2023.03.19 Ostara - Orchard Covenstead

2023.03.19 Ostara at Orchard Covenstead
Celebrating Ostara at the Covenstead
IC Date	March 19, 2023
IC Time	Day
Players	Caressa, Janneke, Dasia, Steele, Damon, Erin, Rosa
Location	Orchard Covenstead outside Prospect
Spheres	All

<---======##=========[ Upcoming City of Hope MUX Events ]=========##======--->

NUM  ST        Genre     Title                       Date                 Sgnps

1733 Caressa   Any and alOstara @ Orchard Covenstead Sun Mar 19 16:00 CST  3

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<---======##=====[ Event 1733 - Ostara @ Orchard Covenstead ]=====##======--->

The Orchard Covenstead will be celebrating Ostara with a family friendly event.

There will be an easter egg hunt for the kids. Games for the whole family; sack races,
egg rolls, etc. Generally a merry time to celebrate the Spring Equinox

Mrs. O'Reilly, who has taken up the mantle of Hearth Mother for the event, will be serving
up Lamb Kabob, roasted new potatoes, baby carrots, and buns! Vegetarian option protein will be available too.

Any and everyone is welcome between 4:00pm CST - 6:00pm CST. This is not a nightzone event.
To get yourself there: @tel me=#14120

Date: Sun Mar 19 16:00:00 2023 CST
Storyteller: Caressa
Genre: Any and all
Signups:
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The Orchard Covenstead(#14120RJ)

The final step on the path brings you to the end of the clearing in the orchard. There is
enough space to hold a small festival if one desired that. There are signs asking that the
trees not be touched, and the fruit not to be eaten, as they are the property of a nearby estate.

Towards the back of the flat little meadow is a cozy looking cottage. Beside it is an open air
pavilion with picnic tables so festivities have shade, and protection in case of rain or storms.

-- FAE DESC

Walls of rainbow light encircle the clearing, stopping a few feet from the treeline. Laughter and
singing still carry in the air softly. A large pentacle made of silver moonlight is the main
focus of the clearing with it upward point pointing to the fire pit. The fire pit still burns bright
in a constant salute to the sky.

Caressa is up at the covered eating area beside the cottage with Steele. Another man is manning the grill with direction of Mrs. O'Reilly. There are tracks market out with plastic bunting for the sack races and egg rolls. There a few tables full of easter baskets. She looks up just in time for a small gaggle of kids to assault her. Hugging her legs with shouts of "Mama Mama!" A toddler and a three year old follow. "Hey there babies!" She ruffles and kisses heads as best she can. Caressa is wearing a spring-green dress that features a solid piece of fabric across her breasts with a long gauzy skirt that flows down over her body and the matching mini-skirt. The front seam of the dress is unsewn, making it fly-away in the breeze or simply part of her readying-to-pop belly.

Janneke comes in, and immediately questions her decision to wear nice shoes. She looks down at her feet, shrugs, and says, "Eh, I'll kick 'em off later." She's not likely to care much about getting her feet dirty. Feet wash, after all. "Hello!," she calls out, waving as she approaches, also wearing green.

Caressa shoos all the kids, except for the youngest two, "Ok Stones, go pick out your basket!" Then down to the little boy, "Do you want to hunt eggs?" He just shakes his head and hides behind her. "Ok, you can stay here with Everly and I." Everly being the toddler with jet black hair and vibrant blue eyes. Then Caressa looks to the greeting, "Hey! JJ! How goes?!"

Janneke smiles and walks toward Caressa and the two children, seeming more or less at ease, though a closer look reveals some dark circles under her eyes, expertly covered with concealer. "Not bad, overall, though my sleep's been spotty since the other night." The Dream Dance, she means, but she's not about to say so in mixed company. "And hello, you two, and Happy Ostara," she says to the children. "I'm JJ." And she extends a hand to the toddler in front, Everly.

Caressa nods to Everly, "Go ahead if you like." Everly thinks about it a moment, then takes Jj's hand, "I'm Pumpkin!" She announces, it makes Caressa wince. "Family nickname we use, I'll explain later. Sorry you haven't slept well. anything I can do to help?" Then Everly adds, "Egg?" The toddler making a reaching motion towards all the colorful easter baskets.

Janneke smiles at the little girl, wince or no. "Hi, there, Pumpkin!" She giggles with that and seems more amused than anything. The question makes her shake her head. "No, it's good... it's... believe it or not, it's normal, it'll play itself out in a day or so. Not something I should get too into here, but... life carries on, and I'm not going to let a little lost sleep keep me from enjoying it!"

Caressa smiles and nods. "If you want to help her hunt easter eggs, i'm fine with it. If not, Runa can help her." Runa being the nanny that is helping the older kids pick their baskets.

Janneke says, "I'm not sure I can keep up with a toddler right now, but I don't mind being helpful in slightly less... um, demanding ways!" She chuckles softly and adds, "A lot of kids, that's great. They're going to have a blast with the eggs. Do you do actual hardboiled ones or the plastic ones with the candy in?"

There are few logical reasons for Dasia to be here. And yet. She is here. The wedges and rich green sundress and wide brimmed hat and big ol' sunglasses (that JJ could probably borrow to hide those sunken eyes) are all Prada. She's over at the kiddy station. Currently, we are working on dying eggs, but maybe they will go crazy and work on some basic landscape water painting... something or other. "Okay, so remember, you use the little wax pencil so the dye won't get into the shell there," instructs. Much helpful. "You can draw all sorts of things, just remember, there are no mistakes, just happy little accidents." Damn Seelie festival, mucking up her mean-girl reputation.

Caressa smiles and redirects Everly, "Why don't you and Dylan go get -1- egg each from the basket there." She motions to a bin full of plastic eggs. "Oh, both. We even have trays of confetti eggs." She motions to a table with paper egg crates full of brightly dyed shells topped with tissue paper. She explain to JJ. "There are sodas, water and juice in the coolers by the wall. Braedon should have some kabob done shortly. Just relax and enjoy the moment, yes?"

Steele had to do.. a thing... whatever. He comes in and scoops up Everly and Dylan both and hauls them bodily off elsewhere, making it FUN though, and twirling them around and he crouches down and sets them on the ground and he's chatting with them now, on their level.

Janneke is wearing the same color as Dasia *and* Caressa. Oh noes! Maybe it's a faux pas! Maybe it's just... because it's friggin' spring and people need to read less into it! "I think I'm gonna grab some caffeine and then wander a little. The littles are really the focus, so they'll be great to watch!" She seems content with that, happy to be there. "Do you want me to grab you something while I'm over there?"

A few people in garish easter outfits pulling a small float...it looks like a wood pallet attached to a wagon... that has a large, HUGE easter egg sitting on it. One of the handlers calls out, "All kids who are egg hunting gather round!" All around there are squeals and squabbles as dozens of kids (not just Caressa's) grab their baskets and run towards the handler. The sun is out, the birds are singing, the air is warm and a little dry.

Caressa smiles to JJ, "A water please, otherwise, I wish you to rest and just enjoy the nice day."

Steele convinces the two little ones to join the triplets and he walks them over that way and passes them off to their siblings before he starts to make his way back over to Caressa. Oops. ALSO wearing the same color.

Janneke okays, and smiles. JJ is always helping people -- she probably needs a vacation, but who's got the time? She goes to the buckets of cold drinks and draws out a Diet Coke for herself, and a water for Caressa, inhaling deeply as the scent of sizzling kebabs reaches her nose. "Those smell *so* good!" She returns to Caressa with the water, and says, "I think I need to sprawl. Dress or no." And with that, she plops herself down on a bench, not quite sprawling but getting comfy with her drink for a moment.

Dasia is in HERALDRIC green, not to be confused with pastel, spring-y green. Which does not do anything when THE FLOAT arrives for the egg hunt. "Okay, okay, pick a cup of dye to dunk your eggs in, and then you can go grab a basket and join the egg hunt," she says. "Just don't forget which one you made, if you don't want to mix them up with someone else's!"

Caressa giggles, "This is what happens the years when St. Patricks' day and Ostara are close together. We get our lucky charms mixed up with all our eggs in one basket." She takes the water from JJ. "Too bad Kieran isn't here. yes, sprawl, just keep your clothes on...kids."

The handlers around the float tap knocking on the egg. "Mr. guest?! Are you ready?" The egg wobbles and the handlers look to the kids, "Help us get out guest out, let him know we're here!" They start getting the kids to chant "Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit!"

Janneke laughs. "Don't worry, I dressed up, I'm staying dressed." She's not usually the one who winds up naked, but Damon's not here, so... "I think Kee wound up handling some introductions between a new acquaintance and a friend today, or so she told me. Story best saved for a different spot." She takes a long slug of caffeinated coldness and ahhs softly. "This stuff is terrible for me, but it helps!" A pause, and she joins the kids in the chant, keeping her voice low, just barely supporting: "Rabbit! Rabbit!"

Steele loops his arm over Caressa's shoulder once he makes it to her side. He kisses the top of her head briefly, but he's happy to just listen and hang out for now.

Everyone having abandoned the first round of egg-dying for egg-hunting, Dasia leaves the little art station and heads over to JJ's bench. "Rabbit, Rabbit, *JJ scoot over*, Rabbit!" She joins the chant, giving a break from it just long enough to try to get some space on the bench to plop down onto it.

Caressa slips her arm around Steele, "Thanks for getting Dylan to go. This is JJ, JJ..my husband, Steele she introduces.

• POP!!* The top blows off the egg. Just a little firecracker show really. Out jump a rabbit-costumed person. "Hey kids! I lost my golden egg! The one who finds it get a prize! Go! Find my egg!" Of course only half the kids stayed to listen. The other half ran to find eggs at the sight of the rabbit. Soon dozens of kids are running around looking under people, drink, benches, boxes, shrugs, rocks, places practicly and impractical.

Janneke scoots over for the other woman, chuckling. "Fine, I know I have a fat ass but you don't need to *remind* me!" She's joking, though, and she smiles, finger-waving at Steele. "We met like... a week and a half ago, briefly, in Steamed that night, remember? But hey, the world's changed about sixteen times since then, so..." She laughs as the rabbit pops out, and pulls her legs up under her skirt to let the kids go wandering under the bench to look for eggs if they choose.

A big white lion-like dog that some have seen before bounds out of the trees and starts herding kids and there. Or is he? No, he find and egg, picks it up and runs to drop it into some random kids basket. Helping!

Steele nods to JJ. "Well, nice to meet you again, anyway," he says, watching all the events. He's ready to step in and do the dad thing if the littles are struggling, but right now, everyone seems to be having fun.

The time passes, and about half an hour into the hunt someone call out, "Found it!!" There are people on hand to help count eggs in baskets to make sure every one that is hidden gets found. For the most part everyone is having fun. There is the obligatory squabble when two hands find the same egg at the same time.

Caressa and Steele's brood eventually a make their way back to their blanket to crack open all those goody-filled eggs.

"I was going to be diplomatic about it and say pleasantly plump," Dasia says with one of her RBF smirks. "We're lucky I am the least responsible one here, otherwise that rabbit costume might have ended up a giant rabbit." Its... hard to tell if she's joking at that.

Janneke hmphs, and then opens her mouth to comment, then bites it back and chases it with a slug from her diet Coke. Then she murmurs, pleasantly, "No Unleashing today, we don't want to turn any kids into bunnies, or chickies, or... well, you get the idea." Okay, JJ doesn't *do* bitchy very often, so she's not that practiced at it. Either that, or she's just being funny.

Caressa looks over to JJ, "You -know- what would have been fun for later tonight? Damon in a rabbit costume." That would be the world's sexiest bunny! "But alas, I do think sweet prince was...need some time to reflect."

Steele kisses Caressa on the cheek and then wanders over to help out the littlest two. He sits down with them and helps Everly and Dylan get their stuff opened and spread out so the girls can hang out and do their thing

Janneke eyes Caressa and says, "Cotton tail and all, huh? Let's just hope he's not taking after rabbits in other ways, too, because... well... I guess he'd make some woman very, very happy."

"Oh, not the kids at all. Just whoever is playing dress-up in the suit," Dasia replies. And then glances at Caressa

"Oh, not the kids at all. Just whoever is playing dress-up in the suit," Dasia replies. And then glances at Caressa. "Oh, now I *have* to turn the suit into a giant bunny. I just need to wait for Damon to show up, first!" Caressa giggles and nods at JJ but doesn't say much to that. "I need the fresh air. But I think he's all settled in."

The Easter bunny gives time for kids to get enthralls with the winnings and treats. then hops over to the sack race trace, "Let the sack races begin! First five hoppers, come on up!" She looks over to Dasia, "That is my resident at the clinic, Aaron. Please don't. I do on leave tomorrow and need him at work." She motions off to another small group of folks, "That's his wife over there, the blonde. They've been married a couple years now."

Janneke raises both eyebrows, but does not ask. No. Not asking. This is JJ not asking. This is her not-fucking-asking face. "You know what, I'm gonna give it a shot. If nothing else, it'll give people a good chuckle." And with that, she heads up to the sack racers.

Janneke looks back at Dasia. "You know, you sit on your ass long enough, *you'll* wind up being the fatass in this gathering. Betcha can't beat me."

Everly has a bit of trouble and Steele leans over to help her get that particular egg open. Candy is showered everywhere and the little girl cackles with glee and this makes Steele smile and he leans over to brush a kiss over the top of the little girl's head, giving her a little snuggle. He seems perfectly happy over there with the kids and letting Caressa hang out with her friends

Dasia's eyes snap-lock onto JJ. They almost narrow... wrinkle-ish-ly. But she keeps a moderately neutral resting bitch face instead. Somehow. "Caressa. Dear. Hold these," she says, sunglasses and hat being passed to the woman. Wait, how can narrow eyes be seen through giant sunglasses? Shut up, mind your business. Dhe also kicks off her wedges, but those are safe enough to be left on the ground next to the bench. CHALLENGE APPARENTLY ACCEPTED. The fashionista us up and moving across the grass to get in line for the sack races, designer sundress be damned.

Caressa cheers on JJ and Dasia, if she takes up the challenge. She's not -all- the way over there. She on their blanket, though albeit divided attention. Dylan crawls up in her lap, what little space is left there. "The school is taking the kids to the zoo tomorrow. Can you, stay home?" She asks quietly of Steele while she pets Dylan's back. She reaches out to take the sunglass and hat. "Sure thing."

Steele glances up from trying to help Everly collect candy and he nods to Caressa, giving her a smile. "Of course. I'd planned to anyway." Dylan gets a smile too and he points out the two women about to race. "Watch this, Dylan. This will be important for you later in life." He isn't sure HOW, but.. it will be. Totally

HA! It worked! Boggan powers, activate! JJ walks over and claims a sack like it's her birthright, her shoes kicked to the side. And then she gets into that sack, gets up to the line, and shoots the Eshu a grin.

The Easter bunny waves the egg flag, "AAAAannnnndddd HOP!" And off they go! JJ bouncing into the lead.

Janneke hops like her little life depends on it, going like mad, taking the lead. Dasia is left in the dust, but JJ doesn't look back, she just hops and hops, and then... about ten feet from the finish line... she goes flying, taking a tumble and landing on her left arm in a way that looks un-fun. Ouch! Let that be a lesson, children...

Damon has arrived. Erin has arrived.

Caressa winces at the fall. "Oh dear. Karma.." She calls the dog over, and uses him to help get herself up. "You alright JJ?"

Steele winces as Janneke goes down and he puts Everly aside, pushing up to his feet to go make sure that she's okay, waving Caressa back to her seat. "I got it, babe," he says. "You sit."

Caressa settles back down. On the blanket where she sits are five kids. A set of older triplets, and then a toddler beside her and a three year old in her lap.

The easter egg hunt has been done. The sack races are on, though they might have just come to an unfortunate end! There's also a guy running around in a bunny suit, whose running along with Steel to check on JJ and Dasia. And it seems everyone is wearing green!

Dasia gets on up to the starting line, stepping into one of the sacks and tugging it all the way up like the baggiest pair of pants.

She shoots daggers at JJ, more for THE AUDACITY than any actual anger. It is a subtle variation in her RBF, but it's there. As the bunny gives the hip-itty hop-itty signal, her knuckles are white as she just... DEATH-GRIPS the sack.

Which is a problem, given her impressively manicured claws.

So after the hops the bits of sack in her hand starts to rip, and before she's even made it 5 whole yards from the starting line,the sack is torn. She lurches from suddenly having the weight all wrong. And proceeds to land flat on her face. Well. not FLAT. She tried to catch herself with a knee, Lands on it first, and wrenches it something terrible. "Mother fuuuuuuudgecicles." No, really, there is too much Seelie energy around, it is messing her up bad. Fudgecicles? Honestly.

Janneke winces and says, "I think I just bruised it a bit, I'm okay..." She sits up, now covered in different shades of grass-green, and chuckles softly. "Is Dasia okay?," she asks, noticing the other woman wincing and holding her knee. "It looks like she's hurt worse than me, I think I'm okay." JJ is getting up from the ground with her good arm, disentangling herself from the burlap sack and chuckling at her own folly. "That's what I get for being a bee."

Steele helps JJ at least get out of the sack and takes her by the arm to look her over with a careful but pretty well professional sort of touch. "Bruised probably." He glances over at Dasia where the Easter Bunny is heading already. "Can you stand up?" If she can, Steele will help JJ up to her feet and then move over toward Dasia to make sure she's okay too

[Weather] Prospect Weather Report for Sunday, March 19, 04:00 pm: Current conditions: Mostly Cloudy / Temperature: 62.0 F (16.7 C)

Well, At the height of the race, look who arrives, It is Damon with a baby in arms, yup, the beautiful bastard seems to have a kiddo strapped to his chest, Not only is he HAWT, but he is good with kids to boot! "Now where is Erin with those girls." He looks over to Caressa and the others as if taking measure of the injuries and violances of the sack race, "Oh wow, JJ are you ok?" He then see the Dasia go down, Was this the thunderdome version of sack racing?!?!

Caressa facepalms her forehead, stifling a chuckle. It really isn't funny, she shouldn't laugh..but damn. She looks around and call out another mother, "Carla! Can you get some ice!" She motions towards the injuries. "There's some swabs and balm in the first aid kit too!"

Janneke accepts the hand up, holding the left arm a bit gingerly. "There's some scrapes but nothing too worrisome," she says, getting a good look at the arm and smiling her thanks to Steele. She's laughing at herself, so she's probably a safe laughter target. She does, however, seem worried about the Eshu. "I hope I didn't get Dasia really hurt," she says softly.

Coming a little behind Damon who has the baby because she is holding hands wit two little girls. The oldset looks to be about 9 or 10 and she has the same color of hair of her mothers, the other has a more brownish color and looks to be about 4 or 5. She takes a breath as she looks around at all the people. She smiles at her girls "Come let's go say hi"

Meara the oldest girl smiles "Oh mom look look" she seems excited.

Ana the other little girl seems a little more clingy to her mother.

<FAE> Following behind Erin's little family are 3 creatures. One is that cat that most people have seen follow Erin he is house size, and then 2 clockwork creatures are with them both are about dog size one being a griffin the other being a dragon.

Rosa comes into the orchard her strange eyes flicker slightly over the area, and she moves slowly closer to the firepit. The girl moves with hypnotic movements, slow and sensual almost as if it were natural for her to sway just right.

Caressa turns back to the kids since the guys have the sack race crash under control. "Come on kids, start getting your thing together. We'll be going soon." She helps the toddler and the little boy put their eggs back into their baskets, and makes sure treats are evenly divided. "No more candy till after dinner."

If only Damon had arrived a few moments earlier, Dasia could blame him for distracting her and causing the tumble. It's a much more believable reason than the truth. So instead, the fashionista willows in the embarrassing trip-and-spill-and-terrible knee pain.. She crawls her way out of the sack, wincing any time she puts much weight on the right knee.

Janneke winces and comes to Dasia's side, joining Steele to aid her. "Here, do you need to lean?" Oh, she feels guilty, it seems. "Should we get you to a doctor?" Or a healer, either or. It looks like the sack races were either a dismal failure or a rousing success, depending on how much you like seeing people injure themselves.

Damon looks to Erin and is about to say something until he see some certain clockwork friends, "huh..." He is stunned for a moment, like really stunned. "I.. huh.."He shakes it off and is certain to ask about it later, once the kids have been wrangled by Caressa, Damon hands off the baby to Erin, making him look a little less like David bowie from labyrinth, only then does he walking over like a soccer dad to check on the fallen women as well, "You two going to be ok?" first stopping at JJ to see if she need anything as she was closer and Steele is tending to Dasia. "Hey Dasia, I am sorry to see you take a dive like that. Can I help in anyways. I will carry you off the field if you need it."

Steele tucks himself under Dasia's to act as support. "Let's get oyou over here and I'll look it over, okay?" He will even carry her if he needs to. He's pretty cool like that. And medical training and EVERYTHING

Erin takes her baby back and smiles giving him kisses as she adjust him in her arms. Having to let go of the girl's hand. She looks around a little bit unsure where to go as people tend to the injured.

Janneke looks over at Damon and Erin and says, "I kinda dared her to join the race, so..." She looks unhappy about this, maybe blaming herself. "I hope it's not too bad." But it sure doesn't look good. Rosa watches as everyone goes to help Dasia and she slinks down to situate herself by the fire. She looks over to the others and her attention seems to shift gently her fingers playing casually with the smoke that drifts off the flames.

Caressa directs all the easter baskets on their blanket to the other kids. "Alright, will you three take these down to the car please." It isn't far to the wooded parking lot. "Karma, go with them please." Dylan flinches in her lap, "Owwie!" Caressa laughs, "Sorry Bubby, baby can't see you."

Erin looks behind her a moment. She then waves hello to people as she leads her little clan further into the party.

Between JJ- and Steele-shaped crutches, Dasia finally manages to get herself up off of the dirty, grassy. "I'll be fine," she grumbles. "And honestly, I was about to goad you into the race if you hadn't. But still, since you're taking the blame, it's all yours," she teases. "Back to the bench?" she asks. The wedges she kicked off before the race are probably not the wisest thing to wear after... "Oh, Damon... maybe help with the ice?" she suggests. Someone ran off to grab some...

Steele nods to Dasia and helps get her settled back on the bench. Someone's getting ice. Steele brushes off a little dirt, V E R Y carefully and checks the knee out. It almost seems like he knows what he's doing

Janneke exhales, and gets Dasia to the bench. "Well, I'm not taking *all* of it," she retorts mildly, helping the other woman sit, and then grabs her discarded shoes. "Yeah, walking on those shoes is probably not a happening thing," she notes as she looks at the wedges.

Caressa watches the kids as they to the car and back. In the mean time she gets someone to help her up...

Steele makes sure that Dasia doesn't have anything BROKEN. He lightly pokes and prods and either he or someone else will get her cleaned up and bandaged up and an ACE wrap around her knee. Someone probably has flip flops that she can borrow, or she can just go barefoot. "Just make sure you check in with your doctor if the pain's not better in a day or two, okay?" And then he's back to Caressa, helping her up if she's still down or rounding up the kids if she's up

Rosa watches the doctor do his thing closely as if she were learning off his administrations. She allows her attention to wander over him for a moment before those eyes of hers move over to steele.

Damon steps away for a few minutes and does indeed finds this legendary ice for Dasia's poor knee, Once he has found the wounded he present her prize, chilled pain relief, "Ok, no more derb sack races got it?" He takes a seat next to Janneke, "I am happy to see you are ok."

Janneke laughs softly. "If only you'd been here fifteen minutes ago to tell me that," she says with wry amusement. "I'm fine, just a little bruised and scraped. Steele got me all set. I'll just reapply some of the antibiotic later and I'll be right as rain." She regards Dasia. "You *sure* you don't want a doctor?"

Between the kids and Caressa and any other things that need to be done for and about the Smith family, Steele takes care of. He hangs around a bit to see if Dasia actually does need a doctor, but he's been gone for like a week and he's ready to have this over with

"This sounds suspiciously like no hiking over spring break," Dasia replies. Which is a bigger problem than she's letting on. "I'll figure out how to handle it. Maybe get someone to carry my pack for me." She's eying Damon, with that.

Erin whispers something to her girls and ruffles their hair before they turn back to the direction that they came in from as Erin. Holds Ana's hand and holds the baby.

Caressa is on her feet. She spends a moment talking with Mrs. O'Reilly. Leaving a few royal npcs in charge of cleanup and ushering people home. The she moves back to Steele. "Let go home, Love." To the others she gives waves, "Thank you all for coming out, but I need to go rest." She's not going to get much rest.