Still Do

Yesterday, I pulled two oracle cards; one about admitting my true feelings to myself and the other about parental care.

Today I got "parental care" yet again.  Can't help but wonder if it's about the role reversal thing, as it's never easy to think about your parents needing "parental" care.  I also pulled "sentimental feelings".

Blair enters the picture, mid-blog and summons my full attention as she tells me about her day spent with her new friend, Sydney.  They beached and taco'd.  She shows me her varied tan lines, and how she is trying to keep her face from sun damage and premature wrinkling.

Next we are mirthful about Macy and how vibrant and healthy she is for being nine.  Blair woefully suggested she may have cataracts due to her blurry pupils.  I confirmed the possibility since she's up in there in age for a dog.  One constant about Blair is how gentle and caring she is with animals.  It will be interesting to see if she goes into an animal-caring profession.

So back to yesterday, my inspiration was Hines Ward.  I knew nothing about him prior to listening to him on a podcast hosted by Art of Charm.  His story and amazing attitude kept me lit and awake during my commute home from work, despite dragging ass all day.

I was more rested today, so felt productive work-wise.  I listened to fellow gals in the industry as they ranted about the toxic effects unreasonable workloads and employer expectations can have.

After learning about a mass mosquito spray being done across the county, my plans to exercise got delayed.  Instead of doing downward dogs, I was downward in milkweed and netted butterfly cages.  I replenished the famished caterpillars' food supply and moved the cats, as well as the convalescing milkweed plants, inside.  I move them into my room, where they are safe from home-for-the-summer teens and friends.  The thing is, I get so carried away watching them eat and move about that I end up accomplishing much else.

I forged forward and encouraged my body to move, whispering how great it will feel once I get momentum.  Maybe it was the energy I expended on the butterflies, but I did not reap an exercise high this time.

Today's Fairy messages are "Be Yourself" (the 5th one I pulled this month) and "Walk Away".  It seems an underlying theme to ensure I do not compromise who I am for others.  Which I have.  And still do.  But I'm getting better.

I saw this fantastic saying below and found it so appropriate for this caterpillar/butterfly chapter of my life :)

Trust and beauty

After a morning fraught with annoyance, I grabbed the closest thing to me as a tool to escape Anguish's embrace.  It was the Fairy Bible by Teresa Moorey, I intentionally it left out to remind me to look up fairies that help in the realm of gardening and rearing caterpillars/butterflies.

A few Monarch butterflies from the batch I rear

I always get excited at this stage, knowing it will be flying the next day!

A bouquet of soon-to-be Monarch butterflies

My fingers stopped on the page about my Gemini air sign.  My eyes drank in the fable about a fairy named Vila.  Ultimately, it was about keeping one's word.  "Air is the Element that best symbolizes clarity, purity and trust.  If a promise is broken, that trust may be gone for ever.  Fairies abhor beaches of trust, and none more so than the Vila.  This story also symbolizes the deep betrayal of the land of our own inner natures when we turn away from the bond we have nature ... "  Poignant.  However, my search for fairies that help with butterflies continues.

Laura came up to see my butterfly garden yesterday.  During her visit, she helped inspire renewed interest in implementing daily rituals.   I am excited!  It may be just what I need to feel more grounded and sure-footed in the wake of such overwhelming and chaotic years. 

Two daily rituals I aspire to implement are journaling and engaging with Earthly elements.  I take comfort in returning to once familiar and well-loved activities.  


I tried handwriting a journal entry, but several, difficult pens later, I find myself back in this digital haven.  This seems to be the mode of least resistance in the way of enabling me to remain constant.

I also decided to pull a daily Oracle card.  Although today, I pulled two.  One from the Butterfly deck: Parental Care (about reversing roles with your parents); and one from the Faerie (surprise) deck: Express your Individuality (I construed as staying my ground as far as what makes me, well, ME.

In the new book I bought, "Soul Searcher's Handbook" by Emma Mildon,  I did a quiz within that said I was a Bohemian.  "... You are party is about seeing the beauty in all things, all experiences, and all people -- you always see the bright side, come out smelling roses, and have a natural glow that attracts others to you ..." This is consistent with my email address "lookforbeauty@..."

I trust in beauty. 

One foot in front of the other ...

Awe-Manac Stuff

Name Today:  Swept Away

Today I get to:  Explore and live dangerously with Laura

Toast of the Day:  "Here's to taking one more step"
(Pic by Laura love and processed by me)

Today was our first Creative Saturday of the year together, and as always, fun and laughter overflows ☺. Our planning was limited to breakfast at I-Hop and our customary trip to the bookstore.

Everything else, we left to our respective whims ... and look where it led us:

Fort Lauderdale Beach:

We were greeted by this super loving, super cat-nappable cat named Kiwi

And stumbled upon this cool, dressed up manatee mailbox.

Taking a moment for our duo self portraits ☺

This intriguing neighborhood even had a colorful, designer wall.

Laura got this shot of me while we were trespassing on private property.  My curiosity led me to the second floor ... while her concerns of getting caught had her seeking an exit (only to wind up in the backyard of parallel property, lol).

While trespassing, Laura and I came across this interesting "art set-up"

A fitting find for our day ☺

I wonder how long they have known each other ...

This was such a magical moment to witness ...

Molly just couldn't wait to love on us.

We saw so many people running with their dogs.

Downtown Fort Lauderdale / Las Olas:

This was just SO Lita, lol ;)

Thirsty Ducklings

Appreciating nature's reflections.

More dog cuteness!

This bake shop had the coolest, decorated cakes I'd ever seen.  (Hey, Laura, I forgot to get my other chocolate chip cookie, lol ;P )

Mmmm!  This was a fun scene to get.  We were getting cooperation, plus the seductive scent of the  warm bread was making us so hungry.

A shot of our meals (and of Laura with her camera) while we dined at a French restaurant

We spotted this chocolate specialty shop on our way out.

This had us giggling, being the chocolate addicts we are ;P ! 

Crazy acronyms for "Compassion"

Name Today: Horizon

Today I get to: Go over a handwritten agreement ☺

Toast of the Day: "Here's to having a friend you can be goofy with."
(Erica feigning to push me out of our office window, 10 stories high)

Aha-phrodisiac:

Use the word "compassion" to write an acronym ...

This is what Tammy and I quickly scribbled down during kava tonight ... ;P :

Tammy:

Curing
Of
Multiple
People
Assimilating
Suffering
Sadness
Injury
Obviously
Neurotic

Me:

Calling
On
Much
Patience
And
Strength
So
I
Overcome
Nonsense

Question for Self: What's one small way I can be compassionate with myself today?

Saying "I'll pass" to worries.

♥

"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze." ~Amanda Cross

Name today:  Matching socks

Aha-phrodisiac:

What would accordian music look like if you could doodle, collage, or paint it?

Like this ☺:



... I had plans for so much more, but ah, who has the time?!  Will not be home tonight, so I prepared this in advance to upload first thing.

Much lo♥e and blessings!

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. ~ Jack London

Awe-Manac for January 12:

Of note:  It's National Soup Month

Happy Birthday to:  John Singer Sargent, 1856, portrait and landscape painter

Today I get to:  Hustle, and then some ...

Dose of Mirth:  "A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth." ~ John Singer Sargent



I did my best to make something "wrong with the mouth," as I deviated so far from what her mouth originally looked like ... Her overall beauty simply enhanced her new, "wrong" mouth ;P

So much more to accomplish before slumber time, so I've gotta' keep this short.

♥

"You can't tell how deep a puddle is until you step in it." ~ Unknown

Name today:  Pleasantries

Today I get to:  Write letters to loved ones and send them out snail mail.

Aha-phrodisiac:

"Every path has its puddle."

Write a piece that has "puddle" and a bunch of other "p" words in it.

On the way to Publix to pick up items in the produce section, including papayas, pineapples and pears, we passed an old poster of Prince in his prime and pondered what he was doing now. Pam then pleaded we take the private road to pass by her boyfriend's place, who I find to be a pompous prick with a pugnacious disposition.  But then we got sidetracked by a sign in the form of a printed paw pointing the way to what looked like a palace. As we pulled in and parked next to the Porsche, we saw the entire area packed with people.

Neither of us prudent and both prone to prowl for pleasure, we proceeded toward what appeared to be a phenomenal party, but we had to make sure we primped to look our prettiest. A quick perusal of my reflection revealed perfectly plump and pouty lips. We overstepped puddles and tried to blend in and pretend we were on the invite list. We passed a person wearing polka-dotted pants and a pink and purple blouse.

We then overheard a poor wretch preaching of the end and someone else postulating pathetic platitudes. Behind the palms, we saw guys peering into windows, which initially made me think they were Peeping Toms. Around the patio, a pimply-faced pubescent was pissing openly.

Another person was walking what was obviously a very pampered pooch, resembling a Pekinese.

As we got closer, we were partially pummeled with a waft of perfumed air, pleasantly smelling of plumeria. As we entered the foyer, we were met by a greeting party, providing each of us with plastic-wrapped packages and a light peck.

We both paused when we heard a harmonious song being played on the pristine piano which laid atop a patterned Persian carpet.

We eached grabbed a paper plate to fill it with a piece of pumpkin pie, pretzels, popcorn and potato chips. I took the pitcher and poured my friend the last of the punch. One of the guests must've been a physician, as I was able to make out among a cacaphony of sounds, his muffled murmur of pills he could prescribe.

It was then that Pam painfully pinched me to get my attention of the pipe that was being pushed into her palms, as she was deemed next in line to puff.

Moments later, we heard a loud pop and realized someone named Phil packed a power punch at a pimp named Peter who was trying to pick up his playmate of a girlfriend to recruit her as a prostitute and to have her perform pornography.

Flashes of light were coming from all directions, as if we were surrounded by the paparazzi. As soon as we heard the police sirens, we prodded each other into promptly taking our leave.

We called our parents trying not to sound panic-stricken and phony as we tried to paint a more prosaic picture of the reason for our delay.

LOL!  When I read today's exercise, I was totally going to pass, as it didn't excite me enough to want to do it ... I changed my mind at the last minute, feeling the need to stretch my creative stamina.  So this was the best I could whip up at the last second, for both the picture and the "P" -filled story ;P   I'm glad I did it, as it was SO much fun once I got into the groove, but it did have me up WAY past my bedtime!

♥