mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys
Moon Bustles Into Virgo
January 14, 2017
— 1 Comment
Around daybreak the Leo Moon gets some love from Jupiter in Libra and a little over an hour later she makes her monthly trine to Saturn in Sagittarius before going void-of-course until this evening. The day does start off on an upbeat, energetic note and we may be inspired to plan all sorts of things […]
via Lazy VOC Leo Moon day ends with Moon bustling into Virgo 1-14-2017 — Libra Seeking Balance
Weekend Coffee Share, Mermaid Edition
December 17, 2016
— 12 Comments
hair flip
If we were having coffee today I would tell you how I ended up teaching a holiday session of mermaid camp for a lovely young lady. Some of you have noticed that my blog is officially named mermaidcamp, and may have wondered why. Sit down by the wood stove and put your feet up on the ottoman while I serve you a hot cup of tea, coffee, or holiday cheer. Tell me about your week while I prepare for my young student’s arrival later this morning.
Last week at a holiday gathering a friend told me she thought about buying her 9 year old daughter a mermaid tail for Christmas. I told her that being a mermaid is about so much more than just a tail, and since the child is not a strong swimmer yet it may prove dangerous. I have seen people buy expensive costume tails for kids without thought to how strong one must be to swim dolphin kick. It is no joke. First one needs to be able to handle flippers, then flippers with feet and legs close together. These steps take time and practice. Very few adults swim the butterfly stroke well because it requires strength and coordination. I tried to convince her mom to outfit her with a merskirt..a tail free costume that clearly indicated life under the sea. She is an excellent seamstress and costumer who can craft a really custom look for her daughter. I was able to gift her a big load of sequin fabric for the mer skirt project in return for an agreement to skip the tail this year. The tail is awkward and hard to construct, but a merskirt is whatever you make it. Real serious professional mermaids, such as Cate Vail of Sirens Photography in Reno, respect the merskirt. The mermaids up there are sometimes connected to Burning Man, so they take costuming very seriously. I was lucky to be invited to a fundraising fiesta in Reno where I met many very cool mermaid personas. The real key is never cut your hair.
mermaids of Reno
mermaids of Reno
mermaids of Reno
mermaids at Atlantis
If we were having coffee I would tell you how one thing lead to another and before long I had decided to take on the task of essential education a mermaid needs before owning a tail. This morning my little pupil will be at my house while her mom sews her merskirt back at her house. We will be preparing lunch with a mermaid theme, doing some art work, and chalking her hair. We have Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson cued up on Alexa so she can read to us while we work. We will learn all the words to “Under the Sea” by Sebastian the Crab for Karaoke performances later in the day. When the parents come back in the afternoon we will wow them with our deep knowledge of Neptune and his realm, and some mermaid themed appetizers. I am pretty sure this will be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Stick around if you want me to chalk your hair. I am hoping this will lead to a sincere desire to be in the Tucson Parks and Recreation synchronized swimming program next summer. The program is excellent, and I believe she would have a great time. First things first…costuming and initiation, then some serious practice on the swimming skills. That is how we make mermaids, one child at a time.
Thanks for visiting me today in Tucson. Drop by Diana’s blog to read, write, or shuffle through this week’s offerings. We thank Diana for keeping the good times rolling every weekend.
El Tiradito, Tucson’s Sinner Shrine
December 12, 2016
— 1 Comment
We had a houseguest over the weekend who was starting a long car journey to Michigan. I took her on a miniature guided tour of Tucson Saturday afternoon. We stopped at the venerable Arizona Inn, near home, to visit the Christmas tree, the croquet court, and the elegance that is the Inn. Next stop was the U of A Poetry Center. My guest was delighted at the chance to read for about 45 minutes in our fabulous environment dedicated strictly to poetry. She found some great poets, and so did I. From there we travelled to my favorite, often overlooked, art in the city, some forged metal window guards by Tom Bredlow , a Tucson blacksmith of great skill and artistry, that depict the desert animals. Bredlow is now a total recluse who continued a legacy of Raul Vasquez. Tom even purchased some of his tools when Raul passed away. He continued to hammer out super fine metal art that graces the city. These window guards are in the Barrio Viejo de Tucson, looking right at home.
forged metal by Tom Bredlow
forged metal by Tom Bredlow
forged metal by Tom Bredlow
Our final destination on the tour was El Tiradito. I had given her a couple of milagros carved from jet to make offering/wishes along her route. The tradition of wishing on this spot is deeply rooted in the history of Tucson. This popular shrine is in use since the 1870s. It stands on what was once part of El Camino Real, or royal road to Mexico City. Padre Kino himself was once walking on this exact location, giving it a connection to the Spanish conquest in the 1600’s. The legend surrounding the shrine is a story of a doomed love triangle and murdered lover who could not be buried in the Catholic cemetery due to his sinful final state. The murdered man was supposedly buried under the stoop of his lover’s house, where she built a shrine. Juan Oliveras is the only sinner to have his own place on the National Historical Register.
El Tiradito
El Tiradito
El Tiradito
Today is Virgin of Guadalupe Day, 12 December, the day Mexico celebrates the day of its patron saint. Before the Spanish conquest Mexico had a female deity protecting it. Tonantzin was on the job since prehistory as an Aztec goddess. Her history and tradition is preColombian. She is, and has been, the local female deity for centuries. Our friend went to Mesilla, New Mexico on her first stopover after leaving us. The nearby village of Tortugas is the site of one of the oldest Virgin of Guadalupe celebrations in this country. She is being fully initiated by our local Enchantment before heading north into the snow. Her mystical as well as her physical journey is now blessed by both Tonantzin and Juan Oliveras. Nice benediction.
Twenty-First Century Schmutzli
November 30, 2016
— 5 Comments
Krampus
I am a big fan of both Schmutzli and his Austrian cousin, Krampus. These characters are Christmas symbols that teach children the value of obedience to parents. They appear on 6 December, St Nicholas Day, to deliver small gifts like oranges and nuts. They also scare the devil out of all the kids by giving each one an accurate description of their discipline problems. The list of behavior to correct is provided by the parents ahead of time. In the past the home visit might include placing the child in a bag to kidnap him for infractions on the list. My Swiss friends had this happen in their youth, and reported that it was truly scary. Santa gets drunk as he travels from home to home because he is offered some spirits along the way. One of my friends was at the end of the route in her small village. She said Santa was always drunk by the time he came to her house, and she was always afraid of him.
How does this differ from our department store Santa that asks kids what they want? Well, first of all, they only ask the parents what they want out of the situation. The threat of Schmutzli’s terror is intended to root out all that bad behavior before 25 December. On Christmas Eve the baby Jesus is supposed to fly through the child’s window and leave gifts. Baby Jesus gets through all the windows just like our Santa gets down all the chimneys, no questions asked. Kids who reform themselves in those 24 days they have to redeem themselves will be rewarded by Jesus.
I think it is a practical system. Now that Schmutzli has been calmed down for modern times, he just represents winter. In Austria I don’t think Krampus will ever be diluted. He is more adored than St Nick. He is still a horned pagan kind of archetype. He jumps out at you on the street in Vienna to scare you just for fun. Have you met either one of these guys?
Krampus
Weekend Coffee Share – Forging Ahead
November 19, 2016
— 5 Comments
Forge
If we were having coffee I would offer you some tasty new teas I just ordered, including a tangy cranberry flavored black tea that I am drinking. We have coffee, of course, and some cornbread to eat by the wood stove. The fire from last night is out, and today is warm, but I like to hang out next to my stove all winter. It radiates heat as well as coziness. I keep a big pot of water on top since it does zap what moisture we have out of the air. Today I am floating a large dose of lavender essential oil with a dash of frankincense to bring up the seasonal mood. My set of remote controlled LED candles arrives today from Amazon, which will complete my winter decorating. Next week I will let you play with them. I could not resist the sale on remote controlled candles. They just sound like fun.
It is my pleasure to host this diverse group, and my wish that you will all continue to visit. When the streets fill with the jolly sound of holiday traffic I stay home. It is not difficult for me, and I am not at all missing out in any reindeer games. I never go to malls, don’t like chain stores at all, and we don’t do any special gifting at holiday time. So when I am asked if I am ready for Christmas I can safely say yes because I do nothing to prepare. I like to have more lighting and scent in the home all winter, but there is no particular holiday theme. The theme is fire building, a sport I completely enjoy. I love the job of fire tender, and consider it to be one of my best skills. There is a trick to starting fires, which is allowing plenty of air to flow. I try to use as little kindling as possible to get the bigger stuff started. My partner does the wood splitting, but I like the game of doing more with less. It is a metaphor for life. We don’t need more fuel, we need more air to get started.
I consider this talented group of writers meeting for coffee to be friends, or at least allies. Forging alliances takes time and alchemy. We have a new year and new challenges. This is a time to strengthen our alliances and forge new ones. We use this phrase to mean find commonality through trial by fire. Forging requires intense heat and strong force. Once bonded the metals are inseparable, much stronger than a weld. Hephaestus, blacksmith to the gods, was the creator of both Pandora and her famous box. At the bottom of the box when all all else had escaped into the atmosphere, hope remained.
Hephaestus
Thanks to all of you who forge friendships by finding time to share coffee each weekend. I am mighty glad you came to hang out today. My week has been smooth and easy. My hope is to continue that pace and level of difficulty (very mellow) into 2017. Please visit the digital party here to comment to add your post.
Chivalry For Feminists
October 12, 2016
— 1 Comment
Psyche
Our political process in America has never been such a shocking reality show. The whole world is tuning in while we use the presidential election of 2016 to display our worst national attributes in public. Sexism has reared its ugly head and is parading around as if it were the only important issue we have to consider. It is paramount to perceive how much of our own thought processes are controlled by outside forces. Both men and women are subject to our inherited stereotypes. We may also carry deep prejudice about foreign cultures, races, or religions about which we have no direct knowledge. These oversimplifications of society’s condition harm everyone. The fact that a woman is running against a man has engendered some kind of cartoon version of public consternation, indignation, and unacceptable conduct by almost everyone.
I propose that we take a step back and see our personal situation as an integral part of a much larger scheme. People everywhere vote because of their feelings about their own economic future. This is not strange. It is survival instinct. In times of dramatic change and disruption dysfunctional systems must give way to new ideas for the survival of the entire environment. Civil rights were first won by serfs who existed as chattel to nobility. The hard fought war against tyranny will not be won in physical battle, but in hearts and minds. Terrorism begins at home, in the angry hearts and minds of indignant citizens. By imagining evil enemies everywhere we maintain a militant mindset that does not foster peace.
In ancient Greece Aristophanes wrote a comedy about women and war. The heroine, Lysistrata proposed that women take over the treasury, since the old men had squandered all the funds:
“What matters that I was born a woman, if I can cure your misfortunes? I pay my share of tolls and taxes, by giving men to the State. But you, you miserable greybeards, you contribute nothing to the public charges; on the contrary, you have wasted the treasure of our forefathers, as it was called, the treasure amassed in the days of the Persian Wars. You pay nothing at all in return; and into the bargain you endanger our lives and liberties by your mistakes. Have you one word to say for yourselves?… Ah! don’t irritate me, you there, or I’ll lay my slipper across your jaws; and it’s pretty heavy.”
The men were duly concerned:
“Chorus of old men: If we give them the least hold over us, ’tis all up! their audacity will know no bounds! We shall see them building ships, and fighting sea-fights like Artemisia; nay if they want to mount and ride as cavalry, we had best cashier the knights, for indeed women excel in riding, and have a fine, firm seat for the gallop. Just think of all those squadrons of Amazons Micon has painted for us engaged in hand-to-hand combat with men.”
― Aristophanes, Lysistrata
I think we are once again at a pivotal point in history. Equality will serve as the only kind of chivalry we can afford to accept. What do you think, gentle reader?
Pygmalion Revisited
September 16, 2016
— 1 Comment
I subscribe to Hulu for a month at a time, then put the subscription on hold for the maximum time, 90 days. This means it is only in the home 4 months out of the year, which is perfect for us. I binge down on different new shows, and by the end of the month I have seen everything I care to watch. This month I have watched a lot of very well produced series. I have focused on comedy, seeing at least 10 stand up comedy specials. I also found many comedy tv series that make me very happy. My favorite, now that the month is coming to a close, is Selfie. This modern day version of Pygmalion is hysterically updated to show characters typical to our times. This social satire hits all the notes.
Eliza Dooley, the same archetype represented in My Fair Lady by Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle, has a modern twist as a self obsessed social media star. The romantic comedy takes a satirical look at workaholics, socialnetworkaholics , and corporate hierarchy. It is set in a children’s pharmaceutical company where Henry Higgins, the British snob, is thinly disguised as Henry Higgins, branding expert. The plot and characters are instantly recognizable, but the story unfolds in ways I could never have imagined. All the parts are extremely well played, but the writers and producers get major credit. This script makes me laugh for every reason, from physical comedy schtick to sophisticated satirical commentary woven into the whole story. Some of the smaller parts are the very best because they have such extreme personalities and dialogue. I will not give away more than that. Just watch it if you can.
The story of Pygmalion comes for the mythology of Greece. It is based on a god who fell in love with one of his own sculptures. In 1748 the story was presented at the prestigious Paris Opera House. This production, written by Jean-Philippe Rameau, was staged as a one act piece. Since that time this story has been told and retold, including the popular musical version with Rex Harrison playing the stuffy and rude Henry. The story has the same punch line every time.
Greek god Pygmalion
Sun,Mars, Chiron and Pisces Lunar Eclipse
September 14, 2016
— 1 Comment
“We could be heroes” today as Sun squares MARS and opposes Chiron in PISCES. this aspect is perfecting this week.
How Many Art Supplies Does One Woman Need?
August 25, 2016
— 7 Comments
As I go through my possessions in order to eliminate the items no longer useful to my life, I have discovered the “art supply” hoarder in me. I knew that I was a jacket and costume freak, and own way too many pieces of dress up clothing. I have discovered that I am equally attached to a whole bunch of stuff I can’t bring myself to eliminate. The largest category, other than books, is art supplies. In each and every room and cranny of my home I find items I have stashed because I believe I will someday make art with them. Some of this stuff has been here for a decade without being moved. The list is ridiculous and much longer than I imagined.
I own:
- all manner of crayon, watercolor, pencil, pen, chalk, etc.
- enough fancy journals of special paper to choke a horse
- pads of every kind of paper, graph, watercolor, drawing, and handmade
- enough fabric and sewing gear to open my own fashion house
- specialty buttons I purchased in exotic places around the world
- vintage and modern sewing patterns
- two sewing machines (you know, in case one breaks down)
- two iPads
- two iPods
- three laptops
- two kindles
- one working 35 mm camera, and a bunch of dead ones
- tons of unfinished art projects
That is not even taking into consideration all the crazy fancy exotic groceries I collect because I believe I am a culinary artist all the time. I own some spices and tea I hauled home from Europe years ago…this is not something to hoard..it is intended to be consumed. My big issue is just to go ahead and use it. It must be done.
I can tell this as gotten completely out of hand and I must take some action. I need to discard some stuff, but more to the point, I need to use it. I have found a class that is offered at the Tucson JCC, where I enjoy my Silver Sneakers membership, in drawing and painting. It is held twice a week on a drop in basis. One buys a punch card and uses it at one’s own pace. The best part of this class is that you bring your own supplies. Hallelujah!!! I will take supplies for my own work, and perhaps be able to share (read unload) some of my excess with my fellow art students. I think this will help me come to terms with my artist archetype. Am I an artist or a hoarder with artistic illusions? We soon shall see, gentle readers. Do you have attachments to things you keep for making art?
Sun in Virgo, Time to Organize
August 22, 2016
— 12 Comments
Virgo constellation
The sun has just moved into Virgo for the transitional month between summer and fall. In just a month’s time it will be equinox. This month is perfect for cleaning and clearing space, time, and clutter of any kind. Virgo month is also the ideal time to upgrade daily health and fitness regimes. I have returned to a study that requires intense reading, meditation, and writing. I had fallen out of the discipline needed to finish the course, but now I am enjoying the material and looking forward to doing my homework. Virgo is all about discipline, order, and maybe a little bit of fussiness over details. This is the right time to take up journaling and daily meditation in order to ground body and mind. This is the month to put everything neatly in order, and keep it that way.
I believe that habits require 40 days to become a part of life. After the equinox I need to be vigilant and orderly with my newly established practices in order to secure them. Before the equinox I plan to do a major purge and tidy program in my home and garden. By cleaning and clearing space I will also clear some time for myself. Less stuff requires less maintenance. I am convinced that I will be happier owning far fewer books, pieces of clothing, papers, and personal mementos. I am going to listen to the joy of tidy book again because I still have a month of audible for free, and I think I need to hear it all one more time. I know the author is right about junk representing unresolved issues form the past. Physical space has a direct impact on physical as well as mental health. Clearing closets has the effect of clearing cobwebs from the mind.
To honor the virgin of the harvest in my own way I will use her energy to:
- clear and organize my home
- clear and organize my barn full of stuff
- keep a daily journal
- do daily homework
- keep regular gym and fitness schedule
- record data on the fitbit dashboard
This will be an excellent jump start to the fall season. Establishing healthy habits and clean clear space is a gift that will go on giving through the end of the year.
