Caleigh O'Shea's Blog, page 25

Sunday’s Gem — Heliodor

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein, German-born theoretical physicist

Named from two Greek words meaning “gift from the sun,” Heliodor is a type of the mineral beryl with a yellow, greenish-yellow, or golden-yellow color.

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This 1.96 carat pear-shaped Heliodor gemstone mined in Brazil sells for less than $150. Image courtesy of www.mineralminers.com

Sometimes you’ll hear Heliodor referred to as “yellow emerald,” but that’s a misnomer. While pure beryl is colorless, true Emerald is a beryl of green color caused by chromium or vanadium and typically costs way more than Heliodor, which gets its yellow hue from trace amounts of iron.

At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness (ranging from soft 1 to hard 10), Heliodor is ideal for jewelry, whether set in rings, earrings, pendants, or bracelets. Current demand is small because the buying public isn’t familiar with the stone, and it’s not usually carried in mall jewelry stores. However, it’s quite popular with gem and mineral collectors.

Rare specimens of Heliodor contain a straight, silk inclusion which, when cut by a skilled person into a cabochon, exhibits what’s commonly referred to as cat’s eye.

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This rare Heliodor cabochon is cut to show a cat’s eye phenomenon. Image thanks to www.geology.com

Some of the producers of Heliodor are Madagascar, Brazil, Russia, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka.

Ancient Greeks believed it was Heliodor that caused days and nights to alternate.

On the physical plane, Heliodor is said to strengthen the immune system, as well help with disorders of the liver, spleen, digestive system, eyes, and heart. It’s especially beneficial during cold and flu season. Wonder if it works on Coronavirus??

Emotionally, Heliodor is touted as the stone of hope and optimism, boosting confidence, helping you accomplish your dreams, and supporting survivors of all kinds of abuse.

Meditate with Heliodor so you can make decisions based on wisdom rather than emotion.

While not a traditional birthstone, yellow Heliodor is the natural birthstone for those born June 2-July 21; golden Heliodor is the natural birthstone for those born July 2-Aug. 21.

Heliodor is said to be yang in nature, helping both males and females develop characteristics of assertiveness, self-confidence, physical and mental strength, and benevolence.

Feng Shui practitioners see Heliodor as having fire energy and recommend it be placed in the middle of a space to bring cheerfulness and energy.

Healers believe Heliodor assists the Solar Plexus Chakra (located between the rib cage and naval and controlling the immune and digestive systems). When in balance, this chakra gives you strength to fight infections, as well as not live in fear of disappointing others.

While a fairly strong gemstone, Heliodor shouldn’t be worn while exercising, playing sports, or cleaning house. Store it separately from other gemstones to prevent them being scratched. Clean it in warm, soapy water and dry with a soft cloth.

Note: The claims here aren’t meant to take the place of medical advice. They’re based on folklore and other sources, and likely “work” best if one’s belief is strong enough!

Wordless Wednesday

A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education. ~Smiley Blanton, American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst

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Hi there, Sweetie!

 

Mother’s Day 2020

Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it. ~Author Unknown

I’ve long been aware that I’m a great “starter” but a lousy “finisher.”

Remember that nasty shed we finally had dismantled and removed? The one with the dead woodchuck lying beneath it like the witch in The Wizard of Oz?

Well, I decided that entire area would make a gorgeous plot for wildflowers. Something like this:

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Or this:

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Or maybe these blue asters:

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So yesterday, when it was sunny and pleasant, I began removing the bricks that were in my way:

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Some were crumbled and would need to be thrown out. Others were in pretty good shape and went into my Keep pile. And a few were — in my mind, at least — ideal; those I stacked in another area.

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While I was digging up the bricks, I couldn’t help recalling my childhood. On summer days when my sister and I were little — and grumbling over having “nothing to do!” — my late dad suggested we take a stack of leftover bricks from the building of the house and move them, one by one, to the opposite side of the back yard.

And if we were still bored when that task was done, we could move them right back!

Ugh.

That’s probably where I started equating moving a pile of bricks with raking leaves — tasks I was sure the inhabitants of Purgatory were assigned as a means of working their sins off so they could attain Heaven!

I digress.

I’d been digging up bricks for what seemed like ages when I glanced at the time and realized lunch was calling. And my back was protesting — loudly.

No way was I going to complete the job that day. And since rain was forecast for much of the next week, I reasoned I’d be out of the notion by the time another sunny day rolled around.

Hmm, maybe I’ll get the yard man to finish for me.

You see, I’ve already grown weary over this project, and the thought of dragging sack-loads of dirt to fill in the soil, setting out the seeds, pulling the weeds that are sure to grow alongside my flowers, and all the rest makes me even less inclined to return to the task at hand.

As I said, I love starting projects; it’s finishing them that challenges me.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and know this:

All mothers are working mothers. ~Author Unknown

Overcoming Adversity

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant. ~Horace, Roman poet

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There once was a snapdragon so red

It cared not where it laid its head.

It took root in some stones

Despite all my groans

And now is starting to spread.

Music During the Pandemic

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. ~Confucius, Chinese philosopher

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Tuesday was supposed to be our Spring concert for symphonic band.

The last concert our graduating seniors would perform in public.

But thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was cancelled.

Part of me feels sorry for those who’d looked forward to appearing in head-to-toe black on our state-of-the-art, copper-clad stage shell. For those eager to play in a venue that can hold more than 500 seated patrons.

I’ve seen the students’ excitement in past years — receiving bouquets of flowers from their family, taking photos for their memory books.

And, while our (substitute) director asked us to practice the pieces she’d chosen, I’m going to admit right here, right now — I didn’t.

And I have no regrets.

This was the director who sprang an impromptu audition on just the flute section the very first session of class.

And the more I thought about it — the fact that this is billed as an unauditioned group and that no other sections were targeted — I decided that, even if classes were to resume and the coronavirus magically went away, I’d skip this semester.

It’s okay, I rationalized.

There will be other opportunities to play, and I imagine I’m not the only one who ceased working on those pieces when it became obvious the lockdown would last a while.

Maybe we’ll try again next fall with our regular director. Or maybe he’ll want to start afresh, with no return thoughts of the pandemic.

Regardless, this semester is done. No practices, no concert, so my failure to learn the selections merely left me time to work harder on my lesson music.

And now time moves on toward the start of (summer) community band.

We’ve already received our schedule of practices and concert dates, and I’m sure somebody is trying to figure out how we can perform while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Our audience, of course, can sit in their cars and hear the music from afar.

But gee — how do you blow a wind instrument through a face mask??!

Spring 2020 in Lockdown

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created Spring. ~Bern Williams, English moral philosopher

While the Illinois Governor has declared yet another month of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, he can’t stop the arrival of Spring.

I managed to get outside the other day and was amazed at how many trees and flowers are in bloom, how pretty the day was, and how few people were enjoying it!

Take a look, won’t you?

Isn’t this a pretty Redbud? Eventually, heart-shaped leaves will replace these delicate flowers:

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Here’s a clump of Redbuds behind some tall and probably older trees:

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I found these cheery yellow and red tulips at our public library. Does anybody know what those blue cone-shaped flowers are? The best I can figure is they’re some sort of Lupine:

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I think this white flowering beauty is a variety of crab apple. If you know better, please educate me. Notice the “snow” beneath this tree as the flowers drop:

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I’m fairly certain the next one is some sort of pink Magnolia:

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Somebody had this lovely grouping around a cherry tree, which wasn’t in bloom yet. The deep purple tulips and all that white ground cover grabbed my interest:

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Oh, look — a pink azalea in bloom — and don’t you love the swing with its scuffed place beneath where little feet pushed higher toward the sky?

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Again, not sure what this flowering pink tree is:

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This pink Dogwood is just starting to bud:

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Such a striking red tree (anybody want to try identifying it?):

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Does anything say ‘Spring’ more than a field of Dandelions in varying stages of growth?

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More happy tulips swaying in a gentle breeze:

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I think this one’s a Bradford Pear. Despite its attractive Spring flowers, lovely shape, and propensity to grow fast and easily, this tree variety is known for being structurally weak (meaning watch out for violent storms because its branches are liable to snap!):

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Another grouping of red trees that I have no hope of identifying:

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There! Hope you enjoyed our jaunt. I did and am glad we finished before the rains rushed in. Do you have a favorite pictured here?

Sunday’s Gem — Chrysanthemum Stone

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein, German-born theoretical physicist

Do you need some help finding your true purpose in life? Do you fail to see opportunities as they unfold in front of you? Are you afraid to live your dreams?

Then you need a Chrysanthemum Stone!

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Chrysanthemum Stone. Image courtesy of www.geologyin.com, which credited it to www.UGTreasures.com

A naturally-occurring formation from the Paleozoic era (248 to 290 million years ago), Chrysanthemum Stone is a deep gray to black matrix with andalusite crystals in the shape of a flower.

Discovered in Japan in the late 1800s, Chrysanthemum Stone can be found in China, Canada, and the U.S. as well. The Chinese have referred to it as the “Stone of Wealth and Honor” for hundreds of years.

On the physical level, Chrysanthemum Stone is valued for easing disorders of the skin, eyes, and bones, as well as clearing out negative toxins. It’s especially beneficial for those going through puberty and for female problems.

Chrysanthemum Stones have been used to uncover the sex of a baby before it’s born (I guess before sonograms, perhaps as entertainment at baby showers!). Anyway, the expecting mom should hold a pendulum over the stone. If it starts to swing back and forth from her, the baby is said to be of the same sex as mom; if the pendulum swings side to side, the baby’s sex will be opposite hers.

This stone’s calm and confident energy is touted to help a person bloom, connect with others, and be brave in taking more risks. It’s also good for eliminating jealousy or resentment.

Chrysanthemum Stone is said to be beneficial for starting new life journeys, whether career or relationships.

Try sleeping with a Chrysanthemum Stone under your pillow and see if you don’t wake up more optimistic. Carry a piece in your pocket or place one on your desk at work to radiate harmony. Hold some in your hand for reflective meditation. Wear it in jewelry.

Chrysanthemum Stone, with its black and white energies, is believed to balance both yin and yang forces. Healers think it stimulates the Base Chakra (restoring your physical body to strength and your spiritual energy to security) as well as the Crown Chakra (helping you maintain stability during setbacks).

Feng Shui experts say Chrysanthemum Stone uses Metal Energy and should be placed wherever you need to bring balance.

Note: The claims here aren’t meant to take the place of medical advice. They’re based on folklore and other sources, and likely “work” best if one’s belief is strong enough!

 

First, the Weeds

Man is the only critter who feels the need to label things as flowers or weeds. ~Author unknown

I really wanted to get out and take some photos of Spring, but it’s cold.

And windy.

And the flowers and trees are either lagging behind their usual schedule, or we humans are just more anxious than ever. Which would make sense, seeing as how we’re locked inside.

Anyway, perhaps you’ll enjoy these precursors to the season while Mother Nature tries to warm things up and hatch Spring blooms:

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Tenacious weeds, growing even in sidewalk cracks!

But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow where people want something else.  In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit.  Weeds are people’s idea, not nature’s.  ~Author Unknown

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Pretty in Purple (but still a weed!)

A weed is but an unloved flower.  ~Ella Wheeler Wilcox, American author and poet

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See? This thing’s already blooming, and I’m pretty sure the owner of this field doesn’t want it there.

Criticizing another’s garden doesn’t keep the weeds out of your own.  ~Author Unknown

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Is it lichen? Or moss? Or some sort of ground cover?

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author unknown

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Everybody’s favorite — the Dandelion.

What is a weed?  A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher and poet

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This vinelike thing is growing right within the evergreen!

Weed ’em and reap. ~Author unknown

Happy Easter 2020

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Not my tulips and daffodils, but aren’t they pretty?

“May God bless you at Easter,

and keep you all year through.

May God give you all the faith you need,

to make your dreams come true.

May His love and wisdom always help,

to guide you on your way.

May His light shine down upon you now,

to bless your Easter Day.”  — Irish Prayer, Author Unknown

Note: A blessed Easter to you and yours!

Trying to Heal

This I know: there is nothing as lonely as grief. ~Abby Geni, American writer

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Friends, it’s hard to grieve.

No one quite knows what to do

To make your pain ease.

 

Everybody has

Different techniques for coping.

Some work and some don’t.

 

Cry and remember.

Find things you enjoy doing.

Let Time bring you peace.

 

Nature can soothe you,

Wrap you in her majesty,

Wash away your tears.