#old mill alpacas | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

atthismoment1d · 1 year

Text

New Alpaca Shop

New Shop will Showcase Norfolk Firm’s Passion for Alpacas

New Alpaca Shop will Showcase Norfolk Firm’s Passion for Alpacas

“Sometimes you can only get so much out of YouTube, and you need to talk to a live person,” says technology, digital commerce, and strategy chief Rob Mills. Lawton wants to make sure that more of those experts look like the country at large. Only 17% of Tractor Supply’s employees are members of minority groups, a potential Achilles’ heel at a time of deep demographic change in the U.S. Last summer the company hired its first diversity and inclusion director. “Our goal is for our stores and our team members to mirror the communities that we serve,” says Lawton. Tractor Supply currently commands 16% of the fragmented “farm and ranch supplies” market, and Wall Street sees room to grow there. But to retain and build on its influx of newer ruralpolitan customers, the company aims to broaden the range of what it sells, even if it means competing with some of the big-box retailers with whom it hasn’t previously overlapped much.

PLATE. Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference Proceedings - via PLATE 2019 Berlin. Maldini, Irene (2019). Can design confront consumerism? A critical study of clothing volumes, personalization, and the wardrobe. Amsterdam: VU University Amsterdam. Fletcher, Kate; Tham, Mathilda (2019). Earth Logic Fashion Action Research Plan. London: JJ Charitable Trust. Fletcher, Kate; Tham, Mathilda (2019). Earth Logic Fashion Action Research Plan. London: JJ Charitable Trust. Sanghani, Radhika (October 8, 2018). "Stacey Dooley Investigates: Are your clothes wrecking the planet?". Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2017, Global Fashion Agenda & The Boston Consulting Group, 2017, p. Haung, HC (1994). "Classification and general properties of textile fibres" (PDF). Culp, Alice (July 11, 2014). "Thrift stores sell damaged items to textile recyclers". Stanton, Thomas; Johnson, Matthew; Nathanail, Paul; MacNaughtan, William; Gomes, Rachel L. (2019). "Freshwater and airborne textile fibre populations are dominated by 'natural', not microplastic, fibres". Science of the Total Environment. PMID 30798244. S2CID 73511816 - via ResearchGate.

In the late 1980s, they brought environmental concerns into their business models, commissioning research into the impact of fibres used in their respective companies. For Patagonia, this resulted in a lifecycle assessment of four fibres, cotton, wool, nylon, and polyester. For ESPRIT the focus was on cotton-representing 90% of their production at the time-and finding better alternatives to it. A primary focus on materials' provenance, impact and selection, fibre and fabric processing is still the norm in sustainable fashion 30 years on. Our alpaca shop is the main attraction. The principles of 'green' or 'eco' fashion, was based on the philosophy of the deep ecologists Arne Næss, Fritjof Capra, and Ernest Callenbach, and design theorist Victor Papanek. The legacy of the early work of Patagonia and ESPRIT continues to shape the conversation around fashion sustainability today. In 1990, ESPRIT placed an ad in Utne Reader making a plea for responsible consumption, and ESPRIT and Patagonia co-funded the first organic cotton conference held in 1991 in Visalia, California, aimed at broadening the movement to include many fashion brands.

Discover these amazing salt pans still mined as they were hundreds of years ago, then a beautiful walk back down to the Sacred Valley. In the afternoon relax and enjoy the countryside and visit the Semanario Pottery - it’s hard to resist. Next is Pisaq where you will enjoy a panoramic walk along the original Inca pathways and terracing to the ancient town below. Visit the markets then continue through this lush valley where the towering fortress of Ollantaytambo dominates the surrounding area. Stay overnight in an old monastery (completely restored of course!). It’s an early start today. This is the best time to enjoy the peace and tranquillity not to mention the magic of Machu Picchu is before the trainload’s of visitors arrive. Machu Picchu, known also as ‘Lost City of the Incas’. It is undoubtedly the best known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent and is considered a must for all visitors to Peru.

There is a federal law stating that tortoises and turtles under 4 inches can’t be sold as pets, since tortoises, like all reptiles, can carry salmonella - and a tiny tortoise is just the right size for a toddler to pop into their mouth. I asked the salespeople a series of questions - what kind of food sulcatas eat, how big they get, how long they live - and heard nearly every myth Bulley and others I’d spoken to complained about, though not as often as I was expecting. At one of the stores, the salesperson told me sulcatas will stay little if you keep them in a small tank their whole lives (a myth that haunts many tank-dwelling pets). While it is true that the tortoises should be kept in tanks as babies, within two years they’ll be less susceptible to harm and need room to roam. He also referred to the species as “the easiest tortoise” to care for, saying they will eat anything vegetarian.

1 note · View note

wendybrand-placement · 2 years

Text

Week 9

6th April 2022

This week for photography club i arranged to take the young residents to Mill Farm, Almond Valley Heritage Centre. I thought bringing the group here would again give them a chance to photograph something different. As there was lots of animals to photograph around the farm. There is also a lot of original farming buildings and old machinery from when the farm did function many years ago.

We had a good walk around the farm outside and the young residents took some photographs of the different animals on our travels around. It has number of different animals rabbits, donkeys, goats, horses and alpacas among a huge list of animals you can find at Mill Farm. We stopped at the cafe for lunch as the resident were able to go to the cafe for lunch this week instead of having a packed lunch.

I used to spend a lot of my childhood at this place so it has been around and open for a very long time to the public. There is also a lot of old interactive stuff indoors if the weather takes a turn. This includes a old mining tunnel, a old shop and a lot of other interactive old objects from the past. Everyone enjoyed having a play around with the interactive stuff. Having a walk around taking in some of the history as well as capturing some photographs.

All of the young residents enjoyed the day at Mill Farm and it was lovely to see them all wanting to go see, getting close to the animals and petting some. We spent most of the time there around the animals and everyone seemed so happy among the animals taking photographs and watching them. They obviously love animal just as much as i do. So today was great for me also as i too love animals.

0 notes

alpacafarmhand · 4 years

Photo

Golly and Silvie are ready for fall! I was genuinely surprised at how happy Golly was to march around with her little golden necklace. Looks like that trip to Michaels as more than worth it!

I’ll be taking better pictures with these little leaf garlands very soon, so keep an eye out on here as well as instagram!

#alpaca #alpacas #cute animals #fall aesthetic #fluffy animals #old mill alpacas #the girls #girls barn #golly gosh #golly #glaciers glory #silver lining #silvie

12 notes · View notes

knitcrate · 2 years

Text

December 2021 Early Preview

It's time for a sneak peek of December's yarns! We're delighted to be bringing back our Color Vibes by popular demand and we can't wait to introduce you to this month's options.

Our Knit & Crochet Club and Sock Club both follow the theme of Vintage Records this month. Enjoy the nostalgia of kicking back with yarn in hand and listening to your favorite songs as the record spins round and round. Your needles and hooks will keep time with the tunes as you create your latest project. The pastel hues call to mind old record labels and are sure to sprinkle your stitches with the tunes from the past.

Important to remember: Color Vibes are BACK! The option to swap your color vibe is only open between November 15-28 for the December 2021 crates.

youtube

Knit & Crochet Club

You're sure to love the sound of this month's featured membership yarn, Audine Wools Harmony! Perfect for the shorter and colder days, cozy up with this mix of 41% wool, 26% Alpaca, 23% Tencel, and 10% Baby Camel. It's just as soft and smooth as it sounds. Each skein packs 150 yards (137 m)/100g of worsted weight yarn, and your membership crate will include two matching skeins of one of these colorways.

Energize Me: Jazz

The natural tan hues of Jazz call to mind the soothing sound of saxophone drifting through the air. Enjoy ambient jazz music in the background as you stitch your way to serenity with this golden yellow.

Chill Out: Rhythm & Blues

Get into the groove with the dusty blue tones of Rhythm & Blues. Get swept away by the gentle rhythm of your stitches whether you're knitting or crocheting.

All Natural: Rock

It wouldn't be a proper record collection without some classic rock and roll music! This brown stands out with undertones of purple and light gray. It's the perfect neutral color that will let the stitches shine on your next masterpiece.

Please Note: In an effort to work with our partner mill to move up production for future months, some of our originally planned colorways are not being produced. You may see pattern samples made in some of these not-produced colorways.

Knit & Crochet Club Patterns

Featured Knit pattern is shown here in the Pop colorway (not available):

Featured Crochet pattern is shown here in the Jazz colorway:

Not a member yet? Join today!

Sock Knit & Crochet Club

This month we have a real treat for your feet with Knitologie Tweedy Sock, a mix of 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Donegal Neps, and 10% Nylon that is sure to keep your toes nice and cozy. Each skein of fingering-weight yarn includes 400 yards (365 m)/100g to grace your latest project, and you will receive one skein in your Sock Crate in the colorway of your choice.

Energize Me: Sway

Your toes will want to tap along to your stitches when you start your new project with Sway, our energetic choice for this month. The tonal hues of peachy pink provide a visual sway from light to dark, combining with flecks of dark gray and black for an added treat.

Chill Out: Groove

Feel the music with this delightfully green Groove yarn, undulating between so light it's almost white and a darker minty shade. Peppered with black and gray flecks that add movement to the yarn, your next pair of socks will be downright groovy.

All Natural: Bebop

Dim the lights and ready the drums…our Bebop yarn is all set for the beat to drop. Sections of pale purple to deeper lavender mix with flecks of gray and black offering texture throughout.

Sock Club Patterns Featured Knit pattern is shown here in the Bebop colorway:

Featured Crochet pattern is shown here in the Groove colorway:

Not a member yet? Join today!

11 notes · View notes

nomanwalksalone · 3 years

Photo

BOOK REVIEW: RICHARD JAMES SAVILE ROW

by Réginald-Jérôme de Mans

As Troy McClure said about playing the human in a musical adaptation of Planet of the Apes, reviewing this book is “the role I was born to play!”

Simply entitled Richard James: Savile Row, this book commemorates the 25th anniversary in Savile Row of the fashion house and tailors of the same name. A read is somewhat disappointing, full of short essays by what amounts to a rather incestuous school of longtime Richard James fans in British media and entertainment, among them British GQ’s Dylan Jones and Richard’s most notorious client, Elton John.

Elton’s known as a voracious devotee – to not say addict – of his favorite outfitters over the decades, buying out entire shopfloors at times. His twenty-year devotion to Richard James is a key to understanding Richard James’ enormous if unrecognized positive influence on contemporary men’s clothing and British tailoring. Forty years ago Elton dressed head-to-toe in psychedelic Tommy Nutter, switching in the 1980s to over-the-top Gianni Versace glitz. Since the end of the 1990s, he’s evangelized Richard James.

Tommy Nutter, the last tailor-designer in Savile Row, dominated British men’s tailoring in the 1970s. Custom tailoring took a back seat to the cult of the ready-to-wear designer, mostly the Continentals: Pierre Cardin, then Armani and Versace. Nutter had a few isolated 1980s hits, like dressing the Joker in 1989’s Batman, before dying in 1992.

What had become of the British? 1980s attitudes towards luxury and clothing meant regression, selling an image of Britain as Raj, pith helmets, and gin among palm trees, not progress. Ralph Lauren did a much better job selling that ethos in his more expensive lines than any of the British could. Some tried; those of us of a certain age (me) remember seeing cashmere sweaters made in China sold in Bloomingdales under the label of Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes, or blocky ready-to-wear suits at Barneys sold with the name of Savile Row tailor Kilgour, French & Stanbury, although made in Canada by Samuelson. An ersatz Britishness for export markets, an ersatz image and look created by ready-to-wear licensees with little input from the British tailors desperately trying to sell their names abroad.

Into this breach came Richard James. Like Nutter, James is categorically not a trained tailor. What he is, though, is an inspired designer who, since opening on Savile Row, has offered true custom tailoring as well as ready-to-wear in visionary designs. I remember the first Richard James items I noticed, beautiful belts and wallets of gorgeous quality hand stitched in England with contrasting linings in deeply saturated color. I still have one of those belts, in all its magnificence. What did they have to do with British custom tailoring? Nothing – and everything. For the first time a Savile Row name appeared to be doing something relevant, interesting and elegant – and doing it to the fullest extent and the last detail. Savile Row survives by its export markets and by the reputation its tailors have forged for beautiful items of a certain Britishness. No more uninspired licensed items that has as much to do with British elegance as a Sterling car (derided by Consumer Reports for “Industrial Revolution-era” English technology, remember those?). What Richard James has done is modernize British elegance from the creepy colonial-obsessed ethos that today only blinkered Brexiteer bluestockings and Internet edgelords cling to. Even the past James references uses other, more inspired touchstones of British greatness, including his bespoke offer (initially serviced by the Savile Row tailors Anthony J. Hewitt and James Levett before being brought in-house), but also ready-to-wear shirts in stripes that recalled the best of Swinging London; handmade ties whose lush, delicate patterns rivalled the best of midcentury Sulka or today’s Charvet; magnificently, decadently warm alpaca pile ‘teddy bear” coats originally created for 1920s motorists; astonishingly soft leather or suede jackets in the café racer style 1960s London Mods would have died for; and even the made-to-order cashmere socks with custom monograms Corgi used to make for defunct shops of yesteryear like the custom shirtmaker Beale & Inman. It was a vision of Britishness far, far from Lauren’s fantasies, a Britishness that admitted the turmoil of Ted Heath’s premiership, that added much-needed glamor after John Major’s greyness. And James reminded us what was wonderful about the British suit by invoking all that was dashing in its cut. Ready-to-wear suits were made in beautiful cloths from British mills like the impeccable Taylor & Lodge, in unexpectedly evocative colors and patterns: sharp mohair sharkskin, gorgeously patterned real Scottish or Irish tweeds or a French navy that was lighter than the normal shade; even rainbow chalkstripes on a sober dark ground. The cut was always tapered at the waist, double-vented, slant pocketed in the “hacking” style, a look espoused by Patrick Macnee’s subversively too-British John Steed in the 1960s. Richard’s linings were often boldly colorful, to remind us what could be playful about the suit, everything that 1980s pretention (clinging to all the trimmings of colonial oppression) had repressed.

Richard James the book shines in cataloguing those designs in beautiful detail. James really has been the best colorist in the business, as Jones termed him. Even more importantly, this book also shows how James has aced the tricky game of tennis without a net of innovating within the classic: in addition to recreating ruffle-fronted tuxedo shirts like those of George Lazenby’s louche Bond in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, James also invented tuxedo shirts whose fronts (instead of pleats or stiff waffle-weave Marcella) were hand-beaded by Hand & Lock, beaders and embroiderers to Her Majesty the Queen; Corgi (knitters and hosiers to the Prince of Wales) knitted thick, thick cashmere sweaters with hand-inlaid abstract intarsia designs; elegant cufflinks (always double-sided) recalled childhood marbles in the forms of hand-blown translucent glass or semiprecious banded agate (a real “Aggie”) or amber set in sterling silver; and even a travel bag that recalled the bags given away by Pan Am or Concorde in the early days of jet travel was rendered in ballistic nylon with reflective silver piping and brilliantly contrasting linings.

I’ve never owned a Richard James bespoke suit. I know that his ready-to-wear suits were disappointingly half-canvassed or fused, despite their wonderful materials. But they helped remind me that Savile Row could still be relevant, and that those tailors, despite past reputation, could be approachable and contemporary – and that has been my experience with the other tailors of Savile Row, including the impeccable, evocatively named Steed, whom I loved for their name before ever using them.

Every item with the Richard James name carried and carries the same visionary, whimsical design philosophy, a Britishness less fanciful and more romantic than Paul Smith’s, and far less caricatural and cynical than those of Ralph Lauren or Hackett. Socks, always made to a high-standard by Pantherella, are accented in amusing contrast colors or mad patterns. I have a number that are doing fine almost 20 years later. My Richard James Concorde bag has been a beloved, perfect gym bag for years, while his larger, tougher Japanese denim bag (trimmed in the best British bridle hide) is my go-to travel holdall no matter where on Earth I go. My beaded Richard James tux shirt is a prized piece of design genius, as is a magnificently waterproof raincoat made for him by Mackintosh in a beige twill that cunningly iridesces turquoise or orange from certain angles. For years I’ve searched for the same shade of gorgeous Thomas Mason turquoise twill cotton that an old Richard James shirt is in, but most of his materials are specially made for his designs; even the fine-gauge cotton knits that John Smedley or Peter Geeson created for him seemed to be in special colors and to his own patterns.

That wealth, that treasury of a vision and genius, tumbles out of Richard James’ new book, pictures that really are worth thousands of words and that speak for themselves about the importance of this designer’s contribution, reminding us that Savile Row, indeed British menswear itself, still had things of wonder to offer us.

#rjman #reginaldjeromedemans

11 notes · View notes

crewhonk · 4 years

Text

Only Happy Accidents (9)

Summary: It’s Mothers Day and Steve and YN’s joined engagement and baby party which means a little bit of sex, a whole lot of family and meeting an old friend

Songs: “Uneven Odds”— Sleeping at Last / “Into the Fire”— Thirteen Suns / “In My Veins”— Andrew Belle

Only Happy Accidents Masterlist

_______________________

May 10th, 26th Week

YN woke up to the same familiar feeling she had been waking up to since she and Steve had officially become fiancees. His hot mouth on her left shoulder and left side of her neck, gentle hand under her baggy t-shirt rubbing her swollen stomach. Occasionally there would be an erection pressed against her hip as it was today, and before she opened her eyes and smiled and hummed happily.

“Good morning to me, hey?” YN rasped and Steve propped himself on his elbow. He loved these late mornings— since YN had stopped working (it was simply to satisfy Steve) they had spent days on end in bed together unless they had a previous commitment. He leaned down and kissed her jaw, making YN squirm at how thick his beard had gotten and how much it tickled.

“Happy Mothers Day, baby girl.” He mumbled and YN opened her eyes, already blurry with tears as she looked up at him.

“It’s my first Mother's Day.” She whispered, and Steve ignored the way his heart thundered in his chest over just how cute his girl was.

“It is. Now, I’ve made a few plans for us, so how about we shower and I’ll make you breakfast and we head out.” He whispered, running his hands through her hair and pushing it out of her face, making a light pink dust her cheeks.

“That a way of you asking me out on a date, Cap?” She mumbled and he nipped her bottom lip, pulling back the covers and pulling her out of bed and into their bathroom. He stripped her of her shirt and panties with the softest of touches, pressing airy kisses to her skin and digging his thumbs lightly into the tense muscles of her back and shoulders and thighs as he did so. She groaned under his touch and she was lead easily into the shower, his large body pressed against her back as his hands traveled over her body, ruling her flesh and muscle under his fingers until he turned her and pressed her against the shower wall. He kissed his way down her body, licking lightly at her nipples and pulling away when YN began to shudder. He smirked at her playful glare and kissed the swell of her stomach, resting on his knees in front of her. The sight above and in front of him was enough to stop his heart, so he did what he knew how to best do— he hitched her leg over his shoulder and didn’t stop until the water had turned cold.

______________________

“You know, we could still turn around. Could have helped you out you know.” YN smirked, reaching over to the drivers' side where her guy was driving, hand on his thigh. He shook his head and smiled, fist tightening subtly on the wheel and pulling off to the shoulder of the road, turning onto another dirt road and down to the back entrance of Pepper Potts cabin. YN had no idea where they were, but Steve held himself back from pressing his for harder to the ground in his eagerness to get there.

Natasha and Pepper had planned a joined baby shower and engagement party for today, lots of friends and family already there and waiting. Steve pulled the car into the driveway and looked over at YN who was seemingly just putting everything together— the streamers, the yellow balloons, the multiple cars along the road, the milling of people and the sound of music. Even the alpaca was wearing a collection of ribbon and a small party hat. He honked at the approaching truck and bounced off towards the lake.

“Steven Grant,” YN said severely. “We talked about this.”

“Hey,” he raised his hands in immediate surrender at the tone of voice. “It wasn’t my idea and when Natasha started fake crying I didn’t know what to do.” He rushed and YN looked up at him.

“Natasha planned this?” YN asked in a small voice and Steve nodded.

“She likes you a lot— I know I’ve been hogging you to myself, but she does really like you.” He replied cheekily and pulled the key from the ignition, pocketing it and waiting for YN to collect herself. “You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” YN responded and Steve nodded.

“That’s my girl.” He mumbled and YN opened the door to hide the beaming smile at the pet name, but Steve knew what he did to her, so with a small smirk, he walked around to the front of the car, waited for YN to join him and wrapped his hand around hers, kissing her knuckles and leading her into the house and the welcoming atmosphere of her party.

_________________________

They walked into a wall of noise— it seemed everyone from every corner of the Earth was there— YN’s mother, Michaela (who seemed to have taken quite the liking to Sam), Shuri Udaku who was laughing with Peter Parker and Peters apparent girlfriend. Happy and May were talking not too far away, where Pepper was working in the kitchen spooning food into communal bowls.

It was little Morgan Stark who noticed them first, running over to YN and Steve and latching herself immediately onto YN’s leg.

“Well, hello Princess!” YN cooed, dipping down slowly and holding her stomach as she came eye to eye with Morgan whose eyes were glued to her stomach.

“Your belly is really big,” Morgan whispered and YN laughed, straightening Morgans skirt out a little.

“It is! There’s a baby in there.” YN whispered as if it was the biggest secret int he world. Morgans' eyes widened and she covered an excited laugh behind her tiny hands.

“Really?” Morgan gasped, and YN wanted to wrap Morgan in a little blanket and hide her from the world just to cuddle with her for the rest of her life. YN nodded and took Morgan's wrist, and with a little encouragement, placed her hand on her stomach, to which the baby reacted almost immediately to this new touch. Morgan squealed when she felt the belly move and jumped back, giggling excitedly and bouncing on her tiptoes.

“Did mommy have a tummy like this?” Morgan asked and YN nodded, standing with a little help from Steve (who was looking at YN like she held his whole world), who pulled her to his side and kissed her temple. Morgan, feeling a little left outreached her arms up to which Steve bent down and pulled her into his arms.

“Your mommy did have a tummy like this. I’m sure it was even bigger than mine!” YN gasped and Morgan reacted accordingly, looking up at Steve with a look of great surprise.

‘‘There she is!” A voice called out, and the tiny, elegant frame of Pepper Potts walked up to the pair, scooping Morgan away and setting her on the ground. Thankfully, Peter had decided to call out for Morgan and Pepper watched her go before wrapping both YN and Steve into a warm hug.

“Congratulations, you two. On everything.” She said, and YN kissed her cheek.

“Thank you for letting this all happen in your home, I know these people can be a lot sometimes.” Steve smiled politely as Wanda Waximoff and Stephen Strange walked passed, sending their well wishes.

Pepper smiled and looked around the house. Walking in one straight line seemed impossible, as people gathered from all over Earth and Universe milled around and socialized. The air was warm, and the laughter was loud and the food was being passed and the pile of gifts for the honoured couple were growing larger and larger the more people entered.

“This is everything Tony loved. He loved the people and the smiles and he loved celebrating.” Pepper sighed, a faraway expression on her face. She looked at the couple and beamed, a little teary-eyed. “This is the happiest this house has been in a very long time. Thank you.” She said, and with a tight hug to both, Pepper walked away, a small bounce in her step.

YN turned to Steve, and as he noticed her eyes filled with tears. Steve cooed down at her and kissed her forehead, pulling her deeper into the house and towards the back yard, which opened out onto a beautiful lake and huge backyard. The alpaca had reappeared and was now pouncing away from what looked like a humanoid Raccoon, who seemed to only want to ride it.

“This family you’ve brought me into.” YN shook her head as Steve lead her towards a massive oak tree, not far from where Bruce was talking with Scott and Clint animately. “I’ve never felt more blessed and full, and I’m really happy I took you home on Halloween,” YN whispered and Steve smiled widely, cupping her cheeks and brushing the tip of his nose against hers.

“I love you, YN. I’ll never stop loving you.” He almost giggled and kissed her, the warm spring breeze wrapping around their bodies and making them feel like they were in some sort of Disney movie. YN wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him as close as her bump would allow, moaning softly against him and melting into his body as his hands scooped around her waist.

“Natasha, no. Leave them alone, they’re having a moment.” YN could hear somewhere by the porch, and YN giggled against Steve, pulling away and patting his chest, willing her face to lose some heat by pressing the back of her hands against her cheeks so she could turn to face the fiery woman.

“YN! Steve! Finally you two decided to show up!” Natasha grinned, pulling YN into a brief hug as well as Steve.

“Well, our mornings have been pretty slow lately, it’s shocking we even made it out of bed.” Steve smiled, hugging Bucky as he joined the group. YN simply nodded at him and he offered a kind smile to which she slightly hid her face in Steve’s sleeve.

“Good thing I like you both so much. We have games and food and you two have presents to open.” Natasha clapped her hands and wrapped her arm around YN’s carting her towards the house and calling for everyone's attention, making YN turn her head around and send a pleading glance to Steve who only smiled and followed slower, Bucky by his side.

It was only when Natasha and YN disappeared in the house did Bucky stop Steve with a hand on his arm. Steve frowned and looked at his best friend.

“You okay, Buck?” He asked and Bucky watched the door for a few seconds before unzipping his jacket. He reached his metal hand onto the inside pocket and pulled out a small ring— littered with diamonds and gleaming in the sun.

“I found a ring. For Nat.” He said, and Steve gaped like a fish at the ring and at his best friend alternately before pulling him into a tight hug.

“I’m so happy for you, James,” Steve said, and Bucky sucked in a breath at the use of his first name— only used when Steve or Natasha were being completely serious with him. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much as I used to be, but I’m very happy for you.” He said genuinely, and Bucky pulled away, looking over the lake and clenching his jaw, flexing his fingers and sniffing— telltale signs that Bucky Barnes was getting a little emotional.

It was a few seconds where both Steve and Bucky waited for the latter to collect his emotions until Bucky turned to him and punched his shoulder playfully.

“Not only is it nice to be free from seeing your ugly mug so much, but we were getting worried about you not having a life.” Bucky chirped and started heading back to the house, Steve hot on his trail. Steve wrapped his arm tightly around Bucky's head and dug his knuckles into the top of his head.

“You’re a jerk.”

“But at least I’m a jerk who owns a razor.”

“YN likes it!”

“I’m sure she does.”

____________________

YN shoved the last of the gifts (a third set of kitchen knives) into the bed of Steves truck and pulled the back closed, smacking her hands together and turning back to Steve who was chatting with Pepper, a sleeping Morgan, Natasha, and Bucky— the remaining people at the party. It was only six o’clock in the evening, but the sun was beginning to set and people had lives to save and exams to study for. YN had said goodbye to Michaela, a promise of brunch and a kiss on the cheek, as well as a promise to her mother that she would start coming home again for Sunday dinners— a tradition up until the day her father died all those years ago.

YN walked back and up the porch steps, wrapping her arms around Natasha and humming as Natasha bumped her head into YNs shoulder.

“Thank you for everything, Natasha,” YN whispered and Natasha shrugged.

“My pleasure, honestly. It’s nice to see Steve this happy— I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this relaxed in the ten years I’ve known him. Even when he slept he was tense, but with you— he’s something else.” She hummed, leading YN down the length of the porch, further from the crowd.

“I wasn’t sure about you at first. A lot of girls have claimed they were having Steve’s baby for the money and the fame, and honestly, the guy hasn’t had the best track record with women in the past. But you were genuine and you stuck around and I’m grateful. You’re making my best friend into someone I always wanted him to be able to be.” She said, leaning against the railing and watching as the Alpaca (Louie, YN had learned) curled up in his pen, his pink party hat strewn on the other side.

YN mirrored her posture, wiping tears from her cheeks. “He makes me so happy, Natasha. You all do, but he is something else. I haven’t had any source of faith for a few years now but he gives me hope that there’s still some possibility of good out there for me.”

Natasha sucked her teeth, and with a little bit of hesitation, grabbed YN’s hand and held it.

“I’m the most happy for you both.” She said quietly, and YN sniffed.

“Natasha?” Yn asked after a period of silence.

“Hmm?”

“I’ve already asked Michaela to be my maid of honour, but would you also stand for me? And Steve, obviously, but you’ve been a huge part of his life and now mine and I can’t picture my perfect day without you also by my side.” YN asked, and looked over at Natasha who was looking wholly shocked at the request.

“It’s kind of late— your wedding is just in June—“

“Please, Natasha. You could wear a pantsuit if you want, or even a garbage bag but please. Imagine how Bucky would look at you coming down that aisle.” YN said, pulling out all of the aces she could to get this to happen.

“Yes. Okay, yeah.” Natasha agreed, only after glancing over her shoulder at Bucky, who was already watching her with the softest expression. She tried to quell the way her heart raced in her chest before turning back to watch Louie honk at a squirrel. “But I’m wearing a dress.”

_________________________

The drive back home was quiet, and YN had barely realized that at some point, Steve had taken a wrong turn. She was filled with love and the soft haze of happiness as she watched the sunset over the buildings. It wasn’t until she began to recognize the trees she hated and the mailboxes that made her heart tumble anxiously and memories of the last post that YN fell out of her post-party haze. A hand curled anxiously rounder stomach and she looked at Steve with wide eyes.

“Steve? Where are we?” Yn asked, despite already knowing the answer.

“There’s someone I want you to meet. He was really important to me, and we don’t have to but, it would be nice for us to do this.” He said, voice somber and quiet. He’d been planning this for a while, and it seemed almost fitting since they’d received the rest of their families blessings earlier that day. YN cliched her jaw and nodded, gripping Steve’s hand on her thigh tightly and willing herself to not shake.

The true pulled up to the gravel parking lot, and YN waited in the car as Steve left it and jogged around to her side, helping her from the truck and holding her to his side. YN, tired, leaned into him and remained quiet as they walked through the small park. It had been constructed following the New York battle where Thanos and his Army had fallen and the trees were tall but still young, and the golden rays of the setting sun seemed to set the buds on fire. They walked to the back of the park and down a small path— seemingly not used by the public until they came upon a small grove where there were only a handful of small gravestones. The largest was the one they approached, the clean white marble was hidden underneath bushels of roses and lilies and YN squinted down at the writing on it, sucking in a breath once the words registered in her mind. She didn’t even think that this would have been a possibility— her mind caught up in the presence of another stone just a few meters from the entrance of the secret path.

“Anthony Stark

He who has a heart lives forever

1970-2023”

“Steve,” YN whispered, not taking her eyes from the stone in front of them.

“He was so important to everyone in his life. I just—“ He tried, but his throat had become swollen with emotion. Knowing she had to be strong for Steve, YN walked forward and dropped to her knees in front of the stone.

“Hi, Mr. Stark. I don’t— I haven’t done this in a while. Not since after we all came back— after you saved us. I was snapped, you see, and if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here and for that I thank you. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have met Steve here, and I wouldn’t be engaged and happy and pregnant and— I don’t know. Thanks, I guess. It’s an honour to meet you, Mr. Stark. Thank you for giving your life so we could have ours.” YN said, voice shaking and stomach-turning. She felt Steve kneel next to her, and he took her right hand in his, pulling it up and pressing it to his damp cheek. YN sniffed, ad leaned against him, prompting him to nose her hair and let out one sob.

“He would have been proud of you, Steve,” YN whispered and he cleared his throat.

“He would have been proud of how we got together, actually. It was a very Stark move.” He chuckled wetly, and YN snorted. She looked down at the flowers— some tinged brown at the edges from time and others looking as if they’d been picked that same day. The love for Tony Stark continued even today, and the idea of that legacy continuing made YN’s heart swell.

“It was, wasn’t it.” She mumbled and the two stayed there exchanging stories at the tombstone for a while before the sky turned red with the setting sun. Steve stood eventually, and pulled YN to her feet, wrapping his jacket and arm around her shoulders. They said their final goodbyes to Tony and walked back up the path.

“Steve?” YN asked, and Steve looked down at her. His eyes were red and puffy, but he looked content— satisfied that Tony and YN were now introduced. “Thank you for bringing me here, Steve— It’s kind of funny. I— there’s a gravesite down the way. On the other side of the park, and my name is on one of them— so is my dad's, but by some twist of fate, he was killed before he even got to make it home. It was a car accident. The funeral was nice, but the survivors' guilt and the anger about how it wasn’t fair that Iw as going to live and he wasn’t… I don’t know. It made me really angry for a long time, and I lost faith in everything. I lost faith in God and my mom and myself and I haven’t felt hope in a long time— not until you came into my life.” YN confessed, pulling him slowly through the park. Steve remained quiet, his heart breaking for her but remaining supportive. If anyone truly understood survivors' guilt it was him.

“If it gives you any relief, I’m very happy you’re here today.” He mumbled and YN huffed out a half-assed laugh.

“Me too. Mom asked me to start going to church again. People miss me, but I’m not ready for that quite yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be.” YN sighed and ran her hand through her hair anxiously. “But I did say yes to Sunday dinner this week. Would it be okay if you come too?”

Steve stopped them and pulled YN to face him head-on. He placed his hands on her waist and kissed her forehead, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away and offering a kind, loving smile.

“It would be my honour. Now, how about I take you home.”

“I would like that very much.”

________________

Tag List (send me an ask, ONLY. must interact with the fic more than a like): yesfanficsaremylife / notyourtypicalrose / laurxn-robinson / disaster-rose / lille-kattunge / wwecrazed2010 / vxidnik / chewingoffmyfoot/ vitamingrant / captainamericasbeard / chrisgalore / songforhema / mmyepic / multifandommandy / tommyhoe / lostdarksoul6 / crist1216 / taeeemin / jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory / feelmyroarrrr / teller258316 / mrsdeanwinchester19 / qrangr / mariswritingforfun / nerdypinupcrystal / kittycatlover18 / laucontrerasv / printedpeterparker / @dumblani / @captainomad / eversonaive / rainbowkisses31 / i-think-i-am-adorable / rainbowkisses31 / smalltintedgorl /

#only happy accidents #Steve Rogers #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers fic #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers fluff #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers smut #steve rogers series #steve rogers au #steve rogers angst #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x you #steve rogers x y/n #Dad!Steve #dad!steve rogers

374 notes · View notes

honeygirlfarms · 3 years

Photo

It’s always a good day when the drying rack is full of yarn!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The store is open today and I’ll be there from 10a-4p if anyone would like to visit. We’re located 1.5 hours west from St. Louis, or 13 miles north of Sullivan, or halfway between St. Louis and Jefferson City. No matter which way you get here, we have lots of yarn for you to see and there are great places to visit nearby including Rosebud, MO and Hermann, MO is only 30 minutes away too. There are great places to eat nearby like The Bistro in Gerald located inside an old flour mill and we’re not far from many wineries as well. So come and visit us! I know we seem far, but there is more than just a fun yarn shop to see. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I hope you can make it out for a visit!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Checkout “The Store” tab from the link in bio or visit ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ www.sheepandhoney.com/the-store #honeygirlfarms #yarn #honey #projectbags #fiberartist #enamelpins #fabric #sew #knit #crochet #sewliberated #cottonandsteel #weave #spin #wool #cotton #silk #alpaca #patterns #missouribusiness #smallbusiness #farmstore #sheepfarm #localyarnstore #localcraftstore #shoplocal #shopsmall #familybusiness (at Honey Girl Farms) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRtgJTgA5-m/?utm_medium=tumblr

1 note · View note

thealpacasofthealpacas · 4 years

Photo

#Alpacas #Alpacas #Alpacas #Alpacas #Alpacas #old-mill-alpacas https://buff.ly/2SnXjJG https://ift.tt/2urSZS2 https://ift.tt/2v2Lb9F https://ift.tt/2vv3cxm https://ift.tt/2WNsMJ7 https://ift.tt/2wdK9bn https://ift.tt/3b2YFC3

#Alpacas

4 notes · View notes

professorpski · 4 years

Photo

Garter Stitch Scarf: Making the Most of a Hand-Spun Mix: Greens

I picked up a bundle of hand-spun yarns, wool, cotton, and alpaca, at the Michigan Fiber Fest in August and pondered what to do with them as a scarf. They varied in both weight and length, as you can see. The top photo really shows off the whimsicality of the super bulky in the mix which had little bits and threads of pinks and oranges. My friend for whom the scarf was intended loved all the yarns and wanted them together. An article in an old Vogue Knitting magazine advised that garter stitch was good when the yarn itself had something to contribute. It’s also good for when you know you need to improvise because of varied yarn lengths. So I opted for a plain garter stitch.

I arranged the skeins and decided to spread the brightest colors around, then broke up the longest and plainest lengths of yarns in half (having weighed their balls first). I had to decrease when joining in a heavier yarn in order to keep my width, which meant losing 2 stitches for every 5 for the super bulky and 2 stitches for every 7 for the bulky. Something I only figure out by trying the decreases and seeing the result along the first new row. Then, of course, I had to increase in the same proportion when i joined in the worsted weight yarns.

The results were surprisingly uniform in width, needing only a little blocking to perfect, and yielded a warm and interesting color mix as you see.

The yarn is from a small farm mill in Paw Paw, Michigan which you can find here: https://www.woolmill.com/

#knitting #diy #diy projects #makers #making #knitted scarf #handspun wool #handspun #woolmill.com #michigan fiber festival #gift ideas #handspun yarn #yarn #wool yarn #cotton yarn #alpaca yarn

13 notes · View notes

sweetcatmintea · 5 years

Text

A Very Good Day

@inexorableblob tagged me in a find the word game and I didn’t have any that they’d listed. The challenge was set; write a sentence with all of the words. I wrote a whole scene :v Enjoy! (Thanks for the prompts ^u^) Feedback appreciated!

Prompt: Frontier, Insubordination, Minimal, and Victory (Frontier was hard)

Words: 3404

Character(s): Echo and Storm

Was it a dumb idea to slip out of the facility, practically at the crack of dawn with a sleepy Echo in tow, before anyone noticed they were gone? Absolutely. Was it down right idiotic to bring Avian, of all people, in on it to find out who was supposed to be shadowing them that day? Undoubtedly. Was that exactly what Storm found himself doing that dewy morning in the middle of winter? Three for three. Echo followed along, obediently holding his hand as he guided them away from the building. She was rugged up to the ears in her fuzzy brown jacket, their mothers red scarf, and thick gloves protecting her fingers. A stark contrast to Storm’s thin hoodie. Although, he only wanted it to cover his wings. The cold didn’t bother him after all. He had thought it would be difficult for her to wake up so early, but she’d recovered quickly. She was having a wonderful time pretending to be a frost dragon. Funny, that trick never seemed to work for him.

The real plan wouldn’t start for a while - the rest of the world needed a chance to get up first. But if they’d delayed any longer, there’d be no getting away. In the meantime, they found a small, open-all-hours diner. There weren’t many perks to his current … situation, but there was one definite advantage. Money.

A blast of warm air and stale coffee greeted them when they entered. A jukebox muttered out a jangly tune as they slid into one of the many empty booths. Red faux leather creaking with their movements. Storm unfolded a menu, holding it open so Echo could see.

“Pick whatever you want for breakfast. Today’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

Her face lit up. [Anything?]

“Yeah. Whatever you want. It’s your birthday breakfast.”

She let out a delighted chirp, making quick work of scanning the menu and carefully contemplating the options. There were so many things to choose from! So many things she’d never even had before. Two steps in front of her head, her stomach growled. Burgers, eggs. Soup, pancakes …

[Can I have waffles please? With bananas and maple syrup? And cream too! Please?]

“Sure thing.” Storm signalled the waitress. It’s all about the confidence, he told himself. He’s totally not completely out of place here. He repeated the order, adding bacon and eggs, a coffee, and an apple juice. He could hardly believe his little sister was already eleven. She certainly didn’t act like it, but he still felt old. His heart tweaked a little at the thought. She was growing up. A blink and she’ll be a teenager. Gods knew he wasn’t prepared for that. He could only hope he was making the right decisions for her.

Echo poked his arm, pulling him out of his musings. She looked like she was waiting for a response. Had she asked something?

“Sorry, what did you say?”

She huffed, but repeated herself. [Are we going to get in trouble for this?]

“No, of course not.” The awareness behind her eyes made his fur stand on end. What happened to all that naivety?

Her brow furrowed, worry playing on her features. [We’re not supposed to go out alone. They’re gon-] Storm captured her hands in his own. They still fit.

“Trust me. Everything is going to be fine. We’ll have a nice day, celebrate your birthday, head back, and everything will go back to normal. No problems.”

Doubt flickered but faith overpowered it. Echo nodded, smiling brightly again. That was better. Storm was, without a doubt, going to have his ear chewed off when they went back. White would probably accuse him of “insubordination” or some other garbage. It didn’t matter. There were more important things than pleasing that pig sniffer. If Storm wanted to spend one day with his sister, by the stars, he was going to. And if White had a problem with that, well, he was just going to have to get in line.

Their food arrived quickly. Unsurprising given the sparse customers. Storm didn’t know if Echo realised it, but she was purring while she dug in, happily munching away. Darn, she was a cute kid. She offered him a forkful of dripping banana waffle in exchange for a bite of his bacon.

Business began picking up for the diner, signalling the next phase of his plan. Storm gathered up his sister, paid for the meal, and strolled onwards. Echo remembered her manners, signing her thanks from the safety of slightly behind her big brother as they left.

Breakfast sorted, they boarded a train and watched the city melt away. Passing towns, parks, and lakes, Echo couldn’t begin to guess where they were going. There was a half-grown hope that they weren’t coming back, but Storm was not the kind of person not to pack beforehand. Without a suitcase between them, it didn’t look likely. Regardless, they shouldn’t be too easy to track down today.

~~~

She never expected to be led to a zoo. She couldn’t quite believe it even as they manoeuvred around other milling patrons to gain admission. A ticket had always been a luxury beyond their means. The biting cold snapping at her nose suddenly didn’t matter. Jittery excitement filled her limbs, warming her and filling her with butterflies all at once. She tried to contain it, but her tail was practically vibrating as she bounced on the balls of her feet. They were going to the zoo!

One glance at Echo and Storm knew he’d made the right decision. He’d torn himself apart debating the purchase for weeks. He wanted to get her the right gift. Tickets were expensive, even now that they weren’t on dirt poor avenue, poverty lane, and he’d been carefully saving every peckie so they could leave as soon as possible. But it was her birthday and if anyone deserved something nice, it was her. Maybe it would make up, at least a little, for his forced absenteeism. He could hardly keep his own tail from wagging as Echo walked, spell-bound, through the gates. Whatever was waiting for him back there, today was going to be a victory.

Not three feet passed the entrance and they saw their first animal. A peacock, all dazzling blues and greens, wandered up to them. Echo, reckless as ever, immediately took off after it, almost disappearing into the crowd. Hand holding was going to be a must here.

“Echo, don’t run off! I don’t want to lose sight of you.”

She gave a sheepish apology. [I was asking Nathaniel, that’s Mr. Peacock’s name, where we should go. He said to see the birds first.]

Storm eyed the bird. “Did he now?”

[Yep.]

Storm opened the map, pointing out where they were. “The birds are all the way back here. If we go there first, we’ll miss a lot of other exhibits and have to backtrack. Why don’t you pick a direction, left to giraffes or right to sheep, and we’ll go from there? We’ll take the best route to see all of the animals.”

Echo followed along as Storm traced his finger along the potential paths, proving his claim.

[Let’s go to the sheep!] Bouncing again. [Will we be able to pat them? I wanna pat a sheep!]

Storm chuckled at her enthusiasm. “It looks like you can. There’s a little hand sign on the map.” She bit back a squeal of delight. “Let’s go then. Hold my hand while we’re here.”

They found the path with minimal trouble. Despite all of the movement and the winding walkways, the signs were very clear. Birds twittered overhead, presumably chatting to their exotic friends. They arrived at what Storm could best describe as a giant, open, barn, ‘Petting Zoo within. Please wash hands’ was painted over the large entryway. Sheep and goats took turns bleating a chorus to chicken clucks and pig snorts. The smell was offensive. Hay and timber on their own were pleasant, but they couldn’t compete with the musty farm animals. Echo’s beeline for the first enclosure was circumvented by the insistence she take two seconds to follow the posted rules. Other children ran ahead of her, trailed by their less enthusiastic guardians. Finally, permission was granted. Barely waiting for the zookeeper to open the gate, she was waist deep in animals in no time. Storm followed, ready to fish her out again at a moment’s notice. She chittered and trilled to them, greetings and pleasantries he supposed, before running her fingers through the closest sheep’s woollen curls. If the way she beamed was any indication, it held up to all her hopes and dreams. The more she spoke to them, the more animals joined her. They mustn’t get many Tainted visitors, or at least, many with animal speak. Storm kind of wished he knew what they were talking about. It was uncomfortable not knowing what they were filling her head with. He scratched at the rough horn of a goat to distract himself from his own over-protectiveness. The hair was coarser than he was expecting.

When murmured complaints began piling around them, Storm figured it was time to move on. It wasn’t Echo’s fault that the animals were ignoring the other kids but that didn’t matter. Besides, there were plenty of other places to explore.

“Come on, say bye to these guys. I think alpacas are next.”

[But I love them.] Echo wrapped herself around a lamb, snuggling into its soft coat with big doe eyes for emphasis. Storm sighed internally. Please don’t let this be the procedure for every animal. He wouldn’t survive. His resolve was already wavering. Instead, he plucked a hay straw out of her hair and tried negotiations.

“We don’t have a lot of time before we have to go. You can stay here all day if you really want to, but wouldn’t it be better to see the other animals too?”

It was so very tempting, but she relented, reluctantly untangling herself from the animals and leaving the barn. He was no match for her puppy eyes, but she couldn’t dispute his logic. Her high spirits returned as soon as she saw the alpacas wandering about their field. More so when they crept through the reptile emporium, making an exaggerated effort not to disturb the slumbering snakes. An interactive encounter in which a massive python was draped over Echo’s tiny shoulders left Storm’s stomach in his shoes and a spring in Echo’s step. Did children have no sense of self-preservation or was it just her? Tracing the scales on the snake’s behemoth body was enough to send queasy shudders down Storm’s spine.

Monkeys next. Storm enjoyed their silly antics much more than his sister. It was fun to watch them swing around and groom each other. Echo claimed they were making a lot of terribly rude comments about visitors.

The red pandas’ acrobatic show enchanted Echo and the kangaroos’ raw power awed her. Although she wanted to watch the crocodiles, she couldn’t bring herself to go anywhere near their big pools. Of course she knew there was no way to fall in, what with the dual fenced perimeter, but her feet would not allow it. It was beyond frustrating. So close to a living fossil, someone almost certainly acquainted with the gods, and the mere thought of approaching their watery habitat sent tremors through her hands. She wouldn’t have been able to speak to a crocodile regardless of whether she visited the exhibit, the language of reptiles beyond the frontiers of her abilities, but to stand in their presence would have been enough. After several minutes of trying to convince her body to follow her wishes, Storm saved her from her self-appointed torture. Scooping her up, he tossed her into his shoulders.

“Come on big kid, let’s see the birds. Did you know it’s actually the dad cassowaries that raise the babies?”

Two taps for no.

“It’s true. They’re also one of the heaviest and tallest birds in the world. Let’s go see if we can find one.”

One excited tap and a wiggle for yes.

Even in the safety of her pen, the shaggy black and blue dinosaur bird was intimidating. She stared down visitors with an almost menacing cocked head. Judgement made, she disappeared back into the trees. It took longer than Storm would like to admit for the pair to remember to move. Thank the stars cassowaries are not native to Yonder.

They enjoyed walking through the massive aviary together. Hundreds of different colours whirled around them as birds called and sang. A handful of crows jeered at parrots who performed for fruit. Echo tried to provide a running commentary for Storm’s benefit, but there was so much going on, she couldn’t keep any of the conversations straight. They came upon a big cockatoo that she really liked until he squawked in her face, making her puff in response. Storm had been mindful to accidentally miss the sign offering canopy walks. Echo would have loved to romp around in the tree tops but even he had his limits.

At some point, they had found themselves at the giraffes even though they were supposed to be at the meerkats. Apparently the signs were not as easy to follow as Storm had presumed. Echo took to the tall creatures much more than Storm had anticipated. Sure they were cool with their weird alien horns, ambling through their fields like new age brachiosauruses, but that was more his interest than hers. When she started bouncing on her toes again, leaning over the railing to get as close as she possibly could, he had to ask.

“They’re pretty cool, huh?”

She turned to him, a full-fanged grin plastered over her face. [Yeah! Plus, they talk like me!]

He focused his ears to the field. Giraffes were supposed to be silent. Did they communicate with inaudible noises like cats sometimes do? It wouldn’t be that strange, most researchers were just normal people. That kind of thing might have gone undetected. Though he listened carefully, he couldn’t hear anything. He glanced back at Echo.

[Not like that! They talk with their bodies. They sign.] She turned her attention back to the exhibit, eagerly watching. He’d never thought she’d be so happy over something as little as that. It made sense, but he was so used to her little noises, the way she would chatter to practically any animal she came across, he’d never considered she might feel … isolated? Out of place? He didn’t really know. Was this what parenting felt like? Like you spend every day learning how much you don’t know about your kid? He felt a little guilty. He was doing his best, but she was just running ahead of him, changing before he could catch up. How was she eleven already? He used to think being a parent was synonymous with growing up. It’s not. His breath caught in his throat, a single quiet hitch. He rubbed the mist out of his eyes before Echo turned back to him, head tilted in concern. A charming smile – he was good at those – and an easy laugh to prove he was fine.

“Are you ready to keep going? We’ll get some ice cream before we check out the next exhibit.”

Echo slid her hand in his, giving a reassuring squeeze. “Mn.” She was still by his side.

~~~

Finally, they arrived at the exhibit Storm was most excited about. He’d purposefully saved the best for last. A rush of hot air hit as they shuffled into a building, decorated with leafy plants growing up a forest mural splashed over the unoccupied walls. Silence settled around them. There was no one else there. Thick glass panels covered an entire wall, dividing the room from the habitat. With a sharp intake of realisation, Echo froze. Storm nudged her closer, one shaky step at a time. Face to face with the glass, she stared, wide-eyed at the great predator. He surveyed his land atop his artificial tor, reclining into the stony throne. Light and shadow waltzed over the orange flames of his pelt, leaving stripes of ink where they tread. Massive paws hid keratin daggers. Echo let out the tiniest of breathes. His round ears swivelled, taking note. He stared down at her. Gold so intense her gaze dropped. She was face to face with a tiger.

He rose, stretching his body, a lazy display of godly creation. He did not leap, but dripped to the floor in one fluid movement. Muscles rippled under fur. He was no house cat. A low growl rumbled as he sauntered to them. Not a threat, a reminder. They were so very soft to him. Echo dipped her head, tail lowered politely. An automated response. She wasn’t thinking straight, too busy trying not to throw up her heart. Storm followed suit. Eagle eyes never left his little sister’s form. As closely as he watched the interaction, it didn’t change the facts. He was an outsider here.

The tiger padded to the glass. He held his head high. Even sitting, he stared down at her. The growls continued. A quiet edge to the air between them. It felt as if she was nothing. Not that she was suddenly any Less but that he was looking past her. Past her body. Past her mind. Scrutinising her very being.

“Chfufufa.”

Her ears flicked up. His razor gaze had softened to a kind king’s.

“Chfufufa.” He repeated himself, waiting for her to understand. Starstruck, she almost didn’t respond, but she recaptured her flickering mind, returning the greeting with a chuff of her own. She hoped he wouldn’t notice how fluffed her fur was.

{Are you going to introduce yourself?}

{Oh! Sorry! Yes! I – I’m Echo. Echo Bell. It’s an honour to meet you.} She bowed again. His eyes crinkled warmly at her earnestness.

{Little Echo, you may lift your head. I am Nikita.} He looked towards Storm momentarily. {Your guardian does not share our tongue, does he?}

{No. I don’t think many people can. I – I don’t know many people who can speak to tigers.}

He nodded solemnly, a noise of affirmation. {Few can. Fewer still I wish to spend time on. Perhaps once, but I am old now. My desires have changed. You are young, a child.} He paused. {It is lonely, isn’t it?}

Echo’s fingers worried the soft fibres of her scarf. She tried not to think about that too much. To speak to more animals than most knew languages, and yet still only able to communicate with precious few humans. But she was a cat, what more could she expect? Realising she’d left him without an answer, she hurried to compile her messy thoughts, but his expression stopped her. He didn’t need her explanation. He already understood.

{There is a piece of us in you. I can feel him. He’s young, rash, despite the ancient stardust lining his hide. You are afraid. That is understandable. You do not have to be. She guides you with the ferocity of a mother, but you are not overpowered.} A full smile. {You are very interesting little Echo. I can see why the remnants watch you so intently.}

~~~

They continued talking until crowds filtered into the building. Nikita had little patience for their noise, slipping into his pool in retreat. By the time Storm had gotten them both out, a new plush firmly in Echo’s grip, it was time to leave. They farewelled the zoo, both knowing perfectly well they would not be able to return for some time. Neither was sad. It had been a very good day.

~~~

They sat, waiting for the train to complete its journey. Echo had fallen asleep several stations ago. She’d fought the doze off with all her might, but the rhythmic click clack of the tracks had her out in minutes. She nestled into her brother’s side, content. Storm held her steady, making sure she didn’t fall off the chair while he braced himself for the garbage parade that was undoubtedly waiting for him. Of course he was going to have to face the repercussions of his choices. But when he thought about Echo’s expression as she recounted the day to him, like her eyes had swallowed galaxies, he knew he’d made the right decision. “Happy birthday Echo.”

----------

Taglist

@inkovert and @snobbysnekboi

#original story #writing #story #my story #Echo's Tail #drabble #ask to tag #food #writblr #Nekomimi #kemonomimi #cute #sunday storytime #character mentions #Echo #Storm #Avian #I wrote something that wasn't sad :D

14 notes · View notes

alpacafarmhand · 4 years

Photo

This fluffy girl is getting sheared this weekend! Who’s excited to see what she looks like with her new haircut?

#alpaca #alpacas #cute animals #fluffy animals #old mill alpacas #the girls #golly gosh #glaciers glory #golly

27 notes · View notes

dreamstormdragon · 5 years

Text

OC Snippet Tag

Rules of the game: Pick an OC and answer the following 7 Qs!

I got tagged by @theblueskyphoenix

As for an OC… Darnit making me choose between all my babies.

I pick my Spider-Verse OC Athena Parker, because I’ve been wanting to do more with her but am on a bit of a “Don’t do anything new until after nano” so… Yeah.

1. Your OC is at a jazz bar when they see a mysterious, alluring dame being pestered by a joe that just won’t let up. What do they do?

She, really wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place. She was just there to make a trade of goods, with a seller because it was cheaper than shipping.

However, she wasn’t about to sit there and watch that happen. The girl stood up, adjusting her gloves, taking aim.

The guy opened his mouth, for another pickup line, when he was silenced by a glob of web across his mouth. He let out a muffled yell of alarm, as he started looking around, expecting New York’s favorite webslinger to be hanging around the bar somewhere.

Athena tapped the woman’s shoulder gesturing for her to sit next to her.

“Thank you… I have no idea where that came from though.”

She smiled.

“Maybe there’s a friendly neighborhood spider chilling around. Root beer?”

“Please.”

2. The world will be destroyed in three days. What does your OC do with their remaining time?

The world, was going to collapse in three days. No one had expected that blasted device, to be recreated in another universe… Let alone a universe full of danger like no other.

“This is going to be tough.” She remarked, looking down at the ruined city, her hair blowing in the wind.

The man beside her, narrowed his eyes, giving her a nudge.

“You wanna sit and wait for the world to die, or get home in time for dinner?”

Athena smirked, pulling down her mask.

“Let’s stop the zombie apocalypse. I wanna punch zombie you in the face.” She gave a thumbs up, showing she had a capsule in one hand. “We can make a cure rain right?”

Peter patted her head, before pulling his own mask down.

“Let’s roll.”

3. Your OC spends the night in a haunted house for a bet, only to realize that the rumours might be true… What do they do?

She hummed a little under her breath, her mind trying to block out any of the noises coming from around her.

Yarn over, pull through, yarn over pull through…

The air around her went cold, as something icy grabbed her shoulder.

“I, swear if you interrupt my counting I’m gonna sock you.” She growled, turning as a large misty apparition shrunk down behind the couch. “That’s what I thought!”

“Boss…” A voice whispered. “What do we do? She just gets mad!”

“Take her dang yarn!”

Athena held up a spray mister, meant for plants.

“You touch my yarn, I cleanse you out of this dimension.”

4. A character your OC cares deeply about has just passed away. How do they handle their grief?

She supposed, it was too good to be true. To believe she’d ever have a full and happy family, where no one was going to disappear from her life.

She sobbed harder, burying her face into a bundle in her arms. His spare suit, his mask… It still smelled like the laundry soap he used for it and baby powder.

MJ was downstairs, dealing with the press but Athena… Athena couldn’t go down there. It was just a reminder, that in the end…

Spider-Man, chose to save her instead of himself.

Dad… Why? Why did you do this to me?

She sat up, slowly staring down at the mask. No more night time runs in their casual clothes, no more sitting up late watching movies while making jokes.

No more dramatic sighing whenever we go to the craft store…

No more tucking me in at night… No more kissing Mom goodbye before patrol…

“You were supposed to be there for me… I’m not ready for this part…. I’m not ready,...” She growled, her voice shaking as she punched the mask down into her mattress. “You were supposed to give me away at my wedding you jerk!”

She sunk down into her bed, curling up.

“You… You were the only one who got what I’m going through…”

Dad….

Please come back.

Please let this be a bad dream I can wake up from…

I need you… I’m scared.

Daddy, I’m scared…

I’m scared of the dark...

5. Your OC walks into a coffee shop. What kind of coffee do they order?

Athena hummed a little, strolling into her favorite shop.

“Ah, if it isn’t the weaver!” The barista laughed. “How hard did your dad’s credit card cry this time?”

Athena grinned, holding up a hefty bag from her favorite yarn store.

“Pretty bad. Can I have a mocha frapp with extra java chips, six pumps of vanilla and caramel?” She asked.

The barista winced.

“Oh… Oh, you are terrible. You want actual coffee in that?”

Athena stuck her tongue out.

“Nope. Give me my overly sugary drink fix please!”

6. Your OC finds themselves in a financial pinch - they need money, and fast. Who do they go to or what do they do to get the dough?

Athena sighed heavily, looking up from her laptop, to the people across the room. Her mother met her eyes, as she shook her head getting up quickly. She wanted no part of this upcoming war.

“Daaaad.” She called, in the most sugary sweet voice she could manage. “How much do you love me?”

Peter didn’t look up from the report he was typing up for the Bugle. “How much is this gonna cost me?”

“Just… a hundred and fifty…”

“For what?”

“Freshly dyed, baby alpaca yarn… and angora in some beautiful shades.” She batted her eyes, trying to get him to look her in the eyes. “I promise, I won’t ask for anything else!”

“Athena… I’m gonna teach you a lesson my aunt May taught me.” Peter looked up at her with a stern look. “I’m not made of money. I’ll drop cash gladly on your yarn that doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg but if you want that really fancy crap, either wait until the holidays or your birthday. Or find a way around it. But I am not dropping that much on new yarn, when you have tons of it upstairs.”

Athena sighed heavily, looking down at the skeins she oh so desperately wanted. She already could imagine the sweaters and shawls she could create from them.

Then… she got an idea… Athena looked up at him, giving another innocent look.

“Dad? Can I have an etsy store?”

“By all means, if it gets rid of the yarn you’re stashing in my spider shed go for it.”

A few days later, Athena was listing batches of Spider-Man related memorabilia on her new etsy store, from jackets to order by commission, to premade little plushies of the famous webslinger… and a few of her own persona.

“You think people really are gonna buy Arachne stuff?” She fidgeted, looking at the tiny plushie in her hands, that resembled her costume.

Peter patted her head, taking it and slipping her a twenty. She looked up at him in surprise.

“I know at least one person who will.” He winked, giving her a grin. “I think I’ll make her my little desk guardian at work.”

Athena giggled, hugging him tightly.

“Love you Dad.”

“Love you too Weaver.”

7. Your OC somehow obtains the ability to time travel. Where do they go, and what do they do?

She was going to stop this. She had been so determined to stop it… she didn’t think about what would happen when she did. She saw her younger self, milling around a shop room, singing under her breath.

Before she had been bitten by a radioactive spider, dropped into her dimension… while it sucked her newly divorced future parent into another.

She had been intending to jump back, to stop the divorce from happening in the first place… but it made her pause.

Her younger self, had been so alone… She had her group home, yes. Her fiber art club at school.

But years of accumulating skills, taught to her by people who had said “we promise this is the last home.” Had hurt…

Arachne stared at Athena, spotting a familiar bright green, blue and black spider crawling along the wall.

Soon, I’m gonna get bit… Then in a few months, Mom and Dad are gonna drop in on my life...

Gosh and I was gonna mess up a good thing I had…

I love my parents… but I know if I stop that, then I stop this.

Then I stop my family from existing…

So, she turned away. She jumped back to her own time, throwing away the device that was letting her make the jumps. Trading her costume, for her favorite dress and jacket, bolting down the streets towards home.

Home, with her room that had the special shelves, just for her ever growing collections of yarn and thread.

Home, with the old school sewing machine her aunt May had left to MJ when she passed.

Home, with her weaving loom and her knitting needles and crochet hooks…

Home…

With her parents.

ooooo

Aaaaahhhh this was fun, to explore Athena a little bit, since I do wanna do more for my spider gal. For now… This shall be it. This was fun!

Let’s see…

I taaaaag….

No one. >83

2 notes · View notes

knitcrate · 2 years

Text

December 2021 Reveal

It's time to reveal this month’s yarns and designs!

Meet the yarns and our themes in this month’s full crate reveal on YouTube.

youtube

Knit & Crochet Club

Energize Me: Jazz

Chill Out: Rhythm & Blues

Get into the groove with the dusty blue tones of Rhythm & Blues. Get swept away by the gentle rhythm of your stitches whether you're knitting or crocheting.

All Natural: Rock

Knit & Crochet Club Patterns

Knit Pattern

The Cedar Drift Scarf by Meredith Trzebiatowski / Sweet Pea and Sparrow is a cozy and classic piece that will keep you warm all winter long. It features an intricate cabled panel in the center with simpler winding cables on either side. Whether you're an experienced knitter or this is your first foray into cables, you're sure to enjoy every stitch just as much as you'll enjoy wearing your squishy and warm masterpiece.

KNIT Pattern Details

Needles: US 7 (4.5mm) straight needles

Yarn Needed: 270 yards (246 m) needed / 2 skeins

Notions: cable needle, tapestry needle

Finished Measurements: 6" (15cm) wide by 45" (112.5cm) long, blocked

Crochet Pattern

Michelle Muskett / Tales of Knots designed the Gatsby Cushion inspired by the elegance of the 1920s. This pillow cover uses textured stitches to achieve the art-deco look that draws inspiration from martini glasses. Perfect for lounging with and listening to your favorite records, this project is fun to make and even more fun to use.

CROCHET Pattern Details

Hook: US H/8 (5.00 mm)

Yarn Needed: 280 yards (256 m) used / 2 skeins needed

Notions: stitch markers (4), tapestry needle, 12" (30.5 cm) square pillow/cushion insert

Finished Measurements: 10" x 10" (25.5 x 25.5 cm) cushion cover, to fit 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm) cushion

Photo Credit: Michelle Muskett

Not a member yet? Join today!

Sock Knit & Crochet Club

Energize Me: Sway

Chill Out: Groove

All Natural: Bebop

Dim the lights and ready the drums…our Bebop yarn is all set for the beat to drop. Sections of pale purple to deeper lavender mix with flecks of gray and black offering texture throughout.

Sock Club Patterns

Knit Sock Pattern

Dance the night away in these adorable Runaround Socks from Laura Fahlin / Laura Fahlin Designs. Featuring a scalloped fold-over cuff and delicate cloverleaf lace, these socks don't take much yarn at all to achieve a stunning look. You'll want to take off your shoes and start dancing to show off your fashionable feet.

KNIT Pattern Details

Needles: US 1 (2.25mm) DPNs

Yarn Needed: 320 (240, 260, 280, 400) yds (292.5 (311, 329, 347.5, 366) m) used / 1 skein needed

Notions: stitch markers (4), tapestry needle

Finished Measurements: A (B, C, D, E)

To fit ankle/foot circumference 7 (8, 9, 10, 11)"/18 (20, 23, 25, 28) cm

Crochet Sock Pattern

We're head over heels in love with the Vintage Jukebox Socks from Liz Salazar. With innovative side-to-side construction that lends a comfy stretch to the stitches, these socks are thick and sturdy, just in time for the cold winter months. Each sock is worked in rows and seamed to form a tube, giving them a knit-look finish, and includes directions on modifying them for the perfect fit.

CROCHET Pattern Details

Hook: US D/3 (3.25 mm)

Yarn Needed: 205 (238, 318, 390, 428) yds (187 (217, 290, 356, 391) m) used/1 skein needed for sizes A, B, C and D, 2 skeins needed for size E

Notions: stitch marker (1), tapestry needle

Finished Measurements: To fit foot/ankle circumference 7 (8, 9, 10, 11)"/18 (20, 23, 25, 28) cm

4 notes · View notes

fluffytherapy · 6 years

Photo

Sweet, gentle Oliver, one of the first 7 alpacas on the farm.

Thanks for submitting @old-mill-alpacas!

#cute animals #animals #alpaca #farm animals #submission

302 notes · View notes

your-dietician · 3 years

Text

Wildfire smoke and your health: Do you need to worry?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/health/wildfire-smoke-and-your-health-do-you-need-to-worry/

Wildfire smoke and your health: Do you need to worry?

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters look out over a burning hillside as they fight the Blue Ridge Fire in Yorba Linda, California, on Monday, October 26.

Wildfires burning in the West

A man evacuates his home as flames from the Blue Ridge Fire approach in Chino Hills, California, on Tuesday, October 27.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters conduct a backfire operation in Chino Hills on October 27.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter uses a hose as the Silverado Fire approaches near Irvine, California.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighter Raymond Vasquez battles the Silverado Fire in Irvine on Monday, October 26.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames rise from mountain ridges near a farmstead as a wildfire burns near Granby, Colorado, on Thursday, October 22.

Wildfires burning in the West

Evacuees drive through a traffic jam exiting Big Thompson Canyon as the East Troublesome Fire forced residents out of Estes Park, Colorado, on October 22.

Wildfires burning in the West

Structures burned by the Cal-Wood Fire are seen in Boulder County, Colorado, on October 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames from the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history, work their way along a ridge outside Estes Park on October 16.

Wildfires burning in the West

An airplane drops fire retardant on the Bruder Fire in Redlands, California, on October 15.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter walks along a path as the Glass Fire burns in Calistoga, California, on October 1.

Wildfires burning in the West

Vehicles burned in the Glass Fire sit outside of a home that survived in Calistoga on September 30.

Wildfires burning in the West

The remains of guest houses smolder at Calistoga Ranch after the Glass Fire passed through on September 30.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighter Abraham Garcia signals a water truck in Angwin, California, on September 29.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters watch the Glass Fire slowly creep across a clearing near Calistoga on September 29.

Wildfires burning in the West

Damaged wine barrels sit stacked at the Fairwinds Estate Winery in Calistoga on September 29.

Wildfires burning in the West

The Glass Fire burns in the background as Josh Asbury, an employee of CableCom, installs fiber-optic cable in Calistoga on September 28.

Wildfires burning in the West

Residents of the Oakmont Gardens senior home are transported to safety as the Shady Fire approaches in Santa Rosa on September 28.

Wildfires burning in the West

Cellar worker Jose Juan Perez extinguishes hotspots at Castello di Amorosa, a Calistoga winery that was damaged in the Glass Fire.

Wildfires burning in the West

An officer with Napa County Animal Control rescues a cat after the Glass Fire passed through Napa Valley, California, on September 28.

Wildfires burning in the West

The Glass Fire burns on a Napa County mountainside on September 28.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames from the Glass Fire consume the Black Rock Inn in St. Helena, California, on September 27.

Wildfires burning in the West

Embers fly from a tree as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena on September 27.

Wildfires burning in the West

An air tanker drops fire retardant on the Glass Fire, which was burning near the Davis Estates winery in Calistoga on September 27.

Wildfires burning in the West

Cal Fire Capt. Jesse Campbell works to save the Louis Stralla Water Treatment Plant as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena.

Wildfires burning in the West

A photograph of Charles Morton, a firefighter killed battling the El Dorado Fire, is displayed at a memorial service in San Bernardino, California, on September 25. Morton, 39, was a 14-year veteran of the US Forest Service and a squad boss with the Big Bear Hotshot Crew of the San Bernardino National Forest.

Wildfires burning in the West

An inmate firefighter takes a break while working to contain the Bear Fire in Oroville, California, on September 24.

Wildfires burning in the West

Inmate firefighters extinguish hot spots while working to contain the Bear Fire on September 24.

Wildfires burning in the West

The Bobcat Fire burns near Cedar Springs, California, on September 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

Wildfire smoke rises in Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming on September 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

A deer looks for food in an area burned by the Bobcat Fire in Pearblossom, California.

Wildfires burning in the West

A woman takes photos as the Bobcat Fire burns in Juniper Hills, California, on September 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

Wind whips embers from Joshua trees burned by the Bobcat Fire in Juniper Hills on September 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighter Kirk McDusky walks past smoke rising from the Brattain Fire in Paisley, Oregon, on September 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

A Juniper Hills home burns during the Bobcat Fire on September 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter battles the Bobcat Fire while defending the Mount Wilson observatory in Los Angeles on September 17.

Wildfires burning in the West

Stacey Kahny fixes her hair inside her tent at the evacuation center at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point, Oregon, on September 16. Kahny lived with her parents at a trailer park in Phoenix, Oregon, that was destroyed by fire.

Wildfires burning in the West

A charred yearbook lies in the debris as Fred Skaff and his son Thomas clean up their home in Phoenix, Oregon, on September 16.

Wildfires burning in the West

In this aerial photo taken with a drone, red fire retardant sits on leveled homes in Talent, Oregon, on September 15.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter works at the scene of the Bobcat Fire burning on hillsides near Monrovia, California, on September 15.

Wildfires burning in the West

President Donald Trump listens as California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about the wildfires during a briefing on September 14.

Wildfires burning in the West

George Coble walks through his destroyed property in Mill City, Oregon, on September 12.

Wildfires burning in the West

The Bobcat Fire burns in Angeles National Forest, north of Monrovia, California, on September 11.

Wildfires burning in the West

Crystal Sparks kisses her 4-year-old twins, Chance and Ryder Sutton, as they escape the Obenchain Fire in Butte Falls, Oregon, on September 11.

Wildfires burning in the West

North Valley Disaster Group member Kari Zeitler and Butte County Animal Control officer Linda Newman bridle up two donkeys wandering along a roadside in Berry Creek, California, on September 11. The donkeys were displaced by the Bear Fire.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter shoots an incendiary device during a back burn to help control the Dolan Fire in Big Sur, California, on September 11.

Wildfires burning in the West

Dora Negrete is consoled by her son Hector Rocha after seeing their destroyed mobile home in Talent, Oregon, on September 10.

Wildfires burning in the West

This aerial photo shows a destroyed mobile-home park in Phoenix, Oregon, on September 10.

Wildfires burning in the West

A street is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in West Linn, Oregon, on September 10.

Wildfires burning in the West

A tanker jet drops fire retardant to slow the Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest north of Monrovia, California, on September 10.

Wildfires burning in the West

Looking up San Francisco’s Columbus Avenue, the Transamerica Pyramid and Salesforce Tower are covered with smoke from nearby wildfires on September 9. This photo was taken in the late morning.

Wildfires burning in the West

Wildfire smoke hangs over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on September 9.

Wildfires burning in the West

Bejhan Razi, a senior building inspector in Mill Valley, California, checks out repairs on a lamp-post clock as the sky is illuminated by nearby wildfires.

Wildfires burning in the West

People stand in Alamo Square Park as smoke hangs over San Francisco on September 9.

Wildfires burning in the West

People stop to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge as it is affected from smoke by nearby wildfires on September 9.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters cut defensive lines and light backfires to protect structures in Butte County, California, on September 9.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames shoot from a home in Butte County.

Wildfires burning in the West

A Pacific Gas and Electric worker looks up at the advancing Creek Fire near Alder Springs, California, on September 8.

Wildfires burning in the West

Lisa Theis unloads the last of her 44 alpacas after she evacuated her ranch in North Fork, California.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames burn at a home leveled by the Creek Fire in Fresno County, California.

Wildfires burning in the West

A slide is melted at a school playground in Fresno County.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighter Nick Grinstead battles the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake, California, on September 7.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter in Jamul, California, battles the Valley Fire on September 6.

Wildfires burning in the West

A fire encroaches Japatul Road in Jamul on September 6.

Wildfires burning in the West

Little League baseball players warm up for a game near Dehesa, California, as the Valley Fire burns on September 6.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter watches the advancing Creek Fire in Shaver Lake.

Wildfires burning in the West

A business owner in Shaver Lake walks next to kayaks he rents as smoke from the Creek Fire fills the sky on September 6.

Wildfires burning in the West

Family members comfort each other as the El Dorado Fire moves closer to their home in Yucaipa, California, on September 6.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter sets a controlled burn with a drip torch while fighting the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake.

Wildfires burning in the West

Dozens of evacuees are airlifted to safety on a California National Guard helicopter on September 5. The Creek Fire had left them stranded in a popular camping area in the Sierra National Forest.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters walk in a line in Yucaipa on September 5.

Wildfires burning in the West

Haze and smoke blanket the sky near Naches, Washington, as the Evans Canyon Fire burns on September 3.

Wildfires burning in the West

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, listens as Santa Cruz State Park Superintendent Chris Spohrer talks about the fire damage to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

Wildfires burning in the West

Randy Hunt packs up his belongings, including his daughter Natasha’s first Pooh bear, left, in case he and his wife Sheli had to evacuate the home they rent in Middletown, California, on August 26.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighter Juan Chavarin pulls down a burning tree trunk in Guerneville, California, on August 25.

Wildfires burning in the West

A sign reading “Vaca Strong” adorns a charred hillside in Vacaville, California, on August 24.

Wildfires burning in the West

Austin Giannuzzi cries while embracing relatives at the burned remains of their Vacaville home on August 23.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter looks out from a helicopter while battling the LNU Lightning Complex fires in Lake County, California.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Road in Lake County on August 23.

Wildfires burning in the West

Karol Markowski of the South Pasadena Fire Department hoses down hot spots while battling the CZU Lightning Complex fires in Boulder Creek, California, on August 22.

Wildfires burning in the West

A burned-out vehicle is left in front of a destroyed residence as smoke fills the sky in Boulder Creek on August 22.

Wildfires burning in the West

Smoke hangs low in the air at the Big Basin Redwoods State Park as some redwoods burn in Boulder Creek on August 22.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter watches the LNU Lightning Complex fires spread through the Berryessa Estates neighborhood in Napa County on August 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

Veterinary technician Brianna Jeter comforts a llama injured by a fire in Vacaville on August 21. At right, animal control officer Dae Kim prepares to euthanize the llama.

Wildfires burning in the West

Smoke from nearby wildfires hangs over San Francisco on August 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter monitors the advance of a fire in Boulder Creek on August 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

Members of the US Forest Service discuss their next moves to battle the Grizzly Creek Fire near Dotsero, Colorado, on August 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

People pack brown-bag lunches at an evacuation center in Santa Cruz, California, on August 21.

Wildfires burning in the West

A smoke plume from the LNU Lightning Complex fires billows over Healdsburg, California, on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter battles flames in Santa Cruz County, California, on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

Only scorched homes and vehicles remain in the Spanish Flat Mobile Villa in Napa County, California, on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

Peter Koleckar reacts after seeing multiple homes burned in his neighborhood in Bonny Doon, California, on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

A forest burns in Bonny Doon on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

A man looks at a tree blocking his way after a fire ravaged Vacaville, California, on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

A melted plastic fence lies on the charred ground after fire swept through Vacaville on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

Sarah Hawkins searches through rubble after her Vacaville home was destroyed on August 20.

Wildfires burning in the West

Fire crews maintain a backburn to control the River Fire near the Las Palmas neighborhood in Salinas, California, on August 19.

Wildfires burning in the West

Gina Santos cries in her car after evacuating Vacaville on August 19.

Wildfires burning in the West

People herd cows down Pleasants Valley Road in Vacaville on August 19.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames consume a home in Napa County, California, on August 19.

Wildfires burning in the West

Embers burn along a hillside above Lake Berryessa as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through Napa County on August 18. This image was taken with a long exposure.

Wildfires burning in the West

A resident runs into a home to save a dog while flames from the Hennessy Fire close in near Lake Berryessa on August 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

A home burns as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flat community in Napa County on August 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

An air tanker drops retardant on fires in the Spanish Flat community of Napa County on August 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames from the Hennessy Fire consume a cabin at the Nichelini Family Winery in Napa County on August 18.

Wildfires burning in the West

Tony Leonardini works on a spot fire as thunderstorm winds fan the Hennessy Fire in Napa County on August 17.

Wildfires burning in the West

Smoke from the Grizzly Creek Fire is thick in Glenwood Canyon, near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, on August 16.

Wildfires burning in the West

Kathy Mathison looks at the still-smoldering wildfire on August 16 that, just a day before, came within several feet of her home in Bend, Oregon.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters look at smoke and flames rising from the Ranch2 Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains, east of Los Angeles, on August 14.

Wildfires burning in the West

A helicopter makes a water drop over the Ranch2 Fire in Azusa, California, on August 13.

Wildfires burning in the West

A car is charred by the Lake Fire near Lake Hughes, 60 miles north of Los Angeles, on August 13.

Wildfires burning in the West

A couple watches the Ranch2 Fire from a distance on August 13.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter crew works in Lake Hughes on August 13.

Wildfires burning in the West

The Lake Fire burns a home in Angeles National Forest on August 13.

Wildfires burning in the West

Flames and smoke from the Lake Fire rise on Wednesday, August 12.

Wildfires burning in the West

A firefighter works against the Lake Fire on August 12.

Wildfires burning in the West

Firefighters make an escape plan as the Lake Fire burns a hillside on August 12.

Wildfires burning in the West

A tanker makes a drop on the Lake Fire on August 12.

Wildfires burning in the West

A plume of smoke rises from the Lake Fire on August 12.

Wildfires burning in the West

Fire crews battle the Grizzly Creek Fire near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, on August 11.

Source link

0 notes