March In Like a Lamb,Out Like a Lion:Does Ancient Rhyme Predict More Climate Crises or Solutions?

MARCH IN LIKE A LAMB, OUT LIKE A LION:DOES ANCIENT RHYME PREDICT MORE CLIMATE CRISES OR SOLUTIONS?

CAUTIOUS EXIT from SUBTERRANEAN/TELOSIAN MOUNTAIN WRITERS’ WO/MAN CAVE to TREAD LIGHTLY, GUIDED BY ANGELS & NATURE SPIRIT DEVAS INTO SPRING

March May have ‘Come in like LAMB’ but her Gentle Fleece Quickly Trailed in SNOW & 100mph Gales on Donner Pass & CA I-80 2Reno

Hours after fickle month of Spring, Lady March came in on our Leap Year calendar, the young Maiden of Nature chose to reclad herself in Winter woolies, as California’s notorious 7,056ft-high Donner Pass on I-80 to Reno, Nevada was pounded with snow.

Sierra Snow Lab at Donner Pass, operated by the University of California at Berkeley, reported 23.8 inches of new snow between Saturday and Sunday morning, March 2-3, bringing total snowfall for the season to five feet. New snowfall was accompanied by 100mph gale force winds, gusting to 116mph.

“California Highway Patrol in Truckee on CA’s I-80 infamous transmontane route for rail & highway between San Francisco & Reno, NV was monitoring traffic & advised drivers that travel was “highly discouraged”.

Donner Pass reputed inspiration4 Overlook Hotel in Jack Nicholson/Stephen King 1975 movie ‘The Shining’, is popular destination.

Meanwhile in Britain—while the Northern Isles [Orkney & Shetland] & exposed areas of Sutherland like Cape Wrath were battered by gales normal for this time of year—most of the country-including Eastern shores of Scotland, Eastern Northumberland, Yorkshire & the notorious Pennines-were, like the English capital, enjoying garden birdsong, appearance of snowdrops, above mid-l., first buds of cherry & wild cherry (gean), top l. & rt., with even a sighting in downtown Aberdeen of an urban fox making himself comfortable on warm granite ‘cassie setts’ [paving slabs] in the mild weather.

It seems natural, therefore, that our thoughts should spring forward like clocks [daylight saving time U.S. springs forward March 10th; Britain March 28th] to working in the garden to cultivate favourites like the sweet pea, top rt., and dream of the scent of summer roses. Below mid l. Rosa Charles de Mills.

Ramadan, Lent & Easter Dominate March, all ‘late’ in Calendar this Year

Ramadan, ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting and prayer, begins March 10th and will last until April 8th.

Similarly this year, Easter falls ‘late’ i.e. on last Sunday in March: 31st. Because such festivals are still calculated by us earthlings according to moon cycles—mentioned in my previous blog on Carnival here—Good Friday & end of Lent will not happen until after Spring Equinox, March 23rd. March Full “Worm” Moon occurs March 24th. See Lenten origins for blindfolding children & Piñata frolics below*.

Full Moons this quarter: March Worm Moon April Full Pink Moon; & May Full Flower Moon

First come Candlemas
Syne the New Meen
The niest Tiseday efter ‘at
Is aye Festern’s E’en.
That Meen oot
An’ anither at its hicht
The niest Sunday efter ‘at
Is aye Pasche richt.’
Ancient Scots Easter calculation, Anon

And watch out for penumbral lunar eclipse visible in Americas, Europe & W.Africa from 1a.m.-5:30a.m. EDT-March 25; 10p.m. PDT March 24-2:30a.m.March 25th; followed by April 8th solar eclipse visible N.hemisphere

Traditions dominate every culture, whether we know it or not. So it’s worth looking at a favourite child’s game—being blindfolded, spun 3 times (2lose sense of direction) & then trying to smash open a Piñata.

Bright rainbow-paper toy mule Piñata hung up at children’s parties for them to smash open & grab candy & other treasures that burst out from inside wasn’t just for kids originally. In medieval Italy, on 1st Sunday in Lent, Kings of Naples & Sicily distributed gifts to peasants as a Lenten almsgiving. It came in simple earthenware pignatta, Ital. cooking pot, fr.Lat. pinea, pine cone shape.

This tradition spread to Spain, called Piñata like a pineapple Sp. piña, & when Armada came to the New World, they found a similar tradition in Mexico [of Aztec origin] which they embodied/converted in R.C. Xtian Lent.

Spanish Friars saw these as an opportunity 2convert pagan Aztecs & created seasonal piñatas filled with fruits & seeds for Lent, Easter & Christmas.

Being blindfolded was used to represent faith, that is, believing without seeing. Many other traditions from Europe were transmitted via the early [Catholic] Church as a means to convert pagan followers.

Ancients’ Knowledge of Seasons & Growth used at Sacred Sites/ Wells

The Ancient Britons aka Brittonic/Weish Druidic priests of Anglesey/Inys Mons have much to teach us 21st Century A.I.- & politically-dominated experts in garden cultivation, reforestation and agriculture. In our excitement over the phenomenon of spring bloom in deciduous plants, we may forget how heavily we rely on that mysterious range of evergreens quietly holding down roots through harshest winters, only to burst with new foliage and exuberance in warmer months. Below top l.rt Cotswolds’ iconic yews

Conifers like ancient Caledonian pine (pinus sylvestrus or Caledoniensis) come first to mind, along with cousins Monterey pine (pinus radiata, above, bottom rt.) & Pac.NW’s statuesque Douglas Fir (bottom l., pseudotsuga Menziesii)-q.v. last year’s June blog for its stature c.f. Giant Redwood Sequoiadendron giganteum, including my young plantation of Caledonian pine in my personal effort to bring rewilding & regrowth to Scots pine forests burned in 1308 by ravages of Robert Bruce’s Herschip o’ Buchan.

Yew—Guardian of Brittonic & pre-Celtic Sacred Mounds—reused in Christian Churches Symbolic of Reincarnation & to Ward off Evil

Less celebrated for its longevity and overwintering prowess, more for its poison, the evergreen Yew, above 1-3, has long been churchyard sentinel in all counties & four British ‘countries’—Scotland (& N.isles) Scotland, England, Wales/Kernow (Cornwall) N.& S.Ireland; relatively less visible in churches in U.S. or E. Europe, but prevalent in cross-channel (Brittonic) Brittany, coastal France & Portugal.

Doorway of St.Edwards church, l. above, Stow-on-the-Wold, English Cotswolds, has ancient yew ‘feet’.

Greek goddess Hecate was famed for her knowledge of herbs, poisonous plants & sorcery; Roman counterpart Hekate/sometimes moon goddess Silene linked to huntress Diana was bearer of the keys to the Underworld, protector of World’s Soul [Anima Mundi]. As she held the keys to unlock the gates between worlds and gain access to both realms, she was equally powerful in ‘Heaven & Hell’ & seen as early-Medieval Tree of Life. While early-Christian monastics advised against putting “devilish charms at springs or trees or crossroads”, legendary Celtic Druids planted yew close to their temples for use in death ritual & regeneration. Because of its association with immortality, early Brittonic/Celtic kings had the wood cut for staffs & emblems of royal regalia, to associate with its immortality & God-given power.

Until they departed Britannia c. A.D.420, Roman legions stormed ancient Brittonic strongholds including York, [called Roman Eboracum, fr. Brythonic Eburākon=place of the Yew trees]. Pre-Celtic yew=eburos.

Reputedly oldest tree in Europe, Perthshire Fortingall Yew is 5000-yrs old & stands at the gates to the kirk [pre-Xtian Pictish well] in what Ancient Brythonic Picts saw as the centre of the landmass of Scotland [Cape Wrath/John o’Groats to Whithorn, Galloway lying a stone’s throw from Glen Lyon Loch Tay Cailleach/Bodach stone shelter, oldest continuously-observed sacred pagan site in Britain maintained by (anon) guardians.

While red Yew berries contain alkaloid poison taxine, from 13thC on its strong, flexible wood was used to cut 6ft longbows, strung with hemp/flax to create powerful weapons with a range of 230 yds/m, which could shoot arrows capable of piercing chain mail. Bows & arrows were in use until rapid fire guns & cannon took over mid 16thC.

An avenue of yews at Painswick, nr. Stroud, Glos., top, rt. reaches full-height 60ft/20m.

Its poisonous berries, 2nd l. above, keep cattle and wildlife away from graveyards, so sacred burials remain intact. Its longevity is second only to Giant Redwoods, and, because of its continuous use from Ancient pagan times, it is traditionally seen as symbolic of reincarnation and life everlasting.

Nature’s Woodland Helpers Inspire us to Dive Back into our Writers‘ Den to Connect with our Inner Soul

Guided through this maelstrom of 21stC catastrophic existence by angelic forces, we are reminded by the angel/deva of the sweet pea, top,rt. that Dorothy Maclean, a Canadian gardener, communicated with the Devas, and spoke with sweet peas and the pea fairy while she worked.

Dorothy was co-founder alongside her Brit friend Eileen Caddy of Findhorn Foundation in NE Scotland. They meditated in their ‘fifties blue caravan, with Eileen’s ex-RAF husband Peter Caddy, a WWII vet. They shared a dream of international peace. And growing their own vegetables.

Among early Foundation residents was Joy Drake, who also gardened, spoke w/angels & created now internationally-celebrated set of Angel Cards rt. used daily by millions similar to drawing from a Tarot deck.

Findhorn’s Eco-village and Buckminster Fuller-inspired geodesic dome ‘Universal Hall’ meeting venue on shores of the Moray Firth drew followers from all over the world. Recent fire burned its Community Centre & so FF meditation Sanctuary/guest program has been discontinued. Interim spiritual ad- vice, provided by FF leader Granville Stone, is supported by a worldwide network of RP ‘Resource Persons’, of which I am one. Thus, any direction or assistance i can give in helping a fellow seeker along Nature’s path to Universal enlightenment-with the help of the angelic brigade is offered via this blog-comments are welcome.

A long-time gardener myself, associated with the RP Network since 1988, [169 people in 36 countries], I have moved from NE Scotland—where I was RP for Aberdeenshire—to being RP for Eureka, CA [2012- 2018]—currently RP for Hilo, Hawai’i/working in the Network with Elisha Southworth, RP Kailua-Kona.

Such is the way of the Universe & Great Spirit. If you are a believer, all things will come; all dreams be fulfilled.

Now. as I dive back down into my Muse-Angel-guided Writerly Cavern, I urge my fellow travellers in the Light to stay cool, & believe that Peace, and those beautiful Devas within the sweet pea [and your own faves] in the Spirit Realm are keeping us on track. ThankU Universe. ©2024MarianC.Youngblood

Sun’s Coronal Hole-Combo-Climate Crisis Make for “Interrresting” December Human Conditions +Airliner Surprise

SUN’S CORONAL HOLE-COMBO-CLIMATE CRISIS MAKE FOR “INTERRRESTING” DECEMBER HUMAN CONDITIONS +AIRLINER SURPRISE

DECEMBER EMERGING from SUBTERRANEAN WRITERS’ WO/MAN CAVE finds us in PECULIAR STATE:SUB-ARCTIC BRITAIN; SNOW & AURORA BOREALIS in ARIZONA

Large Coronal Hole Ejecting Solar Wind Directly at Earth

Coronal Mass Ejections [CMEs]are predictably unpredictable and NOAA’s forecast for early December is giving nothing away, except that normal winter storms will be anything but ‘normal’.

NOAA Space-weather forecast for 1st 10 days December making headline news via wide open coronal hole, l, directed at us.

Particularly unusual: early ice & snow hits NE Scotland-Aberdeenshire & NE England-Northumberland-see snowy pic above top l. 11thC Durham Cathedral on sacred loop-A.D.1093 Xtian shepherd’s crook of R.Wear, before it reaches confluence with R.Tyne.

Aurora Borealis has been spotted as far S as Duluth. Michigan & Arizona, top rt., & above bottom rt.

Despite fierce solar storms headed directly for Earth bringing sub-zero temperatures for U.S. cities, many have begun their civic Christmas-tree lighting ceremonies with traditional parades and street parties.

While Hawai’i celebrates Lono’s Makahiki festival [see below],with street parades and canoe & surfing contests offshore, it is well to remember Capt.Jas.Cook’s 1778 arrival in the Islands was thought to be the god Lono’s ocean canoe arriving for the festival -hence he was welcomed [& later killed!]

With onset of Advent [Xtian calendar 12/1] Christmas trees in all parts of the Northern hemisphere have been illuminated in town squares, shopping malls & in some early-birds’ homes-e.g.my g.dau’s cowboy home stead in Alabama-with appropriately topped cowboy-hat-star.

In case of any doubt—it is a sign that, even if zero snow on ground, there are plenty of frosty greetings in southern hearts!

Hawai’i Celebrates Traditional Street Parades-& an Airline Surprise

Lono-i-ka-makahiki [Lono] below rt. is the god associated with the Makahiki—a Hawai’ian “New Year” festival that starts w/the “rainy season” [any time after November & lasting thru February/March]. He brings prosperity to the land and is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music, and peace.

Hawai’ian tradition tells that Lono travels from Kahiki (ancient homeland) to the Hawaiian Islands when it first rains during the ho‘oilo (wet season) for Makahiki. Street parties & traditional parades, pix below rt. often coincide with city tree-lighting ceremonies but his feast in ancient times was signaled by the sighting of the star cluster Makali‘i (Pleiades or Seven Sisters, M.45) below l. as it rises over the horizon in Hawai‘i at sunset. This happens around early November and lasts for four months.

Their names In Celtic countries are somewhat alike: TŵrTewdws in Welsh; in Irish Streoillín. While Arabs call them al-Thurayyā, in Hindu mythology they are associated with the god of war & known as Krttikà or Kartikeya & aligned with the Saptamatrikas [7 mothers], celebrated always on new moon Diwali. Native American tribes of the Quechua call them Qullqa=the storehouse. Full “Cold” moon is Dec.26th.

We know the Pleiades as star cluster Messier 45 in NW night sky in constellation Taurus, approx. 444 light years distant. It also features on 1800-2600 B.C. Bronze Age Nebra sky disc, above mid-rt. found in Halle, W.Germany. Their name in Japanese is Subaru. Six of seven principal stars featured on the automobile company’s logo denote their six principal engineering divisions.

…and a Hawai’ian/Pacific Alaska Surprise

Midway through Hawai’ian “New Year” Makahiki season, above bottom rt., Alaska Airlines announced plans to acquire Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion. It marks a significant milestone in the airline industry. The acquisition-pending regulatory approvals and Hawaiian Airlines’ investor consent-is set to combine two iconic Pacific brands. A combination of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines operations would create the fifth-largest airline in the U.S.A.

Plans at present are to continue to operate out of Honolulu, Oahu, HI, but the possibility of a new H.Q. in Seattle, WA has been mentioned. Both divisions will continue to display local native feature designs.

Hawaiian Airlines operates a fleet of long-haul wide-body A330s and Boeing B787-9 aircraft, as well as narrow-body A321-neos, Boeing 717s, while Alaska uses the smaller narrow-body type. Keeping this iconic fleet mixture operational presents a fresh challenge to Alaska Airlines in their operations and maintenance divisions, because the airline has not previously operated wide-body planes, since it discontinued its [Euro] A320 Airbus fleet last year.

Hawaiian Airways wide-body Boeing 787s are a feature of Pacific travel, affording all passengers generous seating space, good visibility & wide aisle mobility.

Takeover bid by Alaska Air may make some travelers feel restricted,but the airline plans to create an “interesting mix” of aircraft to satisfy all demands, & to use smaller craft for inter-island hops, they announced.

Both companies traditionally use native images on their tail structure: native Tlingit on Alaska and native hibiscus-adorned Kānaka Maoli on Hawaiian Aircraft. These iconic designs will continue.

Alaska Airlines has ordered 52 additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, scheduled for delivery between 2024 and 2027. This will increase the airline’s confirmed 737 MAX fleet from 94 to 146.

Alaska’s CEO Ben Minicucci says:”We are fully committed to investing in Hawai’ian communities and maintaining robust Neighbor Island service that Hawaiian Airlines travelers expect. We look forward to deepening this stewardship, as our airlines come together to provide unmatched value to customers, employees, communities and owners.”

And While we’re Onboard Wide-Bodied Aircraft…

A U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol Poseidon P-8A plane returning from a routine training exercise last month overshot a military runway at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, HI & got stuck on coral reef.

Last week it took combined efforts of U.S. Navy divers, Marine Corps engineers and a local Honolulu land-based salvage & recovery contractor using airbags & subsea flotation hawsers to pull aptly-named “Poseidon” [Gk. Ocean god] out of the Bay and off the (protected) coral reef, where its undercarriage pulverized coral and where leaked fuel may have contributed to further damage.

P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane, designed to carry out military anti-surface warfare & electronic surveillance can transport cargo & also act as a mid-air refueling tanker. It is the militarized equivalent in size and rescue capacity of a Boeing B-737. The jet belongs to U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron (VP-4) based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA. She was on ‘routine’ training exercise to the Islands.

Navy Rear-Admiral Kevin Lenox, incident commander in charge of Poseidon’s recovery, said all efforts by Navy divers, recovery vehicles and airbag technicians coordinated “remarkably well, considering it took sometimes up to seven hours to move her only 100ft out of the water!” Process of reassessing damage—to both military hardware and subsea coral—is ongoing. Despite all remaining fuel being syphoned off, the P-8A lost its nose-cone & suffered some undercarriage damage in the incident.

If Poseidon Scenario tempts us Creative Writers..

If the sad fate of unhappy nose-less Poseidon strapped in her airbags & floundering like a shipwrecked turtle on the shore of a Pacific island resonates & you don’t feel like re-submerging in our subterranean Writers’ Den, we empathize! It’s winter after all: we all need a little sunshine to heal our weary bones.Yet needs must when the Devil drives!

Thank you being there. Happy Christmas! enjoy all the festive party games & even happier full Cold Moon Boxing Day. See ya in 2024, writerly comrades. ©siderealview ©2023MarianC.Youngblood

Warmest Year on Record: 2023 “October—All Over”? No Chance as Angels Are With Us

WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD: 2023 “OCTOBER—ALL OVER”?-NO CHANCE AS ANGELS ARE WITH US

Bahamian Hurricane Rhyme Stirs Us Creative [sometimes Insecure] Writers from Our Subterranean Slumber, Shoots us like Goddess Pele’s Lava Fountains into Real World

“June—too soon; July—stand by; August—come it must; September—remember; October—all over”

Traditional Bahamian hurricane rhyme, now weirdly outdated by 2023 temperatures & solar activity

Coronal Mass Ejections [CMEs] Still Corrupting Earth’s Weather

If we thought the month of October would bring cooler weather—technically a month after official “fall”—autumn equinox, September 23rd—we earthlings have been proved wrong, again.

Northern hemisphere temperatures continue to blast hot days [& not-so-cool nights], even though some areas of New England and northern Scotland are experiencing the beauty of falling leaves and changing colours in coastal woodland and montane forests.

CMEs which began last month-9/11-with a direct hit on Earth September 19th, have been plaguing distraught scientists who issued warnings to stay indoors.

But magnificent #AuroraBorealis, top, has tempted viewers outside from Arctic circle [Reykyavik, Iceland] thru the British Isles, & as far as Michigan-Keweenaw Peninsula,MI above top rt. Photo l. courtesy NASA

U.S.-wide memorials to those lost 22 years ago in New York’s 9/11 attacks on World Trade Towers, 2001, were accompanied by earth-wide explosions [Marrakech prefecture Morocco where earthquakes rendered 2100 people dead, but spared the local Mosque] & floods in Greece & Turkey caused by unusual weather swings. Some southern U.S. states [Nevada, Texas & parts of CA border w/Mexico near Tijuana] also suffered, but first responders—geared up after last month’s flooding at Burning Man, at Black Rock, NV quickly restored order. Turkish/Moroccan authorities are still at work clearing rubble.

Historical Examples of Celestial Intercession bring Peace to Many

Following Hawai’i’s tragic loss of life in the August 8/8 Làhainà fires on the island of Maui—sparing the local church building—and last month’s Marrakech earthquake where the local mosque was untouched, many have compared such unusual anomalies within destruction with the horrendous bombing in WWII by the Allies of Germany’s Kölner Dom—Cologne Cathedral on the River Rhein/Rhine—below, which remained standing while all around was bombed to bits.

Begun in 13thC on a sacred site of previous Roman worship, the Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus,[Cathedral Church of St.Peter] is the highest twin-spired church in the world at 515ft/157m.

Construction began in 1248 on an edifice which was to house the reliquary of the Three Kings and also to be majestic enough for a Holy Roman Emperor. But work stopped and it was left unfinished c.1560. Attempts to complete construction began again in 1814 and a protestant Prussian overlord injected major funding in 1840s. The façade was completed to the original medieval plan in 1880.

In 1996 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Significantly, its original medieval name, the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, has ties to other northern nations like Anglian Northumbria, Celtic Brittany and Kernow/Cornwall-with influence in Anglesey, Wales and Ireland. Its Prussian overlords not only injected much-needed funding to complete the building, but effectively re-translated its medieval [Roman] catholicism to protestant worship; thus keeping it more in line with original 8thC non-partisan [though aligned with Rome] Pictish kingdom of Peterkirk monarch Nechtan, who pulled his nation out of heathen darkness into Christian light with his stone “Fite” kirks.

In Ortelius’ revealing map of Scotland [Britannia Minor]! 1595-1612, mention is made of tribes Caledonii, Attacotti, Maetae and Venicones-viz. Tacitus.

By making the Grampian Mountains [Graupius mons] stretch from Firth of Tay as far N as Ross & Cromarty, however, he may have misled many historians to think Calgacus‘ battle of Mons Graupius happened in Morayshire! Some still do!

N.Britain—Roman ‘Ultima Thule’ Beyond the Wall—Back of Beyond

Historically Scotland—Ortelius’ ‘Britannia Minor’, above, and Hadrian’s Legions’ ‘Ultima Thule’ is a prime example of map-makers’ guesswork, in the absence of real on-the-ground discovery/exploration.

Tacitus, writing A.D.98 on the life and character of his father-in-law, Roman General/Governor of Britain Julius Gnaeus Agricola A.D. 77/78–83/84, described the tribes of North Britain—Caledonians—as heathen tribes of warriors in a country few of his contemporaries knew existed. At the time Caledonia was split into two divisions: Dicaledonii ruled by Pictish kings, in Moravia [Moray] and Veniconi & Taexali in Mar & Buchan [Aberdeenshire].

Solitudinem faciunt Pacem appellant
They create a Wilderness and call it Peace—

Calgacus exhorting his Caledonians before Battle of Mons Graupius AD83

Roman Walls of Hadrian & Antonine built to Control ‘Warlike’ Picts

Roman legions—with their military god Mithras leading them north into unknown territory—were quick to destroy any signs of Pictish bull-worship which conflicted with their own pagan god Mithras’ birth— Hellenic pagan Mithra born under the sacred tree of life already bearing arms, able to ride (and kill) the mythic life-giving cosmic bull whose blood fertilized all vegetation. Pictish Class-I carved bull stones, viz. Burghead‘s 32 iconic guardian stones, were automatic casualties. One remains in British Museum. Others—thrown in the harbor—are still “missing”.

One intriguing reference from Roman authors following legions’ forays into Britannia Minor was that the Pictish citadel of present-day Edinburgh Castle, Braun Hogenberg 1581-8 map above, lower l. was the Castrum Puellarum, ‘Citadel of the Virgins’ or ‘Maidens’ Castle’ c.f. Maiden Castle, Dorset, ABD Maiden Stone. While the Aberdeenshire & Dorset icons refer to P-Celtic/Brittonic Mai-duinn=morning [ABD Maiden Stone casts no shadow at noon, but acts as sundial both a.m. & p.m.], the Castle in Edenbvrg was actually used by Picts to board up their young virgins while they went into battle, because the fortress was impregnable/safe.

It was a safe stronghold for other princesses. King Malcolm III [Canmore]‘s widow, Queen [later St.] Margaret of Scotland used it for her refuge after his death, A.D. 1093.

Other notable features of the capital city are: ‘High Street’, top, now the ‘Royal Mile’- its exact length; the town gate, bottom, near ruined Abbey of Holyrood; whose guesthouse was later transformed as official residence of the monarch in Scotland—the Palace of Holyrood House.

Also of note in Mercator 1595 maps, above top l.+rt. inset, Loch Ness is clearly marked with an opening to the North Sea on Moray Firth—today only accessible to boat traffic via man-made Caledonian Canal.

With Angels & Saints in our Corner, How Can We Lose?

Even in this 21stC age of materialism where the ‘Almighty’ is the dollar on the ground, rather than a spiritual presence from ‘Above’, thankfully there are moments of personal Revelation when a door—or a new path—opens up, where we thought there was no way forward.

But we gotta believe ❤ for it to happen.

Prime example of human belief in a higher power & fortitude when all light seemed dim, three pioneers stepped into a void on a beach on the Moray Firth [now considered part of Aberdeenshire, Scotland] in 1962 to follow their dream, and the spiritual community/ecovillage of the Findhorn Foundation began.

Dorothy Maclean, 1920-2020, pic.4 Canadian gardener communicated with the Devas, spoke to sweet peas and the pea fairy while she worked, was co-founder alongside her Brit friends Eileen Caddy who meditated while on the toilet in her ‘fifties blue caravan, far rt. above, with her ex-RAF husband Peter Caddy, a WWII vet. They all shared a dream of international peace. And growing their own veggies.

When their first year’s garden produced cabbages of such enormity that they could feed an army, all three realized they’d touched base with the ‘Great Spirit’—the Angels [FF member Joy Drake’s angel cards above 2nd l.]—and Universal Consciousness.

The Universal Hall was built [lower l.above]. Dorothy returned to die there, March 2020.

And the rest is history.

Findhorn Foundation celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, 2022. Winding down its workshop syllabus was chosen by team residents after the Sanctuary burned 2021.

Resource People Around the World

While it is tragic that Findhorn’s spiritual workshop initiative & on-site teaching seminars have come to an end—its last hands-on event was September 22, 2023—the Foundation continues with help from its RPs-[Resource persons] who have spent long periods at its Ecovillage on the Moray Coast.

My first RP Gathering in 1988 as one of their worldwide network [am current RP for U.S.A.Hawai’i-Hilo] was the first where they were proud to be represented by spiritual practitioners in over 40 nations in the world. At that time I was resident in [& RP for] nearby Aberdeenshire-not too onerous a task. ❤

While this news of the Foundation’s last workshops may disappoint many, to me it seems only natural—in a 21stC milieu of extremes [poverty & riches; poisonous & organic; death & life miracles] that on one level they’re returning to the simple life in the blue caravan on the beach overlooking Findhorn Bay.

More sad news:last week iconic 300-yr old ‘Robin Hood’ sycamore featured 1991 Kevin Costner movie at Hadrian’s Wall National Trust Northumbrian WorldHeritage site was chainsawed/vandalized.

Police have held & released two suspects & continue to investigate reason for such vandalism on a special tree, beloved & visited by thousands.

One thing amid uncertainty: Nature always survives, Of that we are certain: Angels are still with us all—Creative Writers/Artists; first responders; ditch-diggers; television & movie strikers & production teams. Thank you, @SGA Hollywood for recognizing screen-writing talent; & thank you, Universe & Angels & Great Nature Spirit-we’re all still here. And we believe. @AAM @cleopasbe11 @siderealview ©2023MarianC.Youngblood

September-Remember: As Autumn Hits, Human Tragedies are Hard to Forget but Human Kindness Wins

SEPTEMBER-REMEMBER: AS AUTUMN HITS, HUMAN TRAGEDIES ARE HARD TO FORGET BUT HUMAN KINDNESS WINS

From DEEP INSIDE EARTH’S CORE we CREATIVE [occasionally INSECURE] WRITERS EMERGE to LOOK AROUND at DISASTROUS EFFECTS of GLOBAL WARMING & WEEP

“June—too soon; July—stand by; August—come it must; September—remember; October—all over”

Traditional Bahamian hurricane rhyme, now severely outdated *see effects of DORA below

Maui Wildfires and Human/Wildlife Loss Stir Worldwide Response

While one might be forgiven for believing the U.S. Labor Day Weekend fiasco at Black Rock, Nevada’s Burning Man Festival [August 27th thru September 4th] was tragic—torrential rain (2″) all day Sunday-made wilderness campers & artists look like mud sculptures in a normally arid desert—revelers didn’t appear to be phased by Mother Nature’s drenching gift. Some tried to exit the muddy venue in vehicles ill-equipped to handle deep bog conditions.

Authorities ordered dancers, musicians and party-goers to “shelter in place”, but many trailer-dwellers & stuck campervan owners shouldered backpacks and attempted to hike 5-6miles out to dry ground.

Proximity to Ocean did not Save Làhainà Marina, but Divers Assist

Water was in short supply one month ago, when Hawai’i’s worst disaster in living memory happened on night of August 8th, 2023 [cosmically ‘Lionsgate’ 8/8] & the island of Maui was struck by a combination of lightning storm, tropical typhoon Dora, downed power lines and wildfires which engulfed the coastal town of Làhainà, spreading from oceanfront all the way to interior mountains in the centre of the island.

Emergency sirens—usually sounded in the event of a tsunami—were, because cable towers went down, without power & unable to blare a warning to residents on Maui’s southern shore. Sharp-eyed residents still awake, on the other hand-many older people were already in bed-took it on themselves to rescue a few of their own belongings, plus cat & dog [& other pets] and raise the alarm with their neighbours.

Fire was already consuming vehicles, and traffic on the main highway was down to a crawl—then nil.

So, locals took their few precious possessions, pets in arms or on a leash—and walked.

Because of severity of Dora winds, they met a combination of thick, dense smoke, unbreathable air+ immediate blockage of any & all escape routes. Many headed for the marina & dove in, hoping that proximity to the ocean would give them time to gather their wits, if not their doomed belongings/home.

Làhainà Oceanfront Villas Burned, despite Divers’ Help

But vessels at anchor along the oceanfront piers were also on fire—with yachts’ & speedboats’ water-logged hulls succumbing to flames. Many sought help, as volunteer divers and veteran surfers tried to save those less able than themselves.

The nightmare continued for the rest of the week as official rescuers, first responders & government agencies began the work of ‘search-&-rescue’ of missing persons, pets & belongings, after the fires were contained.

Lahaina’s iconic 150-year-old Banyan tree [Ficus Benghalensis] in downtown survived the fires. Benches under her aerial roots lay unharmed, but work by arborists continues 2tap underground feeders so new shoots can sprout both underfoot & in her canopy.

“After” above, & “before” pictures of the legendary Lahaina old lady.

Sap is still oozing from her main trunk & bore holes are being filled with organic earth-based ‘soup’, to encourage aerial roots to reattach themselves below ground

A Month Later, 115 People Dead,110 Missing–22,000Acres Burned

Fires are now 100% contained—even those spontaneous brush fires inland. This means they aren’t all out; but that Fire Dept. water hoses, helicopter ocean-filled buckets and local rescuers’ garden spray efforts [if they still work] have the previous inferno under control.

One month later, official death count stands at 115 dead, a similar number [110 approx.] missing, with the Maui Humane Society still on the ground assisting in finding & rescuing bewildered animals who don’t know where their owners are. In the first week of the fires, some animals were taken [when there were no shelters in situ] to Honolulu & mainland California, but all records are now updated and owners have been contacted—where possible. They suggest you call them if you haven’t found your pet.

Cats & dogs with seriously burned paws have been stitched & bandaged, scorched whiskers trimmed, other injuries surgically treated. While some owners have claimed their lost pets & taken them to state-offered free lodging, shelters, emergency quarters, or to relatives who still have a roof over their heads, a number still remain in the Society’s rescue cages.

Rescued animals include 10 cats, 14 dogs, 3 rabbits, one baby boar, one dazed chicken and a parrot.

International Response—Food & Financial Help from Media Stars

While local divers & international agencies collaborate with on-the-ground K-9 search dogs amid the ongoing clean-up operation, it is hoped the body-count will not get any higher. Tragic stories emerge of lost loved-ones found still clutching a beloved dog, of missing cots uncovered with babies still in them. Thankfully, few isolated child deaths have been reported. The job of sifting through contaminated ash & [unbreathable] dust heaps continues.

Meanwhile Hawai’ian Governor Josh Green encourages residents with relatives still unaccounted for, to contact his agency which is maintaining an exclusive DNA bank of relatives looking for a lost loved one.

FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] has received ca.11,000 requests for assistance and has donated $14.6 million in federal housing and individual assistance. Governor Green said 6,000 people are now living in hotels and Airbnb units, paid for by his office, with help from FEMA.

Media stars Oprah Winfrey & Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson-with 2nd homes on the island-have set up their People’s Fund of Maui, starting with a sum of $10million of personal funds, and assuring those who want to help that every penny will go directly in the pockets of Maui residents affected by the recent wildfires.

They guarantee any adult resident in the area displaced by Làhainà & Kula wildfires is “eligible to receive $1,200 per month”.

American Red Cross & Salvation Army have been on the ground since day one, providing food, free shelter & are now assisting those with no home to return to, to move into Govr. Green’s special units.

On a Brighter Note…Before our Muse Drags us Writers Back Down into our Subterranean Cave

September-Remember: one of our hurricane rhyme lines (top) is brimming with unspoken truth: it’s often a time around autumn equinox (9/22-23) when we look back on the year & prepare for winter—and the holiday season. 2023 adds a few sky miracles to help us through hard times. ThankU Universe.

With a new moon in Virgo September 14th, our skies will be dark: perfect for spotting the new comet C/23-P1 Nishimura which will be visible to the naked eye [without binoculars or telescope] in the early morning sky around 4a.m. Sept.12th.

Tonight 9/4-5 the Moon & Jupiter will be conjunct—together as they circle us Earthlings.

Then green comet C/23-P1 Nishimura can be spotted by early birds at 4am 9/12 thru 9/17 when it reaches perihelion-closest to the Sun in its orbit-before heading back out of the Solar system.

It won’t return until until 2431-that’s 107 years from now.

And if you need further consciousness-raising before you join us obsessed writer-holics as we go back into our Muse-directed subterranean cave below the Maui Banyan tree [<3]-the Moon & Saturn will be conjunct-only 2º apart on 9/26, with full Harvest Moon-closest to Equinox-in Pisces on 9/29.

If you’re REALLY blessed-aren’t we all?-you might spot some leftover Aurigid meteor shower remnants during moonless dark night skies—September’s iconic decorations as a prelude to festive sparklers & winter holiday lights! Happy Autumn peeps! ©2023MarianCYoungblood

Fireworks in U.S.,Tropical Cyclones, as Brits swim into their Summer Hols thru Torrential Rain

FIREWORKS in U.S., TROPICAL CYCLONES, as BRITS SWIM into THEIR SUMMER HOLS thru TORRENTIAL RAIN

MIDSUMMER MADNESS on ALL CONTINENTS JUST 2 MAKE US CAVERN-DWELLING WRITERS COME UP for AIR & CHECK if REAL WORLD FIRST WEDNESDAY still EXISTS

Yellowstone Followers Disappointed by Kevin Costner Departure

July 4th weekend usually brings must-see shows to U.S. Television audiences; not least Peacock TV’s YELLOWSTONE 1883 prequel series with leading man Kevin Kostner enrapturing his fans. But following the lead star’s announcement last week that July 5th will be his last season-he won’t return November [13,20,27th]-viewers will be dying to get in4 his final performance—streaming all weekend+week 7/5-8.

In the REAL WORLD, outside the Dutton Ranch Paramount TV empire, Yellowstone National Monument is a fascinating Park to visit.

The hotsprings attract animals, insects, birds & other creatures into a unique geological setting.

Its multifaceted chert/gneiss-quartz-feldspar & biotite (black mica) mix reveals ancient creatures embedded within metals like gold & silver in stone polished to a high gloss by hot water over multiple centuries.

History Repeats Itself in Scotland’s Yellowstone Ancient Hotspring

A whole continent & another ocean farther East, within Scotland’s ancient Pictish kingdoms [Fib=Fife; Forgue; Fortriu=Strathearn & Moray=Lat.Moravia] & Regalities of Fidach & Cé [Aberdeenshire, with its famed mountains Bin na Cé/Bennachie and Tap o’Noth, [above pix top l.], lies the hidden village of Rhynie—original home to Pictish Class I carved stone ‘Rhynie Man’ [above bottom l.], presently housed in Aberdeen, but residents are working to have him returned to his companions in Market Square.

Rhynie has many secrets apart from its Pictish carvings, its proximity to ancient Wheedlemont RSC [recumbent stone circle, date approx 5000B.C., upslope SW] & its other claim to fame, the massive Pictish stronghold atop Tap o’Noth, second in size only to Pictish Burghead on the Moray coast 20 mi N. It lies in Dufftown heartland, home of Glenlivet, Glenfiddich & other Distilleries and Huntly, ABD 10mi E., roughly equidistant from Banffshire coast & Aberdeen. Top pic also shows famous Barflat Pictish Class I stone of Salmon & Dolphin [sometimes called Pictish ‘Beast’] on site of a thriving Pictish settlement, in part excavated recently by University of Aberdeen: finding many more treasures from the same era—A.D. 4th-9thC village, itself Rhynie’s precursor!

Barflat is currently farmed by a private owner, but he is a Rhynie fella & shares in their fellowship & supports the village in its having their “Rhynie Man” return “home”.

What the Romans wanted was Pictish gold.

They knew-as their legions stormed Pictish bastions from Normandykes in the Mearns, NE thru Aberdeen, to Fyvie & Huntly,then N wherever legions followed their military god Mithras in his bid to rout out Pictish bull symbols, that there was a secret cache at Rhynie in an ancient pre-Cambrian deposit.

Bathed by subterranean hotsprings, Rhynie chert sparkled with silver & gold, hidden by Picts from Roman eyes in a domestic camp

Rhynie on Important Royal Route S to Forteviot & Strathearn

Of 32 sacred Pictish Class-I carved bull stones which ringed the great Pictish fortalice of Burghead— [pic above bottom rt.] six have been found. They are thought to have guarded the huge fortress-largest in Scotland-until thrown into the harbour. One is kept in British Museum; another in its hometown, near sacred Doorie fire altar [pic above, lower centre], a burning tar barrel used every January for Burning the Clavie-only Northern town remaining to celebrate this fire festival, according to ancient tradition. Sacred bull was anathema to Mithras. whose beloved sacred beast was the Boar!

Second in size to Burghead, Pictish fort on Tap o’Noth with Barflat village below was an important A.D. 7th/8thC connection to Aberdeen [harbor traffic] & royal Fyvie [Nechtan Derilea/Darley] en route S to central Royal Fortriu/Forteviot=Strathearn.

Rhynie villagers had no intention of allowing Roman eyes to glimpse their deep hoard. It was guarded well. Legionary atrocities performed on the Druids’ Holy Road 1stC B.C-A.D.1stC between East Anglian Norfolk Iceni territory NE to Pictish neighbors in Druidic Ynys Mons=Anglesey were legend – after all, Queen Boudicca & her family were Celtic neighbours.

So, learning from her example, Rhynie kept their secret close to their chests.

Rhynie Pictish village covered most of Barflat & its dominions stretched inland up to Wheedlemont RSC but the villagers were wise enough to hide their most treasured secret from the invaders. Rhynie chert deposit remains today a site of Special Scientific Interest [SSI] guarded by deep layers of turf & is not open for public display.

Yellowstone-Rhynie Connection aka PreCambrian Hotspring Earth

It may be difficult to imagine hotsprings in the middle of Rhynie, Aberdeenshire, when North winds blow or winter hailstones spatter the Village Green Market Square. But the secret stash of Rhynie gold tells a different tale: In preCambrian times—before Greenland & Eurasian continent Gondwanaland separated, huge volcanic outbursts thundered through the region, [pic top rt.]

No life forms existed in the earliest aeon/eon of preCambrian Earth—called Hadean, 4,500-4000million or 4.5billion years ago. It was a time of the ‘Big Splash’ or Theia Impact when the Moon was formed as a projectile from a collision with a giant Mars-size planet 4.5billion years ago.

The second aeon of the preCambrian—following the Hadean—was the Archaean aeon 3.5-3.7billion years ago, when crustal deposits began forming after volcanic & sedimentary rocks were impacted by increased oxygen in the atmosphere, creating iron-rich layers alternating with metamorphic greenstone & volcanic deposits. [pic above bottom l. Theia impact or “Big Splash” creating the Moon.

This is the famous aeon in which Rhynie chert—and Yellowstone “Y-sedimentary” boulders belong.

Third & last of three pre-Cambrian aeons is the oxygen-rich Proterozoic when the Columbian super- continent Nuna, formed 2.1–1.8 billion years ago and broke up about 1.3–1.2 billion years ago. Oxygen levels increased as creatures in ocean below began to reproduce, feeding into the atmosphere, with resulting oxidation of iron particles to form iron-rich rocks in boulder strata.

It was a time when Earth’s first land-based lifeforms—from bacteria to insects, to plants & creatures began 2appear [above far rt pix ocean plant life feed oxygen-nitrogen-CO2 atmosphere; 1st animals]

That’s when our beloved T-Rex, [above top l.], Tyrannosaurus Rex came into his own.

And the rest is history…<3

Midsummer Heralds Music Festivals in Both Global Hemispheres

With sounds of the British classic 5-day Glastonbury Midsummer Music Festival during solstice week still ringing in our ears, we leave sacred Glastonbury Tor in the Vale of Avalon with its mythic history of Arthur & Guinevere & Knights of the Round Table to another time & to a host of cleaners [& to grateful police officers who didn’t have2 respond to a single violent episode within the 210,000 crowd]—yeah thankU Brit public for showing the world how happy can be peaceful, too!

Glastonbury five-day music festival over summer solstice weekend last month—a precursor to U.S.July 4th fireworks-was a prime example of Brit understatement—or just a bunch of happy people partying together & enjoy a week of music in a sacred setting [Vale of Avalon, Somerset].

1000-acre site[size of 500football pitches] hadn’t asingle violent episode-happy police

As we bounce forward, as is our writerly wont from deep within our subterranean Creative Cave aka H.G.Wells’ 1895 Time Machine, [lower rt], July 2023 has resounding time-travel music festivals & performances on offer from many renowned ‘Sixties musicians us Oldies remember fondly.

From Creedence Clearwater Revival to The Band [John (Cameron)Fogerty b.May 28, 1945, below middle l. comes top of the list.

Now performing solo & by invitation since the breakup of CCR 1972, he heads the July line-up at Table Mtn Resort, Friant, CA. Inducted into 1993 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, he’s produced nine Top-10 singles & eight gold albums. He now performs solo and by invitation.

Singer/songwriter Fogerty above mid-l. play July 21, 2023 at the Table Mountain Casino, Friant, CA, nr Fresno. Think ‘Bad Moon Rising’, [photo top rt lunar eclipse from UAE/Persian Gulf May 6, 2023] ‘Proud Mary’, ‘Up on Cripple Creek’; the sounds in your head are still coming out of his mouth & his guitar ❤ !

…And a little Napa Vino to go…

Other name musicians scheduled this month include topliners & resident jazz musicians Robert Glasper with Dave Chappelle at the Napa Valley Blue Note Jazz Festival at the Silverado Resort from 10a.m. Fri July28-Sun July30 3 pm. Located within wine country, resort has de luxe accommodation, serves beer & spirits in addition to wine-tasting from on-site vineyards. Blues rendering described as extraordinary.

Rohnert Park in Sonoma hosts many music festivals all summer long from classical, thru art&craft & dance. It is therefore great to see Booker T. Jones, Chris Smither, Steve Poltz performing live there at the Green Music Center August 6th, 2023 7p.m.-10p.m. on Rohnert Park’s Mountain Stage.

In Other Muse/News…

Time & music wait for no man, woman or child, we are told; so an in-depth on Hawai’i’s “Ninth Island”— an unprecedented 370,000 Hawai’ians live in Las Vegas, contra 310,000 residents in Honolulu-will have to wait for another blog. Clark County Hawai’ians celebrated their Holo Holo Music Festival for the first time in the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center in spring & plan for an autumn concert there. Holo Holo features Hawai’ian music stars like Kapena-a native band playing traditional ukelele music & ‘slack key’ [open tuning] guitar. We’ll catch that one later this year.

Back2 the drawing board—or, rather, heads down the volcanic sinkhole into our writing cave for us scribbling-obsessives, devoted followers of our Muse; with an occasional glance upwards into that world of make-believe they call the ‘present day’.

And If they were to ask me which I prefer, I’d have to stick by my Oldie-but-goodie roots & say H.G.Wells, 1895 ‘Time Machine’ & ‘Star Trek IV: the Voyage Home’ have the best take on this Muse-related question.

LLAP Live long and prosper, as Mr Spock would say.

So next time you see something strange skim past the moon, or weird alien footprints in sand under the garden wheelbarrow, remember to thank the Universe for its continuing support—and surprises—and let’s keep on keeping on with this writing gift, cos it comes from that same blessed heart ❤ space. ©2023MarianCameronYoungblood

Easter Week Chocolate Honey-Bunnies Recall Ancient Traditions, Excite Children to Search for Hidden Gems

EASTER WEEK CHOCOLATE HONEY-BUNNIES RECALL ANCIENT TRADITIONS, EXCITE CHILDREN TO SEARCH FOR HIDDEN GEMS

First Wednesday MUSE-Induced Shoutout/Connection to All Creative Writer/Scribblers [Insecure or otherwise] to Exit Your Cave and Say Happy Easter Bunnytime

Hidden in Antique Easter Eggs, Concealed as Marshmallow Egg-Hunts in Grass & Shrubbery, Ancient Rites Tempt Next Generation to Learn About their Past; Prepare them for a Future feeling more included/involved in their own Destiny

Many cultures celebrate this time of year—R.C./Christian biblical “Holy Week” between last weekend-Palm Sunday-and Easter (next) weekend. Ukrainians create amazing Easter eggs, top pic above; and Russian jeweler Gustav Fabergé in St. Petersburg, Russia, manufactured his bejeweled masterpieces, top lower left, in 1842.

Palm Sunday marks Jesus of Nazareth’s entry into Jerusalem celebrated by people laying coconut palm fronds ahead on his path, out of respect for his teachings and sacred lifestyle.

In Biblical context a lot happened this week after Palm Sunday—including Herod’s ordering his death by crucifixion with his interment-Good Friday-and his disciples’ revelation on discovering his empty tomb after three days & nights-Easter weekend—Good Friday through Easter Monday. Jewish Passover also marks Christ’s Jewish roots & the passing of Angels over his grave.

Orthodox Christian church aka Constantinople, Turkey and Crimea celebrate Easter one week later.

Interestingly, the Christian cross (upright) is used almost universally now as a talisman or as jewelry by believers & non-Xtians alike.

The St. Andrew’s cross, left, (crucifixion sideways, festival November 30th) is 2023 years later still used as emblem of the Scots, whose flag is blue with white cross overlay. Saints Peter & Paul share a June 29th festival; Peter requesting to be crucified upside down, but Paul, as a Roman citizen, could not have a similar request granted and was beheaded.

While dedicated Christians were observing Lent over the last month, (immediately after Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Carnival, 2/21/23) it is used as a time of fasting, and dedication to others.

Muslims (Saudi Arabia, Middle-East, UAR, Dubai & Persian Gulf) have celebrated a month of prayer, with gift-giving, generosity, and care for others during their annual fast of Ramadan, March 23-April 21, 2023. Breaking that fast on Eid-al-Fitr, April 21/22 is also beginning of the next new moon cycle.

April’s Full Pink (Paschal) Moon occurs tonight, April 5th, 2023-or 12:37a.m. EST (New York) tomorrow, to be precise. Its other cultural names are Frog Moon, Breaking Ice Moon, Sugar Maker Moon and the Broken Snowshoe Moon, according to various native cultures in continental U.S.A. Its derivation “Pink” is from ‘moss pink’ flower of ground phlox. Ice refs are self-explanatory.

After heavy snowfall February/March in the Rockies, & High Sierra, inland states felt the chill in unusual locations like Las Vegas, NV, Arizona and inland and coastal California.

Traffic snarls common in Alaska happened in multiple highway collisions in Los Angeles, San Francisco and northern New Mexico. Flooding from snowmelt is still being cleared.

While Mississippi, Arkansas & Georgia are among 11 states suffering multiple disasters-with whole towns wiped out by tornado, top l. pix- unseasonal ice-storms have also hit Louisiana, Texas and Nevada.

Spring can often bring the first California forest fires. Not this year. Coastal, peninsular & inland California, normally free from extreme weather, has suffered a lot of damage. Power outages, freezing storms, snow and ice followed by sudden melt and subsequent flooding have dogged the Golden State since January.

Where snowmelt areas have been blessed with a river close by, like here on Hwy 299 Trinity Co. between Redding and the coast, floodwaters have been quickly channeled downstream. Earth movement here at Southfork, Trinity River, collapsed overhanging cliffs causing havoc on the Highway below. County road clearance vehicles have had a tough time maintaining a single traffic lane to the coast.

El Niño-Combination-La Niña Dumfounds Pacific Meteorologists Trying to Explain Heavy Rains

Much of the extreme weather in coastal California and parts of Oregon and Washington has been caused by a series of extreme La Niña high-alternating-low pressure systems formed in the sub-equatorial region of the Pacific South of the Hawai’ian Island Chain. Normally a winter onslaught of this kind is benign, flits through and releases winter rain to coastal U.S. and is replaced by balmy weather in spring as the Trade winds return to caress the islands. Trades bring super surfing weather, not dangerously high swells.

This year has been different.

A combination of La Niña and El Niño interchange, constant since late December, has confused expert weather forecasters and senior meteorologists at National Weather Service and Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. Trade winds—starting usually around spring equinox—have been late and erratic.

La Niña is a natural temporary cooling of parts of the Pacific Ocean that affects weather worldwide. This year’s La Niña is over, but has dampened global average temperatures from breaking records, while El Niño inevitably turbocharges temperatures into setting record highs.

El Niño years are typically those with above-average number of tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific. The record year was 2015. “That was a strong El Niño year,” says Genki Kino, meteorologist for the National Weather Service & Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. “That year there were 16 tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific, but none of them impacted land.”

Hurricane season is June through November in Hawai’i—just as in the Bahamas it’s end-June thru September.

“June—too soon.

“July—Stand by.

August—Come it must,

September—Remember,

October—All over.” Bahamian hurricane rhyme

According to Kino, El Niño winters are different from El Niño summers, with winters typically drier in the islands, and lighter winds but larger surf. La Niña years are usually windier, rainier and with smaller surf. But when the low pressure systems hit the continental U.S., they have basically the opposite effect on New England than they have on Hawai’i.

La Niñas bringing heavier droughts and wildfires to the Western U.S. are usually more damaging and expensive than El Niños.

“That’s the weirdest thing,” says Kino. ” El Niño years are normally the ones the Western U.S. gets big snowfall and all the storms. But they’ve been getting that this year. It doesn’t really match any of our climate signals-that they should be getting record snow-pack in a La Niña winter.

Usually the American Midwestern corn belt is more damaged by La Niña than El Niño. But if it plays through, this year could have a beneficial effect on farmers in continental U.S., if not European agriculture as well.

The weather anomaly—a constant stream of strong low-pressure systems, felt as far as the Greenland ice pack, has even swooped on Scotland’s Northern Isles, where Aberdeen-Shetland run by North Sea Ferries, rt. has been battered by unprecedented storms and high seas creating excitement aboard a normally uneventful quiet voyage.

Nature has certainly got the upper hand.

Pacific Traditions Share Ancestral Knowledge, Handing Down Ancient Stories to Next Generations

Some islands in the Pacific share similar legends like the one about goddess Hina, her son Maui and several of her daughters- Hina Ke Ahi, Hina Ke Kai, Hina Mahuia, and Hina Kuluua. Each name marks a peculiar “mana” or divine gift which Hina, the mother, bestowed upon her daughters. Her eldest daughter, Hina Ke Ahi was goddess of the home fires and like all Hina goddesses, she had power over procreation, so she was thought of as the procreative fire—or spark of life. Maui gives his name to the island.

The Hawai’ian version of the story begins with a famine—with the drying up of springs and watercourses.

A sickness spread among the people and their crops until too few were able to cultivate the land or go fishing. Hina Ke Ahi saw and heard their anguished prayers & was saddened. She called all people able to walk and commanded them to build a large imu—underground oven—on a volcanic slope of Halai Hill, part of Mauna Kea above Hilo on the Wai’au stream beside Rainbow Falls.

Ghosts of the Hilo Hills

Goddess Hina’s home was in a cave behind Rainbow Falls on the Halai Hill. She gave the hill Halai to Hina Ke Ahi and the hill Puu Honu to Hina Kuluua (goddess of water, seas & rain) for their families and dependents.

Hina’s daughters enjoyed abundance and had rich pastures for their children. But at last the days were like fire and the sky had no rain in it.

Taro planted on the hillsides died; bananas and sugar cane and sweet potatoes withered and the fruit on the trees was blasted. The people were faint from hunger, and the shadow of death was over the land.

Hina Ke Ahi pitied her suffering friends, determined to provide food for them; so commanded them & her people labored at her command.

They went to the banks of the river Wai’au-bed of an ancient lava stream, over which no water was flowing; the famished laborers toiled, gathering and carrying back whatever wood they could find. They climbed the mountain side to great koa and ohia forests, gathering burdens of fuel according to the wishes of their chiefess.

Their sorcerers planted charms along the way, uttering incantations to ward off danger of failure. Priests offered sacrifices and prayers for safe return of the burden-bearers. After many days a great quantity of wood ordered by the goddess was piled up on the side of Halai Hill.

They started digging out the hill and making a great imu cooking oven and preparing it with stones and wood. Large quantities of wood were thrown into it. Stones chosen for retaining heat were gathered and the fires were kindled.

When the stones were hot, Hina Ke Ahi directed the people to arrange the imu in proper order for cooking ingredients for a great feast—a place made for sweet potatoes, another for taro, one for pigs, pic.2 boar below, and another for dogs. Ritual of preparing food for cooking was carried out, but no real food was laid on the stones.

Then the goddess told them to make a place in the imu for a human sacrifice.

Human sacrifices were frequently offered by Hawai’ians even after the days of Captain Cook, pic.l.Brit. Colonial influence in Hawai’ian flag, c.f. pic 4. state flag w/Kahili and canoe oars. A dead body was supposed to be acceptable to the gods when a chief’s house was built, when a chief’s new canoe was to be made or when temple walls were to be erected or victories celebrated.

In quiet despair the workers obeyed Hina Ke Ahi and prepared for sacrifice, not knowing if it might be one of them.

“O my people. Where are you? Will you obey and do as I command? This imu is my imu. I shall lie down on its bed of burning stones. I shall sleep under its cover. But deeply cover me or I may perish. Quickly throw the dirt over my body. Fear not the fire. Watch for three days. A woman will stand by the imu. Obey her will.”

Hina Ke Ahi was very beautiful, but she was also very kind. Her eyes flashed light like fire as she stepped into the great pit and lay down on the burning coals. A great smoke arose and gathered over the imu. The men toiled rapidly, placing mats of straw over their chiefess and throwing dirt back into the oven until it was thoroughly covered and smoke quenched.

Then they waited for the strange, mysterious thing which must follow—the sacrifice of their divine chiefess.

Halai hill trembled and earthquakes shook the land. The great heat in the fire of the imu withered what little life was still left from the famine.

Meanwhile Hina Ke Ahi was carrying out her plan for securing aid for her people. She could not be injured by the heat as she was goddess of fire. Waves of heat raged around her as she sank down through the stones into subterranean paths of the spirit world.

Legend says she first made her appearance in the form of a gushing stream which would always supply the need of her adherents.

The second day passed. Hina Ke Ahi was still journeying underground, but by now she came to the surface as a pool named Moe Waa (canoe sleep) much nearer the sea. The third day came and she caused a great spring of sweet water to burst forth from the sea shore in the very path of the ocean surf. This was named Auauwai.

Here she washed away all traces of her journey through the deep earth. It brought the last of a series of earthquakes and the appearance of new water springs. The people waited, feeling some more wonderful event must follow these remarkable three days.

Soon a woman stood by the imu, commanding the laborers to dig away the dirt and remove the mats. When this was done, the hungry people found a very great abundance of food, enough to supply their want until the food plants should have time to ripen in the fields, and the days of the famine should be over.

The joy of the people was great when they knew that their chiefess had escaped death and would still dwell among them in comfort. Many were the songs sung and stories told about the great famine and the success of the goddess of fire.

Emerging From Our Ancestral Cave to Greet a New Spring

So, Writers/Creative authors out there—wasn’t it worth it? You too [Insecure] Writers? As dwellers in our own secret writer’s caves, isn’t it inspiring to learn about other secret caves in our ancient past? There’s more to come.

As part of our usual First Wednesday blog for writers [Insecure or otherwise], we take this timeout to celebrate the forthcoming Merrie Monarch Festival—a week-long celebration of events in April featuring an internationally acclaimed hula dance competition, an invitational Hawai’ian arts fair, hula shows, and a grand parade through Hilo town.

The Merrie Monarch himself, pictured above Hula dancers, last pic; stands opposite the entrance to popular Richardson’s beach of golden sands, turtles & gentle surf on Hilo’s Bayshore Drive.

Hawai’ians celebrate their famed Merrie Monarch Festival week of April 19-26 in downtown Hilo, HI. This great hula-dance festival includes ancient tradition coupled with up-to-date dance and costume competitions which will spill into the streets of the little town. Unlike big-city Honolulu on Oahu island, Hilo on Big Island maintains a comfortable size with access to golden sand beaches as well as volcanic outcrops where turtles hide & visitors stab their feet on lava in attempts to follow. But it’s basically a kindly friendly little town -and the above Legend relates solely to her.

Such a legend! Townspeople are proud of their roots, visitor-friendly and known for their gentle hospitality. Aloha! Enjoy! ©2023MarianCYoungblood

U.S. Groundhog Day, pre-Celtic Candlemas Focus on International Rewilding/Reuse of Old Farmland w/Solar Assist

U.S. GROUNDHOG DAY, PRE-CELTIC CANDLEMAS FOCUS ON INTERNATIONAL REWILDING/REUSE OF OLD FARMLAND w/SOLAR ASSIST

First Wednesday Creative (& Insecure) Writing Celebration of Indo-Euro-Brit Support for Rewilding Old Spaces w/Solar Panel Technology

Getting Carried Away by their own Animal Festivities

Americans do seem to take Groundhog Day a little too literally sometimes—Pres. Biden’s staff getting rather more worked up about holding the poor animal (ground squirrel/marmot) on high for the cameras this year, rather than low for the (poor beast’s fodder) grass & wood-fiber—beaver cousin pictured below top left). And it is the magical creature’s flat-tailed beaver cousin, that Europeans (bar a few Scots purists) think will save the Day—or at least some of our blessed days in the immediate future of the planet and for all of us grateful inhabitants—if we’re spared!

In U.S.A., February 2nd is usually reserved as a fixed date for the miracle animal’s so-called peep out of his underground hideaway—very similar to us obscure writers, hidden away in our Muse-bower or whatever serves to give us undisturbed solitude with our keyboard—before he theoretically pronounces the weather forecast for the coming month [traditional six week gap]. This year’s Candlemas-Beaver-Groundhog Day got a little complicated by Chinese New Year’s being celebrated early with the beloved #Wabbit—aka Hare—coinciding with the last week in January 2023—so they can celebrate a candle-on-water floating ceremony; but the end results appear to come together as February—ancient Candlemas—begins.

Candlemas, as we learn repeatedly from our ancestors, is traditional Feast Day of Bride; Bridei; old British Brigantia; Forest Maiden & Earth Mother—identifying with Ancient Egyptian ISIS [‘Eset’], above far rt., Egyptian Queen of Heaven & Mother of the World. As Patron of all women, she has in recent years (with feminism rising) become world icon for International Women’s Day. It’s crazy in the Shetland Isles as they, too, are celebrating Up-Hellya amid gale-force winds!

It’s Brazil & S.American Carnival time also—traditionally an end to winter with street parades taking over every town.

Chinese New Year tradition—in nations like S.Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, mainland China, Burma & Philippines include a prayer-float from shore towards the open ocean, pictured left.

Hawai’i, particularly in winter months, is dominated by an increase in numbers on the southern route of migrating Whales—most vivid & entrancing, the Humpback whales, who often give birth in these tropical waters before returning to their northern grounds in the Salish Sea(B.C.) to overwinter.

Mid-Pacific technology appears already to be able to outstrip Western thinking—perhaps increased hours of sunlight have something to do with it—a Hawai’ian farming project, given Local Government funding & support, are offering farmland acreage on Oahu, HI, complete with installed solar panel-covered roofs—like glasshouses w/built-in sun—so their solar panel technology will be used to maximum, gathering rays while simultaneously covering useful greenhouses.

British Weather Used to Max for Windpower

As a Scots ex-Pat—grateful for no longer having to endure the rigours of the wintry North Coast [Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Moray Firth], I’m proud to see, not only restoration of my personal tree glade outside my walled garden, pic top rt. but the continued appreciation of the stand of hazel, wild & domestic cherry (gean; morello; pear & alder, bottom 2nd l.) to supplement plum, birch & previous century’s copper beech. Foregound Redwood [Sequoiadendron Giganteum] planted to celebrate the birth of my son there adjacent to/obscuring the two-century-old Douglas Fir [Pseudotsuga Menziesii; gifted by David Douglas as a seedling to the then Minister in residence in 1827 at the Old Manse who was designate Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Edinburgh, at that time. Scots pine aka Caledonian Pine abound.

It is also truly amazing—and fairly Scots in nature—to know that the little kirk below the Manse in the farmland of the Kirkton continues to celebrate a Sunday service once every two weeks!

Nevertheless, weather & human nature being relatively constant—although increasingly wild conditions appear to be taking hold, the winds of the North are being harnessed—following a lead by radical innovator Burnett of Williamston family, led by daughter ‘boss’, with their Culsalmond/Colpy windfarm. Now wind & wave harnessing is occurring through the Glens of Foudland as far as Maggieknockater in the Buchan peninsula to electric generator power centers in the Black Isle, Cromarty; reaching into Sinclair territory in the Far North.

Bejeweled Whale-centred Dreamcatcher holds all bad nightmares at bay

Easter Island Facial Traits Show Influence on Other Pacific Island Residents

Many Europeans may not notice, but there is a noted characteristic in Hawai’ian, and other mid-Pacific island residents like French Frigate Shoals, Guam, resulting in a less-circular “Caucasian” round-headed appearance, and more flat-backed, almost sheared-off shape for which Easter Island’s gods, below—and presumably their ancient resident population—were known. It is remarkable that the Hawai’ian Royal House, headed by King Kamakameha whose statue stands in downtown Hilo, HI overlooking Lilli’ewa Bay, (bottom rt.) took pride in this trait.

Last of the Royal Hawai’ian line, Queen Lilliuokalani, died last week, aged 90. Her hand-sculpted coffin made of local koa wood is currently lying in state in the Royal Palace, Honolulu. She was the daughter of Queen Lydia Kamakameha (1838-1917) who was the ultimate sovereign of the Islands and who lived during the annexation of Hawai’i by the United States in 1898.

Hawai’ians are not only proud of their facial characteristics and unique Pacific heritage, but on special occasions—during hula dance festivals or fire & light ceremonies, they dress with leis (orchid garlands w/mix of tropical blossoms-frangipani, plumeria, hibiscus-in their hair) usually tied in a “topknot”, shown above left. Easter Island topknots were a feature of all the gods aligned on the island’s shore. They were carefully chosen from local volcanic rock, sculpted into the topknot shape.

Many are now lost.

Hawai’ians are not only expert hula dance performers—using hip movement which Europeans take years to learn. But their body shape—maybe considered large to Britiish eyes—in particular with current mountain-climbing madness gripping a (mostly male) muscle-bound population.

Body movement, however, reveals a supple quality within waist & hip gyration that Caucasians are hard-pressed to emulate. It takes years to learn.

Access 2 balmy ocean temperatures have a lot to offer, & many Hawai’ians bathe once or twice daily in local pool. Pictured here rt. within a literal stone’s throw of downtown Hilo, is fave Lilli’ewa Bay. Its easy shallow sandy beach makes it popular not just with locals, but w/Oldies visiting who may have found volcanic black rocks difficult to negotiate elsewhere!

It’s also the single most sought-after go-to pool for that Pacific anomalous practice of Doolah-tending: South Seas (Bali, initially) assist within water to help young mothers prepare for giving birth.

Hawai’ian Paradise Wins Hands Down, Despite Weather Woes

Bottom Line:when all else is said, locals may complain about the weather; Californians about drought alternating with hurricane disruption; New Zealander Kiwis about people raiding their carefully-guarded environmentally-protected reefs, but it’s relative.

Pele—Hawai’ian goddess of fire & ice—continues to reside atop the Mauna, pic above l, holding the world’s largest telescope array [extra-large telescope, ELT] in her sacred grasp, while anchoring her watery toes 29,000ft into the Pacific Ocean’s deepest trench below. She is revered from ocean fringe to Mariana Trench; from coastal California—earthquake roadblock above top rt.—to Bali, Indonesia, Fiji and beyond. Like the Phoenix, ISIS, Egyptian Queen of Heaven, pic top far rt. she may fade but will never die. Even the world telescope symposium atop her sunset summit, above l., keeps touch with local Hawai’ian ‘guardians’ adhering to their policy of no unnecessary disturbance/development at her summit.

It is sacred ground, after all.

Meanwhile, despite record dry rock-bottom water supply (not) in drought-ridden No.Cal (pic 3 above rt.), organic rewilders and other gardening/planting enthusiasts continue to allow the ground around the sacred mountain and its new farmland project in Oahu to prosper—as it will even more when planned solar-panel-roofed greenhouses are erected.

And what about the workers?!

Yes:we writers, IWSGers, NaNoWriMo-ers, Muse-driven regular bloggers, insecure or otherwise, are fortunate to have such a neighborly friendly heritage right on our doorstep. Whether we’re groundhog fans or not, whether we’re just monthly First Wednesday bloggers with a leaf of fresh mint or homegrown lettuce to chew on [lucky us]; let’s agree we are a fortunate lot.

Some people never get past the comic section in their local newspaper—confusingly, Hawai’i’s own is Bahamian (Herald-Tribune) in reverse:Tribune-Herald! See what happens when you let the fritillary (above bottom rt.) out of the chrysalis!

And meantime in authentic Hawai’ian lingo, may I again wish all Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year. Keep on writing!

©2023 Marian C. Youngblood

Social Media Meets its Match—Hackers with Pretend Money Worming Their Way into People’s Hearts

With great sadness I preface this blog with news that Her Majesty the Queen, 96, has died at Balmoral Castle on the Royal Estate, Aberdeenshire. We send sincere condolences and support/love to the Royal Family.

Not certain if as a Brit ex-pat, currently living mid-Pacific, I should announce her death as a post- or ante-script to IWSG & First Wednesday, but a series of unprecedented events this week led me to miss this month’s deadline by 2 days {GMT-1 day PDT}.

My Angelic choir clearly approved/sent spiritual help support my request 2recover from mental & physical violation. Not only did Source aka the Universe send power outage-cum-rainstorm couple hours Weds. evening, but my computah wouldn’t load the blog. Death announcement arrives as the date/midnight changes to zero-day+1 Hence delay, date confusion—didn’t backdate to correct-so here goes Writing Addicts Pic rt. © NewYorker Monarch sits on 11thC Stone of Destiny.

SOCIAL MEDIA MEETS ITS MATCH—HACKERS WITH PRETEND MONEY WORMING THEIR WAY INTO PEOPLE’S HEARTS

FIRST WEDNESDAY BLOG—TIME FOR CREATIVE WRITERS, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS—INSECURE OR OTHERWISE—TO RISE OUT OF OUR DUSTY WRITING CAVERN INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY TO CHRONICLE/COMMENT ON HUMANITY’S SEPTEMBER FOLLIES—BEFORE THE FALL

Hack-Attack: new fearsome enemy on the home front that nobody thought would last

Human memory bank-especially in a child’s 1st, happy, protected, familiar territory with beloved toys, dollies, baby names-rulez!

"I'm gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own / A doll that other fellas cannot steal / And then those flirty flirty guys / With their flirty flirty eyes / Will have to flirt with dollies that are real" John Mayer

As the Old World [double-entendre] gets demolished around us to make way for the New—below left Cahuenga cut-off where SoCA’s Hollywood “superhighway” (no longer exists) used to link northern end of San Fernando Valley Hwy with downtown Los Angeles Civic Center. Demolished too are downtown Alhambra district Japan and Chinatown, with loss of beloved restaurants like The Far East Café. Korean food trucks replace.

As fuel prices soar, superhighways aren’t getting the traffic. Windfarms and environmentalists rulez.

A ‘stay-at-home work-from-home’ preference shown by majority of employees during our enforced two-year isolation period—using video meetings instead—has begun to rub off on businesses around the globe, with outdoor walks, recreational gardening and a work-at-home-ethic becoming the norm. Remarkably, Saudi desert’s THE LINE, recreational ‘outdoor living’—a feature of old hippie times—is likely to catch on with the new wave—nouvelle vague—of iGen/Generation-Z of youngsters finding joy, pleasure and fulfillment in simple pursuits.

This shorthand version of ‘happiness’ is the wavelength accomplished hackers beam in on. But it’s the oldies—but goodies with a kindly trusting heart—who get spammed.

Decline… and Fall—Call Center Consciousness

There are many spaces between Earth and Heaven and in between are The Doors

misquote Wm.B.Yeats by Jim Morrison & The Doors

In the ‘Fifties when Baby Boomers were ‘in’, English-speaking nations commissioned call centers in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Pakistan using [cough] “English-speaking” local labour at a fraction of cost of a similar outfit at home in the West. They died pre-internet revolution, with onset of mobile phones, but seem to have raised their head again in this latest phone-related scandal.

In the ‘Sixties and ‘Seventies, nobody gave a thought to such strange remote telephone exchanges. An antiquated (but cheap) method of communication did survive the noughties’ boom. But now, surprise surprise, not only is the hacking empire privy to your personal information, but it has resuscitated the old call-center theme—this time in Nigeria, South Africa and Midlands England.

To a veteran ex-pat Brit with octogenarian comfort zone, a Manchester accent even in text—dahling—is a whole lot less intimidating than a voice on the line in broken accent telling you to hang up already.

The little lady from Manchester—so short of breath you can hear her gasping between texts—but so inner circle—in the know about it all—she has time and patience to chat (text)with an oldie—usually a safe bet as we Booomers & beyond less likely to baulk at bottom line when the money chat comes up.

iGens & Millennials are decidedly wary creatures; have little time for subjects that need a long-winded explanation. Often the shortest answer—no—can take Boomers and vintage grannies a very long time to unearth from their verbal repertoire. So they/we say yes instead and then wonder why our friendly social media accounts no longer belong to us.

Cleverly, the technique works in the hackers’ favour: soc.med. sites like Pinterest and Facebook aren’t equipped to handle breakdown. Restoring isn’t an option, either—your site no longer belongs to you. One has to start all over at the beginning; ask to join Insta, send a new photo—the newbie approach.

Meantime—every day since—my poor iPhone jumps and splutters, beeps and cajoles me from mine- no-longer Insta account telling me fifty-two messages from the hacker to all of my followers. Some of my followers still think it’s me. And until I have the strength to initiate a new account, I’m unable to correct that. Thankfully some (young, bright minds) figured it out & challenged the chat-monkey.

Monsieur Musk Plunges into Twitterdom

Most brilliant of all events, however, unfolding in this cyber-saga of crazies, and because I managed to (sortof) get my Twitter page up and running again, albeit with no files or explanation to friends: I asked Elon Musk to look into security risk and hacking potential of his new acquisition.

True to his image as Humanity’s Saviour, not only did the dear billionaire listen, actually read my text, give it some thought, respond! and follow up but my stats on that day hit the ceiling. Bless you M.Musk

Warning to oldies who get targeted: at first it feels friendly, ‘why not help her? I’m old, what harm can it do?’ Loads. Don’t mean losing friends. I mean losing one’s mind. Constant texting-even when I didn’t reply- sent me to cloud cuckoo-land. More below.

I believe in Musk. I believe he will actually make the change which wraps all this garbage up into a spaceball and flings it into orbit to join all the other spacejunk circling ever circling out there till it falls…

In 40% of hacking cases, the target is older, newcomer-friendly, artistic, feels socially responsible to help humanity and therefore, almost invariably will respond to the long-reaching arm of a complete stranger asking intimate personal questions with a view to “helping out”.

Generation Gap Plus Factor—More Oldie+Goodie Vibe

The older the target, the greater likelihood of receiving off-the-wall personal questions amicably. This sole fact of difference in age producing a different response on a thorny subject has been a miracle catalyst in the whole “false-coin” issue. Hackers already know who the best targets are: they’ve usually well beyond middle years. They’ve had their life. It’s okay to help another out, especially if they’re only just past the starting gate.

One pill makes you larger / And one pill makes you small / And the ones that Mother gave you / Don’t do anything at all
Go ask Alice when she’s ten feet tall

And if you go chasing [White] Rabbits / And you know you’re gpin’ to fall ——— Tell them a hookah-smokin’ caterpillar / Has given you the call

When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead / And the White Knight is talking backwards / And the Red Queen’s lost her head / Remember what the dormouse said:

Feed your head / Feed your head

courtesy Gracie Slick 1967 & Jefferson Airplane/Starship White Rabbit

‘Advice from a Caterpillar’ from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll illustration by Arthur Rackham d. Sept. 6th 1867-1939 (71) via his dau. Mrs B. Edwards

‘Sixties: Biggest, Most, Best, Weirdest—all the Superlatives

Sample text (below right) received by new Insta ‘followers’, with emphasis on revealing your own pet project, so that #superfriendly lady hacker from Birmingham or Wolverhampton can encourage a ‘sale’

If you were assured a sum of 50 thousand [take your pick, Euro, Yen, Roubles], how would you spend the money?

• New car
• New house
• Cruise liner vacation abroad
• Help relatives
• None of the above

I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve immortality by not dying

Woody Allen

Music holds the space as underlying influence in all 20thC generations. The earlier the group, the more likely are they to be controlled by addiction of choice. Twenties and Thirties: booze, including illegal venues. Forties: war-restricted, but booze and cigarettes. Fifties & early ‘Sixties: heroin, cocaine, opium. Late ‘Sixties: everything including hard drugs, heroin, cocaine, synthetic and natural coca, ayahuasca, methamphetamine, opiate morphine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) & recreational ganja.

Closing the StarGate: Full Harvest Moon ends Twin Flame Month

So what do the ‘Sixties and 21stC 2022 Full Harvest Moon post-8/8-Lionsgate Twin-Flame month have in common?

For several generations of moviegoers/big screen watchers, film production invariably features as a growing-up medium. Less so is the attitude of Millennials, 16-year old Gen-Zs and 20-year old iGens to anything that smacks of Media, television news, man-made hype. They are, as a rule, only interested in one person aka self.

This generational trait surfaces in art, film, media presence, social interaction, text and creative identity.

Google the first of the bigtime internet-friendly outfits has warned Google Chrome users of the security risk posed by “friendly” hackers.

Twitter, as we’ve seen above, is responding to the threat with appropriate action.

Writing All the Way to the End

For us (Insecure) Creative types, writing fills the gap between empty memory Muse-infused hippie cabin in Redwood country and 21st Century internet wobble from a system of bots who will control our cyber-future.

Stargates are familiar. We’ve all been here before. As all the best ‘Fifties & ‘Sixties beat generation know, Reggae and Boyband Dance Moves are just playful repeats of an age-old message. This one’s REALLY the last time round, this time. Maya gate-keepers confirm.

p.s. Rainstorms over Pacific and gates of Balmoral; yet HM managed to hold an audience with new Tory PM Liz Truss to form a goverment, before she died Weds/early Thurs—like her daddy Geo.VI— in her sleep. Royal Family members William, Charlotte & George had flown north from Norfolk to Ballater and Balmoral on Monday, to be by her side as she rested on advice of doctors. She asked Tory appointee Liz Truss in her official capacity as Monarch to form a government Tuesday. Died peacefully in early hours of Wednesday a.m.

Ticking all the boxes, Your Majesty. Stay cool, Ma’am. We love you.

Like Her Majesty, tapping her riding crop with an impatient dig at the Almighty B4 the Pearly Gates: Open the Door brother: Immortality here we come.

Or words to that effect. Writers write. Bloggers blog. Gardeners plant gardens and the rest is in the hands of Fate. Go ask Alice. She knowz. ©2022 Marian C. Youngblood

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Ancient Calendar More Accurate Than Ever—Harvest Lammastide—When Nature and Heavens Sparkle & Entice

ANCIENT CALENDAR MORE ACCURATE THAN EVER—BACK-TO-THE-LAND ETHOS—MOTHER EARTH GUIDES US HOOMAN (Insecure) WRITERS, ARTIST-CREATORS, MUSICIANS, COPS, HOSPITAL & CONSTRUCTION WORKERS & esp. FARMERS

FIRST WEDNESDAY BLOGMOBILE ROLLCALL from COSMOS for WRITERS to EXIT LAVATUBE HIDEAWAY & GREET ANCIENT LUGHNASADH/LAMMAS & HER PERSEID METEOR SHOWER SHOOTING STAR PARADE

SIRIUS Summer Dog Days Predict H₂O, PERSEID & η-AQUARID Meteors💥

There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more

George Gordon of Gight, Lord Byron, died 1824 aged 36

Castle of Gight-on-Ythan original separate Gordon stronghold, part of adjoining Haddo Estate holds festive children events with blessing of Lord & Lady Haddo

August has traditionally had pride of place in European culture. Normally frozen like Juneau, AK at same latitude 58ºN, this year northerners join Mediterranean nations basking in unaccustomed warmth of Gulf Stream marvels carried relentlessly from Florida and Bermuda to reach beyond Iceland, Faroes, the Baltic, to Archangel & Nordkapp.

Sunspots Kindle Britain/Europe’s Hottest-Ever Temperatures, Pacific El Niño

An unusually large CME—coronal mass ejection—caused when a large sunspot curves round to face Earth during solar maximum—featured first week August in Washington State’s far NorthWest territory bordering Canadian Vancouver Island’s whale migration route—folk memory or consciousness trigger?

Mud Lake, WA rt., unusual Aurora latitude 47ºN—same as St.Michael’s Glastonbury tor, Newport, Bath, Somerset, Glamorgan & Roman market town Caer Gwent Chepstow, S.Wales—all with music festival Severn-estuary-related connection2 subterranean faultline hotsprings in Somerset & Brittany—seemed to send a signal last week from the Heavens—Aurora Borealis usually a feature of winter skies—to festival party-goers excited to return to mask-free music in Britain, Berlin, Monte Carlo, Miami, Santa Cruz, Mendocino, Monterrey, London’s SouthBank Centre and NYC’s Central Park.

Stormy Times Call4 Stormy Measures—Can WiFi Forestry Replace Corn Dolly-Clyack Sheaf

All along Scotland’s North Coast—Aberdeenshire, Moray Firth, former Banffshire, traditional inshore fishing boats like this oak vessel in Gamrie Bay plied waters from Peterhead to Elgin, Black Isle, Highland Fault-Glenfeshie-Caledonian Canal ©G.Robertson

From birth in the Ocean on ancient Pictish Burghead Fortress’s North Shore beach, STORM is daughter of a long tradition of Clavie-burning crew of Fire Festival-every-Quarter men & youths who shoulder a burning barrel of tar, below rt. around the coast town dispensing gifts of charred oak to residents, then hoist it to Doorie fire altar on fort’s highest rock to smoulder and burn, saving one ember for next time.

STORM, the gigantic puppet robot doll made entirely of environmental waste, is THIS WEEK gracing Edinburgh’s groovy Festival Fringe with her unique presence. Joint Creators Trees for Life, Glenfeshie, Invernessshire original Findhorn Foundation spin-off guru Alan Watson-Featherstone’s 30-yr forest, and Vision Mechanics Storm’s creators, are together spreading the word on #NewAgeConsciousness & tree-planting

Sunspot Triggers Summer Aurora & Pacific Tropical Storm Stevo

Across the pond, Hawai’ians pride themselves—nay boast—of another goddess: higher-than-Everest 29,000ft Mauna Loa (calculated to snow-covered peak from deep ocean floor). She’s a hurricane-buster, famed for side-swiping every ocean impediment that comes her way—Pele-speak for local goddess’s near-miraculous ability to redirect storms north and rain south away from her unique mountain home. Goddess Pele conspires with brother El Niño & volcanic sisters worldwide to spew lava when and wherever possible over machine/mechanical devices to make us (hoomans) wake up!

Ten years ago I was able to post an El Niño video without hassle—they want premium content now 😦

Check out how Pele’s volcanic brethren either side of the Equator are holding our oceans steady in August 2022 on run-up to 8/8 Lionsgate. CMEs turn on a switch. Voilà volcanic mayhem worldwide as Stromboli, Vesuvius, Etna, Sangay Ecuador & Kyushu’s Sakurajima react to Lammas sunspot activity. Twin-sis Mauna Kea spouts from her lava tube in Hawai’i Volcanoes NPS temporarily CLOSED, hoping sunspots & Perseid meteors will slow later in month for reopening. Meantime Big Island virtual pix…

Perseid meteors sparkle to Earth from their vortex in Algol’s binary eye of Medusa clutched in heroic hands as Perseus rescues Andromeda from Cetus, the Whale, below rt. Sirius Canis major rises East to bring breathless Dog Days, the Nile bursting its banks to flood Luxor during hot rainless dry nights.

Appropriately, Guatemalan Elders have known for decades that human ascension predicted by their ancestors has already begun. Daykeeper Hunbatz Men, modern Elder of the Guatemalan Maya, foresees no apocalypse, but encourages deep meditation and generosity to trigger joy & gratitude in a thankless world. Similarly, Islam uses prayer and gift-giving as a discipline.

Signs of the [End] Times or Birth of a New Age?
Judaic scripture [Revelation uses sacred numerology and dramatic descriptions of the Rapture and Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—war, pestilence, famine and death to symbolize the End of Days.

Arab sacred texts repeat the need for constant prayer by the devoted in order to be saved. The Maya believe that sharing their higher understanding handed down by their elders from the time of their Ancestors will save the human race from itself. Maya wisdom says the New Age began four years ago.

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Ailkey Brae, above bottom left, is classic example of 5,000 years squeezed into Lammas week: Aikey Horse Fair, held as recently as 1980s on the harvest stance below Aikey Brae Recumbent Stone Circle [RSC] twins with Culsalmond, at entrance to Glens of Foudland—also RSC territory—where on St.Serf’s day in July, tradition held St. Sair’s Fair on the “market stance” field of Jericho next to its [ruined] RSC. Biblical refs aside, St. Sair was patron of Colpy, sanctified annually at neighbouring Williamston well.

Burning Man, Combine Harvesters, Plant New Trees for Old Times

Meanwhile Black Rock in the Nevada Desert, two hours North of Reno, fave tent-city for Burning Man l.above, long before Covid, will run again mask-free this year August 28-September 5th-a post-pandemic event: main tickets $575—$100 more than in 2020. Tents, camping, food vendors festival materials included.

If you are shivering in goosebump land because of Jack Nicholson’s 1980 psychological thriller, The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1977 Stephen King novel, you are wise to keep head down, windows closed as your campervan screeches into high gear mounting 7,000-ft Donner Pass. Kubrick moved King’s Overlook Hotel to Washington state to avoid clash with the real Overlook, which will accommodate late festival-goers as spare camping back-up. Nightmare city!

FIRING-THE-GRID IN FEBRUARY 2023

While we’re staying cool and hydrating hourly through this heatwave, it’s good to plan ahead for a world super-togetherness event, Fire-the-Grid2 February 21, 2023. World meditation focus on that day will peak at the moment of 11:11a.m., so plan to be seated, safe in your comfort zone ready to feel joy—biblical rapture—for minimum five minutes by 11:07. The Universe is giving you four minutes to prepare.

Agriculture Adaptable to ReNew-able/ReOldie-Wayz

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Sentimental throwback time, above :agriculture eclipsing summer in winter: Kirkton of Bourtie top, farm steading in winter of 1981 later converted to posh modern (granite) house complex; lower: RSC same farmer’s field with summertime barley bales rolled like missing megaliths against midwinter sunset in S.W. Kirkton of Bourtie stone circle, glimpsed from the Old Manse.

TRADITION LINGERS IN THE OLD WORLD

Traditionalists are still rampant in Europe—nay Colonialism never died. Countries bordering the former “Silk Road” were affected by opening of the Suez Canal, Qanātu as-Suways, 1859, linking the Red Sea & Mediterranean, as 1500 years of travel became a short 120-mile ocean hop, skip & jump between the North Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean.

Egypt is main beneficiary, as water level—Nile linked to SIRIUS rising—became controlled: only loss was having to re-site iconic Abu Simbel temple to higher ground. Ethiopia, Iran and Arabian Gulf nations boomed as the Red Sea dried up.

With such history of drought & water-consciousness, it’s satisfying to watch Saudi ingenuity triumph in the desert. Snaking for 100 miles from Red Sea shoreline, construction on the wondrous temperate-climate-controlled triple level high-rise mirrored city, THE LINE has begun. Two sub-levels house train track & infrastructure, leaving street level for glass-enclosed gardens, theatres, offices, 24-hour restaurants, recreational pools, sports arenas and a 100-mile shopping complex.

No cars or trucks. Completion is due 2030.

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 115-mile solar-mirror city as high as Empire State building 1500ft but only wide enough to accommodate 100-mile high-speed rail track-no cars or roads-for nine million residents who have a five-minute walk through mirrored gardens and orchards for their morning cup of coffee

All Stops Out for Dream Concepts & Dealing with the HEAT

THE LINE Saudi dream-city makes for interesting contrast.

Proposed as robotic-press-button permanently cool, totally-enclosed 100%-temperature-controlled habitat along a new RedSea-DeadSea highway, The LINE will bring artificial light-cum-air-conditioning where only camels plodded before. Unlike the Saudi rail link which serves Mecca from the coast during annual Hajj for Eid gift-giving after the Ramadan fast, the LINE breaks new ground, heads for mountainous terrain where shopping, walking, pool-dip coffee-klatching become the norm over minaret calls, mosques and touching prophet Mohammed’s A.D.605 Black Stone.

Veteran Song Circle/Fire Festival Traditions Bring Communities Together

STORM,robot sea goddess walking from NE Scotland’s Burghead Pictish 8thC stronghold in Moray Firth last fall’s COP26 Birmingham 2021 ecological summit; tree-planting forest walk this week to Edinburgh Festival Fringe

If the thought of camping out in mud-soaked portaloo-contaminated rain-drenched fairground conditions in Reno NV, top, gives you goosebumps, think again.

Those running the show have learned from past Music Festivals—Newbury, Glastonbury, Big Sur, Woodstock, to current Leeds, London’s LLCM Meltdown Festival & 4 Scots fans THIS WEEK Edinburgh Festival Fringe— do your own thing—be gentle with the Earth, our Mother—plant a tree yourself—Add your 21stC futurist consciousness—and a donation—2Storm & the Forest

Beyond Uranus or Back Underground in Writers’ LavaTube Hideaway

NASA’s recent launch of its James Webb telescope reveals unprecented images of Uranus, top middle left—in my oldie-but-goodie mind joining V.ger and Spock in that uncharted area beyond the Solar System called the Kuiper Belt—Spock-Speak image top middle rt. Alien Klingon ‘wessel’ ditching in San Francisco Bay, Spock in white, Scotty in charge of whales—movie Star Trek IV the Voyage Home.

If URANUS’ moons and her vertical axis [c.f. Saturn and Jupiter on the horizontal] delight and inspire you to plant another garden in the Earth—from above or below—go for it. Plant up a storm

The gardening Caledonian pine tree-planter in me wants to stay topside all the time. But my writers’ Muse is a stickler for personal discipline—that’s freedom in subterranean #lavatubespeak!

8/8 LionsGate this week & Lammas goes on for another three. Enjoy. ©2022Marian Youngblood

Human Kindness Grows Tentacles—Learning new Migrant ways in CultchaShock of Moving Home—

HUMAN KINDNESS GROWS TENTACLES LEARNING NEW MIGRANT WAYS IN CULTCHASHOCK OF MOVING HOME

MONTHLY FIRST WEDNESDAY EMERGENCE FROM SUBTERRANEAN/SUB-PACIFIC CINDER-CONE TUNNEL for INSECURE WRITERS, FLYAWAY SUPERSCRIBES & WORD-ADDICTS OF ALL AGES

Driving on Right… Thinking on Left

Catherine Zeta Jones‘s experience—a Welsh-born (Sept. 1969 barely a Millennial) star of Glamorgan, S.Wales, then London, Paris, New York and LAX with her hit Chicago (2002, also Renée Zellwegger & Richard Gere) brought her full attention world-wide. Working with and eventually marrying Michael Douglas was a clincher in Hollywood, but she swears her daily quickies to local supermarket or even regular swing-by her hair stylist still cause her palpitations.

You think she’s kidding? Driving on or off the freeway in downtown Los Angeles—or even a leisurely stop off for fries in demure Beverly Hills is not automatic. It causes her to do her “British click-click” as she switches her brain to remember to drive on the right.

It’s no joke.

Back home, on sweet-perfumed winding hedge-lined roads of Tiger Bay rural South Glamorgan—home to Welsh stars Shirley Bassey & Tom Jones, we Boomers, pre-Boomers—Crazee-Oldie Land Girl Diggie Chickies use bicycles, maybe a pony, a horse or two if we’re fortunate, and we DRIVE ON THE LEFT.

This remarkable observation may have escaped the attention of the Greater American continent or in fact most of the Western World and including Oz/NZ & Indonesia; but interestingly NOT Japan. This curious anomaly results in a parking lot in downtown Hilo, Big Island, HI where traffic travels left: entry & exit look left. This teensy weensy change in direction caused chaos on entry to the Suisan marina and dock parking lot—built by Japanese contractor—for the official government-funded multi-glitter rocket-boosted star-filled sky over Hawai’i’s downtown Bayshore—the municipal fireworks display last Monday night, July 4th. Please allow the 4th to be with you. Blatant crib. Sorry Star Wars.

It boomed and popped (superb right-brain chaos thinking) for a prescribed Government-funded fully loaded Fireworks Display lasting precisely 90 minutes. Then all the vehicles drove on the LEFT to get back out on the Highway. Thank you Queen Liliuokalani (last queen) for having us on your shoreline.

I empathize deeply with Catherine—wondergirl to beat all exports from pre-Celtic mystical Wales. I don’t live in SoCal or even get to do a little shopping on Rodeo Drive (long time ago)—no longer desire. But growing up in Scotland, having 30-year offspring period; then zoom All Change—CulchaShock USA here we come. Neither American husband understood. They drove on the right: always; no problem. But neither got it that it was not automatic for me. There’s not a day I don’t forget to remember which side of the street to look out for traffic on: Boom she-bang. Give that woman a ticket.

Olde Times Always There—iGens Tackle Retro-Book-Learning

But there’s hope for us Oldtimers—call us what you will—WWII Land Girls—who wore the dizziest snaz headscarf routine to keep unruly hair out of the pail while milking the cow—or planting kale & cabbage.

May not be quite old enuff to be a Land Girl, but my parents had friends who were and the ethos stuck.

Armed with bucket and spade, sometimes water hose or mechanic’s toolkit, Brit lady volunteers pretty well ran everything behind the scenes, vide HM Queen bottom left, on visit to War Museum to see her khaki wartime volunteer uniform.

Even our language is different. Lingo changes generationally—each new gen a new word. Only now they’re called memes. Don’t ask me. I’m not a millennial. Nor am I an IGen, GenZ or even a Boomer. Ahem. I was born before the Julian calendar change. Well, not quite that old. But…

Onward and upward: pix top above mostly the gorgeous and forever timeless-no-age-looking Zeta-Jones in triplicate counter-clockwise from top left 1. Butterfly nebula to get us thinking aerial thoughts on transformation and transfiguration in this new world 2.&3. trailer for and Catherine’s seminal scene from Chicago starring Richard Gere & Renée Zellwegger 4. July 2022 reconciliation-family reunion of husband Michael Douglas’s estranged son, courtesy selfless Catherine <3. 5. Semi-serious break from Silly Season distractions: Wild boar—contested entrant into human race for environmental regeneration unpopular with some new rewilding charitable institutions; carved stone rooftile found embedded in Chesters fort, Northumberland, part of Hadrian’s Wall abandoned before Roman exit A.D. 420. Sacred wild boar was not only emblem of the 20th Legion Deva Victrix, but important enough for legionaries to hack away at Gordon territorial boar coat of arms in Aberdeenshire [Deva also ancient pre-Celtic name for River Dee—goddess’s victory over sacred water]?

Aberdeenshire is coincidentally target of summertime exit from London heat to pleasures of Scottish country dancing, highland pony trekking, forest rewilding and—later—Braemar Gathering attended by Her Majesty. Formerly part of her holiday from metropolitan demands after she views Windsor Horse Show [fave animal after corgis] & Windsor Royals Polo Match. Unable now to ride because of spinal pain, at age 96, she deputized grandson HRH Prince William to swing his polo stallion around like he’s a professional, good at animal recognition/communication and care. There are plenty horses waiting for them in Balmoral, after touchdown in Scots capital, Edinburgh, to “receive the keys to the kingdom”; a short tree-planting session and (private) passenger train ride later & she will reach Outlander territory allowing rain, wind, trees, river Dee and peace to enfold. She may even get some personal catchup time for reading (and planting more trees) with the children. Lonach Gathering, Strathdon gathers friends of mountain, sky and earth together as the Clans march through the Glen to the sound of the pipes.

Without libraries, what are we? We have no past, no future

Ray Bradbury

Bibliotic haven for polymaths pre-Boomer-style—5000 years of Annals, sacred Chronicles, religion & food combine body/mind/spirit Among others Caroline Myss Sacred Contracts, advocates the familiar, light being archetypes to help us shine on through

Probably most famous of all, the Great Library of Alexandria, Egypt, holding scrolls in its Mouseion—an Academy dedicated to the nine Muses held papyrus scrolls from Nineveh, Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon 605 B.C.; Sumerian, Assyrian, Mesopotamian papyrus records brought into port in ships of Hellenic origin. This aura of cultural academia was created as a royal initiative on impetus of author-historian Ptolemy I Soter c. 320 B.C. with his son, c.240 B.C Ptolemy II Philadelphus, after the death of Alexander the Great, 323 B.C. when the empire collapsed, dividing into three. The Library was built in the Brucheion (Royal Quarter, below l.) as part of the Mouseion building which included living quarters dining facilities and tax-free academic lifestyle for a dozen teachers. Sacred ‘temple’ for an estimated 400,000 scrolls held by royal command the main purpose of the Ptolemaic campus of buildings was to show off the wealth of Egypt, with research as a lesser goal. Library contents were created strategically for the benefit of their royal ruler, with the Chief Librarian appointed as personal tutor to the king’s son Intent was if scholars were completely freed from all the burdens of everyday life they could devote more time to research and intellectual pursuits. Historian Strabo called the group of scholars who lived at the Mouseion a σύνοδος (synodos, “community”). As early as 283 B.C. they may have numbered between thirty and fifty learned men.

The *Place of the Cure of the Soul*

Μουσεῖον τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας original Mouseion Academy sacred to Goddesses of the Arts, Nine Muses, was established as major part of Ptolemaic plan: academic tax-free community learning institution, shared dining-living quarters, garden walk, botanical zoo, teaching classrooms, lecture hall, a dozen academics including a Head Librarian. Ptolemy II Philadelphus son on father-historian Ptolemy I Soter’s advice, provided a learning environment, lecture halls, shared dining, reading room, meeting rooms, gardens, creating a model for the modern university campus.^[32] A hall contained shelves for the collections of papyrus scrolls known as bibliothekai (βιβλιοθῆκαι). An inscription above shelves read: “The place of the cure of the soul.”

You Have to be Both Sexist & Racist to Remember WWII

Perfectionist in personal appearance, HM’s superb timing @QueensCanopy est. 2022 her charity of choice encouraging tree-planting by spade & rake aka WWII WRAC female-backup force technique! Monarch’s war uniform held London Military Museum

Alternate aphorism from Brit Land Girls as reaction to learning of American G.I.s’ rural station as uniformed migrant gum-chewing baggy-pants-wearing khaki bois drinking at the local: “Them Yanks—over-weight, over-sexed and over here”

Remembering to Remember or Forgetting Writing Cues, Deadlines

July stand by! It’s traditionally hurricane season in Bahamas and Antilles—but it’s Silly Season in the Press Office—this grateful not-so-young pre-Boomer still breathing & counting the sacred numbers, despite current trending political Brit. Downing Street news. No.10 Cat is more clued in on that story.

Much more relevant to the wondrous miracle of being present—of hauling oneself by one’s bootstraps out of our Cinder Cone Cave of Writerly Solitude to Face the World for one first Wednesday per month: think NaNo & IWSG who both have summer projects on the slow burner.

Smell Burning? It’s a cloud of leftover dynamite, gunpowder smoke from July 4 Independence Day Weekend+Monday fireworks-to-die-for, sparkler* heaven for Oldie Americans, rocket shower gems for toddlers. All cats indoors, however. Drive ‘wrong way’ down Bayshore & Banyan.

Watch yer feet for S.Korean Enhypen-clone #redsnapper bangers—all the rage.

*p.s. On anti-glitter sparkler campaign, I washed some of my shiny (sixties’) Mendocino abalone shells and resulting glitter scattered on the carpet as I dried them was verrrry sparkling!

Light Beings Call (Writing) Hideaway Hotline by Sacred Numbers

They say home is where the heart is; Deepak Chopra says breath is life; Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh would say breathe in I have arrived—breathe out I am home, Peek out cave take in-breath; write blog post blog tune into madness of human lot. On exhale, the pundits say, we put the world to rights. Happy 4th or as #roaring ‘twenties star Groucho Marx said “plenny mo’ numbers”. Happy scribing. ©2022 Marian Youngblood