On Offer, In Acceptance

             I’ve chosen to not discuss Mercury retrogrades here, for a number of years now.  Not that they weren’t happening, because they fucking were.  But my perception of them has changed.

             As we learn, grow, evolve, our lessons alter and adjust along with our journey.  Our path takes a turn, we wander off to take a different route, there is a detour, we rest sometimes.  All of that, and more, is precisely what we’re SUPPOSED to be doing here.

              Recently a few aspects of where I was a decade ago have appeared in my Now version.  It’s been a bit jarring.  A bit sad.  A bit frustrating.  It’s also been good.  Good to see how far I’ve come.  Good to revisit ideas and messages.

            As with Mercury, and how those cycles have meaning in our day-to-day, they’ve changed, too.  I’m more prepared, now?  Maybe.  I’m more able to deflect and understand?  Possibly.  Is it still frustrating?  No question.

             But when we reflect on where we’ve been and where we are now and where we’re going, those older patterns make more sense.

             What I’m also hearing is that they can be as powerful as we make them.

Gifts ~  given and received.

             A gift doesn’t need to be made of expensive materials.  It doesn’t have to cost a lot.  None of the monetary factors apply when we are speaking of true and genuine value.

              When we acquire the tools and techniques to help us face challenges, that right there is a gift we have given ourselves.  The learning is the precious quality.  The understanding is the honourable factor.

             We are here so that we can leave being better than when we arrived.  By giving and receiving gifts, those of great merit, to ourselves and to our loved ones, we are serving our Divine purpose and we are making the entire planet a more loving place to live.

             Our lessons, those are our gifts, our contributions to the Whole.  They are ours, to give, and to receive.

Today’s Personal Sharing:

is to say that I’ll have a fine moment coming up to practice my re-framing skills.  Winter is nearing her end, the weather forecast is showing very warm temperatures in my area.  I am not looking forward to it.  But it’ll give me opportunities to learn, and tolerate.

 

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Finishing Off The “Weekend” Weekend.

          I know what you want to hear about first is Daniel’s cake right?  Yep, I thought so (and that has nothing to do with being psychic).  He doesn’t usually bake, desserts aren’t always his favorite things to make.  (Although he does do very well with sweet breads and rolls.)  As I said, I found the recipe in the paper, and hey, it was chocolate.  It had a different type of feel to it than a standard cake.  I can’t describe it in cooking terms, all I can give you is my impression on whether I loved it or hated it.  I loved it.

         This is exactly what I thought as I was eating my first serving: it’s like an upside down frosted brownie.  No, I did not add frosting (although really, anything is better with frosting).  It was moist and kind of chewy as well as a wee bit sticky.  Very chocolate-y.  We’ll be making this again!  (And by “we” obviously I mean him.)

       Here is what I am working on right now, an in-progress shot.          I handed Empress a huge stack of old charts, graphs, and magazines.  She chose this one, it will have the same floral design (yes with beads) across the top as it does on the bottom.  The other phrase is going to take a bit longer to center and arrange, she picked a pattern from a book that is older than she is, and added a few elements from other places.  I have to center the words before I start to stitch.  I think they will both be really nice though.

            Speaking of subversive stitching, here’s a bit of a business update.  We only have two testimonials you guys!  I know everyone is very busy, and life can be overwhelming (oh how I know this) so I totally understand that many of you need some more time.  This is simply a gentle reminder (it looks sort of sad under that tab right now is all).  Also, you may have noticed that I got the Services going.  It’s super simple right now and really still needs more work.  But hey, it is a process, we get as much done as we can.

         Dan and I had some erranding to do this afternoon, and a dog to wash, so we combined our chores.  Picked up To Go food, and while my Beloved spent time in the following endeavour, I wandered across the street to the library. 

         

                This was a seriously smelly dog.  He was also extremely interested in all the other smelly dogs.   

   

        When I got back, I delivered Em’s dinner to her and sat down to wait.  At home when I do this on the couch, and Max is visiting, he always joins me.  Made sense that he’d want to join me on the waiting bench as well.  

          Can you see my High Tops of Awesomeness there at the end of my pudgy legs?  Our days always turn out so lovely when I wear these shoes.  

  

      Max is also very understanding, he knew I needed to get this reading done for my book club.

            One last thing, then on with our daily draw.  Today marks a rather important occasion.  Sweet William, Karen’s son, is now 17.  That seems impossible to me.  I started calling him Sweet William when he was just days old.  My mind can’t quite conceive of him being this close to adulthood.  But he is, so I wish him Happy Happy and many festive greetings of the day.  You are still Sweet William to me, even if you CAN reach the fan blades in my kitchen without a step stool.

      When I turned over our card today, I looked at it, and then said, “well, finally.   We’ve been waiting for you!”  (Kinda funny too, how it goes with the one we got yesterday.)

  “Owl  ~  Casting out Deception.

Owl medicine is symbolically associated with clairvoyance, astral projection, and magic.  Owl is called Night Eagle on several medicine wheels.  Traditionally Owl sits in the East, the place of illumination, although night is Owl’s friend.

Owl hunts at night, because not only can Owl see in the dark, it can also accurately pinpoint and identify any sound.  This gives it a great advantage when seeking food.  An Owl feather is silent.  You cannot hear Owl when it flies, but its prey definitely knows when it strikes, for its beak and talons are razor sharp.

Owl is oftentimes the medicine of sorcerers, shamans, and witches.  If Owl is your medicine, you will be drawn to magical practices.  These night birds will have a tendency to collect around you, even in the daytime, because they recognize a kinship with like beings.

Is it any wonder that in many cultures Owl is a symbol for wisdom?  This is because Owl can see that which others  cannot, which is the essence of true wisdom.  Where others are deceived, Owl sees and knows what is there.

Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, had a companion Owl on her shoulder which revealed unseen truths to her.  Owl had the ability to light up Athena’s blind side, enabling her to speak the whole truth, as opposed to only the half truth.

If Owl is your personal medicine, no one can deceive you about what they are doing, no matter how they try to disguise or hide it from you.  You may be a little frightening to be around, since so many people have ulterior motives which you can see right through.  If you are unaware of your medicine power, you may take your keen insights and abilities for granted.  Others never do.  You may frighten them and reflect their blindness, for you cannot be fooled.  Owl medicine people know more about an individual’s inner life than that person knows about her/himself.

If you have pulled the Owl card today, you are being asked to use your powers of keen, silent observation to intuit some life situation.  Owl is befriending you and aiding you in seeing the total truth.  Owl can bring you messages in the night through dreams and meditation.  Pay attention to the signals and omens around you now.  The truth always brings further enlightenment.”

Last minute update, directly to Delia, because we ran out of “reply” clicks on that other post: sorry to have bothered your delicate sensibilities with my reference to combining mayonnaise and ketchup.  Here is what I am talking about.  (Right Judie?)   Fry Sauce.