better late then ever.

Well it's been one of those rare fun ride days. So, much has happend that it will take a bit to get it all typed out and most likely a little work for anyone to read.

Omen - Swan/Eala - soulf, love, beauty - reversed

Being reversed this has the potential to mean that you need to come to terms witha seperation. The old tales of the swan show that there really is no seperation from the ones we love - only transformation from one form to another. But, to continue our journey in this world, we need to be able to say goodbye to those we are seperated from, even though we know that we may be together again. The seperation we are faced with, may just be internal rather then external and Eala may be calling us to connect with our own soul.

This morning I had a test to go to. As far as I know I passed with flying colors. The folks who needed that test have already asked when I want to travel. So things are flying fast. It makes me happy and sad since it will force a change in how I interact with my littlest, she is pretty attatched. But that is more of an explanation then I feel comfortable laying out on the internet.

The weather today was absolutely beautiful. As soon as the kids and I got home we spend the whole day outside. I have three kids who crashed in record time due to that. ;)
While we were out I decided to weed the patio after I did some of my daily devotional time. While I was weeding we found the strangest beetle I have ever seen. I know I have seen a picture of it before in a book but not in real life. I had him on my hand long enough to snap a couple of pictures while trying not to laugh (those weird feet tickled like you wouldn't believe!!!!) so that I couldg et a good picture. I'll get it loaded to the computer and thus up here tomorrow morning. I'm pretty wiped right now. I got a better work out, let a lone a work out at all, then I have in many months.
Saw two magnolia blossoms on a spring flowering magnolia tree. I got pictures of them too. It's the strangest thing I've ever seen. I'm so used to the magnolia flowers only blooming in the spring I swear!
Then there was the dead damsel fly. Poor thing, I picked it up, showed the kids an up close look of the awesome critters that have been buzzing around us and then found a nice place to put it where it wouldn't get trampled by the area kids.

It's just been one thing after another today. I'm going to go find out what kind of beetle it was that got relocated to my flower beds in the backyard.

Some thoughts on virtues......

Or better known as my rambling prep for writing a paper. LOL!

OK I never really got into any of the religious groups for any branch of anything due largely to good old dogma. That is just death to a free thinker and one who likes to question and change opinion as new evidence pops up and calls for a shift in thought. But, once you find a place you like you tend to settle in and start marking your territory, in a manner of speaking. And thus after close to a year with this group. I have started to look towards making my place with int he group. I have no expectations of becoming one of the high scholars (They have my utmost respect!), but, one never know where they will land until they start to put some work in.

So in order to start putting my work in I'm going to start setting down what I need to on paper for the study part of things. I *love* a group that can challenge me! :)

So, one of my challenges is to write a short essay on each of the nine virtues for leading a good life and my take on them and how I see them functioning. I can do that. I just need to get back in practice. ;)

So here we go. I'm going to grab the first one off the list and flop down some ungraceful thoughts. Content comes first order comes later. I'm going to do the content or at least some of it now and then the ordering of things can be worked out later.

The topic for now though is Wisdom.

According to the Merriam - Webster dictionary ........

Main Entry: wis·dom Pronunciation: 'wiz-d&m Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wIsdOm, from wIs wise1 a : accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : KNOWLEDGE b : ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : INSIGHT c : good sense : JUDGMENT d : generally accepted belief 2 : a wise attitude, belief, or course of action3 : the teachings of the ancient wise men synonym see SENSE

The way I see it there isn't enough wisdom in the world these days. I see it in some people and then I see all the really thoughtless actions of others who are more then willing to just accept the first thing they see or hear as the truth with out question. I have been accused of some really weird things like "blaming the victim" when upon having been told about some account in the news (that I hadn't heard of before) by a person I start thinking out loud and wondering about the missing information. Is it really so bad in this day and age to have questions about the information you don't have? Or is it really better to go with what you are given with out asking those questions? For me some of a person's wisdom comes from learning, be it from books and too much time in the library, having lots of schooling under their belt, and from watching the world around them. But that sort of wisdom doesn't do you any good if you don't have wisdom from real experiences. One can learn from books but you can not grow with out real challenges and doing the actions. One needs a healthy balance of these two, and to continue with them if they are going to keep growing. Having a healthy open mind doesn't hurt things either. You can not come up with new questions to find the answers to if you are not up to pushing the envelope of your own comfort. You can tell I am a mom when the best quote I can think of to go with wisdom is from the book/cartoon character Ms. Frizzle "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!" Because how else can you learn and develop your own wisdom? It definitely doesn't get handed to you when you graduate from school.

Alrighty, other duties call. I'll come back to this later. :)

Just one of those days

OK so I should have done this this morning but hey it's been one of those days. :P

Rainy and all of the critter are under cover today. My garden is loving the rain and going nuts. Now if only the loads of tomatos on my tomato plants will turn red. I keep seeing more and more green tomatos loading down the plants but only one is working on turning red. Have to buy my tomatos plants from the seller at the farmer's market that I on a whim decided to try out this year. I have never seen tomato plans as big as these bad boys! They aren't to far off from being as tall as my shoulder (they hit around my albow and are bowing down due to the weight of the green tomatos), and I can't figure out how big around they are since they all run togethter. Just when I think I can see the end of a branch in the tangle I grab it to check and find out that it just keeps going. LOL!

But trust me I'm not complaining, I just want some nice garden fresh tomatos to munch on. They sound *so* good with a nice freshly made viagrette. Yum! ;)

Omen for the day -
Black bird/druid dubh (spoken as Droo-h duv or roughly something to that effect) - enchantment, the gateway, the inner call

This critter calls fromt he gateway between worlds, urging us to follow a spiritual path or to become more self aware. He calls in the twilight, showing the path to otherworldly secrets, pointing out the ways in which we can discovermore about our hidden motivations and potential. There are times in our life where it is important to concentrate on the outer world, but there are also times when you must attend the haunting song of your soul which calls you to a study of spiritual truths, and an exploration of the inner world through dreams and myths. In heeding his song you will discover healing and new depths to your soul.

Add to all that this little guy also has the tendancy to be the bearer of bad news when he pops up. LOL! At least pulling him doesn't bring a feeling of dread that it used to.

I'll take it as my cue to do some further writing here and get some drawing in tonight after the kids crash. ;)

Rain!

Well, the better part of the day was given over to rain and watching the radar as needed as to make sure that I was on top of things that were coming so that I would be able to keep a certain munchkin of mine calm in the case things got really ugly. I'm proud she did really well and held herself together instead of falling into panic attacks. :)
So, it is wet out. I haven't gotten a thing done that I need to and I have all sorts of pent up energy. LOL!

Let's finally get this day rolling!

Omen - Cat (it's said basically the same in Irish so nah!) - guardianship, detachment, sensuality

Cat brings the ability to observe situations quietly with out judgement, mefore making a decision. Looking as if alseep, but really listening a cat can sit for hours until it acts with decisiveness . Keep in mind the saying "A cat may look at a king."
The cat also unites an awareness of the spirit world with a highly developed sensuality. these are not polar as some believe, but are facets of one continum of awareness and sensitivity. Working toward wholeness involves enhancing one's appreciation of both the physical and non physical worlds.

Nature - The wild life seems to be taking a break today, and I don't blame it. ;)

Arg!!!!!

OK have been in another funk. Made dietary changes and I think the funk has been kicked.
Need to do some devotional time.

Today's omen is Draig-athar/air dragon - inspiration, insight, vitality - This dragon must be treated with care and respect. Coming into contact with him can be like a bolt of lightning to the psyche and intellect. But this dragon brings insight and clarity to your thought and imagination.

Nature -

Over the weekend I was visited by a different damselfly instead of the one with the sky blue tail that I see the most or the one with the one with the pitch black tail that likes to buzz around the back yard I saw one with a yellow and black striped tail. I almost mistook the poor thing for a mutant wasp. LOL! He was the showiest thing I've seen in a very long time! Add to it he wasn't shy about it either! ;)

Just plain weird

I pulled that reversed wolf again this morning. Can't figure out what's up with that. Don't feel good either. Have a summer cold or something. :(

Do I see a cosmic 2x4 coming?

OK I didn't post on Saturday, my bad. The day's omen was Faol/wolf- intuition, learning, the shadow - reversed. Didn't really stop to ponder it and went through a pretty busy day.

Didn't do an omen yesterday, the reversed wolf sat on my desk staring at me.

Shuffled the desk today, pulled the omen and what was it??? That same reversed wolf....
I'm not joking. Weirdest thing I've ever seen to date......at least with my cards that is. (when you have kids you see some prize winning weird stuff, Add to that husbands never grow up. LOL!)

The one thing on the meaning of this card that is sticking with me is this "Even though you may need to spend times of your life alone, you should know that you will also have times of companionship and togetherness.

I'm thinking that this might be my sign that I need to move forward on my grievances with the local grove. I joined ADF for a reason and it wasn't to be sitting home alone.