mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Weekend Coffee Share, Mermaid Edition
December 17, 2016
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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.
#AdventBotany – Getting stuffed at Christmas: Sage — Herbology Manchester
December 16, 2016
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There are many more gastronomically interesting options available at Christmas time, but I’m still always drawn to the reassuringly traditional sage and onion stuffing. Nowadays, in addition to stuffing poultry, sage is most commonly used to flavour other meat dishes (particularly sausages in British cuisine). However, its scientific name, Salvia officinalis, shows its heritage as a […]
via #AdventBotany – Getting stuffed at Christmas: Sage — Herbology Manchester
Cause Of Death
December 14, 2016
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homicide
heart disease
I just found a site with an interactive map of statistics about life expectancy in the United States. I am delighted to see that Arizona is light to moderate in the heart disease category, but this map looks bleak under homicide. Pima County’s rate is lower than some. Apache County is the worst place for death by homicide in Arizona, followed by Navajo County. At a glance the national map for homicide is telling. The highest rates stretch across the southern states, with interesting pockets in west Texas of low probability. I think that is because nobody lives there.
I wonder how this will change over time. My guess is that it will only intensify in the way it appears now. Arizona is in terrible shape under death by liver disease, and I can guess that is all about alcohol. I tend to think of health in personal terms, but when I see these figures I see we are in a public health crisis of epic proportions. I urge you to look up your county and state to see what is happening. I am surprised, and I believe you will be too, gentle reader. How can we work to improve these statistics? This is a bigger question than health insurance and drug companies bring to our attention.
Stephen Colbert And Norah Jones Have Written The Worst Christmas Song Ever — Real Stories – UPROXX
December 13, 2016
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There are many “worst” Christmas songs. Esquire says it’s “Wonderful Christmas Time” by Paul McCartney and Wings, a “song whose awesome black hole of musicality is almost powerful enough to suck the life out of everything McCartney did before,” while Paste and the Daily Dot counter with “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” which,…
via Stephen Colbert And Norah Jones Have Written The Worst Christmas Song Ever — Real Stories – UPROXX
Veridis Visconti, 17th Great-Grandmother, Duchess Austria
December 13, 2016
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Veridis Duchess Austria Visconti
My 17th great-grandmother was born into a noble family in trouble with the papacy. Veridis ( sometimes spelled Viridis) was born in Milan in 1352. Her father was excommunicated 1363 for opposing the Pope in Rome. She is buried at the Cistercian monastery in Sittich ,Obcina, Ljubljana, in modern and Slovenia. Her husband, the duke, died in Lucerne Switzerland, leaving her a widow at the age of 34.
Veridis Duchess Austria Visconti
Veridis Duchess Austria Visconti (1352 – 1414)
17th great-grandmother
Ernst I “Ironside” Archduke of Austria Habsburg (1377 – 1424)
son of Veridis Duchess Austria Visconti
Katharina Archduchess Austria Von Habsburg (1420 – 1493)
daughter of Ernst I “Ironside” Archduke of Austria Habsburg
Christof I VanBaden (1453 – 1527)
son of Katharina Archduchess Austria Von Habsburg
Beatrix Zahringen (1492 – 1535)
daughter of Christof I VanBaden
Sabine Grafin VonSimmern (1528 – 1578)
daughter of Beatrix Zahringen
Marie L Egmond (1564 – 1678)
daughter of Sabine Grafin VonSimmern
Richard Sears (1590 – 1676)
son of Marie L Egmond
Silas Sears (1638 – 1697)
son of Richard Sears
Silas Sears (1661 – 1732)
son of Silas Sears
Sarah Sears (1697 – 1785)
daughter of Silas Sears
Sarah Hamblin (1721 – 1814)
daughter of Sarah Sears
Mercy Hazen (1747 – 1819)
daughter of Sarah Hamblin
Martha Mead (1784 – 1860)
daughter of Mercy Hazen
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of Martha Mead
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
You are the daughter of Richard Arden Morse
Viridis Visconti (1352–1414) was an Italian noblewoman, a daughter of Bernabò Visconti and his wife Beatrice Regina della Scala. By her marriage to Leopold III, Duke of Austria, Viridis was Duchess consort of Austria, Styria and Carinthia, she was also Countess consort of Tyrol.
Viridis was born in Milan, Italy and was the second of seventeen children.
Her sister, Taddea Visconti married Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria and was mother of Isabeau of Bavaria, wife of Charles VI of France. Viridis and the rest of her sisters secured politically-advantageous marriages.
Her maternal grandparents were Mastino II della Scala and his wife Taddea da Carrara. Her paternal grandparents were Stefano Visconti and his wife Valentina Doria.
Viridis’ father, Bernabò was described as a cruel and ruthless despot. He was also an implacable enemy of the Church. He seized the papal city of Bologna, rejected the Pope and his authority, confiscated ecclesiastical property, and forbade any of his subjects to have any dealings with the Curia. He was excommunicated as a heretic in 1363 by Pope Urban V, who preached crusade against him. When Bernabò was in one of his frequent rages, only the children’s mother, Beatrice Regina was able to approach him.
Viridis married Leopold III, Duke of Austria, son of Albert II, Duke of Austria and his wife Johanna of Pfirt. The couple had six children:
William
Leopold
Ernest the Iron
Frederick
Elisabeth (1378–1392)
Katharina (1385–?) Abbess of St. Klara in Vienna
Viridis was widowed in 1386 and so their eldest son, William became Duke of Austria.
William was engaged to Jadwiga of Hungary, youngest daughter of the neighboring king, was one of the first attempts of the House of Habsburg to extend their sphere of influence in Eastern Central Europe by marrying heiresses, a practice that gave rise to the phrase Bella gerant alii: tu felix Austria nube (Let others make war: thou happy Austria, marry). The wedding was broken off.
Viridis died in 1 March 1414 and out-lived at least three of six children, since her younger daughter, Katherine’s date of death is unknown. Viridis is buried in Sittich in Lower Carniola.
Source, Wikipedia
Say It in Latin, Qui Bono
December 13, 2016
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The Borgias
The Latin phrase qui bono means as benefit to whom? In legal cases it is used to determine who might be responsible for criminal acts. I have been watching the series on Showtime, The Borgias, an accurate portrayal of the family and history of Italy. The key figure in the drama is Rodrigo Borgia, who reigned as Pope of Rome Alexander VI. He was Pope from 11 August 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He was a highly controversial figure who ruled the Roman Catholic Church with an iron fist and very little respect for church doctrine. His personal excesses were epic, and his bastard children were all lavished with money and power.
The politics of Italy were complex and treacherous, with the Vatican serving as king maker and power broker. Alliances and secret plots were rampant. They Borgias made enemies of many of the families, the most prominent of which was the Sforza clan. First the Pope’s daughter Lucrezia is wed to a Sforza, but obtains annulment from her father a few months into the marriage. Her husband is later murdered by her brother Cesare. Castles are placed under siege and bloody battles are fought between the Sforzas and the papal army. Intrigue inside and outside the Vatican was rampant. The Borgias were known to be masters of the art of lethal poison. A plot nearly succeeds to kill Rodrigo with a glass of wine, but his daughter administers charcoal and saves his life. It was a wild game of liar’s poker.
As I watch the crazy politics unfold in 15th Century Rome and the church I can’t help but be reminded of present day politics. Spies, traitors and terrorists determined the outcome of Borgia power struggles. It appears we are wrapped in a double or triple plot in real time with much subterfuge and mystery clouding our election results. When enemies of enemies betray friends we need to ask a basic question: “Who benefits from this?” This concept was alive in ancient Rome because it points to the cause rather than to the red herrings intended to confuse.
If 400 pound hackers, of Russian or other origin, can change the election results in the United States the question is “Qui bono?” What do you think, gentle reader?
Qui bono
El Tiradito, Tucson’s Sinner Shrine
December 12, 2016
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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.
It’s a distracted Taurus Moon today 12-11-2016 — Libra Seeking Balance
December 11, 2016
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The day starts off on a productive note for the Taurus Moon as she enjoys a trine to Pluto in Capricorn. However by midday she has to put up with distractions from Jupiter in Libra and then the Sun-Saturn conjunction in Sagittarius. What sounds like fun to those boisterous planets may cause the home loving […]
via It’s a distracted Taurus Moon today 12-11-2016 — Libra Seeking Balance
Weekend Coffee Share, Embracing Darkness
December 10, 2016
— 7 Comments
#WeekendCoffeeShare
Welcome to the coffee party. I am glad you have the time to drop in for a cup of coffee, tea, or good cheer. If we were having coffee today I would invite you to stay for a while to tell me what is up in your life. We have a very festive table set for your visit today. I just whipped up some cranberry rhubarb sauce, and am sipping on my new favorite tea, roiboos lemon cloud. In the back yard I am grilling up eggplants and a very large batch of green chiles I picked up at the produce bonanza this morning. The selection this week ( We get 60 pounds of produce for $10) was small, but the quality very high. Nothing says Christmas in Tucson like perfect green chile, so I filled the box to the brim. We brought home watermelons, green peppers and eggplant too. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to use/ and or give away all the fresh vegetables before they rot. There will be sour cream enchiladas, chiles rellenos, and some chilaquiles later today. Stick around if you like Mexican food. I made great tomatillo/jalapeño salsa last week that is outstanding. We like it spicy around here.
If you are not fond of Mexican food we have great leftovers from an impromptu party we threw this week. I made an English Christmas Pudding, which created discussion, which in turn lead to a weeknight party with great old friends. One of our guests lives close enough to walk over, and has vast experience with pudding like this. His family has a traditional holiday pudding called a puzzle pudding, which they inherited from their ancestors in Wales. I made one with apples and rum raisins, and served it with great quantities of whipped cream. We partied on homemade spinach artichoke dip, crudités, olives, and cheese fondue while sipping hot spiced cider. It was perfect for our low key style. We had a great time catching up with our friends, and the effort was minimal.
As we head into the darkest days of the year I am going extra dark next week. I have an appointment to receive a light treatment at my dermatologist’s office that is kind of tedious. It requires that I stay at the office for about 2 hours, which is not so severe. After the treatment I must avoid light of all kinds for about 3 days to ensure proper healing. It is even contraindicated to sit by a window inside the house. I have rolling shutters downstairs, so I can effectively create a black out inside. While the rest of the world rolls by I will spend three days 18-21 December in total darkness binging on television and hopefully doing some writing and art. I may do some cooking, but am feeling kind of finished with holiday meal preparation. I am accentuating the winter solstice for full effect. I have candles, essential oils, and fancy red robe to dress up like Mrs. Santa Claus. I will be going into deep cover. I hope to emerge refreshed and ready for a brand new year. I wish you all a happy Saturnalia.
I appreciate the chance to share coffee and more with this group of talented writers. Stop by Diana’s blog to read, comment, or post your own coffee stories. The group is welcoming and intelligent. We welcome your point of view.
Green Chiles
Your Past does not need to Follow you into 2017…
December 9, 2016
— 1 Comment
Be here now
When looking back on the past does not interest you anymore…. Well, you know you are heading forward in the right direction…. It is amazing how much energy we can expend on thinking about the past: Our failures and mistakes; our stresses and worries about things we probably can’t change. The past is the past….
The only control we have is the present moment… right here, right now… It is the actions we take right here; right now that can change the future; thus rewriting any past negativity. Remember that as we head into a New Year. Your past does not need to define you. Further, you have complete control over the present moment which can dictate the future…
Peace, Love and Illumination!
John C. Bader is a photographer, wellness advocate and consultant specializing in spiritual self-evolution, meditation, and bio-energy healing. In his writing, he bridges science with spirituality and…
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