the stool next to Nat at the peninsula. She gives him a raised eyebrow and a quirked lip at the complete lack of grace.

Tony flits through the kitchen, exchanging lighthearted quips with Bucky as he goes. He has on an apron that Clint gave him at Christmas last year, covered in snowflakes and purple hearts with arrows through them in a mimicry of an ugly Christmas sweater pattern. Underneath it is a t-shirt dotted with Captain America shields, and the sweatpants have a cartoon version of the War Machine suit on the thigh. As usual, all of the colors clash.

A mug of coffee is placed in front of Sam with a small smile before Tony returns to the stove, and Sam is still drinking the first sip when he comes back with a plate of pancakes for him, topped with just the right amount of syrup and a dollop of whipped cream. Tony’s gone again before he can even finish saying thank you.

“Why is it his turn before me?” Bucky complains, and Sam laughs again through his first mouthful at how petulant he sounds.

“I like him the best,” Tony says, sending a wink Sam’s way. “And they’re for him, anyway. Your favorite, right?”

Sam’s eyes widen a bit in surprise. He doesn’t remember telling him that. “Uh, yeah, they are. How’d you know that?”

Tony shrugs, “I pay attention.”

He hands Bucky a plate of pancakes with another jab at his lack of patience, and the moment passes as quickly as it came, but it keeps happening after that.

Tony pays attention to him.

Maybe it was happening all along, before that morning with the pancakes, but just too subtle for Sam to take notice at first. Now that he has, though, he sees it all the time.

The next is just a few days later, when Tony knocks on his door holding a small, nondescript black box.

“What’s this for?” Sam asks, taking it from Tony’s hand. He doesn’t get an answer before he opens the lid to a simple, leather-banded watch. It’s nothing overtly expensive, nothing that screams ‘gift from a billionaire,’ but it is exactly something Sam would have chosen for himself.

“I saw you looking at it last time we were in the store together, so I got it for you,” Tony says simply. “Figured it would go well with that suit Pepper picked for you for the gala tomorrow night.”

Later, Sam will realize that Pepper had nothing to do with the suit choice that fit him perfectly, but for now he runs a thumb over the dark brown leather and says, “Yeah, it will. Thanks, Tony.”

“No problem,” Tony replies, and he lingers in the doorway for a while longer, lower lip between his teeth. Sam is about to ask if there was something else he came here for when Tony claps his hands together and says, “Well, I should get going. Workshop things to do and all that. I’ll see you at dinner.”

He disappears quickly, and that becomes part of it, too. Never dwelling on it when he does something just for Sam. Fleeing if he can, but sometimes staying when that’s what Sam needs instead.

“You look exhausted,” Tony says, and Sam manages a grumble from where he’s slumped on the living room couch, rubbing a hand over his bruised abdomen.

The mission took longer than either him or Bucky expected, and the fights were more intense. It was supposed to be a quick in-and-out type of deal. Infiltrate the base, take out the lower level minions, and apprehend the leaders. But the intel wasn’t as accurate as they were hoping, and there were nearly double the number of enemies than predicted. No major injuries for either of them, but he’ll be sore for at least a few days. Bucky’s cuts and bruises healed on the way home.

Sam doesn’t notice that Tony left until he comes back with ice wrapped in a kitchen towel. He places the ice right on the worst spot over his ribs, holding it there until Sam replaces his hand with his own.

“It’s getting pretty late,” Tony remarks. “You should probably head up to bed. You’ll feel even worse if you fall asleep here, trust me on that one.”

It’s somewhere past midnight, Sam knows, but even with how tired his body is, his mind is still wide awake. The mission replays in his mind. Every faulty move, every chance to do better, every little detail both good and bad.

Sam shakes his head, “Not ready for bed yet.”

Tony takes the seat next to him, leaving an inch of space between them. “J, turn on the Saints game from yesterday.”

Sam smiles a little and asks, “Do you even like football?”

“It’s not the worst sport,” Tony replies vaguely. He settles back into the cushions and pulls the blanket off the back of the couch to cover them both.

“Yeah, what’s the best?”

Completely serious, Tony says, “Ping pong.”

Sam laughs, “That’s not a real sport. Pick something else.”

“Of course it’s real. It’s in the Olympics and everything,” Tony grins. “Give me one good reason it’s not a sport.”

“Alright, fine, maybe it’s real, but there’s no way it’s your favorite.”

Tony shrugs, “It’s entertaining sometimes. The professionals get really into it. There’s an awful lot of grunting involved.”

They stay up for a while longer, talking about nothing of importance, and Tony slowly shifts closer to him until that bit of distance is gone. His arm presses up against him, and Sam starts to have a hard time keeping his eyes open, it seems only natural to rest his head against Tony’s shoulder.

“You can go to bed,” Sam murmurs. “You don’t have to stay here with me.”

“I don’t mind,” Tony whispers back.

Sam does regret it a bit when he wakes up on the couch in the morning with a sore back, but there’s a fresh mug of coffee already waiting for him on the table, still warm and exactly how he likes it, and he smiles to himself anyway. That night is a shift to something different, and he knows it right away.

He starts to pay more attention to Tony’s interactions with everyone else, just in case he’s part of the rule and not the exception. Generosity is one of Tony’s best traits, but even so it tends to extend even further to him. More personal and frequent.

“So there’s this place in Brooklyn that claims to have the most authentic cajun cuisine outside of New Orleans. Want to come with me? Tell me if it’s true?”

It isn’t true, and Tony comes to him the next day with another one, until they’re on a quest together to find one that doesn’t make Sam miss home after just one bite. It takes them all over the city and into Jersey once or twice, and Sam doesn’t point out that Tony doesn’t even seem to like crawfish, no matter where it comes from. He doesn’t want it to be over if he does.

“This is pretty close,” Sam says. He thinks it might be place number eleven, but he lost count a while back. “Could use a little more spice, but at least they didn’t try to add their own spin to it.”

Tony’s watery eyes widen. “This isn’t spicy enough for you?”

Sam grins and shakes his head. “Remind me to bring you with me the next time I go home. You won’t know what hit you.”

Tony’s face does something complicated at that, before it settles on a soft smile. “Yeah, that would be fun.”

Sam fully gets it then, what exactly it all means, but he doesn’t quite know what he wants to do about it yet. Tony has taken up residence in a place in his heart that he wasn’t sure was capable of opening up anymore. He did it so easily, sneaking in like a thief in the night and catching Sam unaware.

Now the sound of Tony’s laugh makes his stomach flip. He seeks it out, telling him stupid stories and jokes to make it happen more. He stares a little too much to catch glimpses of his smile, and now he can see just how often Tony looks back.

It isn’t subtle anymore, this thing between them. Lingering looks, too long touches, and every quiet gesture all build up. Bucky teases him and Natasha gives him knowing looks. Steve tells him that he hopes they make each other happy, and Sam doesn’t tell him that nothing has happened between them like that. They’re still just friends, and they don’t talk about what any of it means.

“Do you want to see a movie with me tonight? There’s that weird one with the killer robots playing downtown,” Sam suggests, and neither of them say anything when Tony slips his hand into his in the darkness of the theater. It goes unmentioned, too, when Sam holds tight after Tony almost lets go when they reach the sidewalk afterwards.

It’s another late night when the last piece finally falls into place.

Sam is nursing bruised ribs again after another mission that turned a little sideways through no one’s fault. He’s still sweaty, dirt under his fingernails and dried blood caked around a shallow cut on his cheek, but Sam still asks JARVIS in the elevator to take him to wherever Tony is. It isn’t as surprising as it should be that Tony is waiting for him on the edge of Sam’s bed.

He stands there patiently while Tony looks him over, and he looks his fill in return. It’s strange how days away from him feel longer now. His balance is off center until Tony is around to set him right again.

“I missed you,” Sam murmurs, and Tony smiles softly.

“You were only gone a couple of days,” he points out, but Sam knows now that it’s his way of saying that he missed him just as much.

Normally, Sam would let it move on from here. Tony would lead him into the bathroom, gently clean up his scrapes, and click his tongue at every bruise. It would end with them on the couch, Sam’s head in Tony’s lap or vice versa, depending on what mood it takes. Sometimes he wants to hold Tony and remember that he survived another fight so he could come home to this, and sometimes he needs to be held to forget about everything else that was lost along the way.

But tonight he reaches out to grasp Tony’s hip, and he draws him in a little closer. The room is dimly lit, and each shadow on Tony’s face is accentuated. Sam can’t remember quite the first time he looked at him and thought the word ‘beautiful,’ but it’s all he’s thinking now.

“You love me,” Sam says. “For a long time now, right?”

Tony nods, and he wraps his arms around Sam’s waist, careful not to hold too tight. “You caught up eventually. Didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”

Sam smiles, cupping Tony’s face in one palm and stroking his thumb across his cheekbone. “How long were you expecting?”

“Maybe never,” Tony admits. “I would’ve kept trying, though.”

“Stay with me tonight?” Sam asks, because nothing more needs to be said for now. They both already know.

“How about every night?”

Sam leans in slowly, murmuring against his lips, “Sounds like a plan.”

#samtony #ironfalcon #ironfalcon fic #my writing #my fic #prompt fill #tony stark #sam wilson #warmachinesocks

101 notes · View notes

heyitssmiller · 4 years

Text

Chop It Like It’s Hot

Chapter 3: Sun’s Out Buns Out

Chop It Like It’s Hot Masterlist

Let the pining begin.

@lumosinlove

“Oh my god, there’s ducks!” Finn said excitedly, pointing to the ducks swimming in the pond nearby. Their next challenge was taking place in a small park on the outskirts of the city, which made Logan a little nervous. He was just getting used to the setup of the kitchens, and now he had to deal with this. Finn let out an aww as a group of ducklings followed their mom. “Look at ‘em, they’re so cute.”

Logan looked warily at the setup of grills a few feet away. “I don’t think we’re here to look at ducks.”

“Good morning, recruits!” Dorcas called, waving them over. Leo stood beside her, hair turned golden in the sunlight. Logan blamed the reason he was suddenly too hot on the weather.

Ah, yes. That new development Logan refused to think about too hard.

He was happy with Finn. They’d been happy together for years now.

So why was he crushing on Leo like he did with Finn back in college?

Logan wasn’t blind – he knew the signs well enough after pining for Finn for five years. He just didn’t know what to do with these feelings. And they’d learned from all the miscommunication and wasted time in college – he and Finn told each other everything now.

He just wasn’t sure he could tell Finn this.

How would that conversation go? Hey I know we’ve been happily together for three years now but I also kind of want to kiss that tall blond guy who’s been teaching us how to cook.

Yeah. That would go over well.

“Today we’re going to be testing your creativity by having you make your own burgers! We’ll both give you examples, but you’ll need to come up with your own original ideas for this challenge.” Leo stated, dumping ground beef into a bowl. “I’m going to make a jaeger schnitzel burger. So for the meat I’m using a mixture of different meats. Schnitzel is traditionally pork or veal, but you need the right ratio of lean meat to fatty meat to make a good burger, so I’m adding some additional fatty beef.” He formed patties out of the meat and placed them on the grill. “What really sets jaeger schnitzel from regular schnitzel is the mushroom gravy on top.”

He smiled, which Logan was quickly realizing was completely unfair. “Creating a gravy is a little hard on a grill, but I’ll do my best. Basically we’re going to melt butter in a pan and fry these onions until they begin to brown. Then add the garlic and cook it for another minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until they’re golden and some of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.”

Leo switched back to his burgers and flipped them before returning to his sauce. “To thicken this into a gravy. We’re going to add flour and stir. Then it’s just beef broth, vinegar, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper. Now the burgers are done, so we’re going to take all of this off the grill and plate it, making sure there’s plenty of gravy on this burger.”

“And I’m going to make a burrito burger.” Dorcas took over. “First we’re going to take our meat and add some seasoning to it: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, paprika, ground cumin, sea salt, and black pepper. Make sure to get the seasoning mixed in there thoroughly. Then we just throw these patties on the grill and let them cook. What really sets this burger apart are the toppings.”

She reached into a bag on her table and pulled out refried beans, salsa, pepper jack cheese, and lettuce. “I made the refried beans and salsa from scratch last night since we definitely don’t have time for that today. So once these burgers are cooked, we just add the toppings and we’re done. Easy enough, right?”

“This challenge is a blind taste test so that we can’t pick favorites.” Leo added. “Which means you guys are going to be on your own for this challenge – we can’t help you in this round.”

Everyone groaned.

“Just don’t burn yourselves and you’ll be fine. You have forty-five minutes and your time starts now!”

***

Mid-Episode Interview:

*Logan takes his hat off to run a hand through his hair with a sigh*

Logan: I… I might be going home today. *laughs* You know, I hate cooking. The only reason I went on this show was because of Finn. He seemed so excited about it, you know? So for the past seven weeks, I figured if I got eliminated I’d just stay in the city and spend time with him when they weren’t shooting the show. I haven’t really cared if I got eliminated or not. Now, though?

*His gaze loses focus for a few seconds, then he looks back at the camera*

Logan: I don’t think I’m ready to leave just yet.

***

Finn quickly glanced over at Logan as he dropped lamb chops into a hot pan. The brunet had come in second to last place in the earlier competition today and clearly wasn’t happy about it. There wasn’t much he could do right now, but he’d find something to cheer him up with after they were done filming for the day. Alex was in the city visiting their family – maybe the two of them could stop by the house and say hi, if it wasn’t too late.

“Non-stick pan, Lo!” He hissed as Logan grabbed a regular pan to put his potato cake in.

“What?”

“Use a non-stick pan. That way it won’t stick when you flip the cake over.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

“How’s it going over here?”

Finn glanced up to see Leo at their shared station. “Good! I think. The lamb chops were a little hard to cut and my tapenade is kind of a mess, but I’m hoping it tastes ok.”

“And the potato cake?”

“The fact that I’m going to be flipping a potato cake is hilarious because I am not graceful at all.”

Leo laughed. “It’s not too bad, you’ll see. Logan, how about you?”

“Well, I’ve learned that I hate the taste of fennel.” Logan groused, sprinkling red pepper flakes on top of his fennel salad. “So I’m hoping to mask that flavor as much as I can.”

“It’s definitely not for everyone. Your chopping skills have really improved over the past couple of weeks, though – look at those potatoes!”

Logan looked up and smiled.

A smile Finn definitely recognized from college.

He glanced back and forth between the two, speculating. Maybe it wasn’t just Finn dealing with new feelings he wasn’t sure how to process yet.

After time ran out Finn glanced down at his two identical dishes – one for him, one for Leo – with a sigh of relief. It was still a little messy, but overall he felt pretty good about it. No matter what he was miles ahead of where he started, so he was happy with himself. He was still a little worried to be tasting his own dish, though. At the end of the day he was still a bad cook, after all.

When it was finally his turn to be judged, he grabbed both plates and placed them on the table before taking a seat opposite Leo.

“This feels like a really weird first date.” Finn teased, watching the faintest hint of a blush spread across Leo’s cheeks.

Oh my god, he’s adorable.

“I can definitely see some inconsistency in the cooking of your lamb chops.” He hurried to say, flipping one of the pieces of meat over for Finn to look at. “See, this one’s nice and brown while this one is undercooked. This boils down to variation of size in your meat. When you’ve got all kinds of different sizes, it’s hard to consistently cook them.” He cut up a piece of lamb and put it in his mouth. Finn probably stared at said mouth a bit too long before following suit.

“Well? What do you think?”

Finn shrugged, swallowing his bite. “I like it.”

Leo smiled. “You know what? Me too.”

***

Logan was up next. He sat down hesitantly across from Leo, looking down at his plate and hoping it was enough to save him from elimination.

“Your presentation is really good, Logan. The potatoes are nice and golden, the lamb looks perfect.” Leo said, and something about his words and calm demeanor soothed Logan instantly. He smiled. “Thanks, chef.”

“Ready to try this?”

“Let’s do it.” Logan stabbed his food with his fork, took a bite –

And instantly coughed.

It was so spicy. The kind of spicy that makes your throat close up and tears come to your eyes.

“Oh my god.” He gasped, making a mad dive towards his glass of water and downing it as fast as he could. “Jesus Christ, that’s so hot.”

Leo hummed, setting his fork down. He seemed completely unfazed. “Too much red pepper. You said earlier you were trying to mask fennel flavor, but I think you did too good a job at that.” He watched Logan with a small smile and pushed his own full glass of water towards him. “You ok?”

Logan gaped at him, but gladly accepted the water. “How are you not dying right now?”

“I literally have a show about cajun cooking; I’m used to spice. You should try ghost peppers sometime.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Don’t knock it until you try it.” Leo looked back down at his plate. “Overall, your dish was pretty good. Could’ve used a little less red pepper, but the rest of it was spot on.”

Logan felt his shoulders relax a little. “Thanks, chef.”

***

Logan was in the bottom two.

Fuck.

Finn’s heart had continued to drop as name after name of the safe contestants got announced, including his own, and Logan’s didn’t. He knew Logan didn’t really care if he got eliminated or not, but this had been so much fun to do with him. Finn didn’t want to see him go yet.

“And the recruit who will be leaving us today is…”

Finn honestly couldn’t name the person who got eliminated – all he knew was that Logan was staying. He let his tense shoulders relax and stepped forward to give him a hug. “That was close, Lo.”

“Yeah,” Logan’s voice was muffled in Finn’s shirt. “Guess I’ll have to try harder next week.”

Finn leaned back with a big smile on his face. “You wanna stay?”

“I mean, I’m a really bad cook,” Logan shrugged. “But I’ll stay as long as I can.”

“Logan?” Both boys turned at the voice. Leo stood off to the side, looking slightly awkward.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to talk to you about today’s challenges and ways to improve. I’ve got a few tips I can share, if you want.” He glanced at Finn. “Can I steal him for a second?”

“Go right ahead.”

Leo flashed him a smile before motioning for Logan to follow him.

Finn couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could read Logan’s body language like a book. When he fiddled with his hat, Finn knew he was nervous. When he met Leo’s eyes and didn’t look away as he spoke, he was serious about whatever he was saying. When his gaze flicked down to Leo’s lips, he wanted to kiss him. When he subconsciously leaned forwards and tilted his head up slightly, he was going to kiss him.

The strangest thing was… Finn wasn’t jealous. He should be, shouldn’t he?

But Logan didn’t kiss Leo.

He seemed to catch himself at the last second and he drew back sharply, refusing to look at Leo again. He muttered something and turned to walk away, catching Finn’s gaze as he did so. His eyes widened guiltily, steps slowing as he crossed the room to where Finn was waiting.

Finn gave him a small smile and grabbed his hand reassuringly.

“I think we need to talk.”

#lumosinlove #Sweater Weather #Coast To Coast #finn o'hara #logan tremblay #leo knut #o'knutzy #chop it like it's hot

144 notes · View notes

justamusicpodcast · 4 years

Link

Sup, I’m Laura Cousineau and welcome to Just A Music Podcast, where I, Laura Cousineau, tell you about some music history, how it relates to the world around us, and hopefully, introduce you to some new tunes. This show is theoretically for everyone but I will swear and when it comes down to it and sometimes we may need to talk about some sensitive topics so ur weeuns might wanna sit this one out.

Folk music! What a fucking blanket of a genre title isn’t it? We got 1960s folk in america, we got different folk genres in terms of mixed genres like folk metal, we got folk music as sort of an interchangeable term for ethnic musics, it’s all fuckin folk from here on out folks! But what is folk music where does it come from, what are we talking about when we talk about folk music? Well that’s what we’re going to talk about this week to kick off our North American music genre analysis with North American folk musics! Truth be told I did wanna start out with an episode on North American Native musics but as I’m whiter than sour cream on rice and there isn’t as much scholarship on it as I would like to confidently do a whole episode on it without input from actual native peoples. That all being said, if anyone listening is native and would like to give me some input on their musics, I would be more than happy to cover it.

But for now folk. North American folk musics. You notice I mention musics, it’s because north American folk music can be defined as a lot of things. So what are we talking about when we talk about the genre of folk musics. Well that’s gonna change depending on who you ask from what I explained before, we have some kind of mish mosh, multiple definition, popular idea of what folk music is and that’s not surprising given how that definition has grown and changed over time. Some of you will be surprised to hear that when we talk about north American folk music’s we’re actually talking about A BUNCH of different musical genres, not just one. Sure we have what people would usually associate with North American folk, the very Appalachian sounding bluegrass, country and then of course western, but we also have native musics (which again, I promise I will talk about at some point), and Maritime Canadian folk musics, we have cajun and creole musics, we have a bunch of racist shit too unfortunately but like legit we have so much stuff to talk about this episode I might have to break it up into two episodes.

Like all other musics, it all started from somewhere… I know, that’s the take of the century isn’t it. I mean it would be so much cooler if all folk music started cause some little gnome hopped out of the ground and was like imma invent music, but like that gnome would also be incredibly racist so I dunno, gnome theory sucks. So where did North American folk music come from? Well that’s a matter of looking at the mostly euro populations that colonized North America and this will change depending on the regions that we’re looking at. So WE need a SHORT HISTORY of the beginning of exploration.

So, there’s some debate as to who we should credit with the ��discovery” of north america, cause on one hand we have the Viking settlements in eastern Canada in the year 1000, there’s some speculation that there were even other visitors before then, and of course we have the populations of native people’s who have lived here for forever, but in terms of the European colonial pattern we’re looking for, for our needs we’re looking at Christopher Columbus. So as y’all know Christopher Columbus, Portuguese adventurer, getting permission from Queen Isabella of Castille in 1492 set sail across the Atlantic to try and find a passage to India to get some of them good ass spices everyone was raving about. Though he didn’t find India he managed to find the Caribbean also known as Central America. Now I know in the news for a little bit with the ever increasing prevalence of the Black Lives Matter movement y’all been hearing about people tearing down Christopher Columbus statues in the news and there is a very good reason for that.

So as I’ve already told you Chris didn’t discover North america but he also was, and this is gonna be a massive understatement, but the dude was a massive asshole, like take the biggest asshole you can imagine and times that by about 10. It’s estimated that his colonization of the Caribbean resulted in the deaths of over 8 million people, or or about the entire population of Switzerland. You can’t even use the product of his time excuse because even Queen Isabella, the person in charge of the Spanish Inquisition, which famously saw hte torture and death of tonnes of people under the guise of religious purity, was even like yo dude you need to slow down. I will talk about him more once we reach central American music genres but just for now yeah he existed, yeah he kinda started the wave of north American exploration, but he was also an absolute asshat and there should never have been a statue let alone a day to commemorate the shitheel of a man.

So we get the start of this wave of immigration into what will become northern South america, Central America, and southern north America by Portuguese populations who mainly speak, well, Portuguese, bringing music from the Iberian peninsula. But we’re more concerned with what’s happening up north and for that we’re gonna have to look at later waves of immigration that started with Roanoake starting in the 1520s.

So the start of British colonization started with Roanoake and Newfoundland (which, yes, for our non canadian listeners it’s pronounced newfinland not new found land like the name would suggest, which to be fair would also be cool, I’ll welcome the Fins in my land anytime, they do fantastic music). One of these settlements was infinitely more successful than the other with Newfoundland becoming what we know now to be the east most province of Canada and while Roanoake is still there it failed so hard that a population of 112 people disappeared without a trace. Like legit we still don’t know what precisely happened to them. Some assume they integrated into the local native populations, some assume they were all murdered, some assume cannibals, essentially it was a bad time for all involved.

What this means for newfoundland though and other English colonies is that musically we hear a very British folk song base to the music that’s being established here, with newfoundland being very much established as a fishing colony the musical style echoes that. Since we’re talking about the Kingdom of England more broadly this meant that there was an absolute tonne of Irish and Scottish influence to the music. This is why when you listen to the folk musics of Newfoundland (established in 1583), Virginia (established in 1607), and Parts of the Carolinas (established in 1712), you hear it sounds very similar to that of their colonial forefathers. This means that there was commonly a lot of fiddle, flute, English guitar, a string instrument with a long handle, rounded body and ten strings that was a version of a Renaissance cittern, simple stringed banjos; zithers, which were flat, shallow boxes with strings running the length of the body that were plucked by the fingers and and hammered dulcimers, various shaped (like trapezoidal and peanut shaped) sound boxes with strings across them that were hit with small hammers, Much like this!

So we have all these people coming into the area, and with that too you’re also going to get jigs and reels too. Jigs and reels are both types of dance music widely enjoyed across the British Isles but are most associated with Scottish and Irish dancing musics. The difference between the two is mostly the time signature as the instruments used to play both of them are roughly the same, that being said Scottish musics tend to have more pipes and irish does traditionally use a type of handdrum which are both excellent. Jigs are in compound duple time meaning that there are 12 8th notes in a bar of music and reels are played in simple time like 2/2 (two half notes per bar) or 4/4 (4 quarter notes in a bar). They sound like this.

Its important to note here too that when we talk about all of these peoples from the British Isles that we don’t unintentionally assume that they were all nice and cozy with one another. Many of the Scottish and Irish parties, often referred to simply as the scotch irish or scotts irish came to america as a form of Religious punishmen because they didn’t precisely fit in with the church of England, some of my ancestors were scotts-irish and came to what would eventually become America because they were Quakers.

It is from these traditions that the music then evolves into something different over time and actually we’re gonna take a quick detour into linguistics for a second because it will be particularly helpful in demonstrating my point and y’all will be able to hear something way cool. So for those who are not aware, linguistics is the study of, well, language. (big brain moment right?) But what does that mean? Whereas when you take English, Igbo, Japanese, Arabic, or any other established language in an academic setting (so like learning in school when you’re growing up) the emphasis is on spelling, grammar, how to write and speak your language in the way that it has been determined is the best way to speak it (which isn’t always ACTUALLY the best way to speak it but we’ll get into that in a second.) Linguistics is the study of pretty much every other component of the language. So linguists study the phonemes or the sounds that comprise the word and how they change based on the dialect that a person is speaking (a dialect being a regional difference of a language such as how someone from Scotland speaks English and how I as a Canadian speak English), they study how languages become standard languages and why (spoiler alert there’s a lot of elitism involved), they study meaning and why we put certain words in the order that we do (for Example in English we put adjectives (or the words that describe things) in very specific order being quantity, quality, size, age shape, color, proper adjective and purpose or qualifier so describing a thing could be a shitty old triangular purple metal pair of shoes, but if you were like the triangular purples old shitty pair of shoes you would lose your gourd.)

But why does linguistics matter? Well language actually acts a lot like music in the ways that it travels and changes over time which makes sense doesn’t it? When a people move around and interact with other cultures or are even just are separated from a larger group, over time their language will change! One change that is easy for us to see in our life-time is in word usage, for example, you use different phrases and slang that your parents and your grandparents didn’t use. The same goes for accents this means that your accent is going to be different than your parents and their parents. In some cases this will smooth it out or ramp it up, it will accentuate features, or drop features entirely. And actually this is where I’m going to give you over to a linguist to better explain this because where I do know about some linguistic shift they will definitely explain it better.

Why this is important is BECAUSE music functions similarly in terms of drift. Though musical drift doesn’t happen as FAST as language because language you use everyday with incredibly intensity and music you do not, it does still happen. Even more helpful in the tracing of language is how and where it moves over time. Because language is contingent on people speaking it and music is also contingent on those who play it, you can track how music and language changes and who it interacts with based on the stylistic attributes and or instruments that it acquires over time. If we wanna think about this in a real practical sense come with me into the theater of ur brainhole for a second. Imagine for a second there is a group of people who live in lets say India in like the 500s C.E for some reason or another they’re pushed out of India and into the west where they met like Turks and hung out with them for a couple hundred years. So they pick up some Turkish words, incorporate some of their musical elements and then move farther west. Then they meet the Greeks! The Greeks are pretty rad, they got some good shit going for them, so they stay for another couple hundred years! Again, they pick up some Greek words, some Greek musical elements. After that let’s say some of the people from this group were captured and held as indentured workers in a country forcing them to integrate into the culture of the majority but another portion of the population was fortunate enough to be able to get away and keep moving west into the Balkans where they also picked up a bunch of words and musical elements. You see where I’m going with this? Cultures are all contingent on how often or how little they come in contact with other cultures, this goes for music, this goes for language, hell this pretty much goes for all sorts of art. For the sake of our example I used the Roma who also just serve as a crazy good example for this because we didn’t really even know their history until one scholar was “like hey they got some Indian words in here” and launched a whole study into it which is rad as hell but we’re gonna save that for another episode. BUT YES CULTURE IS CONTINGENT ON THE INTERACTION OR LACK OF INTERACTION WITH OTHER CULTURES, THIS IS A THING AND WE’RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT IT A LOT.

SO we were with settlers from the British Isles and they came to north america and then their music changed!

In Canada and Louisianna we also have the addition of the French colonies which make our music a little different. In Canada those colonies would be Acadia in what is now the province of Nova Scotia (established in 1604), Montreal (established in 1642), Quebec (established in 1608), and Trois Riviers (established in 1634) along the Saint Lawrence River with the voyageurs or courier de bois who were fur traders dealing primarily in beaver. In the southern US it’s the colony of Louisianna in the states which is much larger than what is currently the state of Louisianna. All of these colonies together formed one mega colony commonly referred to as New France. Differences between the musics performed by French colonists vs. English colonists was, well first of all the language, obviously French colonists sang more often in French, due to them being… French. But there were also differences in content too. In Canada especially many settlements were originally set up with the intention of converting native populations to Christianity which is a form of cultural genocide by the way. Thus, Jesuit populations often brough a lot of religious music into the area. Sometimes it would be mixed with musical and cultural traditions of the native populations but often it would just be very Christian. An example from the area I grew up in would be the Huron carol which blends native cultural heritage from the area with Christianity. It sounds something like this.

As French populations began intermarrying into native populations this became a more common sonic combination to hear. In Canada we also have a larger amount of music based on or around or deriving from sea shanties due to the fishing populations that settles in East originally as fishing colonies. As I plan to do a whole episode on sea shanties one day I don’t want to go too much into them but quickly speaking sea shanties tend to be broken down into categories based on the task they were performed around. So there were three principal types of shanties: short-haul shanties, which were simple songs sung for short tasks where only a little work was needed, halyard shanties, for jobs such as hoisting sail, in which a certain rhythm was required to signal when it was time to exert effort and when it was time to rest (often referred to as a pull and relax rhythm), and windlass shanties, which synchronized footsteps. I find them incredibly infectious, which is probably intentional because they’re meant to kinda keep spirits up as well as set a pace for work, but I’ll try and sell ya more on that when the time comes. In the meantime you can content yourself with singing drunken sailor to yourself, probably one of the most well known shanties.

French Canadian music also has some very fun additions to it that come from the body itself, like ur own dang body. The first one is a singing technique but also song style. It’s technically a form of non-lexical vocable which is a fancy way of saying “sounds that comes from ur mouth in music that aren’t necessarily words.” In fact sometimes it’s also just referred to as French Canadian mouth music. This specific one I’m talking about kinda, lord how do you describe this, it’s like a scatting but much slower, less bombastic, and more rhythmic. I’m gonna fuck up the pronunciation because, again, even though I have a French Canadian background and had to take it from grade 4 to grade 9 in school I remember it about as well as one might remember an event they’ve never been to, that is to say not at all. The form is called a turlutte (ter-lute) which uses a lot of D, T, and M sounds to kinda fit the sound that ur looking for in a song. It sounds something like this!

French Canadian music also has the real fun addition of podorythmie or foot rhythms which are complex rhythms that people keep with their feet. For those who don’t know what a rhythm is, it is defined as a strong, regular, repeated pattern sound so lets say that you start clapping, and each clap is spaced exactly by one second, now on the first and third claps you clap a little harder, that would be a rhythm. Rhythms can be incredibly simple like that one or they can be really complex and the ones that you will hear in French Canadian music are of the more complex variety. Usually if the person performing them is also playing an instrument they’ll often sit in a chair with a little wood box or hard surface underneath which they will use to tap their feet on. Sometimes they will wear special hard bottomed shoes made with leather or wood to do this in order to accentuate the sound. Less commonly people can also stand while performing a podorythmie turning it into a kind of dance. Here’s my favorite example of what that sounds like.

Some of this style was eventually transported to Louisianna when the Acadians were eventually pushed out of Canada by the English in 1755, many of them ended up actually settling in Louisiana forming the ethnically Cajun population, Cajun deriving from the word Acadian. Not to say that life wasn’t hard for damn near everybody who wasn’t nobility in the 1700s, but the dramatic shift for Acadians made it particularly hard for a long time. People had trouble adjusting to their new way of life at first, coming from a mostly trading based economy to agrarian based was hard on the population, not to mention the massive change in climate that came with moving all the way from what would now be modern nova scotia all the way down to Louisiana. To give a real succinct idea of where exactly they were moving imma quote Loyola university in New Orleans that have done a really good succinct history on the Cajuns of Louisianna ”Few Acadians stayed in the port of arrival, New Orleans. Some settled in the regions south and northwest of New Orleans and along the Teche, Lafourche and Vermilion Bayous. Far more went further west to the marshes and prairies of south central Louisiana. They became hunters and trappers and farmers. It is a popular misconception that most Cajuns live on the bayous and in the marshes, poling their pirogues and hunting alligators. Far more became farmers in the grand triangular prairie that stretches from Lafayette north to Ville Platte and west to Lake Charles.” Like shit man, my giant canadian ass if forced to live in Louisiana would probably catch fire as soon as I got there let alone back then with no air conditioning and what have you. Their music also then changed to reflect their new way of life, not that the music was about catching fire in a corn field (although that would fucking slap), music was written and sung about hard times and hard livin’.

From the same Loyola University document: The music these people brought was simple. It was made by singing, humming, and rhythmic clapping and stamping. Instruments were brought to the colony, with a violinist's death recorded in 1782. Early instrumental music was played primarily on violins, singularily or in pairs. One violin played lead and the second a backing rhythm. A simple rhythm instrument was created out of bent metal bars from hay or rice rakes: the triangle or 'tit fer, meaning little iron. Musicians wrote original songs telling of their life in the new world. The song J'ai passe devant ta porte tells of the suddenness of death from accident and disease. The singer tells of passing by his beloved's door and hearing no answer to his call. Going inside he sees the candles burning around his love's corpse.

In the south they would have been influenced by other settlers in the area, more scotts and irish of course but also eventually African descended peoples. Some were brought as slaves during the French and Spanish colonial period or brought in by settlers after the Louisiana Purchase. Under Spanish rule, slaves were allowed to buy their freedom (which I cannot emphasize entirely how fucking difficult that would have been), leading to an early population of free Blacks in southern Louisiana. People of African descent also came from the Caribbean, including the colonized French-speaking islands. During the revolution in Haiti between 1789 and 1791, French-speaking Haitians who fled the violence often chose the Louisiana coast as a destination due to having a familiar linguistic population and ease of access. These populations would become to be known as creole. The term Creole comes originally from the Spanish criollo, for a child born of Spanish parents in the New World. The French borrowed it as Creole. Creole could refer to anyone of European parentage born in Louisiana. Over two centuries it began to be used to mean a person of mixed foreign and local parentage. One use today is to refer to someone entirely or partly of African descent.

Now, it’s incredibly important that we don’t discount the influence of slaves and former slaves in the creation and dissemination of creole musics because they are absolutely integral to the process. Creole songs originated in the French and Spanish slave plantations in Louisianna and thus contain tonnes of African musical elements from the instruments they used to the syncopated rhythms. For example, original instruments you would have heard could have been percussion instruments made out of gourds, known as shak-shak which would be shaken to create a rhythm, the mouth harp, a type of metal instrument that one holds in place in the mouth and plucks with their finger opening and closing their mouth hole to create different pitches and textures of sound, the bamboula, tambou, or tombou lay lay which are types of drums; and as I mentioned before, a type of banjo known as a banza might have been played if someone could fashion one. Because that in essence is what we’re talking about, when we talk about Creole music we’re talking about music slaves could make with the limited resources that were available to them, in order to make the music they wanted to hear. This is why overtime we also see the addition of the washboard as an instrument because it was something that would have been available to them. A washboard for those who don’t know is most literally a board, usually made out of ridged wood or metal that one would put into a source of water, either a basin or a river, and methodically rub the dirt and stains out of your dirty clothes as well as you could with soap if you could access it, believe me it’s about as fun as it sounds.

So what was this music they were playing? What did it sounds like? Well as I already mentioned there was a lot of African influence to the music. One of the most prominent features of this influence is the syncopated rhythm. A syncopated rhythm is a rhythm that is built so that the strong beats eventually become the weak beats. So if we continue our example from before, where we clap harder on the first beat and third beat, a syncopated rhythm would move to become the opposite of it on the 2nd and 4th beats or the off beats, like this. Don’t be worried if that’s something you can’t do yourself, I still find it hard to switch between.

As no type of culture exists independently of time or location though, the type of music they played was also influenced by the culture of their oppressors. While there was music that existed independently that slaves brought from their Native African groups such as the Bamboula, Calinda, Congo, Carabine and Juba, over time, a lot of their music also began to incorporate French and Spanish influence. A type of French dance called a quadrille for example was worked into the repertoire, a Spanish dance called the contradanza or the habanera actually became some of the first written music to incorporate the aforementioned African rhythms. Even the language used in these musics grew and changed. For the slaves, and even free black folk coming from the Caribbean, they would bring with them what is now known as patois, a language that is a combination of English, French, Spanish, and African languages. So when we think of what creole music is, it really then is a patchwork of different cultures mainly driven and compounded by the efforts of African slaves.

Now I will say before I play this example here that it is difficult when looking for early musics belonging to oppressed peoples because 1. It wasn’t written down for the most part, at least not in the way it would have been originally performed, 2. Pieces that were written down, recorded, or coopted were often done by white people looking to profit off of African music (which we’ll see way too fucking much of as we continue our north American music excursion), which seems like a rather disingenuous way to present it to you, and 3. Because music recording as far as actually recording audio didn’t exist until 1860. So if we’re looking for songs from the periods that they were written or invented we still have to find people who are alive that remember them. Even as I was researching this I was trying to look for recordings that would make it easier to hear the differences between the dance genres I mentioned earlier. Unfortunately there isn’t much in the way of albums or popular bands dedicated to these types of genres, so instead I’m going to play a clip of a bamboula rhythm being played by some students at the Asheh Cultural Arts Center's Kuumba Institute in New Orleans, and then a clip of another group performing a Calinda.

From where we’re currently standing in the year 2020 there is still Creole and Cajun distinct musics but they also created a fusion genre which has become it’s own thing, this genre is called Zydeco. Zydeco developed out of both the Cajun and Creole though (hard core purists will insist that it is a mostly creole development) which then further changed when German Immigrants started moving into the area. The accordion, which was invented in Vienna about 1828, was brought to Louisiana by the German immigrants many of whom lived adjacent to or among the Cajuns. Though it arrived in Louisiana as early as 1884, it was not immediately incorporated into Cajun music. This is because where fiddles were tuned differently than the accordions coming into the country. What I mean by that is that some instruments have pitches they’re better at playing naturally. So for example, you’re standard run of the mill trumpet, like if u look up a trumpet on google, well they’re most suited to play in the key of B flat because the sound that you get when you blow into one without putting any of your fingers on the buttons is B flat. For the accordions that were coming with the Germans, they were tuned to the keys of A and F, so it wasn’t till much later in 1925 that accordions tuned to C and D started appearing and thus started to be better incorporated into the music around it. The guitar was also added pretty late coming in in around 1920ish. The word Zydeco itself is actually derived from the title of a French song Les haricots sont pas sale or The snap beans are not salty! You can hear in the French if you put a little punchiness into it, the transition between the les and haricot sounds like a Z (yes I’m a Canadian that says Zee, I blame it on my American mother, plus it just sounds better, zed sounds like a bee flew into a hard surface). So because of the Z sound it became abbreviated to zarico and through time morphed into Zydeco! We got BEAN music.

And how does this bean music sound, well I personally think it sounds pretty fucking rad, kinda like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPztofSd5Y

fun fact about that one, I’ve known this song for roughly 5 years I knew it I definitely just thought these dudes were scattin, like WHOA BA BA WHOA BA BA WHA BA PA BYE BYE DOO DOO, I did not realize until roughly 2 years until after I heard it that it had lyrics…

Now you may have noticed I haven’t touched on Appalachian folk music yet and I’ve done it very strategically for 2 reasons. One is just simply because if I had put it any earlier yall would have been like HUEHUEHUE I HAVE HEARD ALL I NEED and then absconded into the night like a raccoon after finding half a cheeseburger in the trash. The second was because Appalachian folk music and next week’s episode are gonna be pretty instrumental in the episode after that, so to keep it popping freesh in ur brain bits I figured I’d stick it at the end of the episode.

So appalaichan music turns out is actually a really tricky genre of music, if we wanna go by the United States Library of Congress introduction to Appalaichan music: The term "Appalachian music" is in truth an artificial category, created and defined by a small group of scholars in the early twentieth century, but bearing only a limited relationship to the actual musical activity of people living in the Appalachian mountains. Since the region is not only geographically, but also ethnically and musically diverse (and has been since the early days of European settlement there), music of the Appalachian mountains is as difficult to define as is American music in general. I should also probably say before we get too far that like the Appalachian mountains (which first of all that I pronounce incorrectly because it’s pronounces with a CHian not Shan) but the appalachian mountains are the mountain range that run through a lot of the eastern United States, so like Appalachian Mountains extend 1,500 miles (or 2414 km for everyone else) from Maine to Georgia. They pass through 18 states and encompass the Green Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, the Berkshires of Connecticut, New York's Catskills, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The region known as the Southern Highlands, or Upland South, covers most of West Virginia and parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Virginia. In colonial times, this area was known as the "Back Country."

It was in these areas that Cherokee and Algonquin people already existed but then colonists would come from England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales and eventually from other parts of Europe came the Germans, French Huguenots, Polish, and Czechians. So we’ve already looked at the influence from the British Isles before (the jigs and reels and English folk music) but these would evolve into Square dances with a little help from French influences as well. A square dance for those who don’t know is a dance usually with 8 sets of partners who perform steps that are either established and vary based on song or thencaller which then the dancers perform. But just as we saw with instruments and musics being carried by free or escaped slaves to different parts of the southern united states and being integrated into the musical cannon of the area, the same thing happened in this area by the other people settling here as well. For example, the hammered dulcimer I told y’all about earlier (which if you haven’t seen one I would recommend lookin one up they can come in really fun shapes, ) but yeah those same hammered dulcimers were not an invention of the British isles carried over by those settlers but it is almost a direct descendant of a German instrument (the Germans btw came in a couple different waves the first big one being in 1670) so this instrument they brought was called the Scheitholt. Even African American instruments entered the scene in around the 1840s just in time for minstrel shows to start travelling around the country which I will be doing an episode on by the way because you can’t talk about American music without talking about the fucking disaster that is minstrel shows. It was these same free black peoples that also really popularized the call and response type of vocals which is pretty much just what it sounds like. The main singer will call out a line of lyrics sometimes as a holler, sometimes more musically, and other singers will answer it by doing it right back at them. This can be found in all sorts of music but just for the kicks of it here’s an example of it in gospel music.

But we’re gonna back track a little bit back to the Germans because we really haven’t talked about them enough and have left out one of their biggest influences on developing Appalachian folk music which is yodelling. If you’re from the states you’ll probably know yodelling from that kid that got famous a couple years ago and was in a Walmart commercial or something but for those of you who don’t know or people who do know that kid and are just curious about the mechanics of yodelling: The main components of a human singing voice are the head voice and the chest voice which I CAN and will demonstrate but to explain first, the head voice and chest voice are the two registers humans typically have. There’s also falsetto which is slightly different as it is kinda a pushing of the voice to a place it isn’t really supposed to be but I digress. So the head voice is where we get all our higher notes where the chest voice is where we get all out low notes. This is mainly due to the resonators we are using in creating these sounds as well as how tense or thick or thin and how long or short your vocal chords are. Resonators are simply just the air passages and open spaces in your body that sound resonates through. So for head voice you’re pushing the sound up and into the head using like ur nasal passages and all ur skull space for the sound to vibrate through which are all really small so you get a higher often sharper sound and chest voice mainly resonates in the chest (or ur LUNGS) which is a lot more space and so more low and rumbly. You can tell the difference between the two by putting a hand on ur chest while you’re singing, start with your lowest note you can comfortably reach and just start ascending, eventually you will feel your chest vibrate less and less and should be able to feel the switch into head voice. I’ll just give you a quick demonstration as to how different they are. Please bear in mind I am a natural soprano so my low range isn’t incredibly low but here it goes so the head voice “as I don’t do remembering, can’t give this song a ghost of past, I wander, I ponder, why there is weight in time” and again the same line but in chest voice “as I don’t do remembering, can’t give this song a ghost of past, I wander, I ponder, why there is weight in time.”

So if you tried it yourself you’ll notice that there’s a little, what vocalists call, break between where ur chest register is and where ur head voice is, it happens for everyone don’t worry. What yodelling does then is fluctuates between the head and the chest voice really fast and most importantly smoothly like this:

ahh shit man, the sounds of my ancestors, you can almost smell the leiderhosen, taste the octoberfest, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE SCHUPLATTING. But yes so Germans brought this with them from their homelands along with their accordions and it established itself the Appalachian folk tradition. Now it’ll probably interest you to know that yodelling isn’t a genre without purpose, as I’d like to do a whole episode on it though at some point I don’t wanna spoil too much but it is good for communicating across mountain ranges because of how it echoes and the types of inflection you can put into it. This makes it easier to understand why it survived the shift from the mountains in Germany all the way to the mountains of America. The Germans also brought something else with them, but it wasn’t just Germans, the Polish, and Czechian influences also brought it with them too! And what is it that they brought? The waltz of course! The waltz is a type of dance that focusses on a ¾ time signature, and has one heavy beat on the front and two lighter beats after. For any of you who’ve ever seen the musical Oliver, this is precisely the type of song Oom Pah Pah is.

So these collections of music and the things they developed into can be called Appalachian folk musics. It’s hard to pin down precisely what Appalachian music then sounds like at times because of all the different influences depending on place that you were living in, if you had to pick out a few things though you would head that firstly you get a lot of stringed instruments like guitars, fiddles and banjos. Secondly the themes were often similar and reflected day to day life living in the region such as mining or logging, there’s the fun little genre of murder ballads which I wanna do a whole episode on some day, and after the civil war we also get the addition of a lot of war songs. Thirdly this music would vary depending on purpose but would definitely include dances, campfire songs. So Imma play you a few samples then, first we just have a good old mountain song

if these sound familiar to other genres of music like bluegrass and country that’s because Appalachian folk music was the predecessor for both genres but those I’m gonna save for their own episode sometime in the future. It might be a part of the north American genre business it might be just another nebulous episode I do in the future at some point. But for now at least you know the history of some of the biggest Genres of American folk music. BUT WHAT ABOUT FOLK MUSIC TODAY, LAURA, WHAT ABOUT MUMFORD AND SONS, HOZIER, FUIMADANE, AND KORPIKLAAN? And I know, they’re ALL fantastic acts and I’ll get to people like them eventually, but for now at least you know where it all started.

So with that, hat’s all for just a music podcast this week, I hope you’ve heard something new, and I hope you’ve heard something that you like. If you haven’t there’s always next week where we’ll be getting heavy with slave and gospel music. In the meantime, though if one of y’all would like to suggest a topic I would love nothing more than to answer your musical question or talk about topics that interest you guys in music. Feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]

Bye!

1. Over the Hills and Far Away - 17th Century English Traditional - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MR7VihPm2E

2. Woodsong Wanderlust Solo Hammered Dulcimer by Joshua Messick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayAvzVdOJJY&list=RDfD0rNyjDAa0&index=13

3. Out on the Ocean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynKDggMtMww

4. Rakish Paddy & Braes of Busby (Reels) Uilleann pipes Chris McMullan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0umOtiKyUc

5. A Quick Lesson on Southern Linguistics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNqY6ftqGq0

6. Huron Carol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgPeEvUl06Y

7. La Bolduc - Reel Turluté https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASW3Cejl5oc

8. Le Lys Vert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASW3Cejl5oc

9. J'ai passe devant ta porte https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtchvhughFw

10.New Orleans Kuumba camp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItRuHjjGMhg

11. Calinda (Stickfight) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaM0PI3T1s8

12. Bye, Bye Boozoo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPztofSd5Y

13. Call and Response in Gospel Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMgNTwZW5gY

14. Underthing Solstice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anMKMu9Tpoc

15. Yodelling Franzl Lang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQhqikWnQCU

16. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles – Ost – Maggie is Everything https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fn1Pw-LxU8&

17. Ola Belle Reed High on the Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsRRY5k5Psg

18. Traditional Tennessee Square Dance Caller Gerald Young of Pulaski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7-DWvegcL8

#podcast #just a music podcast #music #music history #comedy #comedy podcast #learn urself a thing #folk #folk music #american folk music #canadian folk music

10 notes · View notes

evien-stark · 4 years

Text

✧I Need You✧ Chapter 187

It was decided that Steve and Rhodey would go with you tomorrow to meet with Ellis. Both men of varying military means that would be more muscle-for-show than anything. But you appreciated it regardless, even if you didn’t think you needed it to push Ellis around. But who knew? He seemed to be changing more and more these days. Every time you called him or he called you it was always because of an emergency. He was turning, slowly, you felt. And not in a way that was beneficial to you or your family.

...or the kids you were currently delivering to a sprawling manor. Lush greens and a giant literal mansion sitting central. Large grounds. Several smaller buildings. All protected by a dense wooded area. And… towers that were definitely of Stark Industries design. There were more people than you would have thought just walking about but then again, this was their home. And you had no idea the scope of it all.

The whole point for coming, wasn’t it? But there was a certain nervousness about you as you let the girls off first, again, and they stood pretty popular amongst the spying eyes that had come to see just why a jet was landing on their front lawn. Other kids jogged up to meet them and they all started talking excitedly about what was going on.

You stood at the foot of the ramp after getting off the jet, just trying to take it all in. Most of the kids walking around looked “normal”. So did Kitty and Jubilee. Nobody would know any different. But some… some stood out completely. Like the guy with angel wings. Or the big fuzzy blue… man who was peering up from the doorstep of the manor. Once he locked eyes with you he turned promptly around and went back inside.

Half turning, you were about to say something to Tony who was just coming out when someone bumped broadside into you, nearly knocking you over. They were quick, purposefully so, as they put an arm around you to stop your fall. When you caught your footing you made an evident step back. Looking up, you were faced with a tall man in a long brown trench coat. Somewhat shaggy but styled brown hair and-

Pitch black eyes. Black scleras and red irises. And a winning smile that was doing its best to put you at ease as you stared up at him. “Excuse me, chere. Wasn’t lookin’ where I was going.” His accent was thick. ...Cajun, if you were guessing correctly. Which you might not have been.

You put your gawking to rest. “That’s okay.” The fact that he was lying and putting on a show probably shouldn’t have made much of a difference. Not quite the way you would have made a first impression but…

Tony put his hand on the overhead of the ramp as he finally disembarked fully. “Everything alright out here?”

The man put his hands up. “No problems here.”

“So, here they finally are.” A very gruff voice came from your right, accompanied by quite a wave of distaste and anger. “The modern saviours of the planet. Come to grace us with their presence. To what do we owe the honor?”

When you looked to match the voice to a face you weren’t surprised. A shorter man. Buff. Bulky. Short black hair. Five o’clock shadow. And one of the meanest scowls you’d seen in a long time. Clearly none too pleased with your being here.

The man that had bumped into you gave you a small pat on the arm. “Ignore him. He’s always in a mood.” He then took your hand in his and lifted it to press a kiss to the back, something you pulled away from almost immediately. “The name’s Remy, by the way, if you were thinkin’ of asking.”

You tried your best not to let your nose wrinkle, but your sarcasm was very heavy. “Well aren’t you a charmer.”

The shorter man came closer. “Only for idiots that’ll fall for it.”

Tony crossed his arms. “Lucky us, then.” Not really impressed with anything that was happening.

“Logan, I hope you're not upsetting our guests.” The man of the hour finally appeared. Charles Xavier seemed to have finally ditched that- as Tony called it, Driving Ms. Daisy act that he’d been putting on in your office. He was in a fully powered wheelchair now, and didn’t seem nearly as feeble as when you’d first met him. His smile was kind, though, which you appreciated.

The man now known as Logan turned to Charles, frowning in distaste. “What’re they doing here? You asked them to come here?”

Charles continued smiling. “They’ve been gracious enough to bring back two of our students who seemed to have gotten lost sometime yesterday.”

Remy gave Logan a little nudge with a chuckle. “Here I thought you were on watch last night. Unless I’m mistaken?” Grinning, taking a large amount of joy in this.

Logan turned on him completely. “Listen you-”

Tony put an arm around your shoulders and cut the chatter. “Excuse me, gentlemen. As endearing as the whole will-they-or-won’t-they thing you’ve got going on is, I’ve missed about the last five seasons, so I gotta tell you. I’m not really interested in this little narrative.”

You followed up with something a little more polite. “It’s cold out. Could we please go inside?”

Charles gestured with a wave of his hand. “Ah, yes. If you’ll both follow me, please.”

You gave the two men a very clipped wave. “Nice meeting you.”

Remy grinned rather broadly, giving you a two-fingered salute. “Be seein’ you around.”

Logan just rolled his eyes with a grunt and walked the other way. Though you did catch- “Un-fucking-believable.” Such a pleasant man.

---

It was nice and warm inside the manor, and much better than being outside on the lawn with all the antics going on. There was a gentle echoing murmur surrounding the halls. Voices of kids and adults alike chatting away about lots of things- at least until more of those spying eyes came to peek at who had arrived. Then you heard whispers that were far more familiar.

Your name. Tony’s. The Avengers.

A sudden excitement came over the school. You weren’t sure what to do with it.

Charles led you down a few halls into what seemed to be his private study. Inside, that burly blue man you’d seen earlier was setting down a tray with a teapot on it, steaming away. Once his hands were free he leaned back up and offered a light smile. “I heard we had special guests on the way so I used the expensive blend.”

Tony closed the doors behind himself as he was the last one in and you stepped closer, peering up into the man’s striking yellow eyes. “You didn’t have to go to all that trouble, but I appreciate it.” He was radiating warmth and kindness. A much better deal than what you’d gotten with the other two.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” He held out one of his big, furry hands and you were careful as you laid yours in his. He gave you a small shake. “Henry McCoy.”

“Likewise.” Smiling back at him then. Something that pleased him immensely.

He set his sights on Tony next, moving away from you to go to him with another offering of a handshake. “You, too, Mr. Stark.” They began chatting quietly.

This gave you a little bit more information. Clearly Tony hadn’t had any contact with these people outside of Charles. Maybe both had preferred it that way. But they knew of him- probably knew what he’d done for the school, seeing as how Stark Tech wasn’t really the quiet kind. If nothing else, working for Charles, he probably told them what was going on.

But now the veil was completely pulled back. You knew of them and… they were getting familiar with you.

Charles had stopped his chair near the table and was pouring two cups of tea. When he finished, even though Tony and Henry were still talking, he gestured for you to take a seat. A sudden feeling of anxiousness gripped you, and you realized you didn’t want to be here for much longer. Maybe that was rude, but… this was all a bit overwhelming.

When you did sit, he offered you your cup, and you took it graciously, holding it between your hands. Savoring the warmth. The blend smelled like citrus and spices. Something that would otherwise perhaps be comforting, if not for the situation at hand. “I think we should get right to it.”

Looking up, Charles’ brows lifted but he continued to wear what you now understood to be quite a knowing smile. “If you wish.”

“I’m not a mutant.” That’s what this whole thing was about. So that had to be put to bed first. As soon as you said it, you heard Tony and Henry’s conversation screech to a halt. Uneasy silence took over the room. Everyone was staring at you. You weren’t exactly sure what to say next.

Charles helped you out just as you heard Henry quickly excuse himself from the room. Once he was gone, “Oh, I’m very aware of that.”

Surprise struck you just as much as it had Tony- who was coming over to stand next to you, crossing his arms. “Is that so?”

Charles smiled up at him. “That is so. Would you care for a cup of tea, Mr. Stark?”

Your nerves became more than a little bit ruffled. Maybe it was that Tony was starting to feel just slightly miffed. Because if Charles knew that… then he’d been played. You barely realized that you were completely fine from the crazed fog that had sent you into a spiral last night- over exactly what he was doing now.

No. Now you were consumed by a small wave of outrage on Tony’s behalf. That took up every other space you’d have had for anything else. You waved a hand in the air. “No- I don’t understand. You came to my office a long time ago to ask me to come here.”

“To see the grounds. And the children. I think a partnership between us could be quite advantageous.” Charles lifted his cup, taking a slow sip.

Tony’s upset fluttered again. “We made a deal over her. That you’d leave her alone- because you wanted her-”

Charles held a finger up. “I never said I thought she was a mutant. You entered that idea into play. I merely remained quiet on my position.”

Now the both of you were getting upset. You were the one to ask, “And what is your position, exactly? What’s the point of all of this?” It was one thing for him to have come to you if he thought you were a mutant. If he wanted to learn about you because of that- because of his people. But if he’d known the whole time- ...actually- “Wait. Before that. How did you even find out about me?”

That was a far more important question. You and Tony had worked pretty hard to keep your powers a secret. ...him more than you, most of the time. Sometimes without your even knowing about it. Charles had walked in on you pretty early. You not being a mutant- and him knowing that- aside, how had he figured it out?

He stayed calm and patient as ever, settling his cup down and then putting his hands in his lap. “As you can imagine, it’s very important to me to know the goings-on in the world. You have a gift, we cannot deny this. It may not be born of the same kind as us. But for people like us, such as myself, we are more tuned to spotting that sort of thing.”

This was a bullshit answer and you didn’t really like it. Tony scoffed. “You ever think about going into politics?” Mirroring your sentiments. Charles had said so much and yet said nothing at all. “Usually we have to be sitting in front of the Senate to hear such lengthy speeches with absolutely no substance.”

Charles chuckled. “Amusing, that you should bring that up.” He wanted to move on to the next topic.

You weren’t sure you would let him. The other option was to try and wear him down into getting him to tell you what he was up to. How he found out about you. Why he’d used Tony- ...probably all means to the same end, actually. You couldn’t demand he tell you. And even if you did, it would get you nowhere.

Charles Xavier seemed to be a very tricky man living in a very gray world.

You gave up, sensing the uselessness of continuing to fight that fight. For now, anyway. “You want to talk about President Ellis.”

“That’s the reason our paths have crossed again, is it not? I think it’s very prudent to draw up a plan of action at this point in time, considering what went on last night.” He grew serious very suddenly.

Tony shook his head, something you caught out of your peripheral, and walked away in a light pace. You tried to gather your thoughts in the most concise way. “I’m going to talk to him tomorrow.”

“Is he aware of that?”

“No.”

Charles smiled again. “Good. The element of surprise is often a strong tactic.”

...you weren’t really sure what to make of that, so you decided to move on. “I used to know that man but I think more and more lately he’s being bullied onto a path that ends very unwell for us- ...the Avengers, for sure. And… if people find out about you- the kids and this school, probably you, too.”

He nodded slowly. “Tell me, where do you think that path ends exactly?”

A pit formed in your stomach. “Probably some form of legislation over enhanced individuals. He’s been going there in bits in pieces. He put me on some nonsense counsel in the UN to shake hands and smile pretty.”

“To help assuage fears. Something you are very good at, I have no doubts. The world is changing. People need a strong voice to listen to, to keep them calm. You have one hand in each world. I understand why he chose you.”

“He might not have if he knew the truth about me.” You stared at Charles very carefully.

He stared right on back. “Maybe so. How long do you plan on keeping that a secret?” This almost sounded like a threat. Almost. If you were listening in just the right way. Charles knew about you. He could leak your secrets anywhere he wanted.

But you knew about him, too. There was a sense of mutually assured destruction going on here that you weren’t comfortable with. “As long as I feel like it.” This was said almost too defensively. But this was your life. Why should it be anyone else’s business?

“I see.” This answer seemed to displease him. Maybe because it was childish. He took a breath and let it out as a sigh, eyes lowering. “Let me be perfectly honest with you… these children and this school, mutants themselves… they’re part of a growing culture. One that cannot be stopped. Now I’ve instructed them to take care of themselves, look after themselves and… try and not cause a panic. But sheltering them, isolating them- this is not the best approach. And not one I give a lot of mind to. Some of my colleagues here agree with it, some don’t. We’re not always as quiet as we seem. We just haven’t been in the middle of any… New York level events, to put it mildly.”

You took all this and tried to process it as best as you could. He was building up to something. He was waiting for a moment to ask you something. Whatever it was that had brought him to your office those few years ago. Some partnership he’d just spoken about minutes back.

-and then it clicked. “You want me to publicize mutants?” Tony stopped his pacing, turning to look over at you. A strange sense of fear touched him.

Charles looked up, pleased once more, and smiling yet again. “You are very astute. Yes, for the same reason President Ellis put his faith in you to keep minds calm, I might ask for the very same thing. I care about these children. I care about mutants. I only want what’s best for them. We can’t hide this forever, nor should we. I think you know exactly how to weave optics. It was why Mr. Stark hired you. It was why President Ellis trusted you. It is why I came to you. And am coming to you again.”

You found yourself shaking your head. “I get wanting to get ahead of everything-”

“It seems we are already behind.” He cut you short. “I don’t know what Ellis is doing with these soldiers of his and I would demand answers, the same as you. But the longer we wait, the more instances like these will occur.”

Tony finally rejoined the conversation after having absorbed all of that, walking back over to your side. “Why her? You’ve got a hundred people here. You could do it yourself. Why involve her?”

Charles looked up at him. “She is who she is.”

There was a stray thought here:

I think we both know what that means.

But you had no idea at all. Tony pointed a finger at him. “And you are who you are. Why should we do this, after the whole dog-and-pony show you dragged us through? After you just admitted you were spying on her?” He was getting worked up. Because it was you.

Charles connected two dots that he probably shouldn’t have. “A while back, I might have had a mind to ask SHIELD for help. But…”

Spying. SHIELD. What a laugh.

Except that it wasn’t funny in the slightest. Not to you, at least. And certainly not to Tony. You opened your mouth to argue- maybe to tell him to go to hell- but the door of the room opened and you stopped before going into a tirade. Thankfully so, as Kitty and Jubilee stood in the front of the room. Kitty was the one to wave her hand. “We just wanted to say thank you. For everything.”

Jubilee grinned. “You really helped us out. So as the President of the welcoming committee for Xavier’s School for Gifted Children, I officially declare you are welcome back at any time.” She made a great attempt to sound very official, but ended her speech with a thumbs up.

The woman you recognized as Ms. Munroe put her hands on their shoulders. “Alright girls. Let’s go now.”

They both let out a cheerful double, “Bye!!” And then the door closed again.

That was on purpose, you were sure of it. The timing was too perfect.

But…

You let defeat take hold of you as you sighed. “Right. I get it. This isn’t about me and my secrets. Or you and your secrets. It’s about them. That’s what you want me to get, right? I gotta tell you, I’m not really a fan of your methods.”

Charles seemed only slightly taken aback. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

You ignored him. “The kids here deserve to live normal lives. I get that. But I don’t know how to manifest that for them, and if that’s what you’re asking me to do, that’s a lot of work. I have to figure out this stuff with Ellis first- and put a stop to it. After that… I’ll try and look into what exactly going public for your school- and for them-... what that should look like. This is tricky. We go about this the wrong way, the public is going to feel like you’ve been hiding this from them because mutants are dangerous. They’re going to feel lied to- and that’ll put my credibility in jeopardy- the Avengers’, too. Then it won’t matter who’s telling the public what at that point. It won’t matter if it’s me.”

Charles was watching you very carefully. Tony had moved to put his hand on your shoulder. You continued to let your thoughts pour out. “I’ve been trying to fight back public perception for a long time. If people start losing faith in the Avengers, that’s a huge problem. And we’ll go straight past legislature for enhanced people to maybe just jail. I can’t have that. I’m sure you don’t want that, either. So I have to think about this.If there’s a way to do it right… I’ll figure it out. But I’m not making any promises.” That was really the best you could do.

A small silence sat in the room but eventually Charles smiled again. “You’re a very smart woman. I have faith in you.”

This was your cue to leave. When you remembered your legs, you pushed up to stand, and Tony’s sturdy presence comforted you as he put an arm around your waist. Before you could start goodbyes, though, you had to make one thing very clear. “If you do anything underhanded again or even morally questionable, this deal is off the table.”

You understood the lengths he was willing to go to for these kids. For mutants. But that didn’t excuse them. And you would not be made a fool of. That went double for Tony. You would not let anyone parade him around for kicks.

Pleasant as ever, Charles held strong to that smile. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

---

It wasn’t until you and Tony were boarded back on the jet and it was miles into the air that you finally allowed yourself to relax again. You’d really been wound tight that entire time. Tiredness oozed out of you. And, with your walls down and safe with him, you allowed yourself a moment of weakness. “Why me?”

Why you.

Why was it always you.

Tony’s grin was gentle and he reached out to take hold of your hand, giving you a little squeeze as his fingers interlocked with yours. “I don’t know, honey. He might not be my favorite person in the world right now but… he did have some good points.”

You groaned, angling your seat back just a little, turning your head to look at him. “Like what?”

He tilted his head, handsome and reassuring as ever with that clever little grin of his. “You just have a way about you. People like you. And you know what you’re doing. If there was anyone I would trust with helping me build some positive narrative to present to the public- ...well. We’ve already been down that road. Do I have to say more?”

Despite not really wanting to, you couldn’t help a soft smile. “You could say a little more.”

Tugging the hand he was holding, he lifted yours up, pressing a few kisses to the back. Little ones that sent warmth flooding through you. “Xavier might be a sheep in wolf’s clothing. But he’s right on the money about you.” That was an interesting way to put it. Charles was definitely trying to present a large hand here. Trying to let you know what he was capable of, if he had a mind to do something. But that was the thing. He didn’t.

...he really just seemed like he cared about the mutants. And that was what was most important to him. So whatever it took to protect them or help them…

Hm. Maybe the two of you were more alike than you wanted.

Your silence spurred Tony into continuing. “Look- if you don’t wanna do it, I would never hold it against you. I think I’ve mentioned this a few times before but… it’s not your job to clean up the whole world and fix everyone’s problems. No matter how much everyone likes to make you feel like it is.”

A sigh escaped you. “I don’t know what I want to do yet. I think I need to tackle this thing with Ellis first and then worry about it.” A soft sadness sparked to life in your heart.

One that Tony seemed to not only feel but mirror. In this safe space where it was just the two of you, he voiced the selfish thought growing inside you. “And here I thought we were stepping back from all this.”

“Yeah.” Disappointment became a soft glow bouncing off you. You just wanted a life with Tony. You wanted time away from this. Yet there you were. Making plans that had nothing to do with any of that. Getting back to work. What choice did you have? “So did I.”

#Tony Stark #Tony Stark x Reader #INY Chapter One Hundred Eighty Seven

2 notes · View notes

coordinatesofher · 5 years

Text

EVERYTHING FOR A WEEKEND IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

NOLA (New Orleans Louisiana) is such a quirky, fun, beautiful place filled with friendly people and AHHHHmazing food. Walking around the French Quarter and popping in and out of places you will find tons of food and drinks and loads of fun! If you are in need of some local references for food, drinks, or entertainment, then you have come to the right place! Here is everything you need to know to visit NOLA and have the time of your life!

FOODS YOU SHOULD TOTALY TRY IN NOLA:

Boiled Crawfish - Technically, you can find crawfish year round. But, many local will tell you, only eat boiled crawfish during crawfish season! The rest of the year it is either frozen local crawfish or it is sourced from elsewhere.

Beignets - Cafe Du Monde - This is a must! They have been serving Beignets since the Civil War! The line is often long so if you need a back up spot, Cafe Beignet is a great option as well.

Pecan Pralines - Try pralines or fudge at any of the little shops. Super sweet, but yummy. Loretta’s in the French Market is really good.

King Cake - If you find it, eat it! King Cake is seasonal and typically found during Mardi Gras and it is SO yummy! It is basically a mix between a donut and cake stuffed with cream. You will love it!

Hot Sauce - Spice is a HUGE thing in Louisiana! Every place in the Quarter has dozens of them to try. Some are so hot you have to sign a waiver eating!

Chicory - OK. This is not my thing, but it is very much a NOLA thing. Chicory in Coffee is huge. Personally it isn’t for me, but by all means try it.

Po-Boys - It is a sandwich stuffed with various meats usually fried shrimp or seafood. In the Quarter you can go to Cafe Masperos or Johnny’s Po-Boys or Erin Rose, but the best one in the city and where you will find me every day is Parkview Bakery! It is worth the uber ride, and it is such a great, local, backyard vibe.

Muffalettas - Central Grocery Co. is a super famous spot for this. I don’t eat meat so I have never had it, but everyone raves about it!

Oysters - Full disclosure, I have never eaten or even tried an oyster, but I have heard that Antoine’s Restaurant or Felix’s is the way to go for that.

Hurricane Alcoholic Drink - Pat Obrien’s is famous for this, but they have them everywhere.

Hand Grenades - These are a huge thing on Bourbon. Be warned, the sugar masks the liquor and you will be beyond drunk afterward.

Absinthe - Pirate’s Alley is the place for it. 55% alcohol makes it a doozy. Their version is the legal limit.

SnowBalls - I lived for these as a kid, and Hansens is the place in the city to get it.

World Famous Fried Chicken - Willie Maes has been on every food network show and is SUPER famous. It is supposed to be life changing chicken. Now they have created a bit of a chain, but make sure to visit the original location.

Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Étouffée - These will be served lots of places and worth trying. Best spots: Jambayala - Coop’s Place / Gumbo - Stanley's

BEST COFFEE AND BREAKFAST NEW ORLEANS:

My favorite breakfast spot in the whole city is in the Lower Garden District at Hivolt Coffee. It is the best coffee in the city including pour overs and the pastries and breakfast are all great!

If you are in the Warehouse District there is a Stumptown Coffee in the Ace Hotel which is a great option as well!

Brennans is super famous for breakfast. I have never been. But, worth pointing out. Make sure to get a reservation.

When in town, I usually eat at Sasuma Cafe. Cheap, simple, and healthy, something hard to find in Louisiana some times ;)

Another favorite of mine is Surrey’s. To be fair, I have never tried anything other than their pancakes, but I don’t need to! Their pancakes are the best!

Elizabeth’s in Bywater is a super traditional southern breakfast with smothered everything and great biscuits. It is really good and a great way to try southern food!

Ruby Slipper is also a fun spot with cajun/creole breakfast influences. It is probably the best breakfast spot to please everyone and still get to try some unique things.

BEST BARS IN THE FRENCH QUARTER:

Pat O’Briens dueling pianos is a must! It usually has a line, but once you get in it is such a blast. They basically pack people into a room with two dueling pianos that play any song request and everyone in the room sings as loud as possible to classics and shares drinks. It can really be a blast!

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop is the oldest structure in the city to have a bar so it is a great spot to grab a drink.

Carousel Bar - This bar is inside of a hotel. There is a carousel inside it that moves and is it’s claim to fame. It doesn’t sprinkle my donuts, but people seem to love it!

Pirate’s Alley - if you dare try the absinthe. This is a famous spot and the only place in the city to sell legal absinthe. Fair warning the alcohol content level is HIGH.

Saints and Sinners - Nothing crazy about this other than Channing Tatum owns it so the girls tend to love it. And, for that reason, it is worth pointing out.

Ace Hotel’s rooftop is a really beautiful space! One of my favorite spots. My girlfriend from Los Angels and I always laugh going there cause its definitely like the other Ace Hotels in terms of lack of friendliness and run by New Yorkers. But, still the rooftop bar is super nice!

Frenchmen Street - SUPER famous for Jazz music. Places like the Spotted Cat are where all the greats played back in the day. It is the locals version of Bourbon Street, or at least it used to be. Typically, you can find lots of live music and fun spots.

Tchoup Yard is a super fun spot and great for a day hang out. There are loads of backyard games and outdoor vibes and usually lots of locals just playing corn hole and drinking beers. It is also located right where lots of brewers have popped up which is new to the city, so it is a great day drinking spot.

Musical Legends Park is such a cute romantic spot (maybe the only one) on Bourbon. I think it is only Friday nights, but a live jazz band plays outside and for a moment you feel like you are in a European city. Swoon.

Bourbon Street is filled with dozens and dozens of bars and intoxicated people. It is not where locals tend to hang out, but if you are looking to experience this side of NOLA and have a blast doing it, just pop in and out of all the bars along the street. No destination is needed here.

GOOD EATS NEW ORLEANS:

Cochon Butcher and Cochon Restaurant are both really good spots in the warehouse district with great vibes and food with a local twist. (Cochon means “pig” so that says a lot about what is on the menu).

Peche is a nice restaurant as well. Peche means “fish” so there is a lot of seafood dishes here. Nice vibes. Good food.

Pizza Domenica - Great pizzas and pastas and garlic bread knots, and a nice break from fried food.

Josephine Estelle in the Ace Hotel is a great little spot. More Los Angeles type foods like anything with a vegetable (lol) than the other places listed. Plus, you can pop up to the rooftop bar afterward.

NOLA in the French Quarter is really good. Typical cajun and creole dishes that are really well done. More pricey.

Emeril’s is super famous and fancy pants. I have never been. Heard great things! More pricey.

Commander’s Palace is SUPER famous and supposedly really amazing. Never been. Hard to get a resi. Heard amazing things! Most pricey.

St. Roch is a great stop and my personal favorite place to get biscuits. There are several vendors in this space like a small market and it is a great way to try different foods in the city!

BEST TOURIST STOPS NEW OREANS:

Napoleon’s House (yep, he had a house there that is now a restaurant) The food is not life changing, but it is cool to see. And, full disclosure, Napoleon died before getting to visit this house, so he never lived here, but it was built for him.

There are lots of huge plantation style homes in the Garden District one of which is where Mark Twain used to throw parties. These old southern homes are to die for.

Near there is St. Charles Ave. where 300-400 year old oak trees line the street. You gotta take a trolley ride down this street and see it. It is beautiful.

Jackson Square in front of the St. Louis Cathedral which is the most popular photo spot and dates back hundreds of years.

Cemeteries - Due to being below sea level, graves are all above ground in NOLA. And, many of them date back centuries and are well worth a visit. You can even visit Marie Laveaus (the famous Voodoo Queen’s) tomb. Across from Commander’s Palace is Lafayette Cemetery which is free to visit. My recommendation for a more historical tour would be to visit St. Louis Cemetery where notables have been buried. You have to do a tour, but it’s great. OH, and you can see the period tomb Nicholas Cage had built for when he dies. Kinda wild.

Swamp Tours - This isn’t necessarily “historic” perse other than people having been boating here for centuries and the cypress trees are hundreds of years old. The tours are a whole lot of fun and you get to see alligators out in the wild! I highly recommend doing one to see a completely different type of landscape and life on the bayou.

Museums - There are lots of great museums all within walking distance of each other. So, if you are looking for a break from Bourbon street this is your spot. The WW II museum is one of the best tin the country and a great way to spend the afternoon. There are also wonderful art museums like the Ogden and the Contemporary.

WHERE TO SHOP NEW ORLEANS:

The French Market in the French Quarter is the best place to shop for souvenirs and fun little things. Most of the goods are on the cheaper side so it is fun to walk about. As a kid, this was always my favorite spot!

If vintage clothing is your thing, then Royale Street is a great place for all things vintage. There are several vintage boutiques specializing in unique period clothing.

There are loads of Local shops selling New Orleans designers like Krewe Sunglasses which are great and well worth the stop in.

Magazine Street is my favorite street in the city and it is filled with loads of shops, antiques, and great eateries. It is a great way to spend an afternoon outside of bourbon. Just take the trolley car from the French Quarter.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A WEEKEND IN NEW ORLEANS:

Casual is a way of life there. While a few trendy spots have come to town and people dress more trendy/urban in those spots, for the most part, it is casual. The city is so laid-back and truly no one will care what you are wearing.

Comfy Shoes - The streets and sidewalks are uneven and often cobblestone. Tourism causes a lot of trash. And, rain doesn’t help. So, I recommend comfy shoes like tennis shoes that you are ok to get scuffed up and wet and maybe even just toss after the trip.

Sunscreen - The heat is no joke here!

Hat for sun - A hat or even an umbrella to protect against the sun is a must in the summer and maybe even year round!

Sunglasses - As mentioned above, sun protection is a must!

Backpack - I am a backpacker type of tourist because with all the heat and alcohol you will want water and a place to store your raincoat and sunscreen, etc. Plus, like in any tourist spot, keeping your things safe and protected is the way to go!

Toilet Paper/Kleenex packets - The French Quarter is old and packed with people. The bathrooms aren’t guaranteed to have TP in them so make sure to bring some! Oh and a few baby wipes wouldn’t hurt either!

Rain Coat/Jacket - If it rains, umbrellas are quite difficult on the narrow sidewalks, so a rain coat is the way to go.

Bug Spray - When it is too cold there aren’t mosquitoes, but GURL mosquitoes are a very real thang there, especially if you are going on a swap tour in the summer!

Cash - A lot of the city will accept credit card, but there are still quite a few places that are cash only. Quite literally some spots have been cash only for centuries. So, I recommend keeping some handy.

STAY SAFE AND LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

While the city is without a doubt one of my favorite places, it does have a darker side not all that different than parts of Los Angeles. So, I recommend being vigilant. As a tourist, you can be a target, so while I have never had anything happen, it is a high possibility. Put simply, I would just do your best to keep your wits about you and not flash money. Stay safe!

IN IT TO PIN IT:

Make sure to save this pin graphic to your Pinterest board when planning your trip to New Orleans, Louisiana!

MORE FROM LOUISIANA:

#NEW ORLEANS #LOUISIANA #FRENCH QUARTER

6 notes · View notes

footstepsofaprairiegirl-blog · 5 years

Photo

If anyone knows me, they know that I am a very budget traveller, I have slept many nights at the airport just to save on that final night of accommodations, skipped many meals, and usually take the most inconvenient forms of transportation, if it means saving a buck or two, and I think that’s why my trip to LA was so special, because for once, I did the complete opposite.

We had intentions of having a very slow first night in LA, check into our AIRBNB and then head to the iconic Santa Monica Pier to watch a sunset before turning in early, but those plans quickly changed when we hopped into a share Uber and had the absolute pleasure of meeting a local woman named Veronica. Veronica is aspiring to become a travel guide for the area, so we couldn’t have had better luck, she emailed me a very detailed itinerary of what we should try and see during our 4 night adventure.

Kyle and I hopped out at the pier and excitement took over, I am like a child in such a way that when I am excited I just take off, immediately immersing myself into the chaos of the pier with my eyes glued to the sunset that was unfolding in front of us, we took pictures and splashed around until our toes were cold and the sky was dark. We wanted to take Veronica’s advice and head to Cha Cha Chicken, but decided to hop on a bar stool at Bubba Gump Shrimp first, and man oh man am I glad we did. We started with the idea that we were just going to grab some cocktails, but the smells quickly forced our brains to be distracted by the original plan. We needed shrimp and we needed it now, we ended up ordering a half pound of shrimp, half classic garlic and half cajun spiced - a bit spicy, resulting in extra fast cocktail inhalation and a bit of a buzz after settling our bill.

We made our way just down the road toward Venice and hopped out at Cha Cha Chicken, a menu was posted up on the board, and we ordered through a window, I got vegetarian empanadas based on the workers recommendation, and since Cha Cha Chicken doesn’t serve booze, Kyle ran to the liquor store to take advantage of the BYOB rule. Thank goodness for the tall Heineken he brought back because my empanada was so spicy I was sweating, but the food was so good and the atmosphere was so fun, I felt like I was ocean side in Tulum, Mexico, not in busy Los Angeles.

Next on the list was a 100 year old bar called The Townhouse, it was highly recommended due to the history, so we were a little surprised upon arrival as it was very small, a large bar taking up most the space and just one pool table, there was staircase at the back that led to the basement but security told us we weren’t permitted. We gave the place a chance and ordered up at the bar, Kyle getting himself a nice cocktail and myself a tall can of PBR, and started chatting with the bartender. Turns out, The Townhouse was operated as a grocery store upstairs, but an elevator away was a hidden speakeasy and a brothel, and we were in luck, because that night hosted in the basement, was a Burlesque show that everyone was welcome to attend. The show being later in the evening, we had some time to kill before hand so we drank and played pool, and met a cute local girl who was self celebrating her success.

Midnight struck and we moved to the basement, still dark, but much more spacious, you could see the history in the walls and the decor, it’s a beautiful place, and we were so glad we decided to check it out. The show was a highlight for me as I loved watching Christina Aguilera’s Burlesque movie growing up. The host came out dressed like Jabba The Hut and really set the mood for a comical and fun show to watch, we stuck around until around 2 a.m. but I was so tired from the days travel and adventure it was time to head home.

The next day was very food and drink orientated, in order to fulfill Kyle’s nerdy needs, we started with a trip to the California Science Center so we could see The Endeavor - the fifth and final orbiter build for NASA’s Space Shuttle program. It was interesting to see the detail put into building and designing the space shuttle, each tile has been numbered, and every part serving a purpose on it’s 25 missions through space until it officially retired June 1, 2011. The Center was packed with children and school groups so after a quick and hilariously fun flight simulation that Kyle and I went on, we headed toward downtown LA.

Our first stop was Little Tokyo, the largest of only 3 official Japantowns located throughout the United States, Little Tokyo is a Japanese American district filled with shopping, culture, and best of all, my favorite food, sushi. We enjoyed a California crunch roll, and walked around and checked out the funky shops and unique statues and structures.

Next, we headed to Upstairs at Ace Hotel for very expensive, but delicious cocktails, - this is one complaint I would have against this trip, is that our Canadian Dollar is so bad right now, we were paying up to $20 CAD a drink; I didn’t care though. The hotel and rooftop bar were very spectacular, like something you would see on the show Gossip Girl, we were spoiled with wonderful views, a pool and hot-tub that anyone is welcome to enjoy, and very cozy and comfortable seating scattered around the roof for both group, or more private occasions. If it weren’t for our grumbling stomachs, we could have stayed all night.

We decided to let our guts point our hearts in the direction of our next stop, at Clayton’s Public House, it was just a few blocks from The Ace Hotel, and it was another pub with beautiful decor, amazing cocktails, and an amazing ambiance. We had a few beer and ate an Impossible Burger - America’s popular vegetarian patty, and it was to die for; except nothing died to make it so delicious, so I guess that’s not the right term! Basically, we had came here just to kill time until we went to Clifton’s - another stop recommended by Veronica - but I ended up loving Clayton’s Public house so much and would definitely recommend it for the food, drinks and service!

Our final stop of the night made our jaws drop, a beautiful, huge space filled with fake cedar trees rising up to the 5 floors, taxidermy forest animals such as lions and buffalo, and a casual 250 pound meteorite used as decor at one of the many bars filling Clifton’s Cafeteria. Being that Clifton’s Cafeteria is the largest public cafeteria in the world, there was so much to see, our eyes were trying to look everywhere at once and our smiles beaming as we turned every corner. Our best find of the night, was when we pushed against a mirror, and it opened, revealing a dark staircase, and at the top was a Tiki bar!

In the Tiki bar, most of the seats were taken, but we found an empty table that was close to a party of three, since they looked friendly, we popped down beside them, and as it turned out, we had the best seat in the house. The three strangers, Val, Taylor and Mac, were literally tiki experts, they knew everything about the decor, how to dress, and most importantly - what to drink. We spent the duration of the evening trying their recommendations that included typical things like coconut and pineapple cocktails, and some wild ones that included flaming shot glasses and edible flowers. We could have stayed at Clifton’s Cafeteria with the trio all night, but we needed our beauty sleep for our big day to follow.

We knew as soon as we planned the trip, that we wanted to go to an amusement park, a Disney park was the first, and obvious choice, but we had so many questions, were we too old, was it worth the money, are the rides even fun for an adult? We tried to google the answers but we didn’t have much luck, and felt very unsure about what park to choose, we decided that since all the locals were so helpful, we would ask them; unanimously, Disneyland was the place to be.

We were excited -uncertain, but really childishly excited, I tried to imagine what the park would be like, I pictured roller-coasters, a drop of doom, ferris wheels, - that sort of stuff, so when we got on our very first ride, we were in for a shock; It’s A Small World, the ride I vow to never go on again. The song still rings in my ears sometimes, the creepy dolls that were swaying back and forth are now imbedded in my brain, “what have we gotten ourselves into?” It crushed our spirits a little, we were worried that all the other attractions would be slow and weird too, but faith was quickly restored as we started going on other rides, like Hyperspace Mountain, my favourite ride of the day, a rollercoaster that races through the complete darkness, engulfed with green screen visuals that made it appear we were flying through the solar system. Although not fast and scary, like Hyperspace Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones Adventure were amazing as well, they were interactive and exciting rides, very elaborate and visual, making you feel like you were part of the film, my head was on a swivel the entire time, and Kyle thought we were going to run into a boulder during the Indiana Jones ride, giving us a good laugh. The highlight of Disneyland was the shows they put on once the sun goes down, fireworks and lasers filled the night sky and bounded off buildings as characters danced, acted, and swung off the side of pirate ships, mimicking stories and films, it was beyond our expectations, and I would go back again just to watch the two performances.

Our last day in LA was a bit slower since we were up till 3 am stuffing our faces with pizza and beer after walking 40,000 steps around Disneyland. We went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Griffith Observatory, and to relax at the beach before heading to Grain Whisky bar to meet up with Taylor, our new friend from the Tiki Bar, we ate a 70 dollar charcuterie board and tried some of Taylor’s delicious cocktail creations, before heading home to pack, and rest up for our flight home.

I cannot emphasize enough how amazing it was visiting Los Angeles, it was exhilarating to have the “screw it” mentality when it came to spending, we did everything we wanted and more without checking our bank accounts once, we ate everything delicious, and tried new and exciting cocktails, and made new friends.

Money comes and goes, but the memories from this trip will last a lifetime.

#losangeles #blogging #travel #love #disney #ocean

2 notes · View notes

themoonwatchess-blog · 5 years

Text

Hiraeth - 2

Chapter 2 - Our Our Friend, Death

Word Count: 5320

Warnings: Minor gore, swearing

---

Etna, California, the interstate sign reads. Three hours we've been stuffed in this car. Three hours I've been itching to at least walk around... and I'm in desperate need to relieve my bladder. Chester's fingers drum against the leather of the steering wheel, he must be ready to stop for the day too. There's a certain... drowsiness you get after being in the car for so long, your body just begs to lie down after being stuck and crammed in this small car for so long.

"Do you think Etna'll be a nice city or a trashy one?" Chester asks me suddenly, my brain is half asleep and barely registers the question. All I can do is shrug and make the 'I dunno' sound.

"I just hope they have a motel we can stay at."

"Every place has a motel, Brad," He side eyes me from his seat, "We've stayed in abandoned ones before, too, remember?"

"I know," I look down at my feet, "Just forget I said anything."

His eyes glance over me, I can feel their stare. My cheeks burn from exhaustion and how humiliating it is to run away from ourselves like this. Our car stays to the right, merging off the interstate and on to a local highway. Nothing but farmland for miles to see, we're still a ways away from Etna, another good twenty-minute drive, maybe. Corn stalks dart along the highway, they're close to being ready for harvest. Either that or they're already prepping for a Halloween corn maze this year. Maybe it's the latter.

"I wish we had some red beans right now," Chester breaks the silence of the drive, "It is Monday, after all."

It's a tradition for him to eat red beans with a hunk of cornbread thrown in the middle every Monday. He said it was what everyone did down in Louisiana, you'd let the beans soak up some spices while you did laundry. Monday was laundry day too, he told me before. The beans would be nice and soft by the time the chores of the day would be done. I don't understand it, I'm not a Cajun man, but I know better than to break him of his culture.

"I doubt they'll have any," I respond, "Maybe... Maybe we should... go down South after we finish off Washington."

"Maybe," He flattens his lips together, "It's... it's different down there."

I don't ask what he means, he doesn't speak too much of his home. He always says something cryptic about it, said the swamp would swallow you whole if you get lost or how the people who live nearest the river were cursed, practicing voodoo to hex the nearby children. Weird, if our lives weren't so crazy ourselves, I would tell him he was being a fool for believing such fairytales.

Slowly, as we drive, more and more buildings begin to pop up. First, there are just a couple of farmhouses, then a service station, then comes to more residential areas. Next thing you know, we're here in Etna. There's not much to say for it, not the city. But the views are amazing, a mountain looms in the distance, visible from every section of the city. I can't take my eye off the white peak of the mountain and how the clouds mimic the shape of the snow that coats parts of the mountain. The rocks are dark, angry looking against the snow. Below the mountain peak is a dense forest, the trees stand tall and dark against the pristine colored snow. I'm lost in the feeling of homeyness that the surroundings give me, I don't even realize the vehicle had come to a stop until Chester opened up his car door.

"You're a weird one, Brad," He half-snorts while looking back at me. He bends down to look at me, still sitting dumbfounded in my car seat.

He doesn't understand the sense of nostalgia I get from being so close to nature. He was born in the deep south. No, not the type of South you're thinking, not the hill-billy tractor lovers, but the God-fearing people of the bayou; the real southerners. He grew up in the outskirts of New Orleans, his small city was entrenched by the swamp. The only trees he knew were the magnolias or the moss-covered cypresses whose roots were engulfed by the muddy waters of the bayou. His vision of nature will always be that of the swampy, musky bayou of his home, not the leaf daubed hearth of the northern forests.

"As weird as they come," I reply back tonelessly. I follow my boyfriend's footsteps and exit the vehicle, slamming the car door shut. Chester winces as I use a bit too much force in doing so, he reminds me suddenly of how much he loves this car.

A local walks by the hood of our car dressed dapperly in a suit and tie. The jacket of his suit reflects a cool, pastel blue, it mimics the color of the afternoon sky. He wears a fedora the color of a cloud, he lifts his hand to tip the front of his cap.

"Yer new around here?" He asks. I realize now that Etna must be a small city. I glance over at the streets, most people wave to one another as they walk down the sidewalk. Close knitted communities are the worst for me. You're an easy target in them. Everyone knows each other and we're the outsiders, if something bad happens, all fingers will be pointed at us.

"We just came in from Redding," Chester smiles warmly at the man, "We were hoping there was a place to stay—"

"Oh, no worries! No worries!" The man has a booming voice, a peal of half-hearted laughter follows his words, "There's 'n old inn down the road, two little ladies run it. Nef and Frankie. They'd be happy t' help sum folks like y'all."

I'm a little confused on why we're in Northern California and this guy speaks like he's from Texas. Maybe he's new in town too, maybe we're not that much of an outsider here.

"Oh," Chester's smile grows flaccid, he nods with the man's words. His outward personality is... disturbing for me. Extroverted people are too... too nosey, love to talk when all I want to do is leave, "Well, I guess we'll be headed that wa—"

"Before y'all leave," The holds his hands up to stop us from going back to the car, "I'd like t' welcome you officially to Etna. Hope ye two stay fer long."

Maybe he's the mayor, that's why he's greeting us as we entered the city.

"Thanks," I speak up, half-assedly. He catches wind of my reclusiveness and quirks a brow. Chester shoots me a glare for sounding so rude towards him, but nonetheless, we buckle back up in our car.

Chester breathes a sigh as we back out of a parking space and head towards the aforementioned hotel— motel, whatever the fuck that guy was saying. I'm already getting a weird vibe from this place, I have half the mind to tell Chester to drive off and we can find a bigger city to hide out in. We're too easy to... spot... Newcomers in this old town that has seen many generations come and go.

We pull into the parking lot of the building named 'Two Sister's Lodge', the sign is worn and faded of color, but the rest of the building seems to be pretty good, aesthetic wise. I'd consider it on the nicer side of hotels we have stayed at so far. Chester wraps his hand around mine, rubbing his thumb over the top of my hand. I look up at him, he's smiling innocently like he always does. I return the gesture and my cheeks dimple at him. We walk hand and hand to the entrance of the hotel and to the front desk. Sure enough, as the sign indicates, two sisters sit at the front desk greeted us with bright friendly smiles.

"Welcome to the Two Sisters Lodge," The lady nearest the desk speaks first. Her hair is dark, her skin is sunkissed and browned, but she wears the color well, "Would you like a room?"

Her name tag reads 'Nef,' her smile is soft and small, yet genuine at heart. She has an... herby smell to her. Pitching together her half-squinted eyes and the bubbly appearance of her attitude, I piece together that she's probably a pot smoker. Even if she were, I wouldn't care, she could be worse. One of our motel managers in a previous city ran a crack den in the back.

"How much do you charge?" Chester asks, not like it matters. Our credit cards get ditched every month, we leave and make new identities before anyone can catch up to us.

"Twenty bucks a night," The other lady says, she seems more... unwelcoming than the other lady. Her skin is pale, pale as the snow that sits atop the mountain, dark circles cover her eyes, "Maid comes in every day to clean the sheets, pick up dirty towels. We've got laundry in house, too."

She wears her hair in a loose, sloppy braid, it rests on her back and follows down her spine. She reminds me of how Chester used to be when I first met him. Unwelcoming on the outside but an actual cutie on the inside. Maybe she just needs someone to help crack her. I assume she must be Frankie, she doesn't wear a name tag, but her outfit fits the color scheme of the hotel and Nef's, so it's obvious she works here too.

"Oh," Chester mumbles, his gaze finds mine. We speak nonverbally, I nod ever slightly, "We'll take a room, then."

"Great," The first sister speaks, "We've got two Queen's beds or two twins--"

"We're sharing a bed," I speak up, her eyes widen at my response and she's left speechless for the moment. I curse myself for saying that, maybe this city is fucking homophobic like some we've stayed in. My worries are put to rest as she offers a kind smile, she writes down something on the nearby ledger before speaking to us again.

"No biggie," She ways it off, "We've got a Queen room, you can see the mountain from the window. Beautiful view."

"Yeah, that'll work," Chester purses his lips as he thumbs around in his pocket for that worn down leather wallet. He flips it open once it is in his hand and pulls out the red credit card. The card holder's name is some guy we made up, 'Chesney Bealleux', it matches our fake IDs for the month. He slides the plastic card across the desk towards Nef, she hands the card to Frankie over her shoulder. Frankie rings up a number on the cash register, dust settles across the keys and fly into the air as she presses the buttons. She hands Nef the credit card and then she slides it back to us, along with a key card.

"Your room is on the second floor, sweeties," Nef smiles, "Stairs are just down that hall. And You just call if you need anything, alright?"

"Wait—" Frankie calls out before Chester and I can walk over to the stairs, "I just wanted to let you know, there's a corn fest going on tonight. It's free and they got free food. You two look like you could benefit from it."

"Do we look that bad?" I tease her, a rose blush quickly fills out her cheeks at my remark. I feel bad, she looks unsettled by my joke, "I'm kidding, what time does it start?"

"It's no big deal," Her words are spoken lowly now, "It starts at six, ends a little before sunset. Somebody said they're having an afterparty when the sun sets though, lots of beer. Plus, uh, y'all been in a car for lord knows how long, it might help you unwind."

"We'll see," Chester intrudes, "We've had a long day, might wanna just sit and relax for tonight."

"Oh, well," She shrugs harshly, "Nef and I will be there, we'd hope to see you goons there."

"You don't even know our names," I speak barely audibly, but she picks up on the words.

"Well," She rolls her eyes, "Let's introduce ourselves— I'm Frankie, that's Nef."

"I'm Brad," I motion towards myself before pointing a finger to my lover, "That's Chaz."

"Nice to meet you." Chester waves with his child-like innocence.

They're... more hospitable than most people we've met in our travels. A welcomed change, for sure. Part of me screams to be elusive like always, but I lock that part away and give in to my human need to socialize.

"So," Nef joins the conversation once again, "Where you two from?"

"Los Angeles." Chaz answers.

That was the truth, it was in Los Angeles that this began. It was Los Angeles where we forged our love. It was Los Angeles that I was attacked by that creature and lay victim to its curse. It was a good home while it lasted, the city suckled and nursed my childhood. It adopted Chester many years ago too. At times I wonder if it will ever welcome us back.

"What're city folk like you two doing in a small town like this?" Frankie knits her brow at Chester's response.

"Got tired of the city life," I answer for Chester, "We don't like to be confined."

She mouths an 'oh' before giving a gentle nod of her head. Her lips tug upwards as another gentle smile warps her lips.

"Seems reasonable," She half-chuckles, "City life just isn't for everybody. That's why I like Etna, it's very calm and quiet. Nothin' bad ever happens here."

"Ever?" I quirk a brow. More guilt creeps in, I remember now that the full moon rises tonight, something wicked might happen tonight.

"Think the only fucked up thing that's happened here was a kidnappin' back in '82, but it all turned out fine."

"Oh," I murmur, "That's... not good—"

"Mmm," She shrugs, "It happens, I guess. But we're a quiet town. I hope y'all stay long."

I frown quietly, I know we will probably have to leave again tomorrow. That's just our fate now, every month is the same. Sometimes we have to leave more, barely staying a week in a city before people catch the drift of us.

"Yep," Chester pops the p, "Well it's starting to get a little late— I think Brad 'n' I are gonna head up to our rooms now if that's alright—"

"Of course, sure," She nods, "Y'all just call us if you need something."

We wave goodbye before we turn towards the hallways. Chester intertwines our fingers as we walk together, he squeezes my palm lightly like he's afraid to lose me. I look over at him with a loving gaze, he makes me forget the worries of the day.

The stairwell is eerie, dimly lit and the stairs creak as you walk up to them. Creepy, reminds me of some stupid 80's horror movie Chester would make me watch every month. He would always bicker at me to just sit and enjoy the movie, but they're always the same.

Chester looks over at me, a shit-eating grin pinned on his lips. He squeezes my hand again, forcing me to look up at him.

"You still owe me a fancy dinner, Brad." He chokes up.

"Whatever," I roll my eyes playfully, "Don't think they'll have any special restaurants here unless you consider Waffle House fancy."

"Waffle House is good, Brad, you wouldn't understand," He adds with a shake of his head, "That was fine dining when I was a kid—"

"That's 'cause all you guys had was a Waffle House—"

"Mmmm, yeah but— It was still very good."

I playfully shove him with my elbow as we reach the top of the stairwell. He opens the door that leads towards the rooms, he extends his arms to tell me to walk in first. The hallway is just as dim as the stairwell, reminds me again of those shitty horror movies. I grab on to Chester's hand again before we continue down the hall. After a moment or two of stumbling around, we finally come to our hotel room. Chester puts the key in the lock, the lock is a bit rusted and it takes a couple of jams to get it open.

Our room is... cleaner than expected. No dust, no bugs. Hell, not even a fucking cobweb. Chester sets our holdall down in the corner, his footsteps sound the empty room. Paper thin walls, fucking great. You can ever every little bump we make, every step and the slightest cough. Chester turns suddenly, facing me.

"Is this okay?" Concern fills his words, his skin pale of color. His eyes are gloss, red lines fill the white area of his eyes, showing the numberless sleepless nights. Tonight is going to be another sleepless night for him.

"This'll do," I force a smile but Chester knows me better, he can see right through me. His features drop and a feeling of guilt washes over, "Chester, it'll do. Don't worry."

"I always worry—"

"I know you do," I huff, blinking my eyes hard in response. I run into his arms, letting his worry wash away as I wrap him in my loving arms, "It's okay."

"What're we gonna do tonight?" He whispers into my ear, I feel his lip tremble against my earlobe. The full moon rises tonight, only a few hours of being human remains for me today.

"We do what we always do," I speak, "Lock yourself in the bathroom and... let me... let me change."

He sighs, though the energy he conveys is one of relief, not fear. We've done this long enough, he worries not about the other people, but instead, he worries about me. He worries I'll end up dead in a ditch, some hunter might come out and spray me with buckshot. He's even made theories of vampires eating me alive. Do vampires even exist?

"Okay," He breathes heavily again, "Okay... Just... Try and be safe tonight, yeah?"

I nod, though we both know I have no control over that outcome. He pulls away from my hold, I watch as he shrinks in his clothes.

"Let's just... Maybe we should— nap or something."

I pose the thought, Chester immediately shoots it down with a forcibly shake of his head. Too much anxiety and adrenaline drums in his blood, it would be hard for him to relax until tomorrow morning when he can wake me up from unconsciousness.

"I don't think I'll sleep," His head falls limp against his shoulders, "You should, though."

"I won't sleep unless you do, babe," I watch as his lips pull into a sneaky smile, he loves when I call him 'babe', "We could just—"

"We could cuddle."

"Oh?" He suddenly takes my hand and forcibly drags me to the bed, "I mean— I don't have anywhere to be... so—"

He doesn't really wait for me to give my verbal consent, he knows I always love to have sweet moments with him. I feel giddy, my heart throbs in my chest.

He gently pushes me down against the comforter. His body shifts on top of mine before he rolls over to the opposite side of the bed. He scoots close to me, our noses touch together, we Eskimo kiss. I bring my hand up and touch his thin cheek, I lean forward and let my lips grace against his. He pushes his lips out so they touch mine, our noses bump into each other. I curse our big noses.

"I love you, Chaz," I murmur into his lips, "More than anything."

"I love you too, Brad," Another kiss follows those words, "I wish we didn't have to live like this. Wish we could just be happy."

I smile though he pegs out the hints of guilt that hide behind my lips. He frowns suddenly, blaming himself for saying such a thing.

"I'm always happy when I'm with you," I touch our lips together once more, I linger near his mouth for a hint of a second, "As long as we're together, Chaz, then we're happy."

He beams towards me, his coffee-stained teeth shine in the dark hotel room. He gets even closer to me, our chests touch together, we can feel each other's heartbeats. They drum as one, finalizing just how much we love one another. I wrap my arms around his skinny figure, he feels brittle in my touch. His own arms stretch and his hands come to caress my cheek. His touch is holy, something that deserves worship. I am the saint in his temple, I cherish his every movement, every touch, every whisper that falls off his lips. All are like a heavenly dream. Perhaps he's the only thing that keeps me only a turn away from becoming a true monster.

He mouths the words 'I love you', a droopiness in his eyes tells me he's ready for a nap. Maybe our little affectionate moment gave him a moment of peace so he could slip into sleep. I reach forward and kiss his forehead and by the time I retract, his eyes are closed and his breathing slow.

"Love you, Chester."

A smile creeps on his lips as the words leave my tongue. A calm before the storm. He shows me his vulnerability, he trusts me with his life, he trusts me enough to see him at his weakest. It had been like this since the day we fell in love since he professed to me the feeling he had. I will never forget that day. I will never forget how our lips danced together that night.

The night approaches, an ache settles deep in my bones. The moon rises soon. I sit on the foot of the bed, my eyes watch over the sleeping figure of my lover. He sleeps in a fetal position, a shiver quivers through him from how cold it is. I hate having to wake him from his peaceful slumber, but I have no choice. He has to be somewhere safe. I lay back down on my spine, my body turns to face my lover. I bring my hand up and softly shake him, hoping he'd be easily awoken.

"Chester," I simper, "Chester, honey—"

He whines before rolling over in the bed, he takes a fist full of the comforter and pulls it over his head. He's like a child sometimes. I try and take the covers off him, but his grip on them is strong. With a sigh, I decide to take more drastic measures. I shake him with a little more force, chanting his name a number of times so he finally wakes.

"WHAT?" He cries out before immediately coming to his sense, "Oh—"

"It's almost time," I whisper. I watch as he rubs his weary eyes, a yawn leaps from his throat, "You've got to—"

"I know, I know," He smacks his lips together while stretching his arms out. He lets the appendage fall limp on top of the comforter, "Be safe."

I force a smile, my eyes turn glossy as the usual guilt from our situation hits me at full force. This is our life now. He chose to stay with me, a fucking freak. I suck on my teeth while I watch my boyfriend finally rise from the bed. He shambles over to my side of the bed, I rise from my spot and instinctively wrap my arms around him in a tight hug. I feel the pain that besets him, as I'm sure he can feel mine too. I let silent tears fall and coat his sleeping shirt. He pulls away from me, his hand caresses my cheek for only a second before he finally leaves to lock himself somewhere safe.

There was no use in trying to lock me up, I always escape. The last time we tried to secure me, it almost cost Chester his life. I broke down a door and trashed the whole room trying to claw at him. I couldn't fucking live with myself if I ever even laid a finger on him with the intention to harm him. So instead, Chester chooses to hide away so the beast won't sense him. It puts others at risk, but what else can we do?

And now, I sit alone in this dank hotel room, waiting for my body to take its unholy, primal form. Moonlight peaks through the paper-thin window shades, the pale light illuminates the room. My vision begins to fade as my mind starts to jumble and the unthinkable pain warps me.

~ ✦ ~

The forest knows death. From the dead leaves that paint the forest ground a musky, rotten brown, all the way to the carrion of freshly killed venison, not even stopping at the bare-boned carcass of a now unidentifiable animal. It never ends, the cycle of death, it continues and continues until we all are left as dust in the wind. Death perfumes the woods, the most primal scent in all of nature. The one thing that is certain in life, it is death.

Two bodies lay against the rotting leaves of the barren earth. Slash marks cover their bloodied bodies, throats torn and innards thrown askew. They weren't unfortunate victims to a starving wolf or bear. No, their meat remains untouched, uneaten. Killed for fun, killed for the thrill. A characteristic common within human nature, the need to feel superior and to give in to your dark urges. However, these markings are inhuman. No mortal man possesses the claws to tear this flesh, nor the strength to break these bones. No, these women were the victims of a supernatural creature, one that hunts when the full pale moon rises.

A tragedy, some would say, but this is just a normal part of life that the forest knows. The forest accepts death, it feeds generations of life. These women, though they lay dying and decaying, are ensuring the survival of many other creatures that call these woods their home. A crow drops down from a barren tree branch and perches down beside the carrion of the corpse. It takes a piece of flesh and eats, absorbing the energy that lays ready to be taken advantage of. The crow flies off suddenly, taking with it another pinch of carrion.

The moonlight has faded, the sky warms as the sun begins to tease along the skyline. Farmers are the first awake, they must tend their crops and slit the ground before another patch of rain comes through. The noise of farm machinery stirs some of the townsfolk who live on the outskirts of town, they are unhappily awoken. The day starts, as usual, children ready for school, parents prepare themselves for work. They are oblivious to the sin committed in the woods. That is until a duo of school children find one of the lady's bloodied jacket thrown far from the body. A metal name tag glistens in the sunlight, a blemish of a bloodstain rims the outer edge.

My lover, Chester, stirs me from my sleep. He gentles shakes my body until I wake, his eyes are glossy and filled with sympathy. No, no, I couldn't have done anything last night, but his eyes tell the whole story. I open my lips to say something, but no words fall out. I just sit there, staring up at my lover with a speechless expression.

"We have to leave," He drips the words into my ears, "I'm sorry."

"It happened again?" A rhetorical question, I know it will only keep happening until the day I die. Chester responds with a soft nod. He tries so desperately to mask his sorrow, he even forces the fakest smile I've ever seen him wear. Maybe he feels guilty for having to wake me up with this news, or he hates having to move so soon again.

"You should shower," He doesn't verbally respond to my question, only tries to change the subject, "You smell like a hound."

I ignore his little comment, only responding by raking him a glare. I stand from my spot on the hardwood floor, my bare body is covered in scar tissue. I wear the scars well, Chester has told me, but I hate every single one of them. I dig at myself during my time as a beast, these marks were from its-- my-- claws. I run my tongue across my teeth, the faint tang of the metallic liquid stings my tongue. I want to believe it is my own blood, but I know better.

I head for the shower, the metal from the showerhead is rusted and the whole bathroom smells like ammonia. I turn the nozzle to get some hot water, but it only gets as hot as lukewarm tap water. I step in, the water turns a pinkish hue as the blood that cascades my body joins with the water from the shower. Chester usually joins me in the shower, but I never let him in when the water runs red like a river of rubies. The water quickly turns cold, thankfully it gave me just enough time to wash the blood off my pale scarred skin. Chester waits outside the bathroom door, he jumps into my arms as I walk out.

"I'm sorry," He sniffles, "I know you hate leaving--"

"Don't be sorry," I move my hands up so I can hold his head, "The fault is mine."

He bottles up a whimper, but he quiets down. He grabs our holdall and we exit the hotel room. We travel down those same eerie steps, into the lobby-- only to find it completely empty. Chester looks over at me with that same look from this morning. It hits, it had to have been them. My lips tremble but I bite down on them to keep him from noticing their emotion. Chester stops walking, his arms wrap around my bone-thin body. He starts up with the mantra of words like 'it wasn't your fault,' 'I'm sorry,' and other white lies that'll keep me from tearing down myself for killing another innocent person.

"Let's just go," I huff. He releases my body and we continue to hurry down to the car before anyone suspects any foul play from us, "I'm ready to leave California."

Chester doesn't say anything as we reach the parking lot and enter our Camaro. A darkness hangs over him, he gets like this every time I kill. I wonder why he puts up with this, I wonder if he's just ready to end it all. He could be free from this right now if he wanted to, he could have me killed or he could just leave me stranded here. Either way, he'd never have to deal with this bullshit ever again. Yet, he loves me too much to leave.

Here we are again, the familiar interstate 5. She knows us well, we traveled her up and down for months now, it seems like every day we get closer and closer to meeting her end. The roads are empty, except for a few late stragglers on the work trail. We speed far away from Etna, it has become another city to feel our curse.

"Where to next?" I ask Chester.

"Ashland," He replies in a toneless way, "It's not too far."

We've traveled up and down California and finally, we have desecrated its entirety. Our next state is Oregon. I want to believe that this could be our last stop, that we won't have to keep running, but both Chester and I know that'll never happen because we can't escape ourselves that easily.

#hiraeth #our old friend death #werewolf #werewolves #runaways #mlm #fiction #story #second chapter #lgbt #supernatural #writers on tumblr #writing #original work #writeblr

1 note · View note

dinakaplan · 5 years

Text

7 Festive and Healthy Mardi Gras Recipes That Are Powered by Plants

Want to enjoy Fat Tuesday food you won’t regret? Mardi Gras celebrations have a reputation for excess and indulgence, but that doesn’t have to extend to the menu. Channel the New Orleans carnival with these healthy Mardi Gras recipes that are packed with plants — and with flavor!

Mardi Gras originated as a Christian tradition. But these days, Mardi Gras is famous for its colorful parades, beads, and decadent parties.

Food has also played an essential role as Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday as it’s often referred to, was traditionally a day of feasting before the start of Lent.

Instead of indulging in traditional dishes, you can join in the celebration with healthy Mardi Gras recipes.

So don your mask, decorate with green, purple and gold, and let the good times roll with these Cajun and Creole-inspired, Mardi Gras recipes.

Host Your Own Carnival Party With These 7 Festive, Plant-Powered, Healthy, Mardi Gras Recipes

No need to head to Bourbon St. for a taste of the Big Easy. Enjoy the zing and zest from your own home with our picks for a healthy and flavorful Mardi Gras celebration.

Gluten- and Fat-free Gumbo

Photo Courtesy of Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Historically, no dish screams Mardi Gras more than gumbo. With origins in Medieval France, a ceremonial run called the “Courir de Mardi Gras” takes place in many Cajun towns, including New Orleans, as part of the Fat Tuesday tradition. During the run, participants attempt to collect ingredients, which then become part of a communal gumbo or Creole stew.

Most gumbos include sausage or seafood as the main ingredient, but this savory Gluten- and Fat-free Gumbo from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes features beans and mushrooms instead for a cruelty-free, plant-powered version.

Slow Cooker Pulled Jackfruit Jambalaya

Another traditional Mardi Gras recipe, gumbo’s first cousin, jambalaya, is cooked with rice and spices for a Spanish, paella-style dish.

The Tofu Diaries created a Slow Cooker Pulled Jackfruit Jambalaya that stays true to the “meaty” texture of this classic Cajun dish due to the addition of nature’s miracle fruit.

For a rice-less version, use more cauliflower as a base, or try riced-cauliflower instead.

Oyster Mushroom Po’Boys

Photo Courtesy of Love and Lemons

While the exact origins of the po’boy remain a bit hazy, there’s no doubt this culinary creation has been a New Orleans (and Mardi Gras) staple for nearly a century.

Most modern po’boys stick meat or deep-fried seafood between two slices of bread and slather it in gravy or remoulade. But you can still enjoy this famous Southern comfort food without clogging your arteries.

Love and Lemons created an Oyster Mushroom Po’Boy that uses baked oyster mushrooms breaded with a cornmeal, panko, and hemp seeds mixture. (For those with a gluten allergy or sensitivity, Ian’s Natural Foods makes a gluten-free panko.)

Serve these po’boys pre-made or family-style, so everyone can add their own veggie fixings — perfect for taking along to your local parade route. You could also wrap these in lettuce instead of bread.

Cajun Red Beans and Rice Veggie Burgers

Photo Courtesy of The Vegan 8

For a new, meat-free spin on a classic New Orleans favorite, try these Cajun Red Beans and Rice Veggie Burgers from The Vegan 8.

With only seven ingredients needed for the burgers, they’re super easy to make en masse for a Mardi Gras-inspired cookout. Just don’t forget the Cajun Cream Sauce, a spicy alternative to ketchup or BBQ sauce that’s made with cashews and is sugar-free.

Mardi Gras Buddha Bowl

Photo Courtesy of Vegetarian South

You may have heard you should “eat the rainbow,” so why not eat the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold?

Featuring cajun-spiced chickpeas, yellow peppers, and purple cauliflower and cabbage, this Mardi Gras Buddha Bowl from Vegetarian South is like a party in your mouth and a powerhouse for your cells. Win-win!

(If you want, you can make this recipe oil-free by using some water instead of olive oil.)

Quick & Easy Collard Greens

Photo Courtesy of Healthy Midwestern Girl

Louisiana collards typically get their flavor from ham, turkey, and/or bacon. But you can still enjoy their traditional, smoky, spicy flavor without the addition of meat.

Healthy Midwestern Girl seasons her Quick & Easy Collard Greens with garlic, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Ready in just 20 minutes, these leafy greens are perfect as a side dish for your Fat Tuesday feast.

Mardi Gras Smoothie

A Whisk and Two Wands’ whole foods, plant-based Mardi Gras Smoothie is as healthy as it is pretty.

Each layer of this colorful, fruit-infused smoothie is blended separately before combining in a glass for a picture-perfect Mardi Gras breakfast, dessert, or anytime snack.

Tell us in the comments below:

What do you think of these healthy Mardi Gras recipes?

What are your favorite ways to celebrate Mardi Gras with food?

Do you have any favorite, plant-based Mardi Gras recipes to share?

Featured Image: iStock.com/jaflippo

[Read More ...] https://foodrevolution.org/blog/healthy-mardi-gras-recipes/

2 notes · View notes

povertytaurus · 6 years

Text

Lesson One: The Wheel of the Zodiac

So what is the zodiac?

Technically they're just constellations chilling around up there. Really. In astrology they're used like spices, think of the sign as the flavor of what's going on in the house. There's spicy aries, which is like a cajun blend. There's scorpio with a hint of licorice. And Libra with a balanced citrus sort of flavor. What? I know.

The Elements

So there is balance here. Four elements, earth, air, water, and fire. They interact with each other in different ways. So when you guys are shipping cancers and capricorns together, that's because they're complementary signs. They sit across from each other at the table. Taurus natives and cancers still get along, but scorpio is better. This is because taurus and scorpio are also sitting across from each other at the table. Generally speaking, earth and water signs are comfortable with each other. That's what we can grasp from this. So following this train of complimentary logic, Gemini and Sagittarius are a nice pair, because fire and air go together naturally. But you may wonder, why is it like this? Why is the Libra/Leo ship not setting sail? This is because we can divide it up even further. Within an elemental grouping, each sign still differs from each other. We divide that up into Cardinal, Mutable, and Fixed. So the divisions go like this:

Cardinal: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn.

Fixed: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.

Mutable: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces.

So basically if you stay in these groups with complimentary elements, it's all good. The signs in the elements also get along. Cardinal signs are enterprising, and ambitious. Fixed signs are stable, and strategic. And mutable signs are flexible and changing.

Earth signs like Taurus, Capricorn, and Virgo all get along with each other.

Air signs like Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius all chill and chat together.

And Fire signs like Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius all party with each other.

What happens when you put together signs that don't get along? Well one usually puts too much pressure on the other. The reason water and earth work together is because water signs emotionally feed earth signs, and earth signs give structure to water signs.

You see earth signs tend to be pretty rigid and strategic.

And water signs are very flowy and emotional.

Have you ever heard the saying fanning the flames? Most definatly that's what's going on with the air and fire duos as well. So when aries and libra come together, the two are egging each other on.

Air signs are extremely cerebral and curious.

And fire signs are very creative and ambitious.

So if you put fire sign with a water, the water smothers the fire, and the fire is usually frustrating to the water. Fire and earth, well, wild fires.

In the following descriptions, I will not be speaking as though I'm talking about a person. This lesson is not about sun signs. The reason why is because learning how the zodiac behaves only through the sun's influence is not good practice. Sure an aries sun will act as you would expect from an aries sun, punchy, independant, and this is true. But how would a person act if their mars was in aries? The same? No. Not quite. Because planetary placements are not quite the same, or you might already have it figured out. Every sign has its ruler, and mars happens to be the ruler of aries, so the aries vibe will come through more prominently than the sun could show. My below description is designed so that you can get a sense for each sign in the zodiac, that way you can come to filter it like light through each planet.

Now let's look at each individual Zodiac Constellation...

Aries

Here we have a cardinal fire sign, so immediately we know there's an innovating, ambitious, creative. Since it's the first sign in the zodiac, a planet may indicate being first here, hence innovation. Aries is a trend setter, because he just simply doesn't care what you think. He's an independant kind, he likes to do things his own way, and at his own pace, because this pace is fast. This may also indicate an impatient nature. This is where people get the idea that aries is an aggressive sign. I dont think hes so much aggressive, as he's actually just very adamant. As far as vibes go, he's a very excited sign, no, he's amped! His ruler is Mars, the planet of action. So when it comes down to it, aries is a doer, he wants to put his ideas into action. The angst is real! Anyone with an aries placement will feel a need to take action in that part of their life, and if they cannot it will manifest as an anxiety. Though most of the time aries is strong and brave, he can take ‘em!

Taurus

This is a fixed earth sign. Taurus loves all things stable and reliable. She is much the opposite of aries, she is very patient, and always stops to smell the flowers. Taurus has a reputation of being lazy, but it's not the case, she just wants to be certain, so she takes slow steps toward progress. She is ruled by venus, the planet of love and art, so it is certain that Taurus has an appreciation for things coming from the heart, things which are beautiful. She also has a deep appreciation for nature. When a planet is in taurus there is often a richness in it. This planet will want stability, but also beauties. Taurus is a beautiful lady walking in nature, she is able to find the beauty in everything.

Gemini

This is a mutable air sign, Gemini is a wiz kid. Like all air signs they enjoy thought. They're your younger sibling who can kick butt at trivia. How do they know so much? Gemini by nature knows a little about a lot of different subjects. A jack of all trades! That is their nature, being mutable. Gemini is at the library hitting the books at the library right now! They've got five books going at once. They want to string together all the little facts to make a complete picture. There is something hectic with them though, they may be a little scattered at times, which makes them hard to follow. This is the archetype of a scattered mind. Gemini is ruled by the planet mercury, which is the planet of communication and thought. This sign adds an air of playful curiosity to whatever it influences.

Cancer

This is the archetype of a mother, she just wants to nurture and be nurtured. She is a soft girl, who doesn't want to hurt anyone. She is deeply empathetic, if not a little overly emotional. Really, she is emotion. She is ruled by the moon, planet of emotion. So you see how deep this runs. Cancer is a fixed water sign: she likes her security, and can be upset when that security is threatened. Like many other water signs, she is very intuitive and emotional. Having a placement in cancer will bring a sensitivity to that area of life, and can indicate something having to do with a mother. Planets embraced by this energy will take on an emotional, intuitive, or nurturing theme, depending on house, and planets involved.

Leo

This sign is the king of the zodiac, and he's got some great hair. Leo is the sign of congeniality, he is either really enjoyable, or really formidable. He is spirited in his expression, and passionate about his ideals. He is ruled by the sun, so a leo sun is easy to spot, as the sun is most forthcoming in this position. He is a fixed sign, and so looks for security in his creative endeavors, and his interaction with others. Leo, like other fire signs is competitive and active. Having a placement in Leo will emphasize the creativity of that area, as well as a desire to be noticed by others. He is the guy at all the parties with the great smile who can talk to just about anyone with ease.

Virgo

I don't know why, but virgo can be a tricky sign for a lot of people. Virgo is a very wise lady, but very humble. She doesn't want to make anyone feel bad for not knowing something, as she knows she once was there too. She is ruled by mercury, so this stimulates a cognitive function in the sign, however she is an earth sign, so still very grounded in her nature. This is counteracted into a balance, as she is a mutable sign, creating a sort of flexibility in her. Having a placement in virgo will give that area of life a strategic function, an organized, and orderly nature. Virgo is that girl at the library everyday with beautiful eyes who is researching anatomy, and poetry, simultaneously. You want to talk to her, but sometimes she can come off a little cold.

Libra

Libra is more or less the opposite of Gemini: Gemini takes two sides in the extreme, and Libra takes the two and blends them together. There is a distinct need for harmony and balance with libra. They are a cardinal air sign, which means they strive for innovative ideas. But more so they want to organize and orchestrate. Like other air signs, libra delights in conversation, as well as intellectual pursuits. They love to have friends with whom they can share their ideas, and especially be shared with. Libra is a gentle sign that is very good at listening, they want to bridge the gap between two ways of thought. Libra like taurus is ruled by venus, which gives them a deep appreciation for beauty, especially from a social standpoint. Libra is that sweet person everyone knows, who speaks with everyone all the time, but makes you feel special to be their friend.

Sagittarius

He is the ultimate bro, this guy is the best to be around. He is always upbeat, always optimistic, and always great to have conversations with. He is ruled by jupiter, a planet of expansion, which means the area touched by sagittarius’ energy will be one of growth. He is known for his long distance travels, and philosophical conversations. Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign, making him quite competitive, if not a little bit perfectionist. Like the other fire signs, he is very driven, and like other mutable signs, very flexible. Sagittarius is your favorite beat poet, traveling across the country, rolling with the punches. He loves to be active, and outside experiencing his life to the fullest. He is just in search of a good time.

Scorpio

Scorpio is a delicious and deep sign to have a placement in. Placements here will cause equal parts pain and enjoyment. This is the sign of secrets, of obsessions, of transformation and growth. She is a deep well with emotions buried within her. She is a fixed water sign ruled by Pluto, which is an explosive combination. Her fixed nature makes her secretive, and the fact that she is a water sign implies a great many emotions. Also intuition and matters of the occult. Pluto makes this a transformative sign, and these areas of life will have a transformative nature. Scorpio is the girl you see who never says anything, but the one time you spoke to her it changed everything. Scorpio by all means is a game changer.

Aquarius

People with strong aquarian energy are a lot of fun to be around. They're unique people who highly value their independence and freedom. They have strong ideals with which they are usually strongly attached to, but you can be certain that these ideals are unique and perfectly suited to them individually. They are deep thinkers as air signs, and you can be sure aquarius will come up with some new ideas. Aquarius wants to question things, and ultimately change the world. They can sometimes be slightly detached, and feel often like they're on the outside looking in on all the festivities. Aquarius is a fixed air sign, which is why they're solid in their ideals. And they are ruled by Uranus, the planet of innovation and progress. They have a strong urge to help others grow.

Capricorn

This is the archetype of the father. He is there to construct boundaries. He wants to form the native into a more solid and complete person. His energy at times can seem a little rigid, and constricting, but he is just doing this because there is something to be learned. He likely has a dry sense of humor and a very straight forward sort of essence. He is simplistic, and direct for an earth sign, capricorn is extremely practical. He is ruled by saturn, the teacher of lessons. He is a cardinal earth sign, which actually gives him more ambition as an earth sign. He is very traditional, and likely to want to build something solid from scratch. Capricorn is most definitely not afraid of hard work! Anywhere the energy of capricorn touches, it will be a practical field where the native may be very direct in their approach. Alternatively there may be something to learn.

Pisces

Pisces is a mirror. They are a little bit of all of the signs, and reflect whatever they are seeing. They are truly the most empathetic sign of the bunch because of this. They being a water sign, are very emotional and extremely intuitive. And you can see the mutable nature in their willingness to adapt to any situation. But the ruler of this sign is Neptune, the planet of imagination. So pisces is incredibly creative and imagination driven. This can lead them to have a sort of spacey outlook. There is a slight duality in them, as there is a pulling in two different directions. Pisces is the friend with sparkly eyes and big dreams. Anything that is touched by watery pisces might have an imaginative nature, or pull in its duality. It is all up to the native, and the area it is touching.

Extra reading:

None this lesson, if you would like to, further research the signs.

Assignments/Review:

Why do all the signs under an element get along?

What signs get along?

Are there any signs which share rulers? Would they get along? Why?

Sort out the fixed signs from the mutable and cardinal.

Sort out earth, fire, and water signs.

What energies are pronounced in your chart by what planets are at home in their signs? How does it act out in your chart?

Which of these signs is your favorite energy in your chart, and why?

Remember you have the option to reblog this post with the responses to the assignments, and I'll give you feedback on your work!

*And to follow and opt for notifications so we can get into the nitty gritty of astrology.

6 notes · View notes