If we’re lucky enough to see it, alpenglow is the rosy light of the setting or rising sun on high mountains.
I don’t know how in the world my son was able to take this creative photo of alpenglow on the Olympic Mountains in Washington state, but it’s one of my favorite pics of his from a couple years ago.
Since we all seem to be stuck in a neverending heat wave, I thought this photo might help to cool us off; to evoke memories of crisp, snowy days.
How do YOU stay cool?
A tale of two moons.
There’s a ball of light
close to the sea
on a calm clear night
the waves move free
what comes to mind
is a lovely dream
there’s joy to find
in this timeless scene… Richie Cho
There are two full moons in August!
The Sturgeon Moon is August 1 and the second full super moon, also called a Blue Moon — will be August 30.
A Blue Moon is not actually blue but referred to as a second full moon in a calendar month, an occurrence that happens every two to three years.
This full moon is associated with the goddess Hecate, who is connected with the elements of the moon; waxing and waning, cycles, and transformation. It’s a time to contemplate our inner transformation and to embrace the power of the moon.
The second full moon presents a time to practice gratitude for what you have, where you’ve come from, and the nature all around you.
I hope we have clear skies so I can see at least one of these beauties!
Before I even begin my strange tale, I want to be sensitive to negative colloquialisms such as “‘Burying the hatchet’.
The use of this term trivializes the ancient peace-making ceremony in which two fighting nations symbolically buried or cached their weapons of war.
Offensive language like this is a result of centuries of violence and continues to perpetuate stereotypes that have real-life impacts on Native communities.
Indigenous Peoples and their cultural traditions are real and deserve respect. They are not historical artifacts, caricatures, or mascots. (radicalcopyeditor.com)
But I don’t know how else to describe what I just found in my garden…an actual buried hatchet.
Look at it!
It’s a joke from the Universe, right?
I have no idea how long it’s been there or how it became buried near a path that leads to some steps to the second level.
I can’t even figure out how, after all this time, it became UNburied enough for me to notice that bright blue handle.
So with deepest respect, I brushed away the dirt around the buried hatchet.
I’m not sure what to do next. Dig it up? Leave it there? Anyone care to hazard a guess about what it means?
I’m known as the “fixer” because I have a certain amount of success in gluing together broken bits of china, repairing toys, and mending torn clothing…just call me the all around problem solver.
The original Angel Boy recently came to me with a few hand sewing tasks; a ripped seam in his windbreaker, tighten the upper arms of his gardening sleeves where the elastic stretched out so they won’t fall down, (which is super annoying), and sew or iron patches on AB2’s jeans, where he must slide on one knee A LOT,
After I completed my work under the watchful eye of my faithful sidekick, Angel Girl, she rummaged around in her room for something for me to repair (she doesn’t like to be left out of anything) and ran back with a dress that had short-ish butterfly sleeves that didn’t meet her high fashion standards.
“I don’t like this part, Grandma, so you can fix it.”
I took a look at it and figured it wouldn’t be a too difficult job to remove the flutter sleeves and resew the seams, which I did.
It made her very happy.
Later, while mom was giving her a bath, I could hear them chatting about her day. All of a sudden, she said, “I’ve got to give this to Grandma.”
She jumped out of the tub and came running into my room dripping wet, holding a raggedy torn and tattered washcloth full of holes.
“Here you go, Grandma, fix this.”
It must have been washed dozens of times and there really wasn’t any life left and sadly, that worn out fabric was far beyond my capabilities to magically repair, but I love the faith and confidence that angel has in me as the “fixer”, the one she can count on to make things right and restore everything back to the way they should be.
Yup, I’m a fixer, but not always.
This seems like a positive life goal — to be compassionate and tender-hearted toward the entire living world around us.
Ask permission…
Before cutting the branch of a tree or removing a flower, tell the spirit of the tree or plant what you are going to do, so that they can withdraw their energy from that place and not feel the cut so strong.
When you go to nature and want to take a stone that was in the river, ask the river keeper if he allows you to take one of his sacred stones.
Honor…
If you have to climb a mountain or make a pilgrimage through the jungle, ask permission from the spirits and guardians of the place. It is very important that you communicate even if you do not feel, do not listen or do not see. Enter with respect to each place, since Nature listens to you, sees you and feels you.
Every movement you make in the microcosm generates a great impact on the macrocosm.
Respect…
Honor life in its many forms and be aware that each being is fulfilling its purpose, nothing was created to fill spaces, everything and everyone is here remembering our mission, remembering who we are and awakening from the sacred dream to return home. Repost from @Sharyl WhiteHawk
Tree connection…
Find a tree that calls to you. As you approach the tree, remember that it is a living, breathing energy. Ask if you may sit with it. You may hear a rustling of the leaves or hear a voice in your head or feel a slight wind brush across you granting permission. Many cultures believe that the shadow of the tree is a portal or entry point into the tree’s realm. Let your intuition guide you in this matter.
Sit with some part of your body touching the tree’s skin, the bark, with your own. Feel your heartbeat as it blends with that of the tree. You may feel the rushing of the sap through the veins of the tree. Match it with the blood flowing in your own veins.
Allow your roots to ground into the earth with the tree’s roots. Reach your arms into the sky as the tree’s branches are reaching. Breathe this experience.
You may wish to just relish this connection or you may have a question or some guidance you are seeking. Allow the tree to respond to you in its own way, staying open to the limitless possibilities of this connection.
You may also wish to commune with the tree’s spirit or the faeries that live in or around this precious being. Also be mindful of the animals and birds that interact with this tree while you are there. Perhaps they have a message for you as well.
When you feel complete, thank the tree for sharing its wisdom and ask if you may hug it. There is nothing quite like tree hugging.
https://www.vibranttreeministry.com/tree-connection.html
This giant followed me around the garden all afternoon. I’ve never seen this particular butterfly before, but I think he was attracted by my solar powered pond fountain, and that makes me very happy.
The Western Giant Swallowtail wingspan is about 5.5 to 7.4 inches, depending on gender.
I took a lot of great photos with my Canon but was disappointed to have some kind of error message with the SD card, so I can’t share those more pristine images.
The swallowtail butterfly is believed to represent transformation and embodiment of souls who have crossed over to the spiritual realm. It has also long been an animal that symbolizes joy, freedom, and honour of the soul.
Additionally, in many cultures, the swallowtail butterfly is believed to be a messenger of pleasant news and luck.
Curated from https://spiritualdesk.com/swallowtail-butterfly-spiritual-meaning/
Do you know what a mitzvah is?
I don’t mean the ultra religious definition of doing something good to fulfill one of 631 commandments and I don’t mean BAR/BAT Mitzvah, (which I never did) but doing a mitzvah has also come to express an individual act of human kindness; a good deed.
Here’s the story. A couple days ago, I had a doctor’s appointment . As I walked to the office, I said hello to two people sitting on the curb out in front. They were a bit older than me but looked frail, and the man was in a walker.
There was a wait for the doctor and I chose to sit outside because no one in the waiting room was wearing a mask (except for me) and there was a lot of coughing AND the door was closed. (Yup, I’m still a mask wearer in crowded placed, even if no one else does.)
While I was standing outside on the sidewalk, I chatted with the couple. They told me they had been waiting an hour in the hot sun (we’re having a heat wave) for their Uber. The woman was on the phone trying to find some way to communicate with the company, which is impossible, by the way.
I felt horrible that these older people were left stranded and told them if they were still there when I was finished with my appointment, I’d drive them home as I learned they didn’t live all that far away from the doctor’s office. In case you thought they could take a bus, that’s not an option. Public transportation is horrible in my area.
I went back in the office and could see that the doc was so backed up, I’d probably be forced to wait at least an hour to see her, so I decided to reschedule my visit to next week.
When I left, I saw those poor people were still waiting, still on the phone, looking pretty stressed out. I told them I’d be more than happy to drive them home, which I did.
They were beyond appreciative and repeatedly offered gas money which I declined. They couldn’t believe a total stranger would help them. The man had cancer, was diabetic, in overall poor health, and his wife wasn’t much better.
How could I not help?
It was such a small thing to do for another human; a mitzvah, a helping hand.
I have so much to be grateful for in my life; it felt nice and right to extend a simple and random act of human kindness, not for any reward in this life or the next — for no reason other than I felt like it.
In a similar situation, would you help, too?
“Where love rules,
there is no will to power,
and where power predominates,
love is lacking.
The one is the shadow of the other” – Carl Jung
I have all things unicorn on the brain since Angel Girl asked demanded I bake a unicorn cake for her birthday.
This came across my feed and it seemed so perfect for the full moon and multiple retrograde energies.
“Here, you can borrow my belief in you, until you can find yours again.”
I think it’s another way of talking about holding sacred space for someone, to be the constant, the starship, the lighthouse, the beacon of hope and unconditional love.
(And on that other subject, so far I’ve collected all things unicorn — dresses and socks, Squishmallows, a jewelry box, books, and a backpack, along with unicorn themed party plates and napkins –her every wish fulfilled.)
🦄
Photo found on Pinterest.
Keep your eyes on the sky!
The moon begins her stately ride
Across the summer sky;
The happy wavelets lash the shore,
The tide is rising high. (From Evening Moon Paul Laurence Dunbar)
July’s full Buck Moon orbits closer to Earth than many of the other full moons this year, making it one of the four super moons of 2023.
This full moon in Capricorn is ruled by Chronos (Saturn) and Poseidon (Neptune), both powerful gods.
I’m not exactly sure what all that means, but in general, full moons can serve to illuminate our belief systems and define our overall intentions to live in joy and integrity.
Don’t forget to set out a jar of water along with your crystals to be cleansed and charged by the moon’s powerful energy.
(Art curated from Pinterest)
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 