Prof. Tarma Amelia Black

Graphic shows a rectangular ticket with words on it "Wizarding Film Festival" "Ticket of Admittance" "Tarma Black". The graphic background is of light brown parchment texture and color and has a thin brown frame. The words are written in a similar brown color. There are 4 yellow 4-pointed stars, one in each corner, and two yellow 'designs' (the stars drawn out to be mostly flat with a bulge in the middle) at the bottom and top.

Luca "No, I don't have a phone, but you could have sent an electronic letter. It's called an email."

Tarma made sure her grip didn't tighten as Iverian took the rolled up parchment out from her hand. When it was unrolled ..... nothing happened! She thought for sure it had been cursed in some way. She consciously relaxed, after realizing she's gotten all 'ready for action'. "I don't know. Is there anything in Shakespeare about dragons?" she replied, thinking of what Maxim had suggested. "Maybe a quote from the Bard would open it."

A red carpet worthy outfit - A simple dress, the bodice fits much like a simple medieval gown, following the lines of the body but not clinging. It has a boat neck and long sleeves which end just past the wrist, flowing slightly onto the hand. The skirt of the dress flows from the bodice at the waistline and widens into a sweeping hemline which extends to just above the feet of the wearer. The gown is of alpaca (Suri) fiber; the cloth has a natural soft glow to it. Midnight blue, with the warp of the material of a slightly different color than the weft, when the cloth moves it is as if the gown subtly changes color (from midnight blue to a purplish-blue) for a moment. The material of the gown is cut on the bias, so it drapes beautifully on the torso and the skirt swirls with the slightest of movements. All of this is the background for the full length hooded cape which is made of a material of silver slubbed silk. It is covered with phoenix feathers (gathered when the phoenix sheds its feathers) which are sewn onto the outside of the cape. Smaller feathers on the hood and at the neckline graduate to a slightly larger size as they approach the hem of the cape. Magic is used to keep the feather pliable and flexible, both so that the feathers do not break but also so that they have both the appearance of a flexible cloth as well as looking like the feathers that they are. If the occasion calls for it, a charm which gives the feathers an appearance of 'being on fire' or 'glowing', is also part of the cape.

Tarma *looks at Iverian again, then looks to Aurelia* "Yeah, well, it's sort of amazing. I was given it as I approached the castle, and told what it is." Tarma looked at the rolled up parchment that she held, very lightly, in her left hand. "You know how it is. You get given gifts by some stranger? And lo, and behold, it's what is needed when I meet all you? What's it going to do, and to whom, when it is unrolled?" She glanced again at Iverian, and then at everyone, and smiled a little smile. "Who wants it?"

Meet the Robinsons "Yo, Adrian!"

Tarma paces back and forth, semi-anxious. She'd been given permission to interview heartthrob Neville Longbottom, who had taken time off from attending to the Greenhouses and teaching Herbology at Hogwarts in order to film a documentary about seeking endangered species of plants. Finally he shows up in the room set aside for the interview, and Tarma blushes. He looks adorable, all disheveled and with splotches of earth here and there on his face and forearms. "Professor Longbottom. I'm Tarma Black, here for the interview you have granted to The Wizarding Times. Hi and thanks for talking with me about your project 'Stalking the Wild Wiggentree'. "Hi again, Tarma. I remember you, when you interviewed me in Greenhouse 3." Tarma blushed again. "You are kind." "Not really. You let me talk about my new plant, Hannah. Anyway, yeah, let's talk about Stalking the Wild Wiggentree. You do know what a Wiggentree is, don't you?" "I looked them up, after finding out that you were doing a film on them. Bowtruckles live in them, and the tree is a rowan, but with magical powers. they're used in potion making. And anyone who touches a Wiggentree is protected from dark powers. The bowtruckles will defend a Wiggentree using any methods possible to them." "Yes, that's sort of it. But the thing is, I found some lore which says that the Wiggentree that we have is domesticated, somehow, and its powers are not what they are in the wild. Stories are told of Wiggentree wands and staves which were used by witches and that the witch couldn't be harmed by any kind of dark magic while they were holding their wand. So I wanted to go find some wild ones. While Hogwarts would let me take a leave of absence, I still needed some kind of funding to go look, you know?" Tarma nodded, and motioned for him to continue. "I check with Barnabas Cuffe, the publisher of The Daily Prophet, and he suggested a couple of names of people I could go to who might fund me. I cannot give you their names, because I promised not to say. But I can say that they are names with which you would be familiar." "Oh, well, okay. Later on, do you think they will allow us to know?" "I think they are waiting for me to finish this. I'm only here temporarily, and have to go back ... Yes, they want to know if it will be a success, you know. People like to have their names attached to what is successful, usually." "Can you tell me? Have you found a wild Wiggentree?" Tarma asked, eyes shining in anticipation of an affirmative answer. "Yes. I actually found a grove of them. I will not say where, though, because ... I feel a need to protect them." "Quite understandable. But you can tell me this. Will you end up having your documentary completed and out to view soon?" "Depending on what you call soon, but yes. I anticipate you will be able to watch it within half a year, if all goes well. We've got lots of footage 'in the can' (as Muggles used to say) and I'm quite pleased with it! We've encountered all kinds of beasts while on the trip, so there is adventure and danger and really, it's quite beautiful, the land through which we traveled, so I think it will be supremely watchable." A knock was heard on the door, then someone stepped in. "Professor Longbottom, we need you in the pit. Are you done here?" He looked at Tarma and she nodded yes. "Thank you, Professor Longbottom, for talking with me and giving me such wonderful information." "You're welcome .... and I'll be sure to let you know when the project is done. You can have one of those 'first viewings' if you like~" "That'd be awesome! Thank you again."

Tarma: *heard the conversations from the first when Iverian spoke (via a nifty charm) and catches up with the group and hears Maxim's words and grins* "I can tag along ... " She looks to Iverian. "Oh, Iverian, I happen to have a map of this castle. I think it is almost up to date. Would that be of any use to you?"

I went cruising through the pictures of movie popcorn, that which is supplied at the counter (along with drinks and candies), and my stomach growled. Oh, yes, I wanted some of that! Thing is, though, while Emily and Baby Yoda agree it is good (and yes, I agree it is good too), I find that I don't get nibbles or drinks at a movie theatre anymore. I used to; I'd get a large popcorn, with the butter and salt, and munch away through the movie. (All of this information, by the way, is probably from 2018. I've not been to a movie theatre since then.) I don't know what changed, that I don't get the nibbles to eat when at a theatre. Maybe it is a dislike of standing in line (again) after getting the movie ticket? If I'm home, and watching a movie (or series) on DVD, I don't eat anything. For one thing, Taya (a Leopard Dog) is probably right by me, on the couch, and either watching the movie or snoozing. Me eating food right next to her is not a good idea!

The movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was, and is, such a wonderful introduction to the movies for the Harry Potter books. It starts out simple, (the first scene of the movie) with the scene of a street sign, in nighttime. But there is a bird on the street sign. No, it's not just a bird, it's an owl. The music is low, and haunting. It's foggy and the bird flies off. So far, it's all normal. Then ... someone who isn't dressed or accoutred 'normally' walks into the scene. Okay .... Then the guy does something with some kind of advanced scientific instrument (that's what it is, right?), taking the lights from the lamp poles. However, after that, something happens which tells the viewer that this isn't your normal Muggle movie. A cat shape shifts into a woman, a witch. *happy sigh* It's all done so matter-of-factly. Not trying to make a point of it, just that this is how it is in this world. Harry is awesome. Yes, he fit my image of Harry Potter. In fact, of all the people in the movie, everyone is who they are, cast impeccably. It was even (mostly) true to the book. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a marvelous movie. Happy smiles.

Chills, thrills and adventure awaits you at the opening of our new Park! Imagine a world where the creatures of old are born again, but they are different. Yes, while some scientists have been exploring genetic manipulations, WELCOME TO JURASSIC PARK! ***** The movie changed is Jurassic Park, which is scary enough by itself. Yes, dinosaurs come to life and people just not fast enough and/or smart enough to deal with what they wrought.

12 Years a Slave “My mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. '”

Gif shows room with glitter (okay, confetti) falling on four exuberantly dancing people. Party time!

Am wordless (almost) after Dead Mousie's very exuberant post. Happy Birthday, Sky! *steals sword from Dead Mousie and returns to Sky* Okay, I didn't even try to resist posting it here too -- Happy Birthday!

A thing I do to attain awareness of stillness, of quiet, is to 'go in' and allow myself to become consciously aware of the life force of the body, my life force, which is very intelligent. This life force, while uniquely 'mine', is also one with all the life of the beings on the planet and if I go deep enough and still enough, I become consciously aware of the oneness of all that is, and more, I feel it. This uses a different sort of consciousness than what is usually used in the brain, the intellect; it is like a whole-minded awareness of life. This same conscious awareness can be attained, arrived at, by the methods described above by different people. When it seems the thing to do, either because I love the music and want to listen to it, or because it's been that kind of day and I'm finding it difficult to be still and quiet, I put on a CD Music to Quiet the Mind, and it invariably helps. The CD includes renditions of: Incantation by Deva Premal, Heaven's Door by Jeff Johnson, Joyful Spirit by David Sun, Om Hraum Mitraya by Deva Premal, Clair De Lune by Martin Jones and Let It Be by Maneesh De Moor. ,

Thank you, Lorainia, for running a very great activity. I had a lot of fun. :)

Happy Birthday, Carrie!

Happy Birthday, Iverian! I wish for you a very wonderful and bright birthday. Image shows picture with five dogs. Four of them (various breeds, including Aussie) are sitting with their heads up and 'howling'. The fifth one (a Golden?) is laying flat with a birthday hat on its head. Various notes are scattered around the top half of the picture with words "Happy Birthday to Yowuuuu!" in gray font.

Oh, that's so bad. :D But yes, it was.

Thank you for the activity, Sky and Iverian! I do love owls ....

I got some wind-blown branches from large evergreen trees and fastened them together in such a way that they make a multi-level and fragrant perch for the owls to rest upon. The different textures and thicknesses of the branches provide a comfortable and secure footing for the various kinds of owls and the feathery needles of the clusters of the tree leaves gives a semblance of what they would encounter in nature (and if they wish, a form of disguise so they can blend in and not be seen so easily). The branches are spaced such that they can be flown in between, just like in natural trees. All of this is hoisted up off the ground, fairly close to the ceiling, by a levitating charm.

One sample of wrapping paper simply changes colors. A person can choose a color that the giftee really likes, and all variations of that color will show up on the wrapping paper, rippling like water. The second sample is a bit more ornate, in that the paper itself will 'contain' the package (or gift) but it changes appearance from just flat wrapping paper to actually having the shape of square-ish or oval-ish shaped creatures and 'things'. For example, the package might start out looking sort of flat and rectangular and then of a sudden it looks more like the body of a tortoise.