sunshine boy

If you crave carbohydrates, your serotonin levels may have dropped. Eggs, cheese and pineapple are good for raising them again.

If you crave sugar, you may be dehydrated. Drink some water or green tea.

If you crave red meat, you may be deficient in iron. Eat dried fruits like figs or prunes, or beans and legumes, or take iron tablets.

If you crave dairy, your blood sugar levels may be low. Eat foods naturally high in glucose, like oranges or strawberries to raise them.

If you crave chocolate, your magnesium levels may be low. Eat brown rice, whole grain bread or spinach to raise them.

If you crave salt, your blood pressure may be low. Eat salted nuts, whole wheat pretzels, or drink salted water to raise it. If that doesn’t work, you may be dehydrated. Drink water or green tea. 

If you crave bread, your nitrogen levels may be low. Eat turkey, black beans or brown rice to raise them. 

Red flags I’ve personally seen, and things to consider:

Scroll through posts with people in them. Are they all white? All blonde? Are there visible minorities (LGBT+) but they’re still all white? Block them immediately or if you want, ask them outright where the POC are. Most would just go “oh, I should include them, wasn’t thinking!” and post more diverse content. But many who do reply actively want whites only spaces and you should block and warn others.

How are women depicted? As housewives and mothers? (Nothing wrong with that as a willing choice, ofc - but women being depicted JUST as a housewife/mother is a red flag). Even if the blog is run by a woman - what roles do women play on this blog?

Does the blog talk about tradition in a way that involves religion or family values? Traditionalism? Religion itself is not a red flag but a lot of “trad” blogs are nazis.

Does it describe cutting oneself off from society and forming a new one, in a serious manner, especially involving religion or a return to the old ways? That’s a cult red flag (from experience…) or a nazi red flag.

Is there a large emphasis on anti-medicine, homeopathy, and “food heals” stuff? Run. This is prime anti-vaxx territory and you need to stay away.

What role do black people play? Unsurprisingly a shitload of these blogs are racist as fuck towards black people. There are black-run cottagecore blogs, seek them out.

Does the blog actively teach skills or just romanticise them? Does the blog seek to teach or to preach? I learnt flower pressing and how to make my deck garden grow hardier from good blogs. Bad ones just preach and are very snobbish and assume you’re lesser for asking for help with something.

What role do disabled people play? Are there any in these posts? (Consider following disabled-run blogs. Not all are amazing people but they tend to consider intersections of cottagecore and disability when posting.)

What roles do men play? Stay away from stereotyping. Softboy stuff has been taken over by nazis recently, but toxic masculinity is prevalent, too.

Is the blog owner trans? If not - what roles do trans men play? Trans women? NB people? Watch out for TERF rhetoric like glorifying the uterus/birth, “all women” and statements about inherent womanhood.

Ecofascism. Be aware of it. The idea of splitting off from society, of the earth needing less people, of healing the earth via farming, of obligatory universal veganism for all, and population control are all ecofash ideas.

garlic blossoms (allium) balls of tiny flowers, may be white to deep purple. literally just the flowering head of the garlic you use in food. it tastes like garlic. but colorful.

elderflower, the blossom of the elderberry bush. can be battered and fried. excellent with elderberry syrup or honey. tastes fruity with a tiny hint of anise. also good in teas and sweets.

Calendula, also known as pot marigold. (please, verify you’re using pot marigold, not regular marigold. calendula is actually a daisy.) tastes similarish to bell pepper, sans crunch. leaves are also edible. should be grown with broadleaf plantain:

as a poultices of calendula and plantain can be used to rapidly heal small cuts and scrapes, and are also helpful for other dermatitis. don’t use it on deep wounds though, as it can and will cause the surface skin to heal before the underlying tissues. all of broadleaf plantain is also edible. if bitter.

Once a little boy went to school. One morning The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture.” “Good!” thought the little boy. He liked to make all kinds; Lions and tigers, Chickens and cows, Trains and boats; And he took out his box of crayons And began to draw.

But the teacher said, “Wait!” “It is not time to begin!” And she waited until everyone looked ready. “Now,” said the teacher, “We are going to make flowers.” “Good!” thought the little boy, He liked to make beautiful ones With his pink and orange and blue crayons. But the teacher said “Wait!” “And I will show you how.” And it was red, with a green stem. “There,” said the teacher, “Now you may begin.”

The little boy looked at his teacher’s flower Then he looked at his own flower. He liked his flower better than the teacher’s But he did not say this. He just turned his paper over, And made a flower like the teacher’s. It was red, with a green stem.

On another day The teacher said: “Today we are going to make something with clay.” “Good!” thought the little boy; He liked clay. He could make all kinds of things with clay: Snakes and snowmen, Elephants and mice, Cars and trucks And he began to pull and pinch His ball of clay.

But the teacher said, “Wait!” “It is not time to begin!” And she waited until everyone looked ready. “Now,” said the teacher, “We are going to make a dish.” “Good!” thought the little boy, He liked to make dishes. And he began to make some That were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said “Wait!” “And I will show you how.” And she showed everyone how to make One deep dish. “There,” said the teacher, “Now you may begin.”

The little boy looked at the teacher’s dish; Then he looked at his own. He liked his better than the teacher’s But he did not say this. He just rolled his clay into a big ball again And made a dish like the teacher’s. It was a deep dish.

And pretty soon The little boy learned to wait, And to watch And to make things just like the teacher. And pretty soon He didn’t make things of his own anymore.

Then it happened That the little boy and his family Moved to another house, In another city, And the little boy Had to go to another school.

The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture.” “Good!” thought the little boy. And he waited for the teacher To tell what to do. But the teacher didn’t say anything. She just walked around the room.

When she came to the little boy She asked, “Don’t you want to make a picture?” “Yes,” said the little boy. “What are we going to make?” “I don’t know until you make it,” said the teacher. “How shall I make it?” asked the little boy. “Why, anyway you like,” said the teacher. “And any color?” asked the little boy. “Any color,” said the teacher. And he began to make a red flower with a green stem.