Really?! Did you guys honestly think I’d be ON TIME?! Ha, not a chance. You know me too well by now. So, what happened was that I realized (after the post had been written) that it was Earth Day. Like NOW! And then I also noticed I’d missed the Dark Moon. (And I love the Dark Moon! It’s the recycle bin of the Universe!)
Fine, so we’ll keep the festivities going by showing up here slightly tardy. The fun part? When I went into the card altar room today I “heard” that we would draw from our Special Occasion deck. Wait until you see what we got!
But wait you shall. (Oh come on. Play along. Will it fucking kill you to let me have this TINY bit of joy?!) Because here’s a completely unexpected bonus we were gifted with on our way home from my mom and dad’s last night.
We stopped at the grocery store and picked up supplies for our Chunky Salad and received a free (with vintage design!) reusable shopping bag! It was some promotional that had lapsed but the woman in front of us asked about it, and we were behind her in line. And they know us. So we got one too!
Timely!
It was just the most hilarious series of synchronistic events! And then today, we tried the recipe. Very tasty! I’ve been “off” tomatoes for a month or more, so we just skipped those. I think that mandarin orange or bits of yellow pepper would have been an ideal addition. I threw in some raisins, radishes, and sliced cucumber after I’d sampled it in its pristine state. (Plus some carrots, because those are things I almost always toss in.)
We substituted brown horseradish mustard for the Dijon because I like that better (and it’s what was in the fridge) but I don’t think that in the amounts called for it made any difference. Really, you guy need to try this one out. It’s delightfully flavorful. The avocado we brought home was the PERFECT amount of ripeness. (Which can be challenging up here where they don’t grow.)
One more item of business then I’ll show you the card and we can all smile at how amusing the Universe is. Before we left for the pool this evening Dan was sitting at the kitchen table trying to catch up on the daily news (we are still so far behind, but I won’t let him “pre-read”). It’s been nicely warm-ish for a few days so we had the sliding glass door open.
He heard some loud rustling noises in the back yard. There should be NO noises coming from the backyard, so he got up to look. Three deer. One standing on the patio slab staring back at him! Sadly, by the time he found me and the camera they were leaving. But he did catch the last one out. Barely.
In stealth mode.
When he came in I asked if he’d gotten any good shots. He said, “they are very illusive! I think I may have managed a bad view of one head.” Not ten minutes later he heard sounds again, and this time he was sure he could get a better photo. Wrong. It was turkeys this time. And they proved to be even less cooperative.
Next door
This trio was merely passing through though. Their destination was Les’s yard, not ours. Nice try, Babe! Twice.
Okay NOW you can see the card. How nice of everyone to wait patiently. (And not cheat by scrolling down and pre-reading.)
“Turtle ~ Mother Earth ~ 23
Even when surrounded by those we love and respect, we sometimes feel alone and isolated. We sometimes forget our connection to Spirit and the relationship we have with the Earth Mother and Creation. We feel apart from, rather than a part of, nature. We feel disconnected from the Great Wheel of Life and believe ourselves to be alone.
Turtle, however, reminds us that we are never alone – that the Earth is our Mother and that she loves, speaks, protects, and provides for us every day.
Due to their ancient heritage, Turtles have long been revered as symbols of the Earth Mother, longevity, and protection. Turtle lays her eggs deep within the warm sands of Mother Earth, confiding in her the protection and nurturing of her offspring. She trusts that the Earth Mother will provide them with all they need to develop so that they may emerge as strong, independent representatives of the next generation.
To hide something sacred within the dark abyss of Mother Earth, away from the light of the Grandfather Sun, is symbolic of the ritualistic death endured by individuals of many ancient cultures in their search for healing, ancestral wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment.
As the Turtle’s young emerge from the sand, they are in fact rebirthing as if from the Womb of the Earth Mother. Their first birth is symbolised by the laying of the egg into the Earth, with the rebirth symbolised by the breaking free of the coffin-like eggshell to emerge from the nurturing energy of Mother Earth into the light of Grandfather Sun.
If Turtle has gently edged her way into your cards today, you are being prepared for profound change – in the form of healing (regarding family issues, secrets, etc), personal growth, and an awakening of sorts. You are being prepared for rebirth, emergence, and a return to clarity.
You are also being reconnected in a sacred way to the creative force of the Earth Mother’s womb, her heart, and the inherent wisdom she yearns to impart.
You are being reminded that we are ‘all related’ and that, even when you believe yourself forsaken; you are being cradled and nurtured by Mother Earth.”
AND the number is 23, which adds down to A PENTACLE!
Today’s Deck:
Animal Dreaming Oracle Cards by Scott Alexander King
Granny, in her kitchen. Artistically, by Empress.
Normally this would be where Judy would make a comment but she can’t because it fucking killed her to not scroll down and look at the card.Hehehe. Being silly, as usual. You know how people turn into their mom? Well I get more like my dad everyday. (He had trouble being serious about anything.)
Yay for free recyclable grocery bags and yay for ripe avocados and salads that turn out good and yay for deer and turkeys in the yard.
“You are being prepared for rebirth, emergence, and a return to clarity.” Shoot me right out of the womb into clarity, Mother Earth, I’m ready.
Granny looks beautiful.
~
LOL! Being silly was VERY funny, thanks.
(I’ll tell her.)
J
2:15 a.m.
4-24-12
Could you please explain how dark moon is “like the recycle bin of the Universe?”
Great score on the bag! And how cool that you had two wildlife sightings right in your own (and the neighbor’s) backyard!
Turtle is wonderful! And how very very appropriate to come to us right after Earth Day! It had crossed my mind to bury a heart-shaped piece of Quartz, given to me by ex #1 (from my Soul Mate/Karmic Connection/Twin Flame diatribe), and this seems to be a “here’s yer sign” type moment. I have a hard time “getting rid” of an object like that, but apparently it should be done.
~
It would probably be easier for me to just re-write a post about that Dark Moon/Recycle Moon than it would be for me to try and find the originals.
I agree with Robin’s suggestion, but you can also cleanse a crystal by washing it in salt water/running water/a body of natural water and then giving it some healing time in the freezer while it rests in a cup of salt. I’ve left them in there for years, or taken them out as quickly as days. Up to you, also…..
during a Dark Moon would be the approriate phase for this.
J
10:49 p.m.
4-24-12
Burying your quartz in the earth for a period of time (usually a night to a month), whatever feels ‘right’ to you (you’ll know when it’s time to come up), will cleanse the crystal of all negative energies and recharge it with grounded earth energy. When you hold it in your hand after this, you may no longer have negative associations with it. Worth a try.
Thank you both for the great suggestions on cleansing crystals, but I was considering leaving it buried, after this: “To hide something sacred within the dark abyss of Mother Earth, away from the light of the Grandfather Sun, is symbolic of the ritualistic death endured by individuals of many ancient cultures in their search for healing, ancestral wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment.” That’s why it will be a struggle for me, if I choose to do this, because it would be leaving my possession entirely, for good. Hmmm…
Leave it. I agree.
It’s difficult yes, but leave it. My sincere sympathies on your painful loss.
Yay for Turtle and showing up on such a day. My Mom’s memorial tat is a turtle (cradled in a Celtic moon for my Dad). I love her message and her method. Guess I’ll have to keep my eyes open.
I have had enough wildlife after the raccoons in the attic, thankyouverymuch.
~
Wasn’t the timing awesome? Oh yeah, sorry about your wildlife situation.
J
10:53 p.m.
4-24-12
Been there done that. There’s nothing like waking up to screaming raccoons right over your head. I had no idea they could mush themselves flat to get through a 2 in. high gap. Many FGBV’s to you and hopefully no more raccoons in the attic.
Yay for Turtle!!! I love turtles. I’ve been reading about them with a couple of my students this month, so I’ve learned a lot more about them. Of course, swimming with one when I was in Hawaii last summer was pretty informative. I just turned around and there it was!
Glad the salad came out well!
Our AmeriCorps team was part of an Earth Day celebration on Friday, and apparently (I haven’t seen it yet) I showed up on the news for doing so! I also got a free reusable bag from Target on Sunday. Freebies are awesome.
~
Isn’t it SO freaking cool when one of them just decides to join you like that?! No matter what the animal, it’s stunningly fabulous.
Yipee for Mother Earth helpfulness and for getting a free bag your own self elf!
J
11:56 p.m.
4-24-12
We also missed Earth Day with our discombobulated (did I spell that right I wonder) weekend. My son looked over at me before bed and said, “It was Earth Day.” Blink. Weeell Damn.
Avocado Story. Remember I used to live in southern California till 11 and a half yrs. old. Now husband, then boyfriend, and I went to Florida to see Disney World. We went into a restaurant to eat and as I was perusing the salad bar I saw these little black wrinkled fruits. “I know those,” I said to myself. Black hole in the brain. I could not remember their name. It drove me nuts. “I Know Those!!!” Finally, I asked the waitress. She looked at me funny, “They’re avocados.” I burst out laughing. My neighbor in CA had a tree in the backyard and we used to slime through them when they were on the ground. For fun. The waitress was staring at the laughing, giggling lunatic so I told her it had been forever since I last saw a ripe avocado. Where I live they arrive green. “But they’re not ripe, you can’t eat them like that,” she said. Again, I explained that was how we got them. “But they’re not ripe, you can’t eat them like that,” she said. We did this several times with me trying to explain that food is not shipped ripe and her going on about how you can’t eat them like that till I finally gave up and asked to order when I saw the other half about to burst a blood vessel. I was both amused and appalled that that young girl had no idea about how it was for other people in the rest of the country.
And, Oh, Hell Yes, I could really use Turtle today!!!
~
Ohmydeargawd, thank you VERY much for sharing that story! We are SO going to use that line. I have no doubt.
…you can’t eat them like that.
J
11:08 p.m.
4-24-12
I like Turtle and her meaning. We have a colony of ‘fake’ turtles that keeps growing and growing. Didn’t intend to start collecting them, but now I’ll look at them with a new eye.
I want to hear about the dark of the moon recyle bin too.
~
I clearly remember your Turtle colony, and its mystical movements.
See reply to Corina. I’ve got it jotted down now, along with: talk about what the hell I’m eating.
J
11:13 p.m.
4-24-12
Turtles always make me smile, because Spock looked so much like one when she was a newborn.
~
Oh yeah, that’s smile inducing all right!
J
11:15 p.m.
4-24-12
I love turtles. I have had turtles in my life off and on (as well as tortoises). Maybe I need a small turtle bead or worry stone. That would be cool.
I missed Earth Day too. Is this a sign that Earth Day is not being taken seriously anymore, or that it is now seen as a normal part of the calendar? Isn’t the name for the Earth Mother Spirit Gaia? If so, Happy Gaia Day!
~
Oh no, it’s definitely being taken seriously. There were big time celebrations all over the planet. I just can’t be counted on to know what the hell day I’m living in.
Happy Gaia Day to you as well.
(Or Urtha Day, wink wink.)
J
11:19 p.m.
4-24-12