Samhain Discussion Thread

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Just Old Al
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Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Just Old Al »

Got a comment, observation or question? Post it here.

While formatting and verbiage observations are appreciated, they're not the primary point of the comments. Enjoy the story!
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Dave
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Dave »

Enjoying the read so far, and looking forward to seeing just what it is that Al is going to pull off.

The only nit so far:
Leaves were raked and trotted off to compost piles, and salted with manure to help the breakdown of the leaves. Healthy compost from the year before was raked off and piled, ready to be worked into the gardens come Spring.
What I'd do, in this case, is rake off the healthy compost, and then spread it out on the garden beds immediately as a mulch. That way, any nutrients washed out by the autumn and spring rains (and snow-melt) will simply work downwards into the garden soil. Leaving it piled up (and uncovered) through the rains, might waste some of the nutrients in a place where they won't be useful, and doesn't bring the anti-erosion benefits of a good mulch.

There's a school of thought (in the "no-till" movement) which says not to work the compost into the soil at all - just let it break down naturally on the surface, just as plant waste does "in nature". Allegedly this leads to an overall soil structure which is more like what plants evolved to handle, and results in a healthier long-term result. I don't know if anybody's ever actually studied this, double-blind, to see if it's true. As my wife's oncologist said about an issue, some years ago, "Lots of strongly held opinions. Very little actual data."
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Atomic
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Atomic »

Wapsi Square - Come for the boobs, stay for the gardening advice!
Don't let other peoples limitations become your constraints!

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Dave
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Dave »

Atomic wrote: Tue Oct 30, 2018 4:37 pm Wapsi Square - Come for the boobs, stay for the gardening advice!
"The use, and abuse, of manure". And, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm definitely full of my subject.
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by TazManiac »

Well I'm enjoying the read, but I only got as far as the Civil War Uniform before it was time to disembark the Train I was on... (even though there is a typo in there somewhere.) :roll: :D

re: the Compost- yeppers, Dave has something there. It'd be good too, to mix some 'cold' leaves or hay in the pile that's getting turned over, gives it some fluff and lift and aeration.

btw- Glytch & Brandi... :shock: :o :? 8-) I see I fell behind events again.
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by GlytchMeister »

See... uh...
Ah shit, where was that, Shelly and Justin’s Anniversarial Renewal Reception Party thingy, right? Pillsbury +1 year?

Yeah. See... that.

Time has passed since then, and I intend on doing more with the development of the relationship between them and this and going forward.

Look forward to prequels... whenever we get around to them.
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Bookworm »

Dave wrote: Tue Oct 30, 2018 2:29 pm Enjoying the read so far, and looking forward to seeing just what it is that Al is going to pull off.

The only nit so far:
Leaves were raked and trotted off to compost piles, and salted with manure to help the breakdown of the leaves. Healthy compost from the year before was raked off and piled, ready to be worked into the gardens come Spring.
What I'd do, in this case, is rake off the healthy compost, and then spread it out on the garden beds immediately as a mulch. That way, any nutrients washed out by the autumn and spring rains (and snow-melt) will simply work downwards into the garden soil. Leaving it piled up (and uncovered) through the rains, might waste some of the nutrients in a place where they won't be useful, and doesn't bring the anti-erosion benefits of a good mulch.

There's a school of thought (in the "no-till" movement) which says not to work the compost into the soil at all - just let it break down naturally on the surface, just as plant waste does "in nature". Allegedly this leads to an overall soil structure which is more like what plants evolved to handle, and results in a healthier long-term result. I don't know if anybody's ever actually studied this, double-blind, to see if it's true. As my wife's oncologist said about an issue, some years ago, "Lots of strongly held opinions. Very little actual data."
As someone that does compost by just piling clippings/etc on top of the surface (old flowerbeds), I can tell you it's not the way that plants are evolved to handle. Basically, 'normal' thatching (the dead plants) is less than half an inch thick, or is VERY loose. IE rain gets through it. Compost packs down and becomes waterproof, so the center and ground below stay bone dry. The only way around it is to stir it up periodically, or turn it over. Or bury it. You _want_ that rain/water to stick around, as it's necessary for the biological break down process. For me, it's laziness, and I still go out and turn it over periodically.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
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Just Old Al
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Just Old Al »

Re: Brandi and the madboy:

Their first dance: (In Pillsbury +1 , since renamed 'Reunion')

Xera had been waiting for this. Tapping her display she set up the song, and then announced to the room “LADIES’ CHOICE! Ladies, select your partners!”

Glytch, caught in the middle of preparing a remix, looked up from his computer with a dumbfounded expression. "Wait, what song are you... Now wait just a skorm damned minute you, when did... Oh, yooouuu..."

Glytch swiveled his head in the direction of Sarge and Al. Seeing their Weasley-Twin grins, he immediately looked back just in time to see Brandi approaching, her dark brown eyes displaying a smoldering light as she gracefully raised her hand to him.

Glytch noted her perfectly manicured, intense red nails, and once again was overwhelmed by her heady scent - the rest of the world dropped away, as he focused entirely on her.

He smiled, took a deep breath (both to steady himself and to savor Brandi's aroma), and took Brandi's hand, gently raising it up as he bent over it and placed a soft kiss upon it. The meaning was clear, and Brandi grinned - her smile was on the verge of predatory, mixed with the self-satisfaction of the cat that got the canary. And with that, Glytch allowed himself to be led to the dance floor with a wide smile on his face.

The music was smooth, with only a moderate speed and energy. As the pair took the floor, Glytch swept his hoods back with his free hand (drawing a few gasps simply from the rarity of the action) before pulling Brandi into a close embrace with the hand she held him by, wrapping one arm low about her waist. Their bodies entwined and they felt an intense heat from the intimacy. Glytch grinned roguishly at Brandi, who bit her lip as they danced - neither really paid much attention to their surroundings, enthralled with each other as they were.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Dave »

Others filtered in – Fergus and Maura, Tal and Kay, all carefully costumed to NOT look like mages except Kay – who completely out of character was dressed as Severus Snape.
Minor mis-spelling there and below. Given the crowd and the occasion, I suppose a few mis-spellings are inevitable.

And Al is definitely in character. He just has to be the centaur of attention, doesn't he?
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Just Old Al »

Dave wrote: Wed Oct 31, 2018 9:44 am
Others filtered in – Fergus and Maura, Tal and Kay, all carefully costumed to NOT look like mages except Kay – who completely out of character was dressed as Severus Snape.
Minor mis-spelling there and below. Given the crowd and the occasion, I suppose a few mis-spellings are inevitable.

And Al is definitely in character. He just has to be the centaur of attention, doesn't he?
Noted. Thanks. Hey, if ya got it, flaunt it.

Heeheeheehee...
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by jwhouk »

I missed the part about who Sterling's date (Sledge?) was...
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Just Old Al »

jwhouk wrote: Wed Oct 31, 2018 11:09 am I missed the part about who Sterling's date (Sledge?) was...
Friend of Sterling and Al's. More will be forthcoming in a further missive.
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by GlytchMeister »

New character - this is his “plug-and-play” introduction. Al knows him as a friend of Fergus and Co., I think.

EDIT: Oh. Never mind, what he said ^
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
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Re: Samhain Discussion Thread

Post by Dave »

Just Old Al wrote: Wed Oct 31, 2018 5:43 am Thank you all for reading.
And thank you all for writing! A most enjoyable read. And, please remind Glytch that nitrogen fullerines are stable at room temperature, only when the room is on Pluto or Ultima Thule!

From an "Unauthorized tribute to Gary Larson" page, I cite the classic "Ghost Riders In The Kitchen" meme: :D

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