Inspired by our moon theme, Luna and I (and all her critters) have been playing with tea cups and saucers. Little did I know how easy it would be (under her leadership) to turn most meals, bath-time, and sometimes whole afternoons into an Enchanted Garden Party! I just had to get out of her way and be a dutiful guest! 🤣Â
To celebrate the Summer Solstice we went all out with a Midsummer’s Day Enchanted Garden Tea Party! It was totally worth the armfuls of supplies. Watching Luna master her technique pouring cup after cup to the brim, clinking cheers before each sip, and being decadently abundant with strawberries was a joy. We did have to move into the shade, and lure Finn over with some treats of his own!Â
Yes, we’ve been playing with our Christmas gnomes all year round. And no, I didn’t see it coming that she would would want to continue having epic tea parties every day after lol.
Deer have been showing up lately, with a doe and two fawns bounding across the field this morning. Deer medicine reminds us to be graceful and gentle, especially with ourselves. As a mama, it’s a welcome reminder – that it’s ok to prioritize tea parties over all the other things that need to get done (in my case it’s usually cleaning and organizing!)
Is there any way you can be more gentle on yourself? And weave a bit of playful magic into your life?Â
Yellow roses symbolize joy, warmth, delight, gladness and this year, for me, they mean summer has finally arrived! In the past, I’ve had these beauties bloom every single month of the year except January. This year, however, they were tight buds until this week! Today’s sunshine feels so good. I feel like I’ve been a tight bud and now I am ready to stretch, bloom, explore, and wander! It’s no wonder our ancestors worshiped the sun! In almost every culture yellow represents sunshine and happiness, and for our primitive brains it also represents survival. Imagine the world before electricity! These summer days of longer daylight held a much deeper significance in our ancestor’s lives.
Litha, meaning light, is a festival dedicated to the life-giving, regenerative powers of the sun. Litha was also a celebration of the Celctic goddess Danu (Anu). This goddess of earth and fruitfulness was the Universal Mother of Tuatha De Danaan – a tribe of ancient people in Ireland. According to Irish mythology, this tribe ruled until being defeated in war on midsummer’s day, after which they retreated to the hills and eventually became the Faerie folk.  The ancient Irish were celebrating the Summer Solstice thousands of years ago.
Modern celebrations and meanings have a very different context but it is no less a victory of light over dark. My yellow roses are victorious over a seemingly endless cold and rainy spring. The light within me is beaming now. Just as mother nature does, I have my own winter seasons or times when my light is shrouded by the clouds of life. Just as my yellow roses, my victory of light over dark may come slooowly some seasons, but it always comes.
Happy Summer! May it be full of light and your favorite blooms!
There is nothing like being away to make coming home so very sweet! We ended up exploring parts of Florida from January to May, and for now at least, the snowbirding lifestyle in our little camper van definitely suits us. Both Luna and I made some lasting friendships that have us eager to visit again, but for now we are savoring the sweetness of unlimited grandma time, expansive space to spread out, and the tranquility of being immersed in nature. So far we have discovered a field of purple flowers and turtles nesting. We’re watching baby birds grow daily in the flower box attached to our playhouse and finding prospective knots in trees to paint fairy doors.
I’m marveling at Luna’s growth and understanding. Her use of language makes me laugh daily as I see her world reflected back to me. Together, we’re discovering treasures everywhere. I know parents can relate to the magic of this age, and I see how this time slips by so very fast, so I’m being present and savoring moments as best I can.Â
We’re also loving having access to all of “our” crafting supplies! Luna inspires, while Stephanie and I vision new creative journeys for the upcoming Season of Bloom & Balefire. Moon Feather Hollow continues to stoke and satisfy my creative desires and I’ll be forever grateful for those who trust and value this journey with us!
I’ve not been to a Maypole celebration since 2019 and I missed it yesterday. Our local market starts later in the season and ends earlier than years past as we all navigate economic changes and a new normal. Reflecting on the years of enjoying this celebration, I feel such gratitude that my kiddo was a participant for 6 years of childhood. We had six years of collecting roses from our own yard, bringing them to the market to add with others’, making and wearing beautiful flower crowns, and spinning around the maypole. I treasure these sweet memories.
The first time we had a Maypole at the farmer’s market, in 2014, there wasn’t a very big turn out. My kiddo is the one in the Star Wars costume, and in 2015, the one in the cape! By 2018 and 2019, you can see how much the crowd grew. As a 6th grader in 2019, my kiddo wasn’t going to join in, but at the last minute, could not resist!
No Maypole this year. And the market won’t be back until June. So, yesterday while my now teen hung out with friends (happy to report they still climb trees, fall into creeks and come home with grass stains!) my husband and I had a long walk through town. As we passed this spot—where the market is held—we reminisced.
All through town we noted memories—the broken arm, the mud puddle that got so huge every year we named it Lake Stoessel (the street name), the thrill of smashing ice on frozen over puddles on the really rare days it was cold enough. We remembered the huge tractor tire that used to be at “Yellow Park” (the kid’s preferred that name over “Fred Hockert Park”) and the day that 9 little kids fit inside. We laughed about the alley our kiddo insisted was a short-cut (it wasn’t) and remembered having to call 911 in that alley once when we found a grass fire. It sure was exciting to see the fire truck come!
Walking past the library we remembered all of the story times, craft events, using the computers and checking out books. Our librarians knew us all by name. Just past the library we came to the elementary school. Those years were so much fun! Great teachers, the science fairs, playdates, and kids we don’t see anymore as they grow apart sometimes…so many memories! Around the corner and further up the road we came to “Stonewall Park” named as such by our kiddo because there is a wall of stones. Sorry “Nick Loutsis” your name is too hard to say and the stone is just so cool. This park holds a frisbee golf course which conjures enough hilarious memories to warrant it’s own blog someday.
So, my Beltane celebration was celebrating the sweetness of a life well-lived. Did you celebrate anything lately?
I was in a great mood! My husband, teen and I walked to the grocery store for milk and a bit of produce. It was sunny and I was just enjoying being with my people. We haven’t had as much time together lately and I was just really glad. We chatted and joked and laughed and it was just fun.
Having gathered our groceries we headed to the check out, and I have my bag. I always tell the checker I have a bag so they don’t have to ask about my “paper or plastic” preference. I think I am just being efficient.
Well, today, my “I have a bag.” must have expressed my pure joy in the magic of the day because the response from the checker was big, smiley, “Congratulations. Good for you!”
A bit surprised, and hit with this sudden moment of self-awareness I said, “If I can find such joy in just having a bag, I mean, isn’t that great?”
The checker laughed, commented something to the effect of being impressed and then said, “Hey, wherever you can find joy in life.”
To which I responded, “Yes, like this conversation!” And he laughed and laughed.
Then, he said, “Would you like paper or plastic?” Pause…. “Just kidding!”
This whole exchange that was really hilarious, and maybe it was a “had to be there” kind of hilarious, but this brief levity in the midst of the mundane is exactly the kind of magic we need every day!
I could call my part of this blog “Lessons from Luna” since that’s what it seems to becoming. She’s been cracking me up when I overhear her say to herself, “Good job!” And yet, couldn’t we all use a little more self-appreciating in our lives?! She also says, “Good catch!” whenever she trips or falls. What if every time we trip up, or fall/fail in life, we turn our focus to the “good catch.” It’s so easy to help direct her attention to the positive end of the stick, if only I could master my own!Â
And now, some wise words from the sidewalk…Â
Will you play along with me? Let’s tell ourselves out loud “good job” at least 10 times today!!Â
In honor of April Fools Day, I find myself thinking of the archetype of the Fool. It’s got this trickster dynamic. The very same kind of innocence that makes one easily fooled is also the openness to possibilities that allows an infinite future.
Follow your own path and trust that you will be guided. Every moment is a new starting point. Your lack of judgement isn’t foolish, it’s innocence from any past, and therefore infinite future.
The Fool of a tarot deck is numbered zero, a round or egg-shaped space from which to go or grow in any direction. A faith in your own instincts and the freedom to move forward with a total openness to life is the archetype of the Fool. Having no distinction between possibility and reality is the “foolish” power of free choice.
Ruminate on the past, present, or future embodiment of the fool in your own life. Have you ever experienced falling for something and then wishing you’d known better? Or, have you ever felt a light-hearted silliness of trickery and fun? What about the experience of pure potential—a stirring of the quantum soup resulting in a wanted outcome? Foolishness itself is not good or bad, yet how we experience it can be labeled as wanted or not wanted.
I just love to feel the shift in nature. Snow melts, leaves sprout, flowers bud & bloom! Letting the wintery bits of me melt, I wonder what new growth will sprout? How about you? Where does your heart’s desire lead you to spring forth and what winter wisdom will guide you? Â
It’s the Vernal Equinox, the time of the year when our huge, spinning, glowing sphere of hot gas—the sun—moves into the constellation of Aries. This zodiac sign is the archetype of identity, action, and passion. Both the month of March and the planet Mars are named for the Roman god. Did you know that Rome used a 10 month lunisolar calendar that began in March? Did you also know that we’ve only been using our current calendar system, the Gregorian calendar, since it was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582?
In centuries prior, countries around the world had used a disjointed array of uncoordinated calendars, each adopted for local purposes and based primarily on local geographical factors. The Mayan calendar would not be easily aligned with the Egyptian, Greek, Chinese or Julian calendars, and so forth. In addition to the pope’s far-reaching influence, the adoption of the Gregorian system was facilitated by the emergence of a globalized system marked by exploration and the development of long-distance trade networks and interconnectors between regions beginning in the late 1400s. The pope’s calendar was essentially the imposition of a true global interactive system and the acknowledgment of a new global reality.
I find it fascinating how humanities systems, tools, and practices come into being, and I always feel better when leaning into the natural rhythms of Mother Nature. To me, the Wheel of the Year and the lunar cycles are the calendars that reflect the patterns of living as a creative being. They reflect the life cycle of a plant from seed, sprout & blossom to harvest, decay & rest.
Today, the first day of spring is also called Ostara in the Wheel of the Year. Ostara (o-STAHR-uh) or Ä’ostre (OHS-truh or EST-truh) are old English for Easter. Whatever spring traditions you celebrate, it’s a time of new beginnings, light and rebirth. From now to May 1st – Beltane – is six weeks. Take just a moment and try to envision your life in the next six weeks.
Do you feel called to get OUTSIDE!? For the next few weeks try to really notice all of the changes! Get out into the woods if you can and look for signs of nature’s enchantment. Look to the East. Take in a sunrise. Honor the coming of Spring in some form of celebration! Â
Here’s how my very punny husband wished me a Happy Spring!
May your Spring be refreshing, enlivening, and full of new green shoots!
Meet the newest editions to our family – Rosemary and Thyme (birthday presents from Grandma)! We already have an elephant named Lavender and I was inspired by our focus on botanical buddy Rosemary in Mystic Raven Secret Garden over in the Hollow.Â
Did you know rosemary is associated with love? Apparently the lyrics in Simon & Garfunkel’s famous song are about a man trying to attain his true love. In Medieval times, the herbs mentioned in the song represented virtues that were important to the lyrics. Parsley was comfort, sage was strength, rosemary was love, and thyme was courage. Isn’t that interesting?! We’re also painting watercolors of rosemary, cooking of course, using the herb for smudge and exploring her essential oil therapeutic benefits.Â
Anyways, it’s like the cutest thing to hear Luna say “Rosemary” multiple times a day. I’ve got to capture a sound clip. She seems to have skipped from one to three or four syllable words and they crack me up. Her other current favorites are “kombucha” and “guacamole”. The other day she also said “waxing crescent moon” while pointing to the sky. I must have said it recently but it still blew my mind. Her journey into our language is fascinating and yet my role in it is easier than I expected. Of course there are times when things are harder than expected, but isn’t it wonderful when things turn out to be easier?! And it’s a great reminder to continue to quiet the worry tangents the mind can run off on – remembering that is actually just using my imagination to create unwanted scenarios.
Is there anything happening in your life that turned out to be easier than you first expected? I’d love to hear from you and hope all is well in your world. And I invite you to reach for some rosemary if you find you need a bit more love. Herbs are a curious wonder and I’m find the more I learn about them, the more I realize how little I know…
Sunny bright winter days look warm through the window, but it’s so cold today! Cheerful orange flowers and the beach scene on my shower curtains (hiding craft supply shelves) create an illusion of summer days in my sunny imaginarium. I truly love every season, as well as the cycles within seasons, the ongoing ebb & flow of creating my days. But today I am cold. I’ve not experienced a midwest winter for 10 years! I guess I’ve acclimated to the much more mild Pacific Northwest climate. I am ready for my comfortable temperatures back (19 degrees this morning!) and longer daylight. I’m getting restless for spring.
Seed catalogs, crocuses, and shifted products at the grocery store all assure me spring is nearly here! The Vernal Equinox is just three-ish weeks away. Dates on the calendar are closer than they appear!
Suddenly, I realize I am glad it’s cold outside. I need the feeling of plenty of time for puttering, imagining, reading, snuggling, crafting & dreaming before the warm sunny days pull me out into yardwork, gardening, and lengthier explores.
Bright sunny winter days like today remind me that the wanting is part of the fun. The approach of spring, the urge to be out in the sunshine, and not be cold is tempered with an appreciation for the gifts of winter too. Every season has gifts in proportion to our attention spans.
It’s my attention to the moment, over and over again, that needs a bit of practice. Presence in the moment actually expands my experience of time and energy. If I can bring the patience and presence I feel this sunny winter day into spring and summer, perhaps they won’t fly by so quickly. If I can enjoy the wanting feeling as part of the fun of anything I dream about, perhaps I won’t get so restless!
Whether you are present to your winter moments or experiencing spring fever, may you feel something bright and sunny in your days. Perhaps some orange flowers or a cat. Maybe a random musing from someone just saying hello.
