Monthly Archives: January 2024

The Swing

Posted on by
Reply

Some people might think a solitary swing is the epitome of loneliness; forlorn, swaying empty in the breeze.

Instead, I like to remember this poem by Robert Louis Stevenson and think of the joy it brings to the Angels; well, except when they’re fighting over whose turn it is to swing.

The Swing

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown–
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

–ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

New Moon: Darkness and Light

Posted on by
Reply

111

There in the wild darkness
is the silence
And, after the darkness
Comes the light

A New Dawn.

A Little Poem by Athey Thompson

Tonight’s new moon in Capricorn can enlighten the pathway to our desires and our dreams, our awareness of who we are and how we feel about ourselves. Let go of any old unhealthy thoughts and beliefs.

A Little New Moon Ceremony
As the darkness draws near
Light a candle
Sit alone in peace
In silence
And invite your hopes
Your wishes
Write them down
Tell the New Moon
Of what you have written
And, welcome in your hopes
Your wishes
Believe you will receive
And say thank you
To the New Moon.
Upon such a dark night there be magic in the air, it be everywhere.
And, as they do say, ”Those who believe are those who receive”.

by Athey Thompson

Forget-Me-Not

Posted on by
7

I was at a free expo a couple months ago and grabbled a package of forget-me-not seeds. I tossed them in a planter and forgot about them until today.

This is their first flowering!

Forget-me-nots symbolize true love, fidelity, and respect. It’s also associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and has (weirdly) been adopted as a symbol by the Freemasons.

Germans coined the most common name used for this flower, das Vergissmeinnicht, because of the myth of two lovers who first saw the bright blue flowers as they walked along the Danube River. The man retrieved the flowers for the woman but was swept away by the river. As he floated away, he told her not to forget him.

Whether the story is true or not, it’s certainly made the forget-me-not a lasting symbol of remembrance.

Myosotis sylvatica readily reseeds, so I’m hoping to grow more and more in the garden because the blue is so valiantly BLUE and truly unforgettable.

Daybreak With Crows

Posted on by
2

A dramatic sunrise always makes me think of Romeo and Juliet:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

From the front door looking directly toward the lagoon, this morning’s spectacular sunrise showcases the clouds that brought a little overnight rain.

Those black specks are hundreds of raucous crows heralding another new day.

Leonard Cohen said it perfectly:

The birds they sang
At the break of day
Start again
I heard them say…

Happy first Sunday of 2024!

A Great Mantra for 2024: Don’t Spiral. Evolve!

Posted on by
4

I love visuals and this speaks to me. Does it resonate with you, too?

I’m not really someone who enacts resolutions for the new year because it seems like the perfect storm for failure and then I’d feel terrible about myself for failing and spiral into shame…BUT I do comprehend the concept of making good choices and not repeating certain ingrained ways of doing life.

This brings me back to my admiration for the theory of neuroplasticity and the works of Dr. Henry Grayson and Rick Hanson, as I’ve written about previously HERE.

Remember: don’t spiral. Evolve!

Graphic found on Pinterest

Stardust ⭐

Posted on by
4

Reach for the stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I see
A little bit of stardust
Was given to you and me
And everywhere I shall go
You shall surely be

A little poem by Athey Thompson
Art by S. Hee

My Frog Prince 🐸

Posted on by
2

If this is a crystal ball vision of 2024, I’m cheerfully apprehensive (or apprehensively cheerful) about what the next twelve months may bring…

Do you remember the Grimm fairytale, The Frog Prince? It’s about a princess who befriends a frog who was really a prince that had been turned into a frog by an evil witch. The princess’s transformative love was the remedy to break the spell.

I’m in the middle of living a real-life version of this story, but I have some basic issues that seem to be obstacles in the way of fulfilling this enchanted experience.

For the last few days, I’ve been hearing a frog croaking in the garden and every time I do, I run outside and try to find him. So far, I’ve been spectacularly unsuccessful.

The croaking seems to emanate from the lower hill that’s covered in a mass of California native plants and I simply can’t locate my frogprince, no matter how hard I try.

Maybe it’s some kind of weird, bizarre twin flame scenario; the more I chase, the more he runs away. Maybe I need to take a deep breath and allow him to come to me. What do you think?

He’s out there right now, beckoning me with his hypnotic, sexy croaking, and I can’t, not for the life of me, track him down.

It’s important to note that this is a highly unusual occurrence; we don’t normally have frogs around this mostly drought-y part of the world and I have heard them so infrequently that I can’t even remember when the last time there WAS a frog around here.

If you could see me running around the garden from one spot to another, you’d have serious doubts about my mental state, and I’d have to nod my head and agree with you.

Why is my prince hiding from me? I am a princess, after all…

While I’m waiting for my frog/prince transformation, here’s what I learned about the spiritual meaning of frogs…

🐸 Frogs symbolize water and land. They help to connect us with the natural world and our intuitive side. They have the power to transform, mature, and renew the soul.

🐸 A frog’s ability to transition from one element to another — depending on its environment — represents change and transformation, rebirth, and evolution.

🐸 Frogs are symbols of new beginnings and creativity because they hatch from eggs and emerge into the world as tiny tadpoles.

🐸 A frog’s spiritual meaning is associated with fertility, good luck, prosperity, money, transformation, new beginnings, love, and the Moon (due to its close connection with water).www.thepeculiarbrunette.com/frog-symbolism-spiritual-meaning/

🐸 Croaking is usually associated with mating and is used by males to attract females, although some frog species croak to mark their territory or indicate their presence. Frogs may also croak because they feel worried or stressed, warning other frogs around them. 

I hope to discover what sort of magic is needed to find and befriend my froggy visitor for our very own happily-ever-after.

If you see me kissing a frog, don’t say a word, OK?

🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸