25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS — (12/25) ↳ Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

I was innocent and wise, and full of pain. Now that I'm a woman, everything is strange.

ugly baby doll, my favorite Pooh character (alternatively: taking an inside joke between @tomfowlery and I too far)

goodnight everybody

When the deer picks a better distance than your horse usually does

The deer often take refuge in my yard and I saw the cutest thing this morning ;-; I had to film it.

Sometimes I feel like I am uniquely bad at being nonhuman.

A good day for me is one where I have enough energy to wash my hair. A good day is one where I can walk around the block and listen to the birds.

The thought of returning ‘home’ fills me with fear. With dread, even.

Safety is the human bed, the human meds, the mobility aids. Safety is the human who checks on me, who washes my hair when I can’t, who sits on the back step with me and strains to hear the birds when I’m too tired to walk.

Maybe I’m a bad animal. I’ve been too sick for too long to stay alive in the wild. Nonreleasable. Domesticated.

Too feral for human society; too weak for the wild.

If someone comes around the corner or spooks me and I don't expect it, I jump so far backwards they make fun of me 🥲

When I hear a noise that startles me I perk up and turn my head towards the sound and listen for a bit. Sometimes I feel like my ears "move" towards the sound. My hearing focuses better, in a placebo kind of way.

If I'm in a "herd" of people I know I feel wary, like I'm not high enough in the social order, if that makes sense? Likely has to do with my autism, but it reminds me of not being one of the lead matriarchs of the herd. That's a thing exclusive to my whitetail side, however. When I have strong reindeer shifts I feel confident and safe around my "herd" and I have a strong protective instinct because I'd actually have antlers for part of the year along with the natural strength of reindeer in both herd size and strength.

Just a thought post but does anyone get example “ prey instincts “ upon being scared? Like when im scared all i want to do is buck and turn away swiftly but im so limited in this stupid body and also would look weird doing so, also just feeling on edge around people i deem as carnivorous.

The stag in me wants to protect myself and my herd but it’s like no antlers!!

Curious on how it is for anyone else if you are a prey species! Share your thoughts too

Five Tips, Tricks and Hacks For Cold Weather Therians!

It's summer (in the northern hemisphere) and I'm missing my snowy Ural mountains habitat - so I've decided to put together a list of stuff that I've been using to cope! :D

#1 Fake Snow

You can buy this pretty much everywhere online - but I've actually been using a DIY recipe! It's just baking soda + shaving foam but it gives you a nice crumbly texture and is even cool to the touch! :D This YouTube Video includes a couple of recipes that include common household ingredients!

#2 Cold Baths + Showers

These are self explanatory! As well as being refreshing, they also give you an excuse to nest in fluffy blankets afterwards - which helps if you long for your fur (even in the heat). These can be paired with bath bombs - I've done pine before to invoke forest-y feelings! DIY Bath Bomb recipe

#3 Frozen Foods

Obviously ice cream is a go-to here, but snow cones, popsicles, and ice cream sandwiches are all excellent! Ice cubes by themselves are also great in a pinch, and frozen fruit is another cheap option (stick it in the freezer overnight and boom homemade frozen snack!). 5 Minute Ice Cream Recipe Video

#4 Paint (Or Draw) A Cold Landscape

This really helps if you want to get into a more 'chill' (lol) headspace. I prefer to paint traditionally but digital art is also great! Two Bob Ross tutorials if you'd like them: Snow Fall ❆ Grey Winter

#5 Watch Videos, Movies, Or Documentaries With Cold/Snow Landscapes

If it's hot outside sometimes all you want to do is lie there and watch videos shot in places with subzero temperatures. You can find these on literally any streaming platform, and here's some youtube links for free documentaries: Frozen Worlds | Our Planet ❆ Mountains | Hostile Planet ❆ Animal Winter Wonderland | BBC Earth ❆ Canada's White Wolves | Real Wild ❆ (And a bonus Winter Ambiance)

Happy Valentine's Day from the king of codependency. :]