A Gift from Mother Nature

On New Year's Day, I was puttering around in the house and happened to glance out the window...

"The sky is the realm of the hawk. Through its flight 

it communicates with humans and with the great 

Creator Spirit. It awakens our vision and inspires us to a creative life purpose." 

(source: Animal Speak - Ted Andrews)

Power, Magic, Messenger

Hawk is the messenger, the protector and the visionary of the Air. It holds the key to higher levels of consciousness.

This totem awakens vision and inspires a creative life purpose.

(source: http://www.linsdomain.com)

It looks like it was "fluffed up" to stay warm, but it seemed to me to stand about a foot tall... I don't know much about hawks, but I believe it is a Cooper's Hawk, which preys upon smaller birds (which are abundant in this spot, thanks to my bird feeder in a nearby tree); however, it was sitting on a rock wall where a family of chipmunks live.

Either way, it was an inspiring sight, and I will add it to my new 2015 Blessings Jar.

          

Wishing you a creative, purposeful and magical New Year.

2015 - A Year of Promise

I think that I shall never see

A year so tailor-made for me.

I have a chance to start again -

To do some good, to find my zen.

I must be brave, I must be bold

For my intentions to unfold;

To be the best that I can be,

I'll reinvent... I hold the key.

Who Cares?

The end of a year - an entire trip around the Sun

The Sun (source: Gaia Astrology)

Time to plan (or attempt to plan)

And to reflect

Which begs the question: Who cares?

"Who cares?" I ask, as I look back on a blog that no one comments on...

"Who cares?" I muse, as I procrastinate sending out holiday cards and wrapping gifts...

"Who cares?" I ponder, as I listen to a few talking heads on TV or watch angry people protesting about things they must care about, deeply and passionately...  

I fumble with my dilapidated dictionary, to reacquaint myself with the definition of this lovely word

Long have I been seduced by its sugar-coated meaning

Webster's New World Dictionary explains:

Care is derived from the Old English word "caru"  meaning "sorrow" - "a troubled state of mind; worry" - "a liking or regard for" - "a responsibility; to feel concern" - "to feel love or a liking for; to look after, provide for" 

Sorrow? Worry? Responsibility? This sheds new light on the power of this little word

Perhaps if I asked my question in a general way, with a positive spin on it, I'd get a different answer...

Who cares?

Angelina Jolie is an ambassador for the United Nations

There are people who are working tirelessly to help others in need; to protect the environment; to promote worthy causes

There are animals who bond with other species of animals - including humans - to form what can only be called "friendships"

There's my brother, who takes care of our mother at home, driving her to appointments and to the YMCA, cooking and cleaning... doing his best to keep it all going smoothly

There's my husband, working long hours to make sure we have a place to live, the bills get paid, there's something to eat... and he still says things to make me laugh 

And there's me

I care...

And that's enough to get me through another year 

A Breath of Seasons

I dreamed I was a summer breeze


That started back in spring


I blew through autumn's leafy heaps

'Til winter's winds did sing


A song that made me shiver


A tune that made me cry

A melody that chilled my soul


'Til I breathed a summer sigh 


TJBG ~ 2014

Traveler's Tale

I am moving through the weeds

and reeds,

brushing past them on a mission 

to find out who I am...

I will know the truth

by finding my own reflection

in the water...

I know it's there,

but I need to see for myself

if I am still me

before I decide where to go next

Happy Hallowe'en

Samhain (pronounced /ˈsɑːwɪn/ sah-win or /ˈsaʊ.ɪn/ sow-in; Irish pronunciation: [sˠaunʲ]) is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year. It is celebrated from sunset on 31 October to sunset on 1 November, or about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. 

Irish mythology was originally a spoken tradition, but the tales were eventually written down by Christian monks in the Middle Ages, who are thought to have Christianized many of them. According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Beltane) was a time when the doorways to the Otherworld opened, allowing spirits to come into our world; but while Beltane was a summer festival for the living, Samhain was essentially a festival for the dead.

Samhain was seen as a liminal time, when spirits or fairies (the aos sí) could more easily come into our world. Many scholars see the aos sí as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits. At Samhain, it was believed that the aos sí needed to be propitiated to ensure that the people and their livestock survived the harsh winter. As such, offerings of food and drink were left for the aos sí. Playing pranks at Samhain is recorded in the Scottish Highlands as far back as 1736 and was also common in Ireland, which led to Samhain being nicknamed "Mischief Night" in some parts. Trick-or-treating may have come from the custom of going door-to-door collecting food for Samhain feasts, fuel for Samhain bonfires and/or offerings for the aos sí. Alternatively, it may have come from the All Saints/All Souls custom of collecting soul cakes.

(source: Wikipedia)


No trick-or-treaters at our house tonight... but I was ready!

"As the darkness now draws near, see the cycle of the year.
As the light now goes within, let the Hallows Dance begin."

BOO!

Plenty Of Love To Go Around

a post on Facebook about a senior cat needing a home 

Bailey likes bird-watching

turned out there were two of them - 13 years old  and headed to a shelter - they'd been living in the owner's finished basement and the young mother of two felt guilty about not spending more time with them

after talking to my husband, I told the owner to "Bring 'em both"

the tuxedo cat is Bailey - the fluffy one is Tyler

Tyler is silly and sweet

my cats are bewildered, but are trying to make the best of it, I give them extra love to make up for bringing in two strangers

Copper and Silver are little heroes

the new cats are making themselves right at home, even though Bailey sometimes cries plaintively for no reason

Tyler likes to play with toys and sit in the window

my husband, although supportive, had his doubts...

but in the end he told me, "I know you feel strongly about this. You have a big heart. It's something I love about you."

so we have two more mouths to feed

yeah... ain't love grand?