Author Archives: Enchanted Seashells

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About Enchanted Seashells

Also known as Princess Rosebud! MIDlifestyle blog. Mom of Professor Angel Boy and Grandma to Angel Boy 2.0 and Angel Girl 2.0. Love to camp and hike. I've been in a few films, am obsessed with seashells, sea glass, and rocks; gardening and baking, Hello Kitty, Chanel, Leon Russell, and anything sparkly. Veg since 1970 and an ardent animal activist forever. Fashionista...veganista...animal activista. I'm still trying to find the perfect shoe!

ChildLIKE / ChildSOUL: Thoughts by Hermann Hesse

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There’s a huge difference between being childlike and childISH. I’ve been (wrongly) accused of being childish or of not “growing up” (whatever THAT means) when the truth is that I’ve retained the quality of childlike wonder and joy regarding the world we inhabit — especially when it comes to simple things like a butterfly or a seashell or whales or stargazing or a spectacular beach sunset. At the end of the day, these things are what’s important, at least for me.

Hermann Hesse, poet and author of “Siddhartha”, wrote about this same character trait:

“All children, as long as they still live in the mystery, are continuously occupied in their souls with the only thing that is important, which is themselves and their enigmatic relationship with the world around them.

Seekers and wise people return to these preoccupations as they mature.

Most people, however, forget and leave forever this inner world of the truly significant very early in their lives. Like lost souls they wander about for their entire lives in the multicolored maze of worries, wishes, and goals, none of which dwells in their innermost being and none of which leads them to their innermost core and home.”- Hermann Hesse

We should never ever lose the part of us that points up to the sky and says, “Look at the moon!”

Here’s another point of view; not so sweet, but wild and ferocious…

Art curated on Pinterest. Credit to the owner.

There’s a Bison In My Bed

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Picture me as I lay in bed nearly asleep, when a medium-sized bison lumbered into the room and as gently and quietly as he could, placed his two front legs on the bed, and jumped up. He turned around a couple of times to get comfortable and laid down heavily with a grunt — his hairy body almost completely on top of me as he took up most of the bed, which isn’t surprising due to his size. I scratched his head between his curved horns, and we both fell asleep.

That was a dream, not real life lol. What the heck was that all about? I have a vague recollection of other animals in bed with us, but the bison is the one that garnered most of my conscious/unconscious attention.

Bison are known for their strength. Bison are very fast, hard workers, dominant, trustworthy, and protective. Dreaming of a bison could represent one’s inner power.. Dreaming of a big, strong buffalo could symbolize having a protective heart for your loved ones.

AI says that the bison itself often symbolizes abundance, manifestation, and strength, while the bed suggests rest and safety and peace of mind. In this context, the dream might be hinting at the need to embrace abundance, appreciate your resources, and find comfort and security in your life.

Crazy, right? What’s even crazier is that I wasn’t at all surprised to see a bison in the house. Sleeping with me seemed normal, although I’d bet in real life, a two thousand pound bison would probably have broken the bed. But thanks to a magical dream state, the bed was fine.

I guess that’s where my subconscious brain goes when it’s a palindrome day — 5-20-2025 — and according to Alex Myles, this palindrome date holds powerful mirrored energy—a sign of balance, alignment, and divine timing. It is a reminder that everything is coming full circle, and what you have been waiting for is finally starting to fall into place.

This is a day to believe in miracles and trust that the Universe is working behind the scenes to bring you what you need, in ways you never saw coming.

This is a powerful time for balance and reciprocation. What you give out is returning to you. If you’ve been giving love, kindness, time, and support, you’re going to see it come back—maybe through people, opportunities, or quiet moments of joy. This is your reminder to allow yourself to receive. You do not always have to be the strong one, the giver, the fixer. You deserve love and support, too.

This energy also brings a strong sense of harmony. Everything is starting to align: your heart, your path, your goals, and your healing.

I’m not sure how all those vibes brought a bison into my bed, but I’m open to the message — whatever it is!

Lily of the Valley

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May’s birth flower is Muguet de Bois, Lily of the Valley. Every year on my birthday, my mom would give me a brand new set of Coty perfume and dusting powder. I felt SO grown up! I savored its divine fragrance as long as I could, and then stashed the empty bottle in my drawers to scent my clothes.

A favourite flower in my garden to see, if you ask me, just has to be The Lily of the Valley.
Known to be the May Lily, this sweet scented, dainty white bell represents a return to happiness and innocence. How delighted I be to see my Lily of the Valley, as blooming it be in ye month of May.
Often found neath leafy bushes, or hidden away within the nooks and crannies. Tread carefully mind. As under its flapping green leaves you’ll find its wee white bells dangling on a tiny stem.
The Lily of the Valley symbolises Pure Love…They say Lucky in Love it be that’s why it be tradition for brides to have Lily of the Valley amongst their wedding flowers.
There be many an old Myth told about the faery folk and the Lily of the Valley. In Ireland it is known to be “The Faery Ladder”.

Little thoughts written by Athey Thompson
Photos taken at home by Athey Thompson

I Can Do Hard Things But Failed With Sourdough Starters Until Now

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I can do hard things but successfully birthing sourdough starter eluded me every single time.

This isn’t funny. One day I say I’m not giving up and the next day I want to toss it out (again) and NEVER try.

I gave myself an ultimatum to attempt it ONE MORE TIME and then give up forever.

Here’s what worked for me: I stopped going crazy following all the scientific recipes and stopped reading the voluminous numbers of posts and pages and websites and YouTube videos dedicated to creating the proper sourdough starter and did it my way, kind of haphazard and casual. I mean if people had been baking with sourdough starters for hundreds of years with zero technology, how difficult could it be?

I’m happy to report that my efforts finally worked. I don’t have any pics of the starter because it’s really not impressive; just a blob of a bubbly and fermenting flour and water mixture.

The real beauty is the reward for my perseverance, I baked it in a standard loaf pan to make it easier to toast. It rose like a cloud and tastes absolutely perfect. Crusty and rustic with a soft, chewy, sour interior texture.

I don’t remember the recipe I followed but the only ingredients are flour, water, salt. It takes a very long rising time, the longer the better for more sour flavor. I let it rise for twelve hours, so it’s definitely not a quick bread, but worth the wait, trust me!

All I have to do now is continue to feed the starter I’ve saved in the refrigerator and I can have sourdough all the time.

Yay for tenacity!

Wistful Wisteria

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The welcoming fragrance of this wisteria is an intoxicating blend of lavender, honeysuckle, and lilac. You can smell it half a block away. I’ve never before seen such exquisite wisteria. Once upon a time I planted it in my garden but it didn’t thrive, I’m sad to say.

Photo by Enchanted Seashells

Wisteria symbolism is associated with romance, devotion, and good luck. In Japan, it represents longevity and success. It can also symbolize humility and endurance, 

Tides Fall and Rise

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The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveler to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Mother’s Day: BoyMom Edition

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All I ever wanted to be was a boymom and I got my wish with the original Angel Boy.

Happy Mother’s Day!

BEST BOYMOM QUOTE EVER: “If all the little boys in the world were lined up and I had to just pick only one, I’d choose you… every time.” (Barbra Streisand to Seth Rogan in the film Guilt Trip.)

This is a funny story and all you’ll ever need to know about my AB:

Since his life threatening medical issue and subsequent (emergency) major abdominal surgery for a ruptured Meckel’s Diverticulum a few years ago, he needs to be careful about his diet for the rest of his life, mainly never popcorn, but other foods can irritate the anastomosis repair, too, which he learned by trial and error.

He recovered better than expected from the surgery except for THAT little issue.

Recently, I suggested (not nagged) that he might benefit from regularly taking probiotics to normalize his intestinal flora and fauna, and I made sure he took them every day while we were together.

How do I do that? I chose the right time, like when he was involved in editing his new book or grading papers. That’s when I know he’s REALLY the absentminded professor and won’t pay any attention to me. I then hand him the probiotic capsules with a freshly made smoothie and he downs them without argument or question. However, it’s only a delayed reaction because fifteen minutes later, he’ll ask me what it was that I gave him but then it’s too late to refuse. HAHAHAHA. #momhack

I sent him a photo of the supplements he WILLINGLY swallowed so he could take them all the time and heard nothing about it or a couple weeks…until yesterday when he texted me and I admit it took me a second or two to figure out he was being his usual snarky, facetious self:

Apparently when it becomes HIS idea, it’s worth doing. Hmmm. Whatever works, right? After all these years, I finally figured out that he likes to think about things for a while before he makes a decision, so I sent him a photo of the type of magnesium and D3 gummies I take along with this text:

That’s my Angel Boy. Stubborn child, but no matter what, he’ll forever be my heart.

Nowadays I’m even luckier to be grandma of those two vibrant Angel Kids who started calling me “Gramps” for absolutely no reason at all, but it makes me chuckle.

When I asked them, “Why do you call me Gramps?”, they laughed hysterically, so I guess that’s who I am now.

There will never be a greater joy than being loved by those guys, that’s for sure. That’s what life is all about.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and grandmas from Gramps!

FYI: Great article to explain emergency surgery for Meckel’s Diverticulum https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2533303/

POGs Revival!

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Lately it seems that I see POGs popping up everywhere on social media.

Do you remember them?

For a brief, crazy intense moment in the ’90s, POGs and slammers were everywhere. If you grew up during that era, you might remember collecting the colorful cardboard discs, the thrill of slamming your favorite POG stack, and swapping the ones you didn’t want with friends on the playground.

During that frenzied time, I was involved in a business that not only produced POGs (milkcaps) as business promotional giveaways but created a line of them called The Safe Neighborhood Club, complete with an inserted educational booklet. Some of these designs were included in books about POGs.

Photo by Enchanted Seashells

For a time, POGS were even outlawed in a few school districts, that’s how popular they were.

The story of POGs began in Hawaii, where children used caps from Haleakala Dairy’s POG juice (passionfruit-orange-guava) to play a simple flipping game.

Alan Rypinski bought the POG trademark in 1993 and transformed it into a global brand. With the World POG Federation at the helm, POGs exploded into toy aisles and schoolyards, becoming an integral part of ’90s culture. POGman, the game’s cartoon mascot, became as recognizable as the discs themselves. He made millions during the craze but was out of the game when the bubble burst.

By 1997, the POG market had imploded. Oversaturation, school bans, and changing fads pushed the once-beloved game into obscurity. The discs that once sparked heated debates and trades among kids now sat forgotten.

Now, nearly three decades later, whispers of a POG revival are surfacing. Can a nostalgia-driven resurgence bring this playground staple back into the mainstream?

Why Revive POGs Now?

I can’t explain it, but POGs definitely ARE making a comeback, not just as a nostalgic collectible but also with a digital component and a focus on both physical and digital gaming. 

The World Pog Federation launched new physical sets and online games to engage a new generation of players. They are also exploring partnerships and collaborations to expand the POG brand. 

I’ll have to dig around in the garage ‘cos I know I still have a massive collection stored in binders and I can’t wait to show them to the Angels. Maybe they could start it up again at their school; wouldn’t that be awesome?

Further reading:
–Here’s a link to a cool article written just last month about the POG revival:
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2025/04/dig-up-that-slammer-this-week-were-talking-pogs.html
–Another post from Hawaii: https://www.lanaitoday.com/news/another-chance-to-scoop

Love’s Way

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Love shall always
Find a way
Even through
The darkest of day

Love shall always
Find a way
Even through
The darkest of day

A Little Poem by Athey Thompson
Pic curated from Pinterest. Credit to the artist.

My Spicy Girl: Peppermint Party Climbing Rose

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This is an update to a previous post about transplanting this awesome Peppermint Party Climbing Rose. It’s been a couple years and she’s really blossoming and super spicy!

I don’t give her too much attention except for a hard prune every January, and cross my fingers that she’ll grow back healthy and happy.

I took this photo when it was sunny. I woke up to rain which was totally, unexpectedly, but absolutely welcome, especially since we haven’t had any sky water is quite a while. Any little bit helps.

This was one of my most successful transplanting of a mature plant. I moved this Peppermint Party Climbing Rose from one arbor to another and it’s been thriving ever since.

Late afternoon sun on these stripey petals caught my eye:

And a closer view…

Happy Sunday!

All photos by Enchanted Seashells