Scribbling

Stolen Child Tarot ~ Heirophant/Hierophant

Monica Knighton's studio name was No Borders. There is no inner border on this one card. Her title breaks the i before e rule. What she'd like to know is do we color in the lines or outside the lines. Does the Hierophant rule or guide?

As a child I was taught to use the crayon to first make a very heavy outline then use that as a fence to color against, keeping the shading inside the feature. Did I scribble? Not in my memory. As an adult I'm still that way. As a quilter if I'm trying something new I make a sample. Does it look like it should? Measure correctly? Are the directions correct? And then, I go outside the lines in that, can I make it better? More me, less cookie cutter? So I guess the answer is a big indecisive maybe. A think to carry me through the day. 

Myth Or Truth. Ish.

Stolen Child Tarot ~ 6 of Wands/Flame

"How does our perception, or the world's view, help or hinder us?"  Monica Knighton.  This card often features a winners parade, my first thought here was lycanthrope. Goes back to Greek mythology, but for many of us our first introduction was 1941's Wolfman movie. Lon Chaney, Bella Lugosi, Claude Rains...still scary in the 70's when I saw it. A sexy love interest in a recent book. A super-being in recent movies.

Still, an odd presentation here. Which brings me back to this image and world and personal perceptions. Has media and myth skewed my reality? I've seen gray wolves, and while wild, fierce, dangerous, they seem more like malamute/shepherd types as opposed to coyotes, sneaky and sly. So I should think of ten people who might lead a parade and decide if my first impression is myth or truth. Ish. Because we'll never know if wolf or coyote lives inside.  

Looking For Hope

Stolen Child Tarot ~ 10 of Coins/Oak

   In our 50's we were part of a worldwide study working toward shingles vaccines for that age group, at that time you had to be 60 or over to receive it. One of the things the leader said at the initial gathering was "when listing your meds INCLUDE SUPPLEMENTS...because your generation love their supplements don't they?". Got a laugh, but it is true.
    Now I'm in a worldwide study for my eye disease and there is a group on Facebook for that of course. And when I visit and read the posts I am continually amazed at what people will take, without the guidance or knowledge of the doctor leading their participation.
    This card reminds me, that nutritious food in balanced proportions can do more for us that all the supplements in the world. And why do we think this is too hard, too bothersome, too expensive to do? Mostly we are looking for the miracle, number one. And need the hope. 

Butterscotch

Stolen Child Tarot ~ Page of Wands/Flame

"It's a process" Billy Crystal, Analyze That
"Sustained transformation" Monica Knighton

   I have a 45 year old cheap when built kitchen. Practical person that I am, I'd never just gut and replace, better things to do with my money. That said, the worn cupboards hurt my eyes. So based on a conversation heard at the beach last year, I contracted with a painter to paint kitchen and cupboards next month.
   Months of cogitation made me realize if the rest was brightened up, the 1970's formica countertops that were surely chosen for the harvest gold or olive appliances of the day should go too. Enter order for Mesa by Livingstone. Will look smashing with the butterscotch wall paint and almond cupboards.
   Which led to a new set in sink, ooOooOo beauty! And faucet. And Black Friday, a new dishwasher. But in my defense it has a handle which eliminates the cost of a new towel rack. And after looking at prices I'm keeping the current doorknobs, they were nice when I bought them 10 years ago in a misguided attempt to update a carpola kitchen and they are still nice.
   It's a process. And I'm excited!

Fine Grit Sandpaper

Stolen Child Tarot ~ World

"Active and passive reception vs denial of self" Monica Knighton

I'm often found ignoring the 'little voice within' because the loud shouty Sharyn knows it all already but she cherry-picks what she wants to think about, recognize, acknowledge.

Some days, I think how starting again, clean, would be. Not practical I suppose because without current knowledge there would be all those falls and crashes so nothing would be gained. I know folken who believe they lived past lives, are reincarnated. But they seem no further developed or refined than anyone else. What's the point of that? So I sit here each morning, with fine grit sandpaper and work on the current me. The only me. 

A Sad Thought

Stolen Child Tarot ~ King of Coins/Oak

"Choice of informed action" Monica Knighton. In a search for John Muir writings I found A Journal of Ramblings through the High Sierras of California,  Joseph LeConte, 1870. "The party was to go in regular pioneer style, cooking their own provisions, and sleeping under the open sky whenever a convenient place was found; each man was to bestride his own horse, carry his own bedding behind his saddle, and his clothing, with the exception of one change of underwear, on his back." It took them six weeks from Oakland to Yosemite California and back, If you stopped for lunch, about a four hour auto trip.

And what a trip, for what were basically city men. Even running into John Muir and spending a few days in his company. An 'informed action', that probably colored the rest of their lives. I've been there, the beauty is burned into my retinas. To imagine a human who doesn't open their eyes to nature each day is a sad thought indeed.

Enormous Girth

Stolen Child Tarot ~ Chariot

In some mythologies Turtle carries Earth on her back. Charming. Comforting to the Flat Earth Society. NASA wouldn't believe it of course, they'd call it fake news.

Sometimes we have to set our logical mind aside and ride the tide. I have a clay and porcelain dragon turtle to which I say good morning and give sips of tea. So would it be a leap to think as infestinal specks we spend our short lives supported by a turtle of enormous girth? Makes more sense to me than many other myths of creation; I'd far rather think of a turtle in charge of my ultimate destiny than current world leaders. 

Direction

Greenwood Tarot ~ Archer/Chariot

"A clear sense of direction"  Chesca Potter

Looking back over my life, did I ever have a sense of direction? I honestly don't think so. Maybe when I took a wad of secretarial courses so waitressing wasn't my only option. Maybe when we moved here and I went to beauty college at 40, that was a change for sure. Maybe when I decided to devote myself to keeping my father-in-law in his home through his journey with dementia. That certainly changed the course of the rest of my life.

How many things we didn't even notice happening at the time, change our journey? A fun navel gazing project but one that wouldn't garner anything of value. What I know for sure is I like where I'm at, who I'm with, what I'm doing. What more could I ask?  

Knackered By Ecstasy

Greenwood Tarot ~ 5 of Cups

In my country this is the biggest shopping day of the year, called Black Friday because it the the day store profits start running in the black and not red for the year. Folken seem to go into an ecstasy, heading for the early openings, 6 AM, 4 AM, 3 AM, even.

Yes, we non-shoppers are heading out, first time in probably 30 years. A laptop, dishwasher, towel rack, two sewing lamps.
Best Buy, Lowes/Home Depot/Smiths, Ikea. We'll probably come home knackered, saying, humm, maybe in another 30 years. But needs must and sales are sales. We can do this. At 9 AM. 

Rational Essence

Greenwood Tarot ~ 6 of Swords/Arrows

"Homecoming of the soul" Chesca Potter

Definition of soul : the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life.  the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe. Merriam-Webster

Thoughts to think on today. Am I who I want to be and where I want to be? Is my essence in line with my daily life? Do I have spiritual principles? Is it rational thought...or planted by someone else?