Ode To Our Ocean

This photo was taken at the beach on a spectacularly warm December afternoon. The sky was blue and the Pacific Ocean was full of sparkles; a magnificent day.

Photo by Enchanted Seashells

Ode To Our Ocean

The sea sings out to its many saviors:
Teenagers with fists thrust into the air at climate strikes,
Scientists converging around their data,
A child who stoops to scoop up a piece of trash.

The sea sings out for its singular subjects:
Arching whales that wave from their waves,
Turtles that teeter down their shining shores,
Coral reefs shining brightly as cities.

The sea sings out its suffering,
Knowing too much of waste, screeching sounds
And pernicious poison, its depths bruised by
Atrocities in the Atlantic,
Misery in the Mediterranean,
Its tides the preservers of time past.

The story of the ocean and the story of humanity
Are one and the same, a Great River that
Knows no borders and notes no lines,
Only ripples.
While we might call it the Seven Seas,
Today we sing out your true name:
The one ocean.
For no matter how we try to separate your waters,
You are the colossus that connects us.

Water makes up 70% of Earth,
70% of the human heart,
And 70% of the human being,
All of us, bodies of water,
For we, too are oceans,
Or at least beings bobbing in the same boat.
To stand up for for our ocean
Is to stand up for our own ship
The sea is a restless, strong collective of many pieces.
So are we.
The ocean can recover.
And so will we.
Let us not divide the tides,
But discover all they have to teach us–
Green meadows of sea grass that survive pathogens,
Blue-bloodied marine snails that can fight off viruses.
There are more lessons to learn,
Still more work to be done.
So we lift our faces to the sun.
May the seas help us see healing and hope,
May we sing out the ocean’s survival and revival.
Being the people of this blue planet is our most
Profound privilege and power,
For if we be the ocean’s saviors,
Then it is surely ours.

Written by Amanda Gorman for World Oceans Day. Harvard graduate Gorman is an American poet, activist, and model. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.

Colors of The Cosmos

The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Between rainstorms, the sky around here has been especially lovely.

The rain stopped for a bit and I went for a walk before it got too dark. If I could paint, this is what it would look like.

This morning after an unexpectedly heavy shower, I was able to spot a rainbow before it completely disappeared.

I’d rather see the world as a rainbow than endless shade of gray.” Amani Abbas









November’s Special Supermoon

I’m freaked out by Daylight Savings Time. I spend way too long trying to figure what is lost or gained. Nothing makes sense to me. I know I wrote about it before, but TIME itself unsettles me. Sometimes I think that I think too much haha.

On top of THAT timely adjustment, we are experiencing the Supermoon in Taurus as the closest, brightest, and strongest Full Moon of the year, filling the sky with magnetic light that amplifies everything we think, feel, and desire. As a Taurus, I really feel the energetic pull and my dreams are vivid and CRAZY.

Taurus, ruled by Venus, governs stability, wealth, love, and comfort built through patience and effort. When a Supermoon activates this sign, energy transforms quickly, and manifestation becomes clear, direct, and immediate.

Every emotion, thought, and intention carries amplified strength under this influence, shaping what unfolds in our reality with precision. Energy responds directly to our attention, so focus on what deserves to grow.

This Supermoon opens a portal for divine manifestation and real change. What you call in begins forming fast, aligning our life with our higher path. Challenges fade as karmic cycles close, creating stability where uncertainty once lived.

What we envision begins taking physical form. Everything we have been feeling attracts evidence through synchronicity, communication, and opportunity. The Universe matches our vibration with accuracy, reflecting our inner world through events that arrive with perfect timing.

The message of this Moon is simple: our energy instructs the Universe. What we focus on expands, what we fear delays, and what we believe becomes real.

Taurus teaches manifestation through action. This sign builds what it dreams, one clear decision at a time, never rushing the process yet always creating steady progress. The Supermoon magnifies this lesson, asking us to remove distractions and commit fully to what matters.

We may feel inspired to declutter, finish something left undone, or step away from energy that drains our focus. Each decision we make now strengthens our foundation and carries long-term influence, so move with intention and clarity.

Manifestation gains power when what you say, believe, and do all align completely. Taurus energy rewards consistency, loyalty, and persistence that never wavers.

This is a time for focus and declaration. Write down what is desired as if it already happened. Speak with confidence, visualize success, and take immediate action that proves belief. The Universe moves faster when we act from certainty rather than waiting for signs.

Taurus connects spiritual alignment with practical action, teaching that belief holds power when expressed through consistency. Every step becomes magnetic, drawing new blessings into form.

By the time the next Supermoon rises, what is set in motion now will begin taking visible shape. Goals will show clear signs of progress and what we release will feel lighter to carry.

Keep energy grounded in gratitude as this light reaches its highest strength. The Moon magnifies thought and emotion, turning both into results that arrive fast. Gratitude multiplies blessings, opening paths that effort alone could never reach.

Move with purpose, make firm decisions, and trust the power of our actions. Keep our energy clean, our focus strong, and our belief steady, because the Universe is responds to every signal we send out. (Curated rom Alex Myles)

Black-headed Grosbeak

It’s a bird I’ve never before seen and I’m sooo happy he chose to visit the gardens at Casa de Enchanted Seashells!

The Black-headed Grosbeak is a migratory bird, with nesting grounds from southwestern British Columbia through the western half of the United States and into central Mexico.

I think this is a male; black head, black wings and tail with prominent white patches. Its breast is dark to tawny orange in color, more like the color of cinnamon.

Not a great zoom with my phone

The black-headed grosbeak eats pine and other seeds, berries, insects, spiders, and fruit. I didn’t hear him sing, however, his voice is a rich warble similar to that of an American robin, but more fluent, faster, softer, sweeter, and mellow with rising and falling passages that make the song much longer than the robin’s. The note is a sharp ik or eek. Both the male and female sing, but have different songs.

Its symbolism includes a message to live in harmony with yourself. to forgive yourself, trust your instincts, meditate more, and be kinder to yourself. When this bird flies into your life, it also prompts you to practice contentment. Alternatively, a Grosbeak meaning suggest being supportive of those around you who are struggling.

What an amazing garden visitor!

Magical Places

“Magical places are always beautiful and deserve to be contemplated.
Always stay on the bridge between the invisible and the visible.”
Paolo Coelho

Found on Pinterest

This is heavenly…no phones, no social media, no distractions; simply a butterfly-filled meadow alongside a sunshiny, babbling brook.

This pic reminds me of one of my favorite songs by (who else) Leon Russell, Down On Deep River. It evokes the perfect, serene mood…

“Hear the crickets singing for a mile
And the sound of the bullfrogs make you smile
So lead me beside the still waters
Let me love you down on deep river.

Won’t you sit by my side
And hold to my hand and love me all the way?

And we’ll leave all the highways far behind
And just take a little blanket with the wine.”

The Process of Abscission

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Lao Tzu

Leaf Loss / Bare Bones / Blue Sky

This ash tree started out forty years ago in a five-gallon pot as a housewarming gift. As soon as the leaves begin to drop–in just a day or two– the branches will become bare and I’ll have a LOT of raking to do.

“Simplicity is the final achievement.
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Coco Chanel

Abscission is the reason why leaves fall. Scientists believe that a reduction in sunlight leads to the reduction of chlorophyll in the leaf due to a reduction in photosynthesis and this may trigger the abscission of leaves. The actual process occurs when the weaker cells near the petiole are pushed off by the stronger cells beneath them.

That’s a lot for my brain to process and right now all I want to do is quietly savor the stark, elegantly naked branches.

It reminds me of my little vase of twigs and another example of ma https://enchantedseashells.com/2020/10/25/ma-the-space-between-things

“Nature is pleased with simplicity.” Frederic Chopin:

As pretty as it is all dressed in green, the artistry of bare bone branches are stunning in their strength of simplicity,

I see the graceful arms of a dancer against a backdrop of the bluest sky of the year.

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasure.” Isaac Newton

Around the Coastal Neighborhood: Ocean and Lagoon

The waves weren’t great, more of a shore break, but there’s still a lineup of hopeful surfers. No whales, though, so that was a disappointment.

I peeked through the trees and thought I saw a swan in the artificial pond near the lagoon, but…

…it was a lovely white egret.

I’m not sure why he’s there, as the actual saltwater lagoon is steps away, but maybe he knows something I don’t.

I wish they’d return for another visit to Casa de Enchanted Seashells. That was so cool!

World Animal Day – Remembering Jane Goodall

Save Animals, Save the Planet

This year marks the 100th anniversary of this global celebration of animals.

For a century, people have come together to show kindness, compassion, and care for the creatures we share our planet with. The mission of World Animal Day is to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.

World Animal Day started in 1925 when German writer and activist Heinrich Zimmermann organized the first event in Berlin on March 24. The date was officially moved to October 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, in 1931, becoming an international celebration of animal welfare. 

This seems like a perfect day to honor the life and legacy of Jane Goodall, who died this week of natural causes. We can aspire to follow in her footsteps and speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall was an English primatologist and anthropologist. Regarded as a pioneer in primate ethology, she was best known for more than six decades of field research on the social and family life of wild chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania.

“The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Jane Goodall

Animals are our teachers. They show us how to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature, how to trust our instincts, and how to be fully present in each moment.

“The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” Jane Goodall

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The Bluebird Promise

As long as there are bluebirds, there will be miracles and a way to find happiness.

Quote curated from Pinterest: Credit to the writer.
Art by Ida Rentoul Outwaite

Beautiful Love

If I could hug my crow family, I would be so happy. The love of an animal is pure and sweet.

Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh was a French dramatist and screenwriter 1910-1987.
Curated from Rivers in the Ocean / Craft Kreatively