My top favorite shows

I recently came down with the flu and couldn't do much but sip tea and catch up on some shows. (which would be utter bliss, except for the constant coughing, aching and fever.) Anyway, I decided to make a list of some of my favorite shows
They're not very "mori like", but they're still good.


Anne with an E. I mentioned this show in an earlier post, but feel the need to mention it again.  The character development is PHENOMENAL!!!! I believe a second season will be coming out this year.

Pushing daisies. This show is about Ned, a pie maker, who can bring the dead back to life. I loved this show when it first came on, but it was sadly canceled.

The finder. This is one of those rare binge-worthy shows that makes you feel no guilt for watching the whole thing in a week. It's about a rather...er.. eccentric tracker named Walter Sherman. He can find anything!

Phsych is about a Shawn, "a psychic" that works with the Santa Barbra police to solve crimes.

The good place is jam packed full of moral philosophy. It follows Elenor Shellstrop, a recently deceased woman with a rather... colorful history. What will happen to her in the afterlife?

Gunsmoke 

The icy fingers of death: Gardening tips for winter

The icy fingers of death: Gardening tips for winter

     Well, the seasons have changed and I can safely say that winter is coming. Winter can be detrimental on plants depending on your location, so here's a little list of things to keep in mind. 

1. If your grass is looking a little patchy, put down seeds in the fall. This way they can germinate underneath the snow, and give you a full look come springtime.
2. Winter is the best time to take notes on future projects. Use late November and December to decide what you want to plant and how, as well as research new tips and tricks. 
3. Pruning decaying plants will help keep everything neat. If you need to cut any tree branches do it now. There aren't any leaves to get in the way, and it'll make your spring to-do list much shorter. 
4. Remove excess leaves or foliage around plants, and drain unnecessary water. (puddles) This step reduces the risk of rotting near the base of the plants, water born insects (misquotes) and pests.  
5.  Add mulch! Mulch will keep the solid warm during the harsh cold months. It basically gives the soil a season long hug. Ah, but birds may mess with the mulch, so keep an eye out for that.
6. keep an eye on the weather. If you have a lot of outdoor plants beware of the first frost. The first frost can do some serious damage if you're not prepared. 
7. preparing for the cold! You didn't think I'd say prepare for the cold without telling you how, did you? First up, cover your plants. Wrap the base of shrubs,  and trees with burlap and muslin. You can use these type of fabrics on other plants, but take into account the weight of the fabric and the strength of the plant. Some people cover there plants with plastic, but that locks in too much moisture and can damage the plants. In the event of using fabric and or plastic use discretion. This isn't one of those "one size fits all" solutions, so take the time to figure out which method is best for your plants.
8. climbers (plants that scale other plants or surfaces. Ex. ivy, vines, honeysuckle, morning glory...) should be secured with some sort of plant tie for extra support. (especially if you get a lot of heavy snow)

This list is primarily for flowers, but if you want a "Gardener's winter to-do" list for fruits or vegetables let me know by leaving a comment. I am still getting the rest of my social media together, but I'll try to include my handles in another post. 

This year is winding down.

Wow, I can't believe this year is almost over. I guess this is a good time to come back from hiatus, no?
I've noticed a spike in activity within the mori community, and couldn't be any happier. I've read interesting blog post, and decided to have a list of my favorites. (You know how much I love lists, right?) Now, these won't necessarily be posts that were written this year, just ones that I've managed to read this year.

Best of 2017 blog posts 

1. "when my heart aches" by dollmori.blogspot First off, let's talk about the layout of this blog. It's sooo pretty, and creative. (words can't express how much I love the lace trimming on the sides of the post) Now it's a straightforward lists of quotes (a lot of which I've never heard of, but also connect with.) It's a quick read, but well worth it.
2. books spotlight :The practical naturalist... by the plant that never blooms This is almost like reading through  Skimming throught some of the artwork and details presented in Chris Pakham's book The practical naturalist. The colors of each page are vibrant , and the commentary is very relatable. I too, buy books faster than I can read them. 
3. A deer a day by theforestmaid I thought this was a neat activity, and her art work is so good. There all pained, and each one gives off a different feel. I especially like the blue one. I hope that I can carve enough time out of my day to actually draw or paint #Adeeraday too.
4. I can't wear mori kei because...  There's no reason that should prohibit a person from wearing mori kei if they want to! This is a very clear, and enjoyable read that addresses some pretty common concerns of people who feel like they can't wear mori kei. Honestly, I didn't think I could wear it either, so reading a post that's this relatable was comforting.
5. strega- only for witches by Madame Chocolate  Now this post is in spanish, so let me cover the main points. 

• The post begins with Mai magi's (who is a popular tumblr user) thoughts on dark mori and how it no longer represents her as a fashion style. 
• The post quickly runs through her thoughts on strega as a fashion and how it pulls from the mori kei , and dark mori aesthetic.
• Strega, and dark mori are different. Strega also pulls inspiration from the occult, boho styles, and nu-goth. 
• While it (strega fashion) does have obvious goth influences, it's not considered goth because it lacks any relation to the music, and only relates to goth (a multi-facited counterculture sub-culture that has been around for decades) through fashion.  
• The post continues to explain that strega's values are in the complete freedom from any guidelines, save the inspiration of witches, whereas mori kei has a desired silhouette, and colors schemes. It is, in essence, its own style and should be treated as such.
• This post quickly addresses the waves of people expressing concern for strega's potential and or unintended cultural appropriation. Because it's name and symbols stem from religious roots, #strega seems more like a fashion fad, and ultimately upset some wiccans, and magic practitioners. (Not every wiccan or magic practitioner was upset, but the fact that even a few were needed to be addressed.)The word fashion was added to differentiate between the style and religion.     
• After mai magi's "strega fashion manifest" was created, the fashion began to morph from its original from (which was dark mori with over the top layering and skulls) to a whole aesthetic. The makeup, and hair became more elaborate, Ouija board tights and animal bones became more prevalent, and sub-styles of strega began popping up.           

These were just a few, but my are they gems! Why stop at just blog posts, let's do a string of "best of 2017"categories.

books

1. From here to eternity: where to find the good death by Caitlin Doughty. This is my new treasure. It basically follows Caitlin, a mortician and youtube personality, on her journey to "find the good death". She examines how other cultures view and interact with the concept of death and dying. Honestly, It's a refreshing read. I personally think America's standard of caring for the dead is too impersonal, so I would recommend this book to any one but especially the darkly inclined or the curious  
2. The picture of Dorian Grey. Yes, I've read this book many a times, but, but, but I find something new every time I do. This book follows Dorian, an incredible beautiful man who seems to never age, through his decent into darkness. There are all the lovely makings of a gothic novel in it. There are creepy locked rooms, mysterious paintings, romance and tragedy, fantastic mockery of the elite, stormy and winter nights, and death! 

songs

Now, I know I focussed a lot on goth music over the last few posts, but this is strictly for  Mori kei, and Dark mori.

Mori kei

1. Willow tree march by the paper kites 
2. through the pine forest by magpahi
3. Feels by son mieux
4. love prolog by sucrette 
5. 恋と口笛 by sucrette

Dark mori 

1.  don't look bak by AIHVHIA
2. cary on wayward son lullaby. Okay, this is a different version of this song, but I figured that it's too good of a song not to include it.
3. once upon a dream by lana del rey 

13 goth songs I wish were in Halloween movies

I thought that I should make a playlist of all the music I talk about on this blog, but realized that it's easier to just keep everything in one place. I know that these will probably never end up in a halloween movie, but I thought this was fun to make. Enjoy. 


13 songs I wish were in Halloween movies 

1. The smiths-there's a light that never goes out
2. The cure-lovesong
3. sisters of mercy -marian 
4. Aeon Sable- Dance floor Satellite
5. She passed away-Ritual 
6. She passed away- sanri
7. Drab Majesty - The foyer
8. Depeche mode -Strange love
9. enjoy the silence
10. Ministry- Everyday is Halloween
11. Bella Morte- Remorse
12. Clan of xymox- She's dangerous
13. a-ah- The sun always shines on TV

10 ooky sppoky plants to add to your garden

I would plant everyone of my favorite plants if I could have a garden the size of a country, but I can't and so I won't. Instead, I'll be listing different types of plants that I wish I could plant. Maybe this will inspire someone else to plant them.

1. voodoo Lily AKA Devil's tongue. (amorphophallus konjac)  It's definitely an eye catching plant, with it's rich color and bulb of the flow can get pretty large. (Be careful, this is a very pungent smelling flower.)
   
2. Dicentra Spetabilis AKA bleeding heart. This perennial plant belongs to the poppy family, and thrives best in the spring. 
   
3. Mandragora officinarum AKA Mandrake/the devil's apple. These roots are members of the nightshade family and take about 2 years to bear fruit (If i remember correctly, don't quote me on that) They need full or partial shade to grow, and can grow up to 4 feet tall. (please keep in mind that these root shouldn't be consumed)
   
4. Datura trumpet flower AKA   is another member of the night shade family and grows in south America. It can grow up to 4 feet tall, and it's soft leaves and bright white flowers will give any garden a nice pop of color.
   
5. The mystic dreamer dahlia flower's stem and flowers have such a stark contrast, that it's hard to look away. The petals are light magenta, while the foliage is a deep red.  
   
6. Columbine Var Magpie. This is a very dramatic looking plant, isn't it?
   
7. A weeping willow tree 
   
8. Blue Chinese wisteria tree. These actually remind me of wisp spirits,
   
    
9. spanish moss. This will help give off that eerie abandoned feeling
   
10.  cobra lily 

Another music post.

Why don't I just put a few songs here so you can listen while you read. I'm actually liking this "what I've been listening to" type posts. Sure they're short, but It's a good way to just say "hey this music is out there if you're interested."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp3IoC01drc
Red queen's lullaby, Eternal snow, Larmes De La Lune, Mad Dance, and Luna are my favorites from this video. (If you speed Luna up to 1.5X it sounds like it should be on the Get Backers soundtrack)

I think it's pretty safe to say that I prefer atmospheric, and music that's more on the romantic side. Now, I didn't stick just with things labeled "goth" because there are plenty of songs under all kinds of labels that speak to me. They're fantastic, or dreamy, or are just odd. I never liked boring things, and I'm starting to notice that in just about everything I do. I want to reiterate that, yes,  I like pastels,  my little pony, and all things cute. However, since this blog is dedicated to my... err, darker interest  I'll avoid gushing over GOT7, Kyary pamu pamu and the addictive nature of Initial D's sound track.


Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey

Fist off, I was OBSESSED with this song when it came out. I sung it every chance I got. It's so pretty and so emotional. (Now I'm not fond of uncontrolled emotions, let's get that out in the open) Anywho, back to the song. There are strings, whispering ghosts like choir, dramatic percussion and large bells in the back. Yet it's a soft sounding song. It reminds me of cathedrals early in the morning.

Once apon a dream By Lana Del Rey

There's nothing more dreamy than a classical disney song  being covered by someone like Lana. No more explanation needed.


Body Electric By Lana Del Rey
last one by Lana Del Rey I promise.  There's something so... well i don't know wonderful and dark about this. Composition wise, I'm fond of any one who can make a song sound like a 007 theme. Lyrically...uhhh... mmmh. I'll have to warm up to the lyrics I guess.

I've also been listening to a lot of Clan of Xymox, and she passed away, but that needs its's own post.

Inspiration: myths, music, and magic.

I usually post music that is slower and calm so this is a warning that this song is nothing at all like that. Amberian dawn's River of Touni is one of those songs I can't help but love. Yes, the music is downright awesome, and beautifully composed (seriously, close your eyes and take apart the song. there are tons of layers in each of there songs that you'll miss if you don't really listen.) but the lyrics are connected to an interesting story. Take a listen.

River of Touni- Amberian Dawn Lyrics:

Along the black death-land river
The mother runs and tries to find her son
Searching for her lost hero she wades the river deep
to her belt in mud

Oh! Heavy-hearted am I
Tuoni has taken my son!

Oh! Heavy-hearted am I
Tuoni has taken my son!

Fear in her heart she calls her son,
as she rakes the Tuoni river and sees the black swan
Now she wades the river deeper to deathlands shoals and shallows
and finds her son

Oh! Heavy-hearted am I
Tuoni has taken my son!

(This is the EXTREMELY SHORTENED VERSION, and i implore you to look into and read about the whole myth as it is very captivating. I, however, will not be covering the story in its entirety because i'm opposed to lengthy posts. That being said I will happily leave links to some of the sources) 

This song centers around the mother of Lemminkainen. In Finish Mythology Lemminkainen was killed by a blind cattle herder, who he had insulted . The cattle herder proceeds to hack Lemminkainen's body into several pieces and tosses it into a river. His mother sifts through the river to collects all of her sons remains. She eventually finds all the pieces of his flesh and revives him using magic.



The reason i like this song is because the mother's anguish was expressed in very few words. "Touni", the deity that rules over the underworld, "has taken my son." might be the part of the song that made me say "hey, let's look at why this deity did that. Now, i'm not expert in myths, but i'm always up for learning more. If you have a favorite myth, a song tide to an interesting story, or some folklore you'd like to share, then feel free to share.

30 Day Poetry Challenge day6

30 Day Poetry Challenge questions from  http://nadiasf.tumblr.com/post/7418962198/poetrychallenge




Day 6- Write a poem of any length incorporating every word from your latest Facebook status.

I chose to do a limerick. and prepare yourself for cringy poetry! (hey, practice is practice)

 this month is like the last two

 i think i was supposed to message you

how my mind is in a rut!

 oh, how my memory sucks

 lemme know if i forgot the truth

and the post i used: 
if i was supposed to message you in like the last two months lemme know... my memory SUCKS

Because Science! -of death and darkness pt2.

As many of you know (and for those who don't) I really like science so i figured i'll just talk about science! and death.... yes, death too. Here are some people who changed how scientists and doctors view the body.




During the scientific revolution a Flemish anatomist named Andreas Vesalius wrote De Humani Corporis Fabrica (aka in the fabric of the human body) Now, there weren't a lot of well written or illustrated works on the human body.  Vesalius earned the title of " the father of modern anatomy" by preforming public autopsies for himself and students. He compared his findings from humans and animal parts, and believed that observations and experimentation are necessary for medical research. (experimentation and hands on learning wasn't popular pre-scientific revolution. solving problems by thinking was generally how things were done. EX: Galen's four humors.)
Autopsies had to be done quickly as there were no way to keep the bodies from rotting (about 2-3 days max)



Speaking of Galen, or as I call him... Galen, Surgeon of Gladiators! (sounds flamboyant, no?)  He made his own mark on science. He thought doctors should also be philosophers, practice feeling for a pulse, and yes, used the 4 humors. The four humors are almost like "elements" that should be kept in balance to maintain health.

1.  Blood- for the heart
2. black bile- intestine
3. yellow bile - stomach 
4. phlegm- for the brain

There's also 

1. cold
2. hot
3. wet
4. dry

     William Harvey discovered that each organ has a function, he also found out that blood circulates through the body. Some of his work, however, was burned. Some of the topics that were lost included how people and animals breath, muscle movement and how animals came from eggs. 

a picture from Harvey's research on circulation 

The death Salon, and fashion -of death and darkness pt.1

This year, in Seattle WA., a death salon will be held. Now, I'm not talking about a beauty shop with people dressed up like they belong in halloween town (although that would be cool) it's more like a death convention. Anything and Everything you want to know about death, dying, the science behind it, and how to mourn will all be covered. Now it's important not to romanticize death, but to understand that it will happen to everyone and be prepared for it when it dose happen. Sadly, I can't go to this event because I have other responsibilities that take place on the same day. I can, however have a little chat and waffle on about death, on this blog. If you don't feel particularly comfortable with these topics feel free to just skip these posts in their entirety. Each post  will be labeled with "of death and darkness" for connivence. Now on to the purpose of the post!

Death's grip on fashion

         I recently read an article called "A Fashionable Death" on rookiemag.com and began to think of how fashion and death are closely linked. Krist Burton quickly runs though how tuberculosis went from an undesirable illness to must have accessory. I began to think about how frailty and beauty correspond. In japan the byojaku (sickly) trend popped up about two years ago. Ideally, the makeup should make one look sick, and frail. Now I'll be completely honest, I personally like this trend. I think, in part, because it shows how makeup can give a person extremely different looks, and in part because it's just make up. There's no need to harm oneself in order to get a certain look. I vaguely remember the 90's American trend of looking dangerously thin and looking back made me realized that i never thought anyone actually harmed themselves to get "the look". I now know that I was mistaken. If we were to go back in time a bit further to the Edwardian period we would notice that women would put Belladonna (aka deadly night shade!) in their eyes to make them dilate and appear larger. This led to eye infections and even blindness. The women also used lead based lipsticks because they provided the best saturation but they also led to lead poisoning. I suppose the "beauty is pain" concept had been around for ages.

        Fashion's connection to death hasn't always had a negative impact on society, take the victorian era for example. Mourning clothes and jewelry were a staple in ones wardrobe. Feel free to check out this article on Death and mourning during the victorian era for more information.

Fast forward to the 1980's and you get a subculture based on post punk music and the resurrection of gothic literature. This was combined with the rediscovery of antiques and a heavy emphasis on the DIY movement inspired by the punk scene. The end result was the start of the goth subculture (well, back then it was called a counter culture, but i digress) Now there are a lot of sub-styles of goth fashion but aristocratic seems to stem from mourning clothes. I know of a goth who loves to wear mourning veils, and it's an accessory that's also common in gothic lolita (all hail MANA-SAMA!)

   As time goes on, I think(or at least i hope) people have learned and are continuing to learn that you can get any aesthetic without harming your body.

nifty thriftings + tips

nifty thriftings, like the new name ? Anywho, I went shopping recently and was going to make a haul post but well I didn't. Then I realized I should probably only show the things relevant to this blog because I would waste a lot of time otherwise. Now just to be clear these things where accumulated over three shopping trips, and only the things related  to mori kei .  You know what? Why not throw in some shoping tips while i'm at it?

Here's one of my favorite tops.

and a detail shot. I love how dreamy and romantic this looks. 

Tip 1: If you're going to shop at a thrift store try the clothes on while you're there. Even if the tag has one size, still try it on.This top is a size medium, but i'm like a large or extra large. Not all sizing is the same, so you might just get lucky and find something that fits you.

This blouse has poofy sleves, sadly these pictures don't do it justice.

Detail shot: Ahh look at the collar, so cute.

Tip 2: keep an open mind. You may have it set in your mind that you will buy a mint green shirt with pink polka-dot hearts. The thing with second hand/ thrifting/ charity shops is that you might not find exactly what you want. That is A-okay! Keep an open mind, you might find something that you didn't even know you wanted. It's like a sweet surprise that won't cost you an arm and a leg. 

This is a warm cream color and once again has puffy sleeves (I blame Anne with an "E" for this puffy sleeve obsession.)

 Detail shot: Ahh so pretty

 Tip 3: check for stains in the store. Most of these shops don't allow returns, so make sure you like what you buy.

I love this vest, It's so cozy and reminds me of when i used to stuff dead leaves in my backpack in grade school.

Detail shot: I admit that this wasn't something i thought I'd buy, but I got such a great deal for it.

 Tip 4: Check for sales! Ask about student , military, senior discounts or even discount days. My favorite thrift store has super saver Sundays, and you can get 50-60% off a ton of products

Here's a sweater that I bought on a super saver sunday.

Detail shot: I love the little flowers, I added the bunny myself to give it more of a personal touch.

Tip 5: Make it your own. I know not all of these type shops have clothes that fit everyone tastes. Sometimes you just have to get creative. This is especially true if you like to dress in alt. fashion. Hopefully I can get some new equipment and have a segment on my youtube channel for upcycleing clothes to fit different alt. styles. (Let me know if that sound like a good idea)

You don't have to stick to just clothes either. I bought this for like $1.50 from a goodwill

This bag has a really classy vintage feel,and was $7

Detail shot: Heeheee I toataly got a deal on this. Sure, there's a couple of stains but I like it.

Tip 6: If you have the time, check the whole store.

 This was fun, maybe I should do more of these type posts. What do you think?

revamping my skin care routine (picture heavy) pt. 1

After rubbing my fingers over dry canyons and oily patches of inflamed skin, I realized it was time to adjust my skin care routine. Well... at least develop one for my skin type. Now I know about the 10-step Korean skin routine (sometimes it goes up to 15 or more steps.) , but I know that i can't get into a solid routine without easing into it at first.I did a bit of shopping at target, from amazon , and soko glam and here what i found. (Disclaimer: these are things that work for me, and not necessarily for everyone else. The purpose of sharing the products is to give people with similar skin concerns an idea of the products that may help. This isn't sponsored or anything, I'm  just doing it, because i wish i had some one to do this for me. okay? okay! great.)


SO ,before jumping into the products i want to discuss a couple of my skin concerns.

1) Sensitive skin -I've never been able to wash my face without it feeling like a took a razor to my face, drenched it in lemon juice, and stretched it over canvas to be dried like leather. (um... okay, i admit that's a bit gross, but my face always hurts after washing it.)

2) Acne- need i say more? pimples, black heads, and white heads are grossly tuck just beyond the reach of my normal face wash and  Sadly they all erect in unity to ruin any progress I've made in having a clear face.

3) acne scaring. This is something that is a major concern for those with dark skin. Hyper-pigmentation is inescapable if  your skin is like mine. Even if you've never popped, pushed, or irritated the infected area, those scars are ready and willing to come out the woods like a crazed chainsaw murderer (hmmm, i've been a classic horror movie mood lately,)

4) then are smaller problems like dull skin, and firmness and wrinkle prevention


Now that we have a list of problems to be addressed ,let's address them. We'll start with products  by company, and the results I've experienced will follow. (You can skip around if you want,)

PRODUCT BY COMPANY

Target.com 

now these are products that could easily be found in stores (at east if you're in the state, but i bought these because i was already ordering things online.

Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser.

My experiences with this product: I love this cleanser. It's gentle and fragrance free (if that's a concern for you)  My skin feels crazy soft afterwards, and not irritated at all. (You have no idea how surprised i was not to have a burning face after cleaning it. Is this what people without sensitive skin feel? ... It's nice.) 

Neutrogena clear face sunscreen



My experiences with this product. Now this sunscreen has SPF 55, which isn't the highest, but i don't mind reapplying this and here's why.It's super light, and oil-free.My pores don't feel like they're dyeing when i use it, and there's no awkward white streaks left behind.


St. Ives blackhead clearing green tea scrub (wow what a mouthful)


My experiences with this product. It's okay. It's not the type of product that'll make me hold itup and sing that song from lion king. I'll just list the pros and cons and let you form your own opinion.
                                       pro:                                                         Con.       
                         gentle, no burning sensation after use                   maybe too gentle for my skin (I usally only
                         doesn't dry out skin                                           exfoliate once every three weeks, but i 
                                                                                                 might have to do it once a week)

Products from SOKO GLAM

so this is a bit of an unboxing, here's the box with the company name.

A little overview of what i bought.

vitamin C

Snail mucin Essence

Bunila co's Clean it zero oil based face wash

(it also comes with a little spatula to scoop the product out with.)

Etude house Moistfull collagen eye cream

Sokoglam was also kind enough to send some samples (I'll get into these products a little later )

Products from amazon

So this starts off gold, and turns white as it dries, but oh my word your face will be soooo soft afterwards that a babies bum will feel like sandpaper in comparison. (yep, I-I'm aware that was weird. I felt it as I was typing,but you get the point right?)

Etude House's Wounder pore 10 in 1 toner

This is the biggest bottle of toner i've ever bought (500 ml/16.90 oz) It's gentle on skin but tough on dirt. Not to mention my skin feels amazingly soft afterwards. My T-zone doesn't go back to being oily afterwards like it dose with other toners. the packaging is so sweet,and there's a little press pump for cotton pads (you really don't need a lot of pumps either.  a little goes a long way)


That's it for now. I know I need to get a couple of face masks, but I'm happy with these products. (besides i want to get my skin used to a routine before experimenting anymore, just to be safe)

30 day poetry challenge day 5

Day 5- Write a three line poem about lemons without using the following words: lemon, yellow, round, fruit, citrus, tart, juicy, peel, and sour.

Sun drenched rind deliver these limeies 

oh! cure scurvy for we are far from home

lest we leave men bobbing in the waves

30 Day Poetry Challenge day 4

30 Day Poetry Challenge questions from  http://nadiasf.tumblr.com/post/7418962198/poetrychallenge




Day 4- Write a haiku. They’re often about nature, but yours can be about anything.

Subway

Iron snake below

treble,rumble,steady earth

transport me away

I'm not much for writing about trains, so this was really fun for me. I love counting syllables, but sometimes they can be tricky. I guess that's why word choice is so important.



Last time I wrote a poem i used ten words from a random book. That book was... Charles Dikens' Great Expectations.

Gothic garden planing -Form and texture.

I've discussed some of the decorative side of garden planning to make this segment a little more fun, but then thought "why can't the actual work be fun too?". (That being said the planing is a lot of work, but it just doesn't seem like it.) So let's jump right into it

Form: Now I've talked about the shape of plants in regards to visual weight (Eye level, below eye level, sweeping plants, and above eye level) but let's talk about a plant's form. Now form is just another word for the plant's overall shape. (It took me like 3 weeks in a gardening class to piece that together, so forgive me if my gardening jargon is a bit elementary) Now I mentioned that bushes/shrubbery would be below eye level last time, right? Well that's not always the case (I said it that way earlier because i didn't want to get to deep into different types of plants. I admit this way is a bit confusing, but I can clear everything up in a bit... I hope)  Now if i were to break form down into two parts, and I am, it would be

1. the branch's form (or the form of the plants base whether that be vine or branch etc...)
2. and the overall shape of the plant.

The first part is the indecent variable, if you will, and the second is the dependent. In other words the overall shape of the plant depends on the shape of its base. If I were to point out a plant with an arching branch, it would probably be a sweeping plant (below eye level) a weeping plant (has the same characteristics as a sweeping plant, but it at or above eye level. Ex: Weeping willow) or a plant with climbing vies (EX: English Ivy)

Texture: This is what I used to confuse form with. Texture is how the leaves, vines bark, flower etc... looks and feels. Those with "ooky spooky" gardens generally (at least from the ones I've seen) lean towards plants with a thorny texture,velvety petals, and/or  plants with curling vines.
 Here are 5  plant suggestions that are good examples of different types of texture and form.

1. Roses, I'm sure we all saw that coming, but they're famous for a reason, right? Maybe you're into symbolism, or just like how they look, either way roses add color, texture and can be pruned to aid in the balance of visual weight.
2. black night morning glory
3. Borage flower
4. corkscrew hazel bush 
5. black hollyhock 

I know this was a bit of a short post, but hopefully I can add more content to the gardening section soon.

30 day poetry challenge Day 3

30 Day Poetry Challenge questions from  http://nadiasf.tumblr.com/post/7418962198/poetrychallenge


Day 3- Find the nearest book (of any kind). Turn to page 8. Use the first ten full words on the page in a poem. You may use them in any order, anywhere in the poem


I'm thinking a free verse poem would be fun.

1. churchyard
2. knife
3. finale
4. edge
5. dreadful
6. acquaintance
7. fellow-sufferers
8. foreshadowed
9. betwixt
10. circumstances

Sleep

I suppose my mother knew she birthed a heathen

when circumstances lead the family to early morning prayer

and to early mourning prayer we went

my brothers and sisters, and -I-

sat betwixt the edge of night

and the new day's dawn.

we'd often sit in the churchyard 

amoungst the retiring owls, and sorrowful  willows

reciting our dreadful prayers once again

burrowing our knees in the groves 

that previous prayers had made

and occasionally i'd look up to see

an acquaintance of sorts,

a child my age

we were fellow-suffers in that the carnal pleasures of

dreams were cut away with a knife

but in the holiest manner,  of course 

leaving those with complaints little room to speak

and even less room to hide and

If my mother's wrath  foreshadowed

finale judgment 

surly I would've been a god fearing child,

but the sweet tempting call of sleep would take me-

my wicked flesh simply could not wait for

a restful eternity

and thus, i lay my head back on the tree stump

and continued to sin in the churchyard.

  

I actually wrote this poem for a class assignment a while back...

Can you guess what book i used? I'll tell you on day 4