Yep, you read that right. Here's the story: You know that famous Hollywood couple that rents the "cottage " on the other side of the pond, they wear sunglasses and hoddies in town so no one recognizes them, when actually we all do and just don't care, cause that's how this town rolls? Anyway, I'm over taking measurements of an antique crib that's been passed down through the family that they want replicated for a dollhouse for their son, who is like a year old. Sweet really. Anyway, they have this pet pigeon, who some how got out, they showed me pictures, of the bird by itself and a group familyshot. They are very distraught over this and asked to spread the word through town. Now I'm trying to keep a concerned look on my face, but I'm sure you are thinking what I asked...How do you know it's your pigeon? Don't they all sort of look alike? And they said... ready for this? You can tell when you look in his eyes. There you have it folks, I've done my duty. And don't worry about the forum, since they aren't full time residents, they can only see the title. Anyway, have a good Sunday!

Religion Name: Shrekism
Overview: Shrekism is a monotheistic religion that centers around the worship of Shrek, a beloved character from the animated movie franchise. Followers of Shrekism believe that Shrek is a divine being who created the world and all living things, and that he is the one true god.
Commandments:
Thou shalt love and respect Shrek above all else. Thou shalt treat others with kindness and compassion, just as Shrek does. Thou shalt strive to live a simple and humble life, free from greed and materialism. Thou shalt honor thy parents and family, for they are a gift from Shrek. Thou shalt not kill or harm any living creature, for all life is sacred to Shrek. Thou shalt not steal or covet that which belongs to others. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor or spread rumors and lies. Thou shalt keep the Sabbath day holy, and spend time in reflection and prayer. Thou shalt not engage in any form of sexual immorality or adultery. Thou shalt not worship any other gods or idols, for Shrek is the one true god.
Deadly Sins:
Pride: Believing oneself to be superior to others or placing oneself above Shrek. Greed: Excessive desire for wealth or material possessions. Envy: Jealousy of others' successes or possessions. Wrath: Uncontrolled anger or aggression towards others. Sloth: Laziness and apathy towards one's duties and responsibilities. Gluttony: Overindulgence in food or drink. Lust: Excessive or inappropriate sexual desire.
Practices:
Worship: Shrekists gather in their temples and offer prayers and offerings to Shrek. Pilgrimage: Shrekists may go on pilgrimage to the "Swamp of Serenity," where they believe Shrek first appeared to humanity. Fasting: Shrekists may fast on certain days to show their devotion and discipline. Charity: Shrekists are encouraged to be charitable and help those in need. Meditation: Shrekists may meditate on the teachings of Shrek and seek to deepen their understanding of his message. Communal Meals: Shrekists may share meals together as a symbol of unity and community.
Symbols:
The Green Flag: A green flag bearing the image of Shrek. The Onion: The onion is a symbol of humility and simplicity, which are important virtues in Shrekism. The Donkey: Donkey, Shrek's loyal companion, is seen as a symbol of friendship and loyalty in the Shrekist faith.
Holy Places:
The Swamp: In the Shrek bibles, Shrek's swamp is his sacred home and a symbol of his identity. A temple or shrine could be built in honor of the swamp, where followers could come to meditate and reflect.
The Castle: The castle where Princess Fiona lived in the first Shrek bible could be considered a holy place. Followers could come to pay their respects to the princess and learn more about her story.
The Windmill: The windmill where Shrek and Fiona first fell in love could also be considered a sacred site. Shrekists could come to pay their respects to the couple and learn more about the power of love.
Paradise:
The Swamp of Eternity: In this paradise, followers of shrekism could spend eternity living in their own version of Shrek's swamp. They would be surrounded by their loved ones, onions, donkeys, and the beauty of nature, and they could live in peace and happiness for all eternity.
Inferno:
The Pit of Isolation: This inferno would be a place where followers of the Shrek-based religion could be sent if they were deemed to have betrayed the values of the religion. In this pit, they would be cut off from all human interaction and forced to live in isolation for eternity, just like Fiona(the spouse of our holy diety) was.
Apostles:
Fiona, Shrek's wife and co-leader of the movement, who embodies the ideals of strength, courage, and compassion.
Donkey, Shrek's faithful and humorous companion, who represents the importance of loyalty and friendship.
Puss in Boots, a skilled and cunning warrior who symbolizes the virtues of agility and strategic thinking.
Dragon, a fierce and powerful ally who embodies the values of protection and loyalty.
Gingy, a tenacious and resilient gingerbread man who represents the importance of perseverance and determination.
Artie, a young and inexperienced prince who undergoes a transformation and represents the potential for growth and change.
Merlin, a wise and mystical advisor who provides guidance and spiritual insight.
Captain Hook, a former villain who has reformed and now serves as an example of redemption and forgiveness.
Doris, a former antagonist who has also reformed and represents the power of second chances.
Mama Bear, one of the Three Bears who represents the importance of family and community.
Thelonious, a henchman of Lord Farquaad who redeems himself and becomes a member of Shrek's inner circle, symbolizing the possibility of redemption and transformation for all.

1
I live in a suburb surrounded by forest. My house is in a row of other properties built next to a tree line. The neighborhood was always quiet. The sounds of crickets, birds, and sight of black bears were routine on most summer days.
The scenic area was something I was always grateful for. I lived completely alone since the death of my parents. An accidental fire took both of their lives. Once I collected my inheritance, I relocated to a much more peaceful region. I had always fantasized about moving there.
I tried to start a relationship with Samantha. I had gone to High School with her sixteen years before. She had gone on to become a respected Detective. My attempt at something long lasting with her failed. She was too career oriented. I was reeling from grief. Focusing on building something meaningful with her was a pipe dream.
Things around my community changed once the Murphy family went missing.
The first sign that something was off on that Wednesday was how their blinds had closed. Their silver Chevy Chrysler remained parked in the driveway.
A tennis instructor at the country club noticed the wife of that house did not show up for the program. He called their number to make sure everything was alright. When no one responded, he notified the authorities. Rumors abounded immediately among the home owners association about an alleged affair. The gossip only furthered when the married couple and their three kids were not found in the abode.
I watched from my balcony as the patrolmen roped the place off with caution tape. The domicile was a three story building with brick chimney’s and a few peaked roofs in the style of English towers. They were beige, light blue and crimson.
On the morning of the Murphy’s desertion of society, the architecture became a hollow image. It was one that was once filled with activity and life.
The law did what they could. Any success they may have had in the investigation was secret. A few months passed by and they removed the caution tape.
I followed the on-line police logs. The weather was pristine and clear the day they vanished. The fact that there were no witnesses to what direction they may have gone disturbed me.
I had heard how the man, Frank Murphy, had a bit of a temper and always had a bourbon in hand. I had heard mutual friends describe him as an alcoholic in denial of his servitude to liquor. He was an indignant individual who knew no true repercussions for his behavior. He always had bail money from a software company he founded and sold a long time ago.
I was never close to that family, but I peered out at their vacant house far more than I ever had. I was in need of an answer. What could have happened?
2
I called Samantha one evening as I sat on my bed, wondering how she would respond to my reaching out. We were never argumentative or on bad terms. I still worried about her reaction, and hoped it would not be a dismissive one.
I heard her say hello. Her voice still impressed me. I had almost forgotten how silky her tone was. I knew it could change to a much firmer pitch when she was interviewing a suspect.
“Hi, Sam. I’d like to know if you’d be free tomorrow for a cup of coffee. We can go to that place, The Bean Field, off Pond road. It’s been a while and I know you have a lot to tell me about what’s new in your life.”
There was a pause on the other end, and for a second a bout of anxiety hit me. I judged my own words as robotic, stilted, and sure to push her away. I reasoned she was summoning an excuse to get out of having to interact with me. How dare I presume she would even entertain the notion of having a meeting.
“That sounds great,” she said. “Tomorrow is my day off, luckily for you. I’m in the middle of an incident right now. It’s a five car pile-up about forty minutes from where you live. I’ve gotta run. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
When she hung up, I was triumphant. I looked at our old text conversations. I realized we had not been in communication with each other for over twelve months. Now was my opportunity to reconcile that gap of unintended avoidance. I knew it would be an undeserved opportunity.
3
I sat outside of the cafe the next morning at a black metal table. I had a view of rolling hills dotted with trees. A highway with multitudinous shrubberies sat on either side of it. I sipped a piccolo latte while waiting for her.
When she arrived and stepped out of her hatchback in the parking lot, her appearance floored me. She had not dressed up for our supposed date, but that did not make a difference. She had arrived from the gym and wore shorts and a top set. She donned a gray and green hoodie.
She sat across from me and reached for the menu.
“Can you go to the front and order me avocado toast?” Samantha asked. “I’ll also take a mocha with a few shots of espresso. Please.”
I did exactly that. When I returned with her items, she apologized for consuming her meal in less than two minutes.
“I hadn’t eaten since five PM yesterday,” she said between sips.
“I understand,” I said. “I doubt you ever have a consistent schedule anymore.”
“You’re right, but that’s why I have to enjoy my free time when I can.”
We settled into talking about what had happened since we last saw each other. I referenced my trying to learn another language (French) with the hopes of moving to Europe or Canada.
After fifteen minutes of small talk, I asked her about work, but I did so with caution. It started with me wondering about what the call she was on when we were on the phone was about.
“A drunk driver blew a stop sign and hit two other vehicles,” she said. “It was ugly. A few people died. We’ll see if the man in silk pajamas gives him the proper sentence or a traffic citation.”
“You know, I’m curious about what happened to the Murphy’s, if they’re hurt or not.”
“You and everyone else,” she said. “We’ve been getting so many witness accounts, and so far they’ve all been bogus. All I know is what I saw when I got there.”
“I didn’t know you were one of the responders,” I said.
“Yeah. Something about the place was off from the moment I walked in. I found heavy items in placed they should not have been in. The toolbox was not in the garage but on the second story. A disassembled snowblower lay scattered everywhere in pieces. The oven door was on their bed. Frank Murphy was not the strongest guy in the world, either. For him to cause the kind of property damage I saw doesn’t make a lot of sense. At the risk of sounding crazy, inexplicable things happened when I was there.”
“Like what?”
“I was under the impression that something was playing a trick on me. Electrical outlets sparked a few times out of nowhere. The ceiling fan would go from still to spinning when I looked up at it. Books would fall off of the shelves. A volume on black magic, of all things, almost hit the top of my head when I walked on by. Another book about fairies collapsed with it.”
“So the home intruder set up a bunch of weird diversions,” I said. “I’ve heard of that before. These killers or kidnappers want the victims to think there was more than one of them. It’s so their account’s disputed in court.”
I’ll tell you right now,” she said, “we didn’t find any outside DNA.”
“So it’s a case of family annihilation,” I said as I took a long swig of my beverage. “I don’t know if you can substantiate the facts, but a few people have said that Emily had a big life insurance policy. Frank knew about. He may have been using steroids and having an affair, and that could have contributed to-“
It occurred to me that she eyed me with suspicion, as though I was digging too deep. I could also tell she regretted letting information about the forensic results slip.
She stood up and stared at me with a flash of anger in her eyes.
“I thought you wanted to piece something back together with me,” she said. “I didn’t know you wanted to play armchair investigator like every true crime fan. You know, your parents were kind. I wish you’d follow their example. I’ll let you get the bill.”
She walked back to her vehicle and I knew it would be a while before we conversed again.
Later that night, I stared out my window at the Murphy home. I saw a star shoot across the sky, and it almost seemed ready to plummet into the side of their house.
4
The next evening, I took a walk around the suburb. I spotted a thin line of dried red fluid along a path which led into the woods.
I was attempting to get in some movement to get my mind off of the events of the day before. Negativity and self-deprecation were all-consuming. I felt the need for a long saunter to try and release some of the meandering and pessimistic energy I accrued.
When I saw the carmine ribbon along the dark soil, a sense of worry filled me. I was not that far removed from a cul-de-sac with palatial manors a block away. There was no way I could speculate on me being the first to see it.
Could it be a hint where they are? I thought.
The notion seemed absurd, a reach.
I had read in the local newspaper that there was an uptick in bobcat sightings due to recent wildfires. The animals relocated during prior summers. I reasoned it could have been a house pet which became a victim after it got snatched away into the overgrowth.
I followed it, and the uneven road of red stretched on past many bushes and over logs. A shrill chirping in the background became louder. I moved between two conifers with petrified wood and found myself in a part of the forest I had never been in.
There were so many branches that it blacked out the falling sun. Ahead of me was a clearing. A swarm of gnats and mosquitos descended upon it. The sea of insects soared together in chaotic unison as a wave among the sedges and lichen.
I looked towards the right of the meadow and saw a ramshackle tree house. I trailed the red line towards it. I peered in through one of the windows and saw a statue of a woman with wings. I knew she was not an angel. There was no halo, nor were her organs of flight feathery, but rather they were thin and bat-like.
I entered the place knowing the danger I was putting myself in. I had tracked mud in and was oblivious to the incriminating actions I partook in. I was trespassing and risking stumbling into whoever may have owned the land. My curiosity got the better of me and caused me to keep moving forward.
The room was sparse but decorated. The walls had carvings of men and women, also with wings. Their bodies held yogic-like positions as they reached out to one another mid-air.
A piece of parchment with a few words sat in the corner. I picked it up and read it:
‘Humans are the greatest living beings to play tricks on. Especially when they go through a time of drought and extreme cold.’
I sat it down where I found it, unsure of what to make of it.
I touched the central figure’s neck. The chiseling was not only cold, but below freezing, as though I had submerged my hand in a polar pool.
The noise of some kind of bird attempting to escape a confined space reverberated below me.
Something brushed against my leg. I looked down and saw an army of glow bugs float up between the cracks, and they circled around me. They were like dragon flies. At the time I had labeled them as such, but in reality their shapes were far too humanoid.
I walked back home. I went to bed and slept. I was still perturbed at the wine-colored avenue and cabin.
I awoke in the middle of the night after something tapped at my walls from the outside. I peered out and saw the Murphy home, and observed how the blinds over their casements were wide open. A hive of mites filled every inch of the interior.
5
I found the decomposing body of a chipmunk stuffed into the tailpipe of my vehicle the next day.
This horrified me, because the deliberation of the act was too evident to ignore. While I did have a surveillance camera on my porch, the coverage of my vehicle was non-existent. I calmed myself down by thinking it was likely a tempestuous child. I retrieved a pair of medical gloves and disposed of the creature before going on with the errand. The rotting body had a horrible smell. It was like an onion left out in humidity for days, and my stomach turned as I sealed it off in the garbage with the lid.
The next morning, I looked in my closet. Some of my favorite shirts had disintegrated. Holes and patches of destroyed fabric littered them. I found it odd, and even searched on-line for possible answers before I decided it had to be a moth infestation. I sprayed lavender. Information on a website statEd that was a cure-all, but the problem persisted. It bothered me that I had not seen a single aphid, but I pushed that concern away.
A few days afterward, when I had tossed my disheveled pieces of attire, the power in my house went out. This was not such an unusual occurrence during the heavy winter months. For it to occur in the summer was strange.
It was a rolling blackout. Once my house had electricity again, I noticed how someone moved items around.
Something turned my kitchen table on its side and stuffed into a part of the kitchen I would have never placed it in.
I grabbed a butcher knife and did a sweep of the premises, and I did not find anything. There were no footprints or signs of anything else tampered with. When I got to the second story, birds nested along the tree tops, and the repugnant odor of fish attacked me.
My allergies became insufferable over the next month. Nothing purchased over the counter which helped it.
6
I went to the beach on an overcast day. After roughly half a mile of walking, I saw an illustration someone had drawn in the sand with a stick. It was of a being with airfoils.
A light precipitation had fallen earlier. As I trailed along the former part of the sand, a glint in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I looked out at the water and saw what appeared to be a light blue outline of wings beneath the surface.
A phosphorescent wall of creatures surrounded me.
As the days march on, I know I am stalked by something I cannot rebel against, let alone have any agency or autonomy over. My pillowcases have shredded, the pipes in my basement have burst, and someone left me a gift at my front door. When I opened it, I saw mice scurry away. It was a book, and it was one about the history of fairies.
I picked it up and had to blow the dust off of it. Someone had stolen it from a musty subterranean chamber and brought it here.
I theorized that it was Samantha, passive aggressive with her disappointment in me. Yet I flip through its pages and find it all too familiar. I cannot help but wonder if this is a sign of something far more dangerous.

I live in a suburb surrounded by forest. My house is in a row of other properties built next to a tree line. The neighborhood was always quiet. The sounds of crickets, birds, and sight of black bears were routine on most summer days.
The scenic area was something I was always grateful for. I lived completely alone since the death of my parents. An accidental fire took both of their lives. Once I collected my inheritance, I relocated to a much more peaceful region. I had always fantasized about moving there.
I tried to start a relationship with Samantha. I had gone to High School with her sixteen years before. She had gone on to become a respected Detective. My attempt at something long lasting with her failed. She was too career oriented. I was reeling from grief. Focusing on building something meaningful with her was a pipe dream.
Things around my community changed once the Murphy family went missing.
The first sign that something was off on that Wednesday was how their blinds had closed. Their silver Chevy Chrysler remained parked in the driveway.
A tennis instructor at the country club noticed the wife of that house did not show up for the program. He called their number to make sure everything was alright. When no one responded, he notified the authorities. Rumors abounded immediately among the home owners association about an alleged affair. The gossip only furthered when the married couple and their three kids were not found in the abode.
I watched from my balcony as the patrolmen roped the place off with caution tape. The domicile was a three story building with brick chimney’s and a few peaked roofs in the style of English towers. They were beige, light blue and crimson.
On the morning of the Murphy’s desertion of society, the architecture became a hollow image. It was one that was once filled with activity and life.
The law did what they could. Any success they may have had in the investigation was secret. A few months passed by and they removed the caution tape.
I followed the on-line police logs. The weather was pristine and clear the day they vanished. The fact that there were no witnesses to what direction they may have gone disturbed me.
I had heard how the man, Frank Murphy, had a bit of a temper and always had a bourbon in hand. I had heard mutual friends describe him as an alcoholic in denial of his servitude to liquor. He was an indignant individual who knew no true repercussions for his behavior. He always had bail money from a software company he founded and sold a long time ago.
I was never close to that family, but I peered out at their vacant house far more than I ever had. I was in need of an answer. What could have happened?
*
I called Samantha one evening as I sat on my bed, wondering how she would respond to my reaching out. We were never argumentative or on bad terms. I still worried about her reaction, and hoped it would not be a dismissive one.
I heard her say hello. Her voice still impressed me. I had almost forgotten how silky her tone was. I knew it could change to a much firmer pitch when she was interviewing a suspect.
“Hi, Sam. I’d like to know if you’d be free tomorrow for a cup of coffee. We can go to that place, The Bean Field, off Pond road. It’s been a while and I know you have a lot to tell me about what’s new in your life.”
There was a pause on the other end, and for a second a bout of anxiety hit me. I judged my own words as robotic, stilted, and sure to push her away. I reasoned she was summoning an excuse to get out of having to interact with me. How dare I presume she would even entertain the notion of having a meeting.
“That sounds great,” she said. “Tomorrow is my day off, luckily for you. I’m in the middle of an incident right now. It’s a five car pile-up about forty minutes from where you live. I’ve gotta run. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
When she hung up, I was triumphant. I looked at our old text conversations. I realized we had not been in communication with each other for over twelve months. Now was my opportunity to reconcile that gap of unintended avoidance. I knew it would be an undeserved opportunity.
*
I sat outside of the cafe the next morning at a black metal table. I had a view of rolling hills dotted with trees. A highway with multitudinous shrubberies sat on either side of it. I sipped a piccolo latte while waiting for her.
When she arrived and stepped out of her hatchback in the parking lot, her appearance floored me. She had not dressed up for our supposed date, but that did not make a difference. She had arrived from the gym and wore shorts and a top set. She donned a gray and green hoodie.
She sat across from me and reached for the menu.
“Can you go to the front and order me avocado toast?” Samantha asked. “I’ll also take a mocha with a few shots of espresso. Please.”
I did exactly that. When I returned with her items, she apologized for consuming her meal in less than two minutes.
“I hadn’t eaten since five PM yesterday,” she said between sips.
“I understand,” I said. “I doubt you ever have a consistent schedule anymore.”
“You’re right, but that’s why I have to enjoy my free time when I can.”
We settled into talking about what had happened since we last saw each other. I referenced my trying to learn another language (French) with the hopes of moving to Europe or Canada.
After fifteen minutes of small talk, I asked her about work, but I did so with caution. It started with me wondering about what the call she was on when we were on the phone was about.
“A drunk driver blew a stop sign and hit two other vehicles,” she said. “It was ugly. A few people died. We’ll see if the man in silk pajamas gives him the proper sentence or a traffic citation.”
“You know, I’m curious about what happened to the Murphy’s, if they’re hurt or not.”
“You and everyone else,” she said. “We’ve been getting so many witness accounts, and so far they’ve all been bogus. All I know is what I saw when I got there.”
“I didn’t know you were one of the responders,” I said.
“Yeah. Something about the place was off from the moment I walked in. I found heavy items in placed they should not have been in. The toolbox was not in the garage but on the second story. A disassembled snowblower lay scattered everywhere in pieces. The oven door was on their bed. Frank Murphy was not the strongest guy in the world, either. For him to cause the kind of property damage I saw doesn’t make a lot of sense. At the risk of sounding crazy, inexplicable things happened when I was there.”
“Like what?”
“I was under the impression that something was playing a trick on me. Electrical outlets sparked a few times out of nowhere. The ceiling fan would go from still to spinning when I looked up at it. Books would fall off of the shelves. A volume on black magic, of all things, almost hit the top of my head when I walked on by. Another book about fairies collapsed with it.”
“So the home intruder set up a bunch of weird diversions,” I said. “I’ve heard of that before. These killers or kidnappers want the victims to think there was more than one of them. It’s so their account’s disputed in court.”
I’ll tell you right now,” she said, “we didn’t find any outside DNA.”
“So it’s a case of family annihilation,” I said as I took a long swig of my beverage. “I don’t know if you can substantiate the facts, but a few people have said that Emily had a big life insurance policy. Frank knew about. He may have been using steroids and having an affair, and that could have contributed to-“
It occurred to me that she eyed me with suspicion, as though I was digging too deep. I could also tell she regretted letting information about the forensic results slip.
She stood up and stared at me with a flash of anger in her eyes.
“I thought you wanted to piece something back together with me,” she said. “I didn’t know you wanted to play armchair investigator like every true crime fan. You know, your parents were kind. I wish you’d follow their example. I’ll let you get the bill.”
She walked back to her vehicle and I knew it would be a while before we conversed again.
Later that night, I stared out my window at the Murphy home. I saw a star shoot across the sky, and it almost seemed ready to plummet into the side of their house.
*
The next evening, I took a walk around the suburb. I spotted a thin line of dried red fluid along a path which led into the woods.
I was attempting to get in some movement to get my mind off of the events of the day before. Negativity and self-deprecation were all-consuming. I felt the need for a long saunter to try and release some of the meandering and pessimistic energy I accrued.
When I saw the carmine ribbon along the dark soil, a sense of worry filled me. I was not that far removed from a cul-de-sac with palatial manors a block away. There was no way I could speculate on me being the first to see it.
Could it be a hint where they are? I thought.
The notion seemed absurd, a reach.
I had read in the local newspaper that there was an uptick in bobcat sightings due to recent wildfires. The animals relocated during prior summers. I reasoned it could have been a house pet which became a victim after it got snatched away into the overgrowth.
I followed it, and the uneven road of red stretched on past many bushes and over logs. A shrill chirping in the background became louder. I moved between two conifers with petrified wood and found myself in a part of the forest I had never been in.
There were so many branches that it blacked out the falling sun. Ahead of me was a clearing. A swarm of gnats and mosquitos descended upon it. The sea of insects soared together in chaotic unison as a wave among the sedges and lichen.
I looked towards the right of the meadow and saw a ramshackle tree house. I trailed the red line towards it. I peered in through one of the windows and saw a statue of a woman with wings. I knew she was not an angel. There was no halo, nor were her organs of flight feathery, but rather they were thin and bat-like.
I entered the place knowing the danger I was putting myself in. I had tracked mud in and was oblivious to the incriminating actions I partook in. I was trespassing and risking stumbling into whoever may have owned the land. My curiosity got the better of me and caused me to keep moving forward.
The room was sparse but decorated. The walls had carvings of men and women, also with wings. Their bodies held yogic-like positions as they reached out to one another mid-air.
A piece of parchment with a few words sat in the corner. I picked it up and read it:
‘Humans are the greatest living beings to play tricks on. Especially when they go through a time of drought and extreme cold.’
I sat it down where I found it, unsure of what to make of it.
I touched the central figure’s neck. The chiseling was not only cold, but below freezing, as though I had submerged my hand in a polar pool.
The noise of some kind of bird attempting to escape a confined space reverberated below me.
Something brushed against my leg. I looked down and saw an army of glow bugs float up between the cracks, and they circled around me. They were like dragon flies. At the time I had labeled them as such, but in reality their shapes were far too humanoid.
I walked back home. I went to bed and slept. I was still perturbed at the wine-colored avenue and cabin.
I awoke in the middle of the night after something tapped at my walls from the outside. I peered out and saw the Murphy home, and observed how the blinds over their casements were wide open. A hive of mites filled every inch of the interior.
*
I found the decomposing body of a chipmunk stuffed into the tailpipe of my vehicle the next day.
This horrified me, because the deliberation of the act was too evident to ignore. While I did have a surveillance camera on my porch, the coverage of my vehicle was non-existent. I calmed myself down by thinking it was likely a tempestuous child. I retrieved a pair of medical gloves and disposed of the creature before going on with the errand. The rotting body had a horrible smell. It was like an onion left out in humidity for days, and my stomach turned as I sealed it off in the garbage with the lid.
The next morning, I looked in my closet. Some of my favorite shirts had disintegrated. Holes and patches of destroyed fabric littered them. I found it odd, and even searched on-line for possible answers before I decided it had to be a moth infestation. I sprayed lavender. Information on a website statEd that was a cure-all, but the problem persisted. It bothered me that I had not seen a single aphid, but I pushed that concern away.
A few days afterward, when I had tossed my disheveled pieces of attire, the power in my house went out. This was not such an unusual occurrence during the heavy winter months. For it to occur in the summer was strange.
It was a rolling blackout. Once my house had electricity again, I noticed how someone moved items around.
Something turned my kitchen table on its side and stuffed into a part of the kitchen I would have never placed it in.
I grabbed a butcher knife and did a sweep of the premises, and I did not find anything. There were no footprints or signs of anything else tampered with. When I got to the second story, birds nested along the tree tops, and the repugnant odor of fish attacked me.
My allergies became insufferable over the next month. Nothing purchased over the counter which helped it.
*
I went to the beach on an overcast day. After roughly half a mile of walking, I saw an illustration someone had drawn in the sand with a stick. It was of a being with airfoils.
A light precipitation had fallen earlier. As I trailed along the former part of the sand, a glint in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I looked out at the water and saw what appeared to be a light blue outline of wings beneath the surface.
A phosphorescent wall of creatures surrounded me.
As the days march on, I know I am stalked by something I cannot rebel against, let alone have any agency or autonomy over. My pillowcases have shredded, the pipes in my basement have burst, and someone left me a gift at my front door. When I opened it, I saw mice scurry away. It was a book, and it was one about the history of fairies.
I picked it up and had to blow the dust off of it. Someone had stolen it from a musty subterranean chamber and brought it here.
I theorized that it was Samantha, passive aggressive with her disappointment in me. Yet I flip through its pages and find it all too familiar. I cannot help but wonder if this is a sign of something far more dangerous.

Lydia gives off a soft groan as she turns, no longer asleep but wishing that she was. There were no duties today, she thought to herself, so why wake up early? rubbing her face on the pillow she smiles, enjoying the comforting warmth of Caldera. It is not long ago that she started sleeping in the dungeon, but she cannot think herself stopping anymore, being outside now feeling cold and empty compared to the feeling she gives her. Lydia stretches, knowing she cannot lie in bed and enjoy the feeling forever, even if she'd like to, and opens her eyes, ready to great Caldera a good morning
​
for a mass of eyes and meat to greet her instead
​
jumping up immediately, Lydia's instincts took over and delivered a knee kick to the mass, for her leg to simply sink into the malleable mass, the strike not yielding any results except stopping the eyes from looking at her. shaking, she looked around the room just to find it an amalgam of flesh, sinew and bone, somewhat resembling the shape of the room she fell asleep in, her bed itself being a tumour whose warmth she confused for that of her partner. dashing towards the exit, her Ki enhanced jumps leaving plopping and squelching sounds in her wake, she found herself outside, her short lived hope that the aforementioned room was an exception shattered as she looked upon Caldera's territory.
​
The whole area was covered by unnatural growths, stalks consisting of multiple sinewy bones with a bulb of opaque liquid as well as meaty tendrils writhing towards the sky making up most of the "flora", if it can be called as such, every one of them different than the last, the lake that was once filled with frogs and lunar lilies now a putrid pond of gastric juices with a mix of brown, red and green, an occasional bony star floating above it, like a solidified explosion. She turned around, her horror only growing as she saw where she just came out of.
​
A tree of meat stood tall, the eyes that replaced it's leaves gazing at it's surroundings lazily, bright red spores dispersing from it's bursting pustules, the sickening miasma spreading throughout the air, covering the sky in a red mist. the light of the pulsating red stars in the night sky left just enough light for Lydia's enhanced eye sight to make out the veins that covered the tree, all running toward it's center, her improved ears picking up the pulsating that permeated throughout the tree, the ground, and the world as a whole; the stars themselves beating in unison with the expansion and contraction of the veins, the pustules syncing their release with each beat.
​
whatever this substance is, it is in the Air, and though she cannot feel any direct effects on her body, she does not want to find out what will happen to her if she gets more of these spores inside of her so she slows her breathing, her ki flow slowing down as well, in an attempt to buy time from whatever was happening potentially happening to her too.
​
Lydia slowly starts to walk around in search of anything familiar, something or someone to ask what was going on, how to change her partner back - if she even was still in Caldera's dungeon, that is. but how could it not be? it is all in the same forms and places, though twisted beyond anything but recognizing the most basic semblances. What if this is how it would remain? what if that is what Caldera became? What if she was dead or subsumed? or even worse, what if this is what she became, unrecognizable and without a way to return?
​
Lydia wipes the tears off her face, her professionalism focusing her on the task at hand: to find anything with a semblance of reason. continuing the walk that her train of thought stopped, she walked along the Lake of fluids, the smell of digestive acid, sweet rot and decaying blood making her want to throw up, each breath as shallow as can be. walking along it, she notices the two forms in the middle above the lake, the former twin scions swimming in the air
​
one of them was covered in diseased scales, the green infection that permeated their whole body leaving them a bloated whiteish green carcass that yet moved, the infectious substance decaying with proximity to the other form, which had it's flesh melt and fall of in chunks and drip off in a brownish-black liquid, yet always regrowing just as fast as it fell off, the two continuing their existence in an unholy balance of growth and decay.
​
reaching the spa that now had burning blood as it's water, with hearts beating in the aforementioned synced pulse to pump the liquid corruption, she found the corpses in it, still in a form as if they were just conversing in a casual talk, with some showing signs of panicked exits. there were no expressions on any of them, their eyes and mouths covered in scar tissue as if someone gouged and cut them out just to leave them regrow. unable to hold it in, Lydia vomits on the ground, the nightmare only worsening - whatever this was, it was not just a twisted version of Caldera, but it also was murderous - or had a sick sense of humor replicating that scenario.
​
"This isn't funny, Caldera!" Lydia shouted shortly after emptying whatever her stomach had. "If this is another one of your weird horror attractions, then you really went to far with this one!! please, just stop, if you can hear me...". yet her only answer was the continuous pulsating of the place, uncaring about the tears streaming on her face or the sobs from within her chest. so she cried for some time, before breaking up to continue her search.
​
just as she walked out, she saw Jackie, staring at the dungeon entrance. with renewed hope, Lydia sprinted towards the Jackalope, the tears that flew now being those of relief, as she called out to her. right before she reached her though, one of her legs sunk into the fleshy ground, and any attempt at pulling it out failed. "Jackie! help me, please! what is going on with this place? " there was no answer, the hope slowly turning into doubt and suspicion, as the jackalope which was staring at the ground slowly raised it's head, the front still not visible.
​
"We...we have to save Caldera! you see the flesh too. don't you have any Idea how to free her from it? why are you not doing anything?"
​
The Jackalope simply turned to face her, And Lydia's blood froze. staring at her was a skull only half covered with flesh, some of it melting and some spreading out from the eye sockets, as a gurgling, deep voice came from within it. "Why...Would I Want To Return To What I Was Before..?", no comprehensible sounds being heard yet the meaning still blasting through her mind. She tried to run away, panic holding her mind prisoner, but she just sank deeper into the molasse made out of fat and muscles, restricting her movement further and further as the jackalope started slowly approaching, each step consisting of tendrils forming between her and the ground, pushing and pulling her where necessary to allow the unnatural movement.
​
"NO! DON'T COME CLOSER! GET AWAY!! GET AWAY!!!!" the screams doing nothing to stop Jackie's approach, she now stood above the body of Lydia, the lower part of it being swallowed by the ground. reaching out, the fur peeling back to let her uncovered flesh hold Lydia's face gently, the touch burning marks into her cheek, she spoke It Is All Right. There Is No Need To Be Afraid. You Will Join Us Too, And We Will Be One" Lydia simply screamed and trashed around, as the paws started melting together with her face, Jackie standing above her with her melting flesh flowing upon Lydia, Threatening to drown and burn her at the same time as Lydia's world spun, the eyes, The very stars pointing their looks at her and piercing her with their glares, a chorus of "Join Us" and "We Will Be One" filling her ears and heart, her whole body aflame, Her spirit feeling like it was being pulled from her body as "Lydia!" joined the chorus, repeating and repeating, "Lydia!" "Lydia!" "Lydia!!"
​
"LYDIA!!"
​
I Scream, my lungs feeling hoarse as if that is all I was doing, My body aching all over as I jump towards the corner with a battle ready stance. green, white, light brown, colors in my blurry vision as the only Instinct is just survival, fight against the enemy. the enemy. what enemy? I shake my head to clear my vision, My Brain in too much turmoil to focus my Ki willingly, and see a fearful and the dungeon core, the one meter diameter Emerald giving off a green light in pulses, it's focus entirely on me as her panic bleeds through, though said panic is about me and nobody else. An Involuntary Whimper comes out of my mouth as my body tries to speak yet my brain is frozen in shock as my legs give out and I collapse on the floor of the hollowed out tree trunk, feeling the hot tears flowing on my face as I bawled, the terrible feeling still inside my chest.
​
In my peripheral vision, I see the beast moving towards me, wrapping it's paws around me - and immediately having my knee land in it's face as I push the monster away. no, nonononono, not again, you will not do that to me! the panicked thoughts stop as my mind seems to catch up with reality, as I see the somewhat malformed snout of Jackie covered in blood from my strike, a mix of surprise, shock, worry and hurt together on her face. I just hurt her. she probably was trying to comfort me, and I just retaliated by trying to kill her. oh shield, what am I doing? what happened to me? The sickness in my stomach now makes itself even more noticeable and I find myself sitting on the floor, still in the corner, bawling my eyes out as my body tries and fails to say something, only making some unrecognizable noises like those of a dying animal. I see Jackie standing up, approaching me carefully, as if still trying to comfort me, but feel myself tensing up and trying to back away even further, an unnatural panic holding me prisoner in a way that even my training cannot keep up with. seeing this, she stops, a wounded yet mostly worried expression still on their face, their mouth moving yet no understandable sound being processed by my head, as if hearing itself was dangerous to my very being.
​
this went on, as I sat in the corner and continued to cry as my body produced sweat without end, the lingering sensation of being burnt alive enough to cause it to go into disarray, my coarse, dry throat signalling me that it was strained before hand and is strained even more now as I waited, unable to do anything else against the panic except let it wash over me, a loss of control I hated but had no choice in, as any attempt at saying something or moving towards them was met with incomprehensible noises or another wave of panic as my tense, shaking body refused to move, instincts triumphing over logic as emotions, which I thought I had in check, overpowered me instead. their gazes remained on me, not being distracted by anything else for a second, worry, sadness and anxiety remaining throughout the whole time.
​
at last, I eventually was able to get up, moving towards the core and Jackie slowly as my body burned through most of the energy it could have used to holding me in the state of panic, and I fell into the arms of the mostly healed Jackalope, her magic having mostly patched up the wound I inflicted upon her, her paws immediately wrapping around and holding me. I was still shaking, though now just as much due to exhaustion, and simply let Jackie comfort me in silence. That was a terrible nightmare, and I was quietly wondering how it even came to be, considering that I never saw something like that before nor read about such a thing, neither as an account of reality nor even fiction. and why did it feel so real - why why do I still feel as if it actually happened, as if my body is about to melt? and...could it ever become true?
​
Would Caldera ever do something like this? _Could_ she ever do something like this? I want to answer yes, but something tells me that what I was was the result of a life affinity too, though I do not understand, actually, how a life affinity, something associated with plants and balanced eco systems could turn into flesh, since flesh does not even fall into the domain of life. I look upon Caldera's core, which is glowing with a reassuring green light, as if she never could do serious harm upon anyone who did not deserve it through their own actions.
​
yet while my head told me it could physically not be, my emotions still harboured fear, the affinity acquisition by her scions already being a development not speaking favourably for the impossibility for such a happening.
​
As I thought this, I felt myself drifting away, becoming more tired by the second. I guess being in such an emotional state leaves you exhausted, no matter how much endurance you have... I should...probably ask her... if the dream.....has any........meaning.........
​
***
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deep inside the trunk, Alexa and Giorno were discussing the details of the latest development. "We cannot bring her into the network again" stated Giorno, Alexa nodding in affirmation. "She got knowledge and information that she should not be able to after being connected through us. We cannot take what she has seen, and it is likely that she only saw it subconsciously, but we cannot reveal anything more to her, especially considering the importance she has for the Don". thinking for a moment, he added "and the Don herself cannot know about it either, if possible. it's best if she continues her life as is, without having this to occupy her mind" "that is what we are here for" agreed Alexa, sharing the order to keep quiet to everybody except the core and Jackie, the voice being too connected to Caldera to hide information that the Jackalope herself has from her master.

Now, I did do a search of this subreddit prior to asking this question. Also, I plan to do a soil test, pH check, all that jazz.
I am redoing some front yard landscaping and have red clay soil. Prior to my digging up and and destroying my old landscaping, there were cycads, loropetalums, gardenia (that remains), and a Japanese maple (that remains) planted. They did quite well and were fairly large. I assume they'd been there for years. I hope to plant a tea olive tree and replant new loropetalums, possibly some others later. I am new to gardening and am understanding that I may need to amend the soil with sand, compost, and decent soil? I've got mushroom compost or cow manure....good soil, both ground and top.....how does this sound so far? How much sand should I use? Luckily, digging up the old plants allowed for some significant "aeration" if you will.
Any other advice for doing this? I pray the tea olive does well as it seems to be hit or miss in NW FL. Fingers crossed for all the others.

SFW.
Would anybody be interested to join a tour to Ilocos (Vigan-Laoag- Pagudpud) on May 30 - June 1?
May 29 evening departure
I'll be a joiner in this tour so I'll refer you sa coordinator namin if you want to join us :)
4 slots available / 3699 per person

ILOCOS 3DAYS 2NIGHTS
Meet ups 🚩 KFC Moa 🚩 Greenfields Shaw Mcdo 🚩 Centris Mcdo 🚩 Bulacan Exits
INCLUSIONS: ✔️ Artista Van Transfer (MNL - ILOCOS – MNL) ✔️ Coordinator on board ✔️ Toll & Diesel + Parking fees ✔️ 2 Nights Airconditioned Room Accommodation (Room sharing w/joiners) ✔️ 2 complimentary breakfast (2nd & 3rd day) ✔️Complete Ilocos Tour (VIGAN - LAOAG - PAGUDPUD)
EXCLUSIONS: ❌ MEALS ❌ Optional: Kalesa Ride in Vigan ❌Sand Dunes (Php 500/Head Maximum of 5 Persons) ❌Entrances 👇 - Kapurpurawan Rock Formation 50/head - Malacañang of the North 80/head - Cape Bojeador Lighthouse 70/head ❌ Private room (solo/couple 1500/night)
✨Note: This itinerary is only a time guidelines, not an exact schedule of tour. This may change depends on traffic, stop overs, photo ops & eating time
Sample Itinerary Day 0 8:00PM-10:00PM Meet ups 📅 Day 1: Laoag City Tour 6:00am/7:00am - Breakfast (Guest Expenses) 📍Paoay Church 📍Culili Point 4x4 (Optional activities: Complete 4 x 4 ride and Unlimited Sand boarding, 2,500php good for 5 persons) 📍Malacanang of the North (guest account entrance) 📍Bangui Windmill 12:00nn - Lunch (Guest Expenses) 3:00PM -Accommodation Check Inn Pagudpud 3:00PM-6:00PM Free Time 07:00PM Dinner (Guest Expenses)
📅 Day 2: Pagudpud Tour 7:00am - Breakfast (hosted) Free Time Beach Swimming 11:00am -pack up / Start of tour 📍 Patapat Viaduct 📍Saud Beach 📍 Kapurpurawan Rock Formation 📍Cape Bojeador Light House (entrance fee on Guest Acct) 5:00pm/6:00pm Check in Vigan Accommodation 7:00pm Dinner (Guest Expenses)
📅 Day 3: Vigan Tour 7:00am - Breakfast (hosted) 9:00am - Accommodation Check out 10:00am - Start of tour 📍Pasalubong center 📍Pottery Making (optional) 📍Vigan Heritage Village (Calle Crisologo, St. Paul Cathedral, Plaza Burgos, Plaza Salcedo) 📍Bantay Bell Tower 12:00nn - Lunch @Hidden Garden (Guest Expenses) 2:00pm ETD Vigan 3:00pm 📍Quirino Bridge (photo ops) 8:00pm Stop over for dinner (Guest Expenses) 11:00pm ETA Mnl

Basically the title. I have a large pot that I’m using as a low tech patio guppy pond. I’d like to build a terracotta pot tower to put in the pond, and plant the top with some plants that can definitely survive it. I’ve wanted to do a bog planter with carnivorous plants for a long time, so this seemed like a good way to kill two birds with one stone.
Has anyone tried growing carnivorous plants this way? Would the conditions be too wet for the plants?

What is the cause of Schefflera dropping leaves , and how can we fix this problem? Dropping leaves of any plant, especially Schefflera, is the result of stress on the plant, which is caused by improperly keeping and growing the plant at home. Schefflera is one of the best choices for bringing tropical foliage indoors. This resistant and beautiful plant with its umbrella-like leaves can withstand a lot of neglect, but leaf fall is a common thing that unfortunately happens to many of these plants.
Many factors cause the Schefflera dropping leaves, including improper watering, high environmental temperature, low or high environmental humidity, pest infestation of houseplants, and disease of houseplants.
Sometimes, there are situations where you have provided all the conditions for keeping Schefflera at home in an ideal and appropriate way, but you see its Schefflera dropping leaves again; the reason for this is the decision of your plant itself! which prefers to replace its old leaves with young leaves.
In this article from the thehplants website, we will examine all the reasons for the Schefflera dropping leaves and how to treat it, so stay with us until the end of this article.

What is the cause of Schefflera dropping leaves?

Only one reason cannot cause Schefflera dropping leaves. In summary, watering too little or too much, low light, high temperature, repotting, pests, houseplants diseases, incorrect fertilization, low humidity, or a movement to new location can cause the leaves of this plant to fall.
Note that it is normal for Schefflera and other houseplants to drop old leaves. But the constant falling of umbrella plant leaves can not be a good sign, and you should immediately ask yourself why is my umbrella plant dropping leaves? and try to find the cause of the problem and fix it immediately.

1. Does the light cause the leaves of Schefflera to fall?

Schefflera plant is one of the houseplants with good resistance to low light, but it needs indirect sunlight for maximum growth. In a situation where the ambient light for the plant is low, the leaves of the Schefflera plant change shape and fall, and of course, in this case, the color of the leaves will be dark green compared to normal conditions.
On the other hand, too much light in the place where the plant is kept does not cause Schefflera dropping leaves and only causes the leaves to become burnt. As a result, if you suspect that the leaves of your Schefflera plant are falling due to the low light of the plant’s storage environment. Bring the plant closer to the window and provide indirect and appropriate light (indirect light is the light that passes through the window curtain and is provided to the plant).
The process of bringing Schefflera from apartment oxygen plants to the window should be done slowly because changing the location of the plant at high speed will also have its consequences (a distance of one to one and a half meters to the window is suitable).

2. Too much or too little watering causes Schefflera dropping leaves

Watering less than normal and too much has caused the Schefflera plant to be under pressure, resulting in the leaves of the plant falling. The roots of houseplants have the task of delivering water and nutrients to the stem and leaves, and when the amount of watering is too high or too low, this process will face problems.
Schefflera plant always needs moist soil (not waterlogged) and is very resistant to dry soil conditions.
The correct method and time of watering Schefflera are such that the upper half of the soil in the pot is dry at any time. Watering the plant should be done immediately, and on the other hand, when watering the plant, as soon as the excess water comes out of the bottom of the pot, the process of watering the plant should be stopped completely. Avoid collecting water at the bottom of the separate pot.
Schefflera dropping leaves due to over-watering has specific symptoms so that, in this case, the leaves of the plant turn a little black before falling and then falling. As a result, if you are facing this situation, immediately remove the plant from the pot and prune the rotten and infected roots of the plant to their healthy point. And after that, be sure to do the first watering with fungicide. Although it was mentioned that Schefflera is one of the large houseplants, it is resistant to drought conditions, and if the mentioned conditions continue and the amount of watering is very low, the leaves of the plant will fall. As a result, it is recommended to constantly check the humidity of the upper half of the soil and water your plant if necessary to prevent the leaves of the Schefflera plant from falling. In this case, the leaves will wrinkle and then fall off.

3. Does the soil affect the Schefflera dropping leaves?

If the watering you do is correct, but you don’t use the right soil for Schefflera, your plant will fall off its leaves. Compact and heavy soil for the plant is one of the other reasons for Schefflera dropping leaves. Because these types of soils do not work well in aerating and supplying oxygen to the plant roots, they always fill the environment around the roots with irrigation water of houseplants, due to which the root function is disturbed and the plant gets stressed.
The best soil for the Schefflera plant is soil with a lot of perlite or soil suitable for cactus. A little sand should be added at the end of the pot, and then the cactus soil and perlite mixture should be added on top of it. In addition to the proper soil, the pot’s drainage should also be suitable so that the excess water can be removed from under the pot after watering.
It is possible that the texture of the soil has worn out over time and its drainage power has decreased, so it is recommended that if you suspect that this is the cause of the shedding of the leaves of your Schefflera plant, replace the potting soil and ensure the health of your plant again. Be sure to use amino acid for plants watering after changing the soil and pot to reduce tension.
In summary, the soil is an indirect factor in Schefflera dropping leaves. Because the heaviness of the soil causes oxygen not to reach the roots, and you will gradually see them rotting.

4. Effect of temperature on Schefflera dropping leaves

This plant, known from its birthplace, is native to tropical regions and cannot tolerate cold weather at all; when the temperature of the place where the plant is stored is lower than 53 degree Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius), the plant will start to drop its leaves. Lowering the temperature will stress the plant. If you live in a cold area where the temperature drops below 53 degree during the cold seasons, move the plant indoors and avoid placing the plant next to the window or the sidewalk. Also, remember that this plant cannot tolerate temperatures above 80 degree Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) well, so increase the amount of watering and the humidity of the environment as the temperature increases. Otherwise, you will see the leaves of the plant falling.
In summary, temperature fluctuations can be one of the main reasons for Schefflera dropping leaves at home.
does Schefflera bloom?

5. The effect of fertilization on Schefflera dropping leaves

Always be careful in fertilizing because too much fertilization can be one of the causes of Schefflera dropping leaves, while low fertilization and lack of nutrients will cause the leaves of the plant to fall. Be sure to read the instructions on the package before fertilizing the plant. If you suspect that the shedding of the leaves of the Schefflera plant is due to excessive fertilizing of the plant, stop fertilizing and be sure to wash the pot in such a way that the soil of the pot is washed with lukewarm water to reduce the amount of harmful salts.
check out the benefits of coffee grounds for houseplants
Now, on the opposite side, there is low fertilization, so every plant needs nutrition in its growing season to produce young leaves and keep the old leaves alive. If the old leaves of your plant are turning yellow and falling, you should know that one of the cases is low fertilization. At least during the plant’s growing season, from early spring to late summer, feed your plant with appropriate fertilizers. Fertilizing with 10-10-10 fertilizers and iron fertilizer can help your plant grow and flourish.
make sure to read nitrogen deficiency in plants as well

6. Sudden changes in the storage environment

Changing the storage conditions at once in any plant will cause its leaves to fall. When you buy the plant and move it home or repot, the plant will be shocked, and this will cause the leaves of your plant to fall. You should reduce the amount of these changes (temperature, light, location) in your plant.

7. The effect of humidity on Schefflera dropping leaves

This plant can easily grow well in normal humidity, between 40 and 60%. If the temperature rises and the humidity doesn’t increase as much, your plant will lose leaves. In these cases, be sure to supply the moisture the plant requires by using a cold misting device, dusting and placing the pot on gravel, and adding water under the pot.

8. repotting and Schefflera dropping leaves

Repotting is also known as a change and shock; if the root of the plant is damaged during the repotting, it can increase the process of leaf fall. Also, choosing a pot that is too big will cause the plant to spend all its energy growing the roots, and the growth of the leaves will decrease, and in some cases, you will see the leaves fall.

Tips you should know about repotting:

• If you need to water more than twice a week, it’s time to repot.
• Do not fertilize the plant for several weeks after planting it in a new pot so that the fresh and tender roots do not burn. Fresh soil usually has sufficient nutrition but use amino acids.
• Schefflera roots can grow out of the soil. Please do not add new soil because it can suffocate the plant.
• It is better to repot the plant during the growing season to give it the necessary time to recover.
• It’s tempting to relocate a plant you’ve just brought home, but it’s best to let them get used to their new location first.

9. What damage does the invasion of pests and diseases do to Schefflera?

Another reason for the fall of Schefflera leaves is the invasion of pests on the plant. These harmful insects feed on the leaves and cause the Schefflera leaves to fall. As a result, it is always a good idea to clean houseplant leaves such as Schefflera so that the vegetative tissue of the plant is constantly checked to ensure that there is no pest infestation (especially the underside of the leaves).
To fight the pests of Schefflera houseplants, you can use insecticidal soaps with proper dosage or physically remove them from the branches and leaves of the plant.
On the other hand, the attack of fungal diseases on the plant also causes the leaves of Schefflera to fall. The reason for the attack of these pests on the plant is the over-watering and dusting of its branches and leaves. Spraying the plant only when there is proper ventilation around the plant is recommended.

Is there a way to prevent the natural death of old Schefflera leaves?

No, this is completely normal, and your plant must have the proper nutrition to reduce the loss of old leaves. The normal sign of old leaves falling is that the tips and edges of the old leaves of the plant change color and turn yellow.

Frequently asked questions about the cause Schefflera plant dropping green leaves

Can over-watering be the cause of Schefflera leaves falling?

Yes, over-watering Schefflera will cause its leaves to turn black and fall off.

Does direct light cause Schefflera leaves to fall?

No, direct sunlight does not cause the leaves of this plant to fall. But if it is exposed to direct light for a long time, its leaves get sunburned and wither.

Can fertilizer be the cause of falling Schefflera leaves?

Yes, fertilizers that have a high dose cause the leaves of this plant to fall. As a result, you can use fertilizers with fewer minerals for better growth.

Summary of Schefflera leaf falls at home.

By studying the above, you can solve any houseplant problems especially Schefflera dropping leaves, but in summary, it should be said that the reason for falling leaves of Schefflera plant can be due to excessive or insufficient watering, insufficient light, improper fertilization, improperly compacted soil, hot and dry environment and… Be sure to check the mentioned items and then try to fix the problem.

Motion to Condemn the State of Florida

The House recognises:

1. The US State of Florida has in recent months passed several laws which are discriminatory towards transgender and gender non-conforming people.
2. These laws are an attempt to suppress and exterminate transgender and gender non-conforming people in the State of Florida and fall under the definition of "trans genocide".
3. Many other of the states within the United States are implementing, or are attempting to implement, similar laws that will impact the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming people in said states and could also fall under the definition of "trans genocide".
4. These laws are unacceptable in a modern society and are in contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Therefore, the House urges:
5) The relevant Secretary(s) of State to issue a statement condemning the State of Florida and the state's governor, Ron DeSantis, and the governments and governors of other states, for their actions against transgender and gender non-conforming people.
6) Contact the incumbent governing administration in the United States and inform them of our stance on this issue and urge them to combat these laws and create protections for transgender and gender non-conforming people in the United States.
7) Impose a travel bulletin advising British transgender and gender non-conforming people to not travel to the State of Florida except for extraordinary circumstances or for onward travel purposes.
8) Set up a program to provide safe haven to transgender and gender non-conforming people from the United States, and other countries with highly restrictive laws on transgender and gender non-conforming people, under the asylum system.
This motion was submitted by Rt Hon Baroness Finn of Willenhall (model-finn) CMG MVO PC MS as a Private Member’s Motion
Opening Speech
Deputy Speaker, As a trans person, it sickens me to see what is happening across the pond in the state of Florida. Once a proud state, where the liberty that is espoused in the United States Constitution is enacted to a great degree has become a dangerous place for those of us in the transgender community.
The incumbent 46th Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis and his cronies in the Republican Party of Florida have introduced and implemented laws that have made it all but illegal to be transgender in the state of Florida, allows the families of trans people to be detained for child abuse and prevents trans people, including trans youth, from accessing gender affirming healthcare. This. Is. A. Disgrace, Deputy Speaker.
The land of Disney World - a place of magic and fun has become a bleak place for its transgender community, many of whom are minors or erstwhile vulnerable and cannot leave the state to seek a better life in a different place in the country.
Unfortunately, this is not confined to the State of Florida. 18 other states have laws in place which make it significantly more difficult and dangerous to be a transgender person within those states, and a further 8 have bills in their legislatures that may do the same soon. Deputy Speaker, that is 26 of the 50 states of the United States of America. Over half of them. The USA is becoming an unsafe place for trans people to simply exist as we want to exist.
I am therefore urging the government to issue a statement condemning this genocide against the transgender community in Florida, and in the other states and to express our disdain for the state of trans rights in the USA to its current administration.
I am also asking the Foreign Office to impose a travel bulletin for trans people in Britain to not travel to Florida except in circumstances such as family emergency or for onward travel, such as a connecting flight to a destination outside of Florida.
Furthemore, I am requesting that the Foreign Office extend the asylum system to allow for seekers to claim asylum for fear of prosecution over their gender identity, with normal criteria for claiming asylum also applying, such as establishing a fear of return to their nation of origin.
Deputy Speaker, I hope the whole House will join with me in supporting this motion.
This debate will end at 10pm on the 31st May.

Hello, For some reason every single time I try to approach the statue near the windmill to talk to Shadowheart about it, everyone breaks and I'm stuck looking at my party with the speech bubbles above their heads, but I cannot enter the conversation. And I can't exit it either. Does anyone know a fix? I've tried validating my save files, and uninstalling and reinstalling but I still have the problem. The dialogue history shows "Shadowheart is fixed on an old damaged statue" or something like that but the cutscene nor sounds play. The only way it plays is if I approve the statue with JUST Shadowheart. But then, Tav doesn't have the option to ask her about it at all. She just gives me the basic dialogue and this particular detail isn't in the list of what I can say. It was working fine before and I haven't changed anything,except doing it later in the game than I usually do, but still before going into the goblin area.
Edits:adding details that might help explain the issue better.

Hi, I'm a first time pond owner and I'm looking for advice on how to restore it to its former glory. The previous owners let it decay, but we want to make it a natural sanctuary (no filters and or pumps)
The pond itself is approximately 2m² and 20ish cm's deep. Right now the water is murky, filled with larvae - which I assume are mosquito larvae - and a juncus effusus.
Concrete questions are:

• How do we clean it (do we drain it, just add plants to do the cleaning, add something to the water as a first step...)
  
• which plants are optimal for a small pond with little to no direct sunlight, that maintain water quality for the fauna that we want to add.
  
• which salamanders/ fish could we add that would also feast on the larvae in the water?
  

Thanks in advance for your expert opinion!

Respect Kya

"Ultimately, your story is yours to tell."
As the middle child of the legendary Aang and Katara, the waterbender Kya grew up feeling the need to find herself. She traveled the world and established some renown as a healer before traveling to the South Pole in the wake of her father's death to take care of her mother. She proved a valuable member of her family in the years to come as well as a trusted ally of the new Team Avatar in the Era of Korra.

Source Key: The Legend of Korra Season & Episode = S#E# Turf Wars = TW 

Scaling: 1. Zaheer 2. Ming-Hua 3. Ghazan 4. Zhao

Physicals

• Falls off a cliffside, through tree branches, and craters the ground beneath but gets right up ^S2E13
• Temporarily downed by Zaheer's airblast, but gets back up and is KO'd by a larger airblast from him a moment later ^S3E5
• Shrugs off a blast of water from Ming-Hua ^S3E11
• Thrown back by Ghazan upraising the earth into she and Bumi, then falls down a cliffside and takes several hits before landing on the ground below, but survives ^S3E11

Waterbending

• Mobility
  • Slides down a waterfall to the ground below ^S2E3
  • Leaps off a rooftop to a pond below and rides a wave of water into an attack ^S3E5
• Waterblasts
  • Blasts over a delirious Zhao in the Fog of Lost Souls ^S2E13
  • Fires streams of water at attacking spirits ^S2E14
  • Summons water to her and begins attacking Zaheer, releasing several blasts of ice before forming water arms ^S3E5
  • Summons a large mass of water around her she spirals at Zaheer ^S3E5
• Various
  • Extends a water arm a considerable distance to grab Zaheer and slam him into ground, partially freezing his leg thereafter ^S3E5
  • Creates an ice shield that Ghazan's stones shatter against, although Ghazan shatters the shield with further shots ^S3E11
  • Blocks, evades, and redirects many of Ming-Hua's waterbending attacks ^S3E11
  • Washes Ming-Hua away with a wave of water^3E11
• Healing
  • Soothes Bumi's hurt head ^S2E3
  • Kept Jinora's body alive for a week while her spirit was trapped in the Spirit World, but brings Jinora to Katara for further care ^S2E12
  • Heals Korra, Mako, and Bolin all simultaneously and restores them to consciousness ^S2E14
  • Gives Mako periodic treatments for his arm, although it remains unable to firebend ^TW

From my travel report (2014):
The second trip to Madeira we made to escape the winter. The weather was like a moody diva in winter. It changes not only from day to day, but also within a few hours. So you can never plan anything for the next day, because you should not think, today it is so nice and sunny and warm, it will be the same tomorrow. But if you are unlucky, the next morning it will be completely cloudy, only to possibly be sunny again in the afternoon.
It is always a pleasure to stroll in FUNCHAL's old town. Here times an ice cream to eat, there a coffee possibly with Nata to take. But this should be done when there are no cruise ships in the harbor. Then you see fortunately more locals than tourists in the streets.
For football fans: Christiano Ronaldo, who comes from Madeira, now has his own museum in Funchal - eagerly visited by his - mostly young - supporters...
Funchal is spreading out more and more - the slopes all around are already built on, and in the hotel zone construction continues eagerly. Although it is obvious that in the newly built apartment houses still very many apartments are empty.
The first two weeks we booked apartment at about 350 m altitude with a beautiful view of Funchal. The disadvantage was that it became - especially in the evening - but quite cool. Fortunately we had not only an electric heater but also a fireplace in the apartment.
From up here you can see how Funchal has grown in recent years. It is a huge sea of houses, which goes up to all the adjacent hills.
For the second part of our stay we had chosen an apartment house at Praia do Formosa with direct view to the sea and also to Cabo Girao.
One of the most beautiful and varied gardens of Madeira is located only about 9 km east of Funchal: the Palheiro or Blandy's Gardens. In 1801, the property was purchased by Count Carvalhal. A hunting lodge was built and the count had exotic trees imported from all over the world. The count's descendants squandered the fortune, and so in 1885 the estate became the property of the Blandy family of wine merchants. The villa above the garden is still inhabited by the Blandy family and is not accessible.
The gardens are famous not only for the variety of (often exotic) plants but also for their location on a 500 m high hill with a magnificent view of the bay of Funchal. The Count's hunting lodge was renovated in 1997 and is now the exclusive hotel "Quinta Velha do Palheiro".
The gardens are divided into the main garden, the sunken garden, the valley of hell (Inferno) with mighty fern trees, the rose garden, the ladies garden and the tea house area. There are also ponds with water lilies and beautiful flower beds.
Some of the numerous trees are 100 years old. The garden has been constantly developed. Hibiscus, bougainvilleas, jacaranda, African tulip trees, coral trees and orchid trees grow here. The Blandy family imported proteas from South Africa and had a rose garden planted and a small baroque chapel built. The gardens are also famous for their numerous camellias and magnolias.
The orchid garden, created by an Austrian, apparently has more than 5000 plants and is located below the botanical garden. At the moment the orchid garden is closed, because in the big fire of 2016 in Funchal not only many houses were destroyed, but also great damage was done to the orchid garden.
Carnival is also celebrated in Madeira and by chance we saw a children's parade. It was interesting to see with which eagerness the children were partly "there". Therefore, there will probably be no problem with carnivalistic offspring in Funchal.
The town of RIBEIRA BRAVA is located at the mouth of a wide - sometimes wild (brava) river (ribeira). From Funchal there is a highway to get there. In Ribeira Brava there is a wide pebble beach, and on the other side of the promenade there are cafes and restaurants. In the historic center there are small stores, and here is also the pink town hall from the late 18th century
The Igreja de Sao Bento was built as early as 1440, but was given a new look during the Baroque period. The spire with the white-blue tile pattern and the sphere symbol of the Portuguese explorers is striking.
We still drove to Punta do Sol. This place lies between two high rocky capes. In the old core there are only a few houses and the church, behind it already begin the terraced banana fields. There is a pebble beach and on the promenade you can have a drink in small cafes. Except for us, there were hardly any tourists in the village. But here we drank the best poncha on the island. Poncha (made of honey, lemon juice and sugar cane brandy) is a kind of national drink on Madeira.
The village of Camara de Lobos - situated between two rocky cliffs - is only 9 km away from Funchal. Camara de Lobos is still a typical fishing village with the many colorful boats (xavelhas) that you can admire in the small harbor. A small church was built at the harbor early on, this was remodeled in 1420 and the current Capella Nossa Senhora de Conceicao was built.
There is still fishing and some boat building in Camara de Lobos. However, these are no longer particularly lucrative, so tourism is now a larger source of income. The fishermen in this area mainly catch the black scabbardfish (Espada), which is offered in many restaurants - also in Funchal.
There is a promenade path from the Lido in Funchal to Camara de Lobos since 2011. The path - always with a view of Cabo Girao - is partly concreted and partly laid out on wooden walkways. If you walk in the direction of Camara de Lobos, you can see the approaching waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the partly high cliffs on the right. Not far behind Praia de Formosa there are some beach bars or restaurants where you can have a drink or eat quite well.
Cabo Girao near Camara de Lobos is one of the highest cliffs in the world. More than 500 m the land here falls almost vertically into the sea. Since our last visit, things had changed here, there was now a large parking lot. Then the cafes and souvenir stores were also new for us. And surprising for us was also the glass viewing platform, which exists since the end of 2012. Here you can see that wine and vegetables are grown on the small rocky outcrops. The farmers can reach their fields on the coastal fringe with a cable car. Before the cable car was built, these fields were only accessible by boat.
From Funchal it was not far to CANICO. The original village became in the course of time one of the most important tourist places on Madeira. Large hotel complexes, apartment buildings and villas were built. However, we turned off before we reached the town in order to get to Ponta do Garajau. There on a rock cliff is the 14 m high Christo Rei statue, which was erected in 1927. From here you have a beautiful view of Funchal. Since 2007, there is a cable car nearby that goes 200 m down to the pebble beach.
CURRAL DAS FREIRAS is a small village nestled between huge almost vertical mountain slopes in the heart of Madeira. There is only one road that leads serpentine to the 633 m high valley. Originally the valley was inhabited by nomads and shepherds. Towards the end of the 15th century, the land became the property of the nuns of the Santa Clara convent.
The name Curral das Freiras means "pen of the nuns". In the 16th and 17th centuries, the island was repeatedly attacked by pirates, and the nuns retreated here to the protection of the mountains, which are up to 700 meters high. Here people still live from what they grow themselves on their fertile fields. One of the specialties of the village is chestnuts. They are used to make liqueur, cakes, bread and soups, which are also sold to tourists. On November 1 of each year, the Chestnut Festival is held here.
Not many tourists come to SANTA CRUZ, although this place is certainly worth a visit. There is quite a pretty old town with the church of San Salvador built in 1533 as well as like a large modern market hall just behind the long gray pebble beach lined with date palms.
Just north of Santa Cruz is Madeira Island's airport, renamed "Cristiano Ronaldo" Airport in 2007. Opened in 1964 and reconstructed in 2000, this airport is one of the most dangerous in the world. The 2777 m long runway is built on the rocky coast above the water and looks like a bridge with large concrete supports. A large parking lot has been built below this runway.
Before the landing approach, the mountain massif must be overcome so that the narrow runway can be approached. Unfortunately, there have been numerous accidents, but this is still one of the busiest airports in Portugal.
From Santa Cruz we drove to MACHICO, one of the larger towns of Madeira. Machico profited from sugar cane cultivation in the 15th century and is now a modern town, which is divided into two halves by the Ribeira da Machico. On the eastern bank of the river is the historic fishing quarter with the main square surrounded by tall laurel trees.
The town church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao in the center was built in the 15th century and partially rebuilt in the 18th century. Opposite stands the town hall built in the early 20th century There are several fish restaurants here.
In the surroundings of the small village FAIAL there is still a lot of agriculture, e.g. wine and fruit growing. The village is dominated by the 600 m high Eagle Rock. Only a few tourists come here, because there is hardly anything worth seeing.
Most people come to Santana to see the famous "Casas de colmo". In total there are still about a hundred of these thatched historic wooden houses. They are very scattered throughout the municipality.
On the way back to Funchal we passed through Ribera fria. Here you can take a short hike up to the Miradouro dos Balcoes, from where you have a beautiful view of the mountains.
The peninsula PONTA DE SAO LOURENCO is 9 km long and 2 km wide. In 1982 it was declared a nature reserve, mainly to ensure the preservation of the fauna with the great variety of birds and the great occurrence of the native flora. The eastern tip of Madeira is barren and windy. One can no longer imagine that everything here was lushly forested.
Then, in spring, a carpet of flowers enlivens the bare hilltops. But also in other seasons the turquoise sea and the rocks in different shades - ocher, rust, gray and green-black - bring color to the area.
The south coast can be easily approached by boats, which is almost impossible on the drastically shaped north coast with its strong winds. There is a paved access road to the parking lot above Baia de Abra. Here you can also take the public bus.
From there there is a popular rocky hiking trail. This hike is absolutely not a walk. There are some climbs, often wooden stairs. You have no shade and are exposed to gusts of wind. To avoid being blown down somewhere, I ducked down and waited out the sometimes strong gusts - really quite extreme.
At the narrowest point with a land bridge only a few meters wide, the rock drops almost 100 m vertically - fortunately the place is secured with a fence.
The hike takes - depending on your condition - 2 to 3 hours. It also depends on whether you only walk to the plateau of Casa Sardinha - administration of the national park - or if you want to make the ascent to Pico Furado. Below the Casa there are some tables for picnics. From there there is also an entrance for swimming, which can certainly be pleasant in the summer.
On the way there are always beautiful views of the sea and the rock formations - e.g. the so-called rock gate. On the south side you can see the cages of a fish farm in the sea. In front of Sao Lourenco there are two small islands, on one of them stands the oldest (from 1870) lighthouse of Madeira.
From the cape we drove to CANICAL, the easternmost municipality of Madeira. This place is still characterized by fishing and boat building. Fishing boats are still built here and there is a large repair yard.
Over the 1000 m high Encumeada Pass we drove northeast to Sao Vicente. Unfortunately the old coastal road to Seixal and Porto Moniz was closed and we had to drive through many tunnels. A few years ago it was a special experience to drive on the narrow and winding ER 101 directly at the coast - on one side the high cliffs and on the other side the sea. But apparently the road has become too dangerous in the meantime because of constant falling rocks.
We got to Porto Moniz , and unfortunately the weather got worse, more and more clouds came up. The sea raged with huge waves to the shore. Porto Moniz is a nice little town located on the northwestern tip of Madeira, a region with high mountains and views of the endless Atlantic Ocean.
From Porto Moniz you can go hiking, for example on the coastal trail "Levada da Ribeira da Janela", one of the best hiking trails in Madeira.
Porto Moniz is known for its volcanic pools. Daytrippers mostly come for these pools filled with sea water.These pools owe their formation to a lava tongue that flowed into the sea here thousands of years ago, creating caves due to the force of wind and waves. The black basalt lava pools form swimming pools and are the attraction of Porto Moniz, because you can swim (swim) in them very well - at least in good weather...
There are two different lava pools in Porto Moniz: the completely natural pools and the western pools, which have been transformed into natural outdoor pools - there are no sharp rocks here. The surrounding rocks of the outdoor pool were built as a terrace , and here you can sunbathe. The pools are open every day - even in winter. But when we were there, there was no one in the water....
The natural pools are not safe because of the black sharp basalt rocks. It is very interesting to watch the waves as they crash against the rocks. The water is sometimes whirled into the air in such a way that it looks like a geyser.
The PICO DE ARIEIRO is the most visited mountain of Madeira, because it is the only one that has been opened up with a road, but it is only the third highest. The road was probably built primarily for the observatory and not necessarily for the tourists. Already the approach through pristine landscape with rugged rock and sparse vegetation is an experience.
If the weather is good, you have a breathtaking view all around. Equally beautiful, however, is the sight of white cushions of clouds hanging between the high mountains. In winter there can be ice and snow on the peaks. Since it had snowed on Madeira about 2 weeks before our trip there, we could still see the sparse remnants on the shaded layers.
From Pico de Arieiro you can hike up to Pico Ruivo (1861 m) if the weather is good. At the beginning, the path is quite wide and in places secured by railings. Some then walk at least to the first viewpoint - the rocky peak Niho de Mata with beautiful views. The entire hike up to Pico Ruivo is clearly difficult, even if there are partially secured stairways since the 1960s. Some of the paths are steep up to 700 m, the rock steps are high, the paths are sometimes narrow and beaten, and it also goes through unlit tunnels. So you should have a good condition and be free from giddiness and sure-footed.

I don’t want to add a picture because I’m worried I’ll be slammed here. I am looking to see if anyone can help me improve my care.
Background: In September 2020, I took home one of my cousin’s turtles after finding out he stole three baby painted turtles from a pond. They had them in captivity for several months in a QUART sized bowl with not enough water to cover them and had them on an iceberg lettuce diet. I was disturbed when I found this out. Unfortunately, one died so that is why I stepped in to take one and give it the best life I can. I did my research to get him a new home ASAP and have background for tank upkeep as an avid fish fan.
Before you say anything… YES he is a wild turtle but he was literally like the size of a dollar coin and I was not sure if he would survive in the wild after being in captivity for several months. I don’t know when exactly he was captured, it was like during the early spring of 2020, though.
My current setup is a 40gal with just enough rocks to cover the bottom, a turtle heater, a 30gal filter (he’s too small to fill the tank up all the way so I think it’s okay for now), a giant basking rock, and a UV lamp. I don’t think this stuff is terrible, per say, but I am a huge fish person and seeing how bare my little guy’s tank is in comparison to my fish’s tanks makes me sad. I also was away at college so I feel like his care in all regards could be stepped up since I wasn’t there to monitor him.
How can I improve my care? Can some more experienced turtle owners give me suggestions for literally everything.
-His name is Clementine (Clem for short) because I thought he was a girl but was able to sex him after a year and a half of owning him -His diet is still hatchling pellets and freeze dried bugs. How often should I be feeding him? -How can I enrich his tank? Should I give him live food? Do I add plants? How about substrate?
For anyone reading this, thank you for any and all tips. I promise he is not being abused because I do think he has most of his bare minimum requirements, but I would just like to make his life better in any way possible. Thanks!!!