Vernal Equinox – Happy First Day of Spring!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Peach Blossoms

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.

Photo by Enchanted Seashells

Metta Mantra: Loving Kindness

At this point in time with what’s going on here in the United States (not so united right now), I think we need to collectively try this as a meditation mantra.

I think it’s significant that there’s a full Blood Worm Moon during a total lunar eclipse on Friday. Hopefully, the power of these planetary energies will ignite transformation and remove the toxicity that’s permeated our country.

Again, as above, so below.

May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.
May all beings be free.

Art curated from Pinterest. Credit to artist.

I See You

I had another lucid dream about my kitty, Bandit. She was seated on the sofa, paws tucked up under her body, and she was simply looking at me.

When she was alive, she would often stare at me, right through to my bones, with such intense love in her eyes that I’d have to stop whatever I was doing and bask in the feeling of being so very loved. SIGH. I surely do miss that girl.

And, there
In the mists of my memory
I see you.
And, there
In the mists of my memory
You shall always be.

A little poem written by Athey Thompson

Supercharged Energy Portal TONIGHT!

I really hope we all have clear skies tonight so we can witness this special celestial event of an extremely rare seven planet parade. Our next opportunity won’t be until 2040!

Today is a powerful and magical day. Let’s focus on being positive and visualize our most desired outcomes.

Sending love and light and don’t forget to look UP!

Graphic credit to Alex Myles

It’s Apple Blossom Time

Apple blossoms smell heavenly!

Photos by Enchanted Seashells

After a decent two inches of rain, our weather turned unseasonably warm, nearly eighty degrees, which totally confused my apple trees and they began to furiously bud and flower, at least a month sooner than normal.

It looks like we might receive a bit more rain in the next couple of weeks but I hope it stays warm-ish so that every blossom grows into a juicy, delicious apple.

Good news/bad news time…

It had been a while since I injured myself but that’s no longer the case. The upper garden is mostly planted with California native plants. When it rains, they go crazy because winter is their time to shine.

Flowering white sage

I noticed a white sage that needed to be pruned. As I ran down the steep set of stairs with a huge armful of freshly cut branches, I misjudged the distance because I couldn’t see where I was going, caught my shoe on the edge of a step, and before I could stop myself, I tumbled down to the ground.

This time I didn’t suffer any broken bones, just a sore shoulder (where I fell) and another injury to my knee (also where I fell). As luck would have it, this was the same knee that has already has a torn MCL, so now I’m limping AND again wearing a brace.

The good news is that the garden is nice and tidy…Happy Monday!

Sea Heart

Photo credit Enchanted Seashells

“Heart is sea,
Language is shore,
whatever sea includes,
will hit the shore.” Rumi

Shades of Twilight. Colors of Dusk.

“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.” Bernard Williams

Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Photo by Enchanted Seashells

These photos were taken before we had a few days of much needed rain. There was no flooding around here but I saw video of devastating mudslides in the fire-damaged areas around Malibu — in addition to a medium-sized 3.5 earthquake in the same same general vicinity.

Today was super sunny and warm, a perfect time to spend hours in the garden cleaning up from the storm and getting the raised bed ready for spring planting.

I haven’t had any visits from my coyotes or bobcats in about a month and I’m not sure why. Hopefully, they’ll return soon because I miss my animal family!

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💖

I don’t care if it’s become a commercialized celebration or not; I LOVE Valentine’s Day and always have.

A gifted seashell or a Chanel brings the same amount of joy; it’s the thought that counts.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re in the midst of February’s Full Snow Moon. While we’re enjoying some much needed rain so I can’t actually see the moon, I know she’s up there, shining her light on us. This is a time to step into personal power, trust in the shifts that are happening, and believe that everything is aligning for a better, more fulfilling future.

From Leon Russell’s album, Moonlight & Love Songs, here’s the standard, My Funny Valentine. I love Leon’s arrangement, his voice, the song, the Nashville Symphony– everything about it!

The album features Jim Price, Edgar Winter, and Bruce Hornsby.

I hope everyone enjoys a day (and life) full of love. 🎩 💕

Featured image from World of Love Hearts

50 Kind Words To Say To Kids

I love this; it’s posted on my refrigerator.

We all need a reminder that little ones have big emotions and it’s our job to be kind to them as they navigate this complex world.