Spring has sprung

A grape hyacinth

Gorgeous mullein....

yellow violet....

Lunaria or Money Plant getting ready for a full moon this Sunday....

A lovely Dogwood blossom layin' on a bed of chickweed...

Crocus' that came on early....

A beautiful and graceful dogwood......

Here we have some Columbine...

Ranting.....

To all of my new age friends running around in fear of "the apocalypse" created by our government, or Mother Earth or aliens coming down from above....GET OVER IT!!!! Are we not the group that constantly says, and continues to say......"what you think about you beget," "what you focus on you become" "thoughts are things" etc etc etc Either we BELIEVE we create our own reality, or we're talking a lot of BS. Yes there is a lot crap happening......I am aware and I continue to visualize peace and abundance....for Japan, for Libya, for Iraq, for Afghanistan, for Haiti, for the homeless of the USA, for the starving of the world, and yes....even for me!!! And that's my story.......

I HEAR the fear.....

I HEAR my friends and family, the radio, the television, overheard conversations, classes on doom....I hear it. Ahhh....I can understand the concern and shake my own head. What is happening? What can be done? How can we deal with it? What will I do?? Toxins, radiation, earthquakes, food costs, fuel costs.....my God!!!
I SEE the Japanese people torn and picking themselves as they pick through the ruble of their lives. The workers who continue to enter the nuclear plants, to assist because they are old......or certainly dedicated. The Libyan rebels........pushing ahead despite all odds, the Egyptian citizens who havn't given up, people taking action all over the world.....doing something, anything.
I BELIEVE that "what I focus on I draw into my life."
I CHOOSE to believe that each day I will deal with life's challenges in the most honorable, compassionate, and thoughtful way possible. I will be grateful that I have this day, one more day. And when I blunder
I HOPE that I will pick myself up and go forward......in gratitude, compassion and grace, for one more day, one more chance to do something, one more chance to make a difference for myself, my community and for my sacred and beautiful MotherEarth.

And now for Spring........

which is Rain rain and more rain. And my garden is loving it. Daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, comfrey and dandelions are all beginning to show their beauty. Lots of colors and I love that!!! My garden has become a metaphor for life for me. It is bountiful, then grounded and stationary for a bit, then ready to give of it's harvest, then a dying back. All of these cycles require a bit of care, or everything goes to waste.....and the abundant beauty is lost..or is it. If let to go to mayhem.........it will eventually die back, freeze to the ground and lay in a pile and begin the cycle again. I find, however, with just a bit of attention, tending to my garden makes it ever more splendid, ever more bountiful, ever more lovely and abundant.

Having gone through a very extreme, for me, bronchial illness recently.......it has reminded me that I am like my garden. And though I can go on and on without care or consideration for myself........just a tiny bit of attention makes me stronger, healthier and ever more lovely and prosperous!!!

Something I shall not soon forget..........

Snow...

Snow snow and more snow. The oldtimers are saying this is like the winters of old. Definitely makes one want to snuggle by a fire with a cup of tea and a good book or movie or friend. Currently my partner and I are separated by this beautiful white stuff.....he is snowed in at the cabin, I'm snowed out at the Singlewide. One of us has got to get a four wheel drive ASAP. And learn not to drive down roads that have not been plowed, and to stay away from the edge (ditch). I've been stuck twice and spun out on ice and just basically scared the beejeesus out of myself. I'm from Southern California.......I never touched snow until I was 17. I would see it in the mountains of the BigBear and San Bernadino mountains....when the smog parted....but it was a distant "thing" that I never dealt with. When I went skiing with my boyfriend who loved snow....I hurt my ankle on the bunny slope and that was it for me. I guess I don't really like being on skinny things going fast downhill. I love to water ski.....the landing is so much softer, mostly. And, I've gotten in to a bit of sledding which is fun and the "stopping" is so much easier then on skis, for me. I am learning to go with the flow....but do hope I get to go home tomorrow.

Saturday and Sunday....I will be at the Knoxville EarthFare's talking about women's health and herbal products. Turkey Creek on Saturday and Bearden on Sunday. Should ole man winter allow it......

2011 Paying it Forward

Today I was introduced to or rather reminded about a concept of Paying It Forward. Five is one of my favorite numbers so I was excited to hear of this exercise..... I promise to give away 5 things made by me to 5 people who promise to do the same. As you can imagine....the immense potential of this is incredible. So......email me your address.....the first 5 of you I hear from will receive a gift from me...that I have created myself.

moonmaidbotanicals@yahoo.com

I posted this earlier today on Facebook....and have had five respondents. And I have responded one of them so have 5 more to gift. And now, I will have 5 more and potentially more. As you can see.....I am exremely excited about the concept of giving in this way. Isn't it wonderful to spread our wonderful selves out into the world......with only the expectation that our gift will create 5 times 5 times 5 and on and on and on. Perhaps this will go viral......and won't that be delightful!!!