Caleigh O'Shea's Blog, page 36

Sleep Interrupted

There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast. ~Author unknown (applies to dogs, too!)

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Rain morphs to downpour

Lightning flashes; thunder cracks

Get up now, Mama!

Sunday’s Gem — Rhodonite

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

The name Rhodonite comes from the Greek rhodon (meaning “rose”). This lovely gemstone is a manganese silicate containing veins of iron, magnesium, and calcium.

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Thanks to http://www.geology.com for this photo of tumbled Rhodonite stones.

Typically rose-pink to red in color (with streaks of black), Rhodonite is found in metamorphic rocks across the world. It’s the state gem of Massachusetts and the national stone of Russia, where it was first discovered in the late 1700s.

Long ago peoples placed small Rhodonite stones in babies’ cribs, hoping the wee ones would grow as strong and free as eagles. The wife of Czar Alexander II was entombed in a 12-ton sarcophagus carved from Rhodonite. The stone became a popular gift for travelers as protection against danger. A small Rhodonite desk clock made by Faberge sold at auction in 2010 for $134,500, more than four times its estimated price!

Ranging from 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scales of hardness (1-10), Rhodonite is usually tumbled or fashioned into cabochons, beads, or small sculptures.

A stone of compassion, Rhodonite clears away past emotional scars while promoting unselfish self-love and forgiveness. It’s said to build confidence, lessen confusion, and open the way for you to achieve your highest potential.

Metaphysical healers claim Rhodonite is beneficial for relationships, changing conflict into understanding. They say meditating with Rhodonite can bring your spirit back to its natural state of bliss, easing feelings of fear, panic, and stress.

It’s the modern birthstone for those born under the sign of Taurus (April 21 – May 20).

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http://www.mcdougallminerals.com sold this stunning cluster of Rhodonite crystals from Peru for $500 CAD.

Feng Shui practitioners recommend placing pink Rhodonite in the southwest area of a room or home to tap into the feminine energy of growth and maternal love. Rhodonite is said to stimulate the Heart Chakra, helping us in our relationships and our relationship with the external world.

Clean Rhodonite with soapy water and a soft cloth. Don’t expose it to sudden changes in temperature, don’t wear it during physical activity, and please store it apart from other materials which might scratch its surface.

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!

Kindness Doesn’t Cost

Make the other person feel important — and do it sincerely. ~ Dale Carnegie, American writer and developer of courses in self-improvement, public speaking, etc.

Several days ago, my path crossed with that of a stranger, and every time I recall it, I smile.

I was standing in the library, waiting to speak with one of the employees. In my hands was a sack of DVD’s that Domer had helped me gather from home; we meant to donate them to the library if they’d have them.

Standing in line ahead of me was a man — elderly, rather plain-faced, clean but not fancily dressed, and using a cane to walk. Beside him was a younger woman, perhaps his caregiver, daughter, or some other relative, who was busily checking out several movies.

As he turned to leave, the man glanced at me … and stared.

I averted my eyes. The sack in my hand was heavy, I had an immense list of things to do that day, and I didn’t particularly feel like becoming involved in a lengthy conversation with a stranger.

Then the man spoke. ‘Has anybody told you today how pretty you are?’ he asked.

My first instinct was to protest, but I abandoned that for fear he’d argue with me and create a scene.

‘What a nice thing to say!’ I replied instead, a smile spreading across my face. ‘Thank you.’

I don’t imagine this man had ever taken the Dale Carnegie Course, but he had Principle 6 (quoted above) down pat. Mr. Carnegie said ALL people have a craving to be appreciated.

It’s what differentiates us from animals.

Now I’m not talking about flattery in hopes of getting something in return. I’m talking about finding something nice to say to others, like the Random Acts of Kindness so popular today.

Kindness doesn’t cost us a thing, yet it yields a priceless feeling of euphoria when we say or do something nice that someone else can’t repay. And sincerely making others feel important — even for just a few seconds — can have a profound effect on their lives.

Like what this stranger did, which made my day.

Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns. ~Author Unknown

 

Help Me ID Her

What a significance wild flowers have, more than the tamed productions of the garden! They seem Heaven’s own messengers sent straight to man to bear glad tidings of universal and undying love. ~Henry James Slac, English journalist

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What is this beauty?

She arises every year

Unplanned, yet welcome.

Another Loss

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. ~Martin Luther, German professor of theology

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A knot

Just big enough for a little girl’s rear

To sit astride, pretending she’s riding a pony.

A hole in its trunk

Ideal for concealing notes and trinkets

Meant for sharing with friends.

A canopy of shady branches

Perfect for three girlfriends to lie beneath

And find pictures in the passing clouds,

While whistling with the helicopter seeds.

Four trunks wide enough

To camouflage two Hide-n-Seekers

Watching ‘It’ and gauging when

It’s safe to race for Home.

Halloween brought friendly mischief

In the form of toilet papering,

That rite of passage in small towns

Delighting teens and vexing parent cleaner-uppers.

Countless birds and squirrels

Made nests and raised young here.

Cats became frozen statues at its base

Waiting and watching for something to fall down.

Mother Nature can be wrathful

Whipping up a wicked summer storm

That fells trees and costs homeowners

Not only money but memories.

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Note: This Silver Maple sits on the property line between our house and our next-door neighbor. It was immense when I was a child, and part of me expected it to live forever. Sadly, a storm thought differently — two years after Domer’s Sugar Maple blew over. R.I.P., old friend.

Sunday’s Gem — Agate

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

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A variety of polished Agates (courtesy of http://www.geology.com)

First found in a river in Sicily between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, Agate is a banded Chalcedony, a mineral of the Quartz family. Known as the “earth rainbow,” it’s found throughout the world, and there are perhaps thousands of types, typically appearing in stripes, “eye” markings, colored specks, fossilized inclusions, or no color at all.

Ancient Islamic and Babylonian peoples thought Agate could ward off evil. Long ago Egyptians and Persians prized it as protection against natural disasters. Ancient Chinese expected it to cleanse their minds, making room for good fortune. Medieval peoples tied it to the horns of oxen to bring about a plentiful harvest. It’s believed to be the middle stone in the third row in the breastplate of the High Priest in early Israel.

Agate is a translucent, semi-precious stone whose color is caused by embedded minerals, typically iron oxides and hydroxides. A seven on the Mohs scale of hardness (ranging from 1-10), Agate is a relatively inexpensive gemstone which, when cut and polished, becomes cabochons, beads, cameos, statuary, knife handles, and other ornaments. Children’s marbles — “aggies” — once were made from polished agate.

The healing properties of Agate are slow, steady, and gentle. Agate fosters self-confidence, helps us multi-task, and lessens our desires for things we don’t need. Agate promotes marital fidelity, protects against traffic accidents, and helps writers espress their ideas in marketable form (okay, I’m convinced — I’ll take a wagon-load!!)

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Chinese Rain Flower Agates — thanks to http://www.agatelady.com for this photo

The zodiac stone for Gemini (May 22-June 21) and the mystical birthstone for September, Agate’s Chakra healing energy depends upon the color of the stone. For example, Blue Lace Agate clears the throat Chakra; Fire Agate stimulates the base Chakra; green Agate is beneficial for the heart Chakra. Likewise, Feng Shui experts believe the different varieties of Agate resonate to different purposes.

Agate is said to be helpful for digestion, headaches, arthritis, fever reduction, throat conditions, and physical strength. It’s believed to help you overcome addictive behaviors, heal bitterness of the heart, improve communication, banish fear, and improve longevity.

Clean your Agate with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid exposure to heat and harsh chemicals.

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!

Flowers and Trust

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. ~Chinese Proverb

Why is it that we labor extensively over choosing flowers, planting them, locating them in what should be ideal spots, watering and fertilizing them, and even talking to them, only to have this happen:

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These looked so pretty when I bought them — shades of purple and yellow swaying in a gentle breeze.

Following the instructions that came with them, I provided a new home, with food and water. I hung them away from hungry bunnies and squirrels. I even put one of those whirly-gigs inside their pot to ward off birds who might have designs on building a nest there.

To no avail.

How was I to know Spring would bypass us completely, and a string of 90-plus degrees would play havoc with my plantings?

The other day, I glanced outside and look what I found:

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This lovely Snapdragon, growing determinedly in a crack.

Between a rock and a hard place, if you will.

Not seeming to wonder when I was going to take care of it.

Or how.

Or even if.

Just trusting that Somebody would tend it properly.

There’s a lesson in that, I think.

(Luke 12:27)

R and R for the Soul

The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.  ~Author Unknown

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Outdoors the clouds roll overhead

Racing one another to a destination unknown.

Trees bow; wildlife seeks shelter against the tempest.

Inside, one’s emotions toss about

Like a dinghy caught in a blustery sea.

As our to-do list swells, the hours of daylight shrink.

We know we must rest, debrief, kick back

If we’re to have strength for the tasks ahead.

Why, then, are we so reluctant to do as we ought?

From youth, we’re ingrained in busyness.

Productivity, activity, restlessness.

An idle mind is the devil’s workshop and all that.

We race about trying to prove we’re accomplishing something,

Warding off the evils of idleness and sloth,

While tempting Fate to substitute ill health and exhaustion.

Maybe more of us need a river bank or park bench,

A place of solitude and rest for mind and body.

Stolen time to recharge, energize, restore, renew.

I crowded far too many tasks into Yesterday. Today is now demanding music, chocolate truffles, and sporadic dancing, as compensation. ~Dr. SunWolf

Note: Along with the good doctor above, I’m going to take a few days’ break. Maybe even a week! It’s time for Fourth of July, a visit with Domer, and some much-needed “Debbie-time.” I’ll be back (don’t forget me!)

Too Busy to Caw

All sorrows are less with bread. ~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote

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Found a piece of bread

Wrestled it across the lawn

“Mine, all mine!” he said.

Don’t Forget Your Passengers

To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work. ~Mary Oliver, American poet

[wait, don’t leave]

Gotta unload these groceries. Start dinner. Get Sissy to her friend’s house and Bubba to the ball game.

[wait, it’s hot]

Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. Hubby will be home soon and expect dinner on time.

[wait, you forgot something]

Baby is sound asleep. I’ll roll down the windows and let her nap. She was up half the night, and everybody knows you don’t wake a sleeping kid. Five minutes … tops.

[wait, you’re leaving me alone?]

Bubba, you or Sissy run out and check on your sister.

[zzzzzzzzz]

Still sleeping? Okay, give her five more minutes and try again. In the meantime, turn off that TV, Sissy. You and Bubba help me put away these groceries.

[mama, get me outta here]

Bubba, put the phone down. Sissy, turn off that video game. Everybody in the kitchen — now! — so we can start dinner.

[can’t get out. getting hot]

There’s your father. Hi, honey. How was your day? Early dinner tonight. Both kids have plans (wink, wink)

[so hot. can’t breathe]

The baby? She’s fine, probably sleeping.

[wah, can’t cry. too hot. strapped in]

Yes, I had one of the kids bring her inside a while ago.

[gasp gasp]

She’s not in her crib? Wait, where is she?

[sigh]

What do you mean, she’s still in her carseat? How can that be? Which of you kids didn’t bring the baby in?

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Note: An average of 37 kids die each year in hot cars, whether from being forgotten, from crawling inside and accidentally locking themselves in, or (horrors!) being left behind intentionally. More than 750 have died since 1998 from pediatric vehicular heatstroke. This is inexcusable in a civilized land, but sadly, scientists claim it can happen to anybody.

Kids’ body temperatures climb 3-5 times faster than an adult’s. Even a mild 57-degree temperature in a shady parked car with the windows down can result in heatstroke.

Thousands of animals die each year from heatstroke or suffocation after being left alone in vehicles. Even the shortest errand can turn deadly.

I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but please pay attention. For happier Mother’s and Father’s days, don’t ever leave a child or a pet untended in a car!