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!
Here’s a thoughtful word to help us increase happiness and reduce stress with balanced living.
Lagom, pronounced ‘lah-gom,’ is a unique Swedish term that roughly translates to “just the right amount” or “not too much, not too little.”
It’s the art of finding a perfect balance in all aspects of life – work, study, socializing, and even relaxation. In tennis, it’d be the sweet spot. It’s similar to hygge, but different.
To my child-like self, it reminds me of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, as she searched for just the RIGHT bowl of oatmeal, chair, bed…
The concept of lagom can be found all around us and can coexist with another theory called the Goldilocks Principle or the Goldilocks Zone. Our planet earth is said to be in the Goldilocks zone, neither too far nor too close to the sun, in a “just right” place that is perfect to support life. A Goldilocks economy is when there’s enough growth to sustain the economy but not too much growth that causes high inflation. In politics there’s the well-known extremes of the left and right and the (all too quiet) center. The Goldliocks principle can be found everywhere. Maimonides speaks of the Goldilocks principle when he advocates for the middle road in most areas of life, a sustainable and healthy balance that doesn’t go too far to either extreme. shabboshouse.org
Claude Russell Bridges (Leon Russell) would be eighty-three years old today and sadly, while he’s no longer here, it’s a good time to remember him through his musical genius. He was a gifted pianist, songwriter, arranger, bandleader, and producer–a visionary.
His beauty shines through, no matter his age.
This is a brief compilation of some of his water themed recordings:
Back To The Island (Leon Russell’s creation, NOT Jimmy Buffet)
“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” — John Lewis
Doomscrolling refers to the compulsive and often anxiety-inducing practice of obsessively scrolling through social media or news feeds, particularly for negative or distressing content, with the expectation that the news will be bad.
I stopped watching mainstream news the morning that the fake election results were announced. I’ll never believe that muckrat and the orange POS along with a foreign entity did NOT alter the results. I’m convinced that Kamala Harris should be president.
Instead of watching the news, I’ve participated in a few protests. While the Hands Off rally on Saturday in downtown San Diego is predicted to be HUGE, the Tesla Takedown Day in my little city wasn’t as big as some others around the country, but we were passionate and devoted to showing up to make a difference.
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
As the wonderful John Lewis also said, “Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society”.
This showroom is in an obscure business park with not too much traffic, but we were united in our passion to DO SOMETHING to save democracy and this country. Unlike other events in the area, this was peaceful. No one shot us with BB guns, none of the people at Tesla came out to intimidate us, and there were no shouting matches on either side.
However, if you count the cars that honked in solidarity as they drove by, it was a resounding success.
I’m not so sure next week’s event will be as tranquil or serene, but it’s definitely going to be exciting.
We don’t want Greenland or Canada; we want our Social Security (NOT an entitlement), health care, education, our data private, muckrat deported, the other one in prison, and PEACE.
Oh, and make sure to tell muckrat and his cronies that no one PAID us to attend; we’re participating to SAVE DEMOCRACY from people like HIM.
I found this incredibly beautiful hawk tail feather in my garden. Recently, I’ve heard a mated pair; maybe Cooper’s hawks, calling to each other from my backyard trees, so I assume it’s from one of them and that makes me very happy! It looks a bit bedraggled because we had some rain last night and it was lying on the ground.
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
A little research informed me something I didn’t know — that it’s illegal to pick up ANY feather, so I guess I’ll just leave it there. But in my own garden? Look, but do not touch? Did you know that?
I thought that this treasure was a sign from my spirit guides. A hawk tail feather is often seen as a symbol of power, courage, strength, and the ability to see things from a higher perspective.
I knew it was illegal to possess an eagle feather but I had no idea that the same law applied to hawks and other raptors.
Here’s what I learned:
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA): This act prohibits the possession, sale, purchase, or transfer of feathers of migratory birds, including hawks, without proper permits.
Broad Coverage: The MBTA protects over 800 bird species, making it a wide-reaching law.
No Exemptions: There are no exemptions for feathers that are naturally shed, or from birds killed by cars or other means, unless you have a permit.
Permits: Permits are required for activities like taxidermy, scientific research, or educational purposes.
Penalties: Violations of the MBTA can result in fines and imprisonment.
Exception for Native American Tribes: Federally recognized tribes may possess, carry, use, wear, give, loan, or exchange migratory bird feathers and parts without compensation among other Indians.
Still, finding a hawk’s feather is a profound event, rich with spiritual and cultural importance. Regarded as a divine symbol, it embodies strength, foresight, and can convey messages and blessings of divine guidance, reassuring physical health and decisiveness.
The white tip, often called the “tip of life,” represents spiritual focus and clarity. The intricate patterns, like those found in snowflakes, symbolize our unique life paths.
When a feather appears on your property, near your garden or home, it symbolizes comfort and protection. This occurrence is not just an incidental find but a key spiritual message. They’re believed to carry wisdom and the ability to see what is hidden.
“Accustom yourself every morning to look for a moment at the sky and suddenly you will be aware of the air around you, the scent of morning freshness that is bestowed on you between sleep and labor.
You will find every day that the gable of every house has its own particular look, its own special lighting.
Pay it some heed…you will have for the rest of the day a remnant of satisfaction and a touch of coexistence with nature.
Gradually and without effort the eye trains itself to transmit many small delights.” –Hermann Hesse
The 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the German author Hermann Hesse. Photos by Enchanted Seashells
Have you ever fainted? I don’t mean like those fainting goats (also referred to as stiffy goats) who don’t really faint — they suffer from a genetic condition called myotonia congenita, which causes their muscles to stiffen and often fall over when startled or excited — but they don’t lose consciousness, which is the hallmark of true syncope.
And by the way, it’s kind of abusive to startle those poor goats and laugh when they fall over…it’s really not funny, even though Honey Badger was…
Back to MY story. I can’t even recall the last time I fainted, but it happened a couple days ago.
Here’s the scenario…
I was on the sofa watching an older British medical drama called Peak Practice and fell asleep for a few minutes. When I awakened, I jumped up and ran downstairs to draw the curtains and make sure the house was locked up and secure for the night.
As I pulled the drapes closed, I started to feel hot, kind of nauseous and lightheaded, all very clear signals that one should heed, but as I usually do, I ignored every single sign and continued until I became so dizzy that I felt I should go to the sofa on the other side of the room and sit down.
But I didn’t get there in time.
I must have lost consciousness momentarily because the next thing I recall is being down on the floor near the fireplace. A lamp had been knocked over as well as a table with one of my favorite plants, Rattlesnake (Goeppertia insignis). The pot was smashed and there was dirt all over the rug.
I lay there for a few seconds as it was actually quite peaceful in a weird way, and began to triage myself for any major injuries.
Luckily for me, there was no damage except for some gnarly bruising where I hit the fireplace.
This would have been a different story if it had been my head on the bricks, that’s for sure.
I was upset with myself for not paying attention to the warning signs and even more so for the mess on the carpet.
Fainting spells/syncope — are a sudden and brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain.
When I felt sufficiently recovered to sit and stand without a recurrence of any dizziness, I ran upstairs to check my pupils which were normal; round, reactive, and equal. My heart rate was strong and steady, not tachy or weak.
Here’s the best part…
Crazy person that I am, the next thing I did was drag the vacuum downstairs to clean up the dirt because I knew that the longer it stayed on the light gray carpet, the more likely it would stain, which would really stress me out. I picked up the fallen lamp and the broken pot, and sucked up the dirt. I ran back upstairs for a rag, bowl of water, and carpet cleaner, and started scrubbing.
When I figured I had done enough (damage AND cleaning), I went to bed.
The next morning I felt fine and I can only assume I experienced an isolated syncope episode and it’s nothing to worry about. Maybe I was dehydrated, maybe my potassium levels were off, maybe I stood up too quickly, maybe I had fallen asleep in a weird position, maybe someone was playing around with a voodoo doll and some dark arts– I have no idea.
Today my body is pretty sore and the bruises are blooming. I’m drinking a lot of water because dehydration was the most likely culprit. Also, I realize that it might be prudent for me to slow down just a bit and cease running up and down stairs, because that never seems to end well for me, like last year’s split leg catastrophe…https://enchantedseashells.com/2024/01/21/tales-of-the-er/
You’d think I’d have learned my lesson, right?
From emergencyphysicians.org, here’s what to do:
If you feel faint, either lie down or sit down immediately. If you sit down, bend forward with your head between your knees to help get the blood flowing to your brain. Wait until you feel better before trying to stand up. If someone else faints, position the person on his or her back and elevate the legs above the heart, if possible. Check for signs of breathing. Loosen belts or restrictive clothing. If the person doesn’t regain consciousness within a minute, call 911.
Especially now that days are longer and it our brief rainy season is almost over, this looks like a really fun and educational craft to do with the Angels– in the garden, definitely NOT indoors.
The photo isn’t mine, but this is what I hope ours will look like. I’ll definitely use glitter glue.
A while back I got some borax for another craft that we never tried (snowflakes with pipe cleaners), but this project definitely looks like something everyone would enjoy.
Ingredients 1/2 cup warm water 1 tablespoon borax powder 1 to 2 tablespoons clear Elmer’s glue (glitter glue works too!)
INSTRUCTIONS…
Step 1: Make the borax solution Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of borax powder until it is completely dissolved.
Step 2: Add the Glue Slowly pour in 1 to 2 tablespoons of glue, depending on how big you want your bouncy ball. If using glitter glue or colored glue, this is where the fun begins!
Step 3: Form the Ball As soon as the glue touches the borax solution, it will start to solidify. Use your hands to squeeze and shape the mixture into a ball. If the ball feels too sticky, dip it back into the borax solution for a few seconds, then continue shaping it.
Step 4: Let It Set Once the ball is smooth and holds its shape, set it aside to dry for a few hours. As it dries, it will become even bouncier and more solid. Experiment with different types of glue – Clear glue gives a translucent ball, while glitter glue adds sparkle. Don’t overwork the mixture – Knead it just enough to form a ball, but too much handling can make it less bouncy. Store properly – Keep your bouncy ball in a sealed plastic bag to prevent it from drying out.
The educational science experiment part of this project… The glue contains polyvinyl acetate (PVA), a liquid polymer. When mixed with borax, the PVA chains link together, forming a rubbery texture. This cross-linked structure is what makes the ball firm yet flexible, giving it the ability to bounce.
“Spring has returned. The earth is like a child that knows poems.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
I woke up at dawn to watch the arrival of the sun and the sky was spectacular! The birds are singing and my resident hawks are nest building. All around me, I see evidence of rebirth.
You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” – Pablo Neruda
This year’s Spring Equinox on March 20 corresponds with Venus retrograde, Mercury retrograde, eclipse season, and Neptune’s entry into Aries for the first time in nearly 165 years.
“Oh, what a catastrophe for man when he cut himself off from the rhythm of the year, from his unison with the sun and the earth. Oh, what a catastrophe, what a maiming of love when it was a personal, merely personal feeling, taken away from the rising and the setting of the sun, and cut off from the magic connection of the solstice and the equinox!” — D. H. Lawrence
The vernal equinox marks the astronomical start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in equal day and night hours.
This event symbolizes rejuvenation, new beginnings, and spiritual awakening — the perfect opportunity to embrace change and harmony between light and dark.
“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature; the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachel Carson
Many pagans today celebrate the spring equinox as ‘Ostara’, which is a Latin variation of the Anglo-Saxon goddess of dawn, spring, fertility, and rebirth — Oestra (or Eostre) with roots in Germanic cultures.
New ideas are calling out to us. The animal world is buzzing with new life. This month is about trying new things out: What excites you right now? What are you interested in? What are you drawn toward?
Just like we plant seeds in the ground to watch them grow and eventually harvest fruit, flowers, or vegetables, which seeds will we plant in our minds and hearts? What will we manifest? What will WE grow?
Image curated from Pinterest. Credit to the artist.
Sometimes the only healing modality for all this stress and anxiety is to go outside and work in the garden. Flowers don’t care if democracy is crumbling; there is regenerative rebirth every spring, no matter what or whom is orchestrating our demise.
After the rain, all my fruit trees burst forth with glorious flowers. It’s a small tree, but full of life. I’m continually fascinated with photographing raindrops.
Infinite peach-blossom shades, her rouged and powdered cheeks.
Spring breezes help her break my heart, blowing peach petals from her dress. — Yuan Zhen
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 