What a post to weave from concept to concept, from Substack to Substack, from experience to experience! And dang, those people can dance. I need more dance in my life!
Thank you, Tonika. And yes! The lead male dancer is amazing, from his facial expressions to his unique style to his physical elasticity. His rise from the floor w/o arms in Return is phenomenal!
I wonder if they canceled your insurance because of the area you live in? Maybe they know something is coming to your area? Hope not!! I use State Farm too.
They had already cancelled 10's of 1000's of policies for people in forested areas. People couldn't rebuild because they couldn't get insurance. I'm in the heart of Santa Cruz, their future 15 min city. So they're building like crazy here. But they're still looking to jettison as many policies as possible. Recently they sent out a notice that they'd be doing controlled burns, and then a red flag alert that there would be high winds this weekend so don't throw your cigarettes without stamping them out. What could go wrong!
I had a fair amount of experience with grouse in Vermont. I'd be out walking in the woods, and would come across a mother grouse with her babies. She'd ruffle up her feathers, making herself look much bigger, then emit a kind of screechy sound and charge me. That was a scary experience! That little bird is fierce and you don't want to get too close to it.
I am now remembering that the "screechy sound" was more like a hiss, with the clear message, "You get away from my babies, or I'll peck your eyes out!"
More often, when I'd come across a grouse (without babies) on a hike, it would wait until the last second, when I was very close to it but still couldn't see it -- then it would burst out of its hiding place and fly off. It was like a feathered explosion.
I love this! Grouse and Dragonfly could be a children's book, Tereza -- like Frog and Toad!
Thank you, my friend, for weaving me into the beautiful tapestry you've created here: one filled with magic and TRUTH. I was gobsmacked by the revelations of the cards, especially "the power of becoming the illusion." Now THERE'S a concept I've never considered.
Let me know if you want to collab on a wee book for wee folk someday. I'd dance with you, happily. ❤️
I've been chomping at the bit to respond to you but spirit has conspired (a redundant phrase) to make me wait. I had gone to my daughter's when I posted this for her annual memorial event for all their bereavement clients--which was very beautiful. Then I went to get my eyelashes tattooed! Despite EVERYONE telling me how worried they were for me, it was easy and relaxing, even. More ticklish than pain. Until after--the numbing creme had gotten into my right eye and so the pupil was dilated. This made the 1.5 hr drive home really hard to keep it open. So by the time I got home, I put an eye mask on and kept my eyes closed for 15 hrs.
This gave me a lot of time to think about this story line. And as soon as I woke up, the power went out, so spirit said, 'Meditate on it'. It went back on just as I was leaving for my aerial conditioning and then back-to-back dance class.
So you picking out 'the power of becoming the illusion' really resonated with me. What if the dragon with iridescent scales voluntarily turns into dragonflies--the scales becoming wings--in order to enter the dreamtime and become the illusion? Think of the animation possibilities! Think of the merch! ;-)
And I was thinking of our pov grouselet as a tiny chick in a brood led by a fierce mama grouse--see Mark's comment above. She can teach them all the spiral dance, a little two step with wings, until they get to the center and spin like little grouse sufis. And that brings their spirit dragonfly to alight on their heads, and become their partner in the dreamtime.
Obviously, too much time left alone with my brain! Save me!
Now I'm heading off to pick up my youngest daughter for her 26th birthday at Vichy Springs, a bubbly warm springs for my gal who's the carbonation queen. So I'll get another peek at the Medicine Cards now that you've invited me to this dance collab--yes, yes, yes!
On grouse medicine, whoo, good deep shivers. This resonates with my own journey. On insurance, it was one of the last straws for us leaving Cali. Jumped from $3k/yr to $4k then $7, then $9, $13, and then $21k! This was a 1.3 acre parcel in the redwoods in mendocino less than a mile from the coast, always damp if not downright wet, even during the worst of the drought. We and our neighbors had completely removed all undergrowth. Our house had a huge firebreak setback and a fire-proof roof. There was probably a lower actual fire risk in this zone than in most suburban neighborhoods in CA. Didn’t matter. This is part of the herding - they are pushing folk out of these areas. Hollowing them out. For this and many other reasons, Mendo is now a pretty corpse.
Wow, I think this might be my favorite post you've ever written. Divination cards are right up my alley and I've seen the Medicine Cards you wrote about. Have a bunch of different decks. A lot of insurance companies are either cancelling or charging outrageous fees but I've been able to find policies elsewhere...State Farm is really picky. I moved to Farmer's Insurance...❤️💕
What an honor for you to say that, Heather! I'm glad to know the Medicine Cards have fallen into other good hands. They're so beautifully and intuitively written! Mary (below) has gotten me excited about doing a children's story on the Grouse & Dragonfly. I can't stop thinking about it!
My oldest daughter always thought they were the spirits of her dad's parents, who she never had a chance to meet. I just ordered a dragonfly stained glass that, it turns out, is coming from Lviv, Ukraine. That has to be significant, eh?
Oh, I love this, Tereza! My oh my, what a coincidence that we both have these cards! I'm going to start pulling from them again. It will be interesting to see if I draw the same several cards I draw from the Wild Unknown deck. Buffalo and Dragonfly are two of them.
I loved what you said about the book and its authors at the beginning of the post. I felt the same. And I loved the dedication to their Wolf Clan grandmother. I found a folded piece of paper in the book that contained the original nine cards I had pulled. Dragonfly, Grouse, and Raven were among them! Pretty sure I'm going to fall in love with these cards all over again.
What a post to weave from concept to concept, from Substack to Substack, from experience to experience! And dang, those people can dance. I need more dance in my life!
Check out my reply to Mary too! It's a collab that has your name on it, along with Ms Rosebush ;-) I think you'll like it.
Thank you, Tonika. And yes! The lead male dancer is amazing, from his facial expressions to his unique style to his physical elasticity. His rise from the floor w/o arms in Return is phenomenal!
Top notch, agreed!
I wonder if they canceled your insurance because of the area you live in? Maybe they know something is coming to your area? Hope not!! I use State Farm too.
They had already cancelled 10's of 1000's of policies for people in forested areas. People couldn't rebuild because they couldn't get insurance. I'm in the heart of Santa Cruz, their future 15 min city. So they're building like crazy here. But they're still looking to jettison as many policies as possible. Recently they sent out a notice that they'd be doing controlled burns, and then a red flag alert that there would be high winds this weekend so don't throw your cigarettes without stamping them out. What could go wrong!
I had a fair amount of experience with grouse in Vermont. I'd be out walking in the woods, and would come across a mother grouse with her babies. She'd ruffle up her feathers, making herself look much bigger, then emit a kind of screechy sound and charge me. That was a scary experience! That little bird is fierce and you don't want to get too close to it.
That's amazing Mark, for such a little bird! I think Mary and I need to put that in our story (see her comment below).
I forgot to mention the drumming! The males do this in the spring. I never saw this, but heard it frequently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNTQSG1G7Sg
Yes, the grouse deserves a story.
I am now remembering that the "screechy sound" was more like a hiss, with the clear message, "You get away from my babies, or I'll peck your eyes out!"
More often, when I'd come across a grouse (without babies) on a hike, it would wait until the last second, when I was very close to it but still couldn't see it -- then it would burst out of its hiding place and fly off. It was like a feathered explosion.
I love this! Grouse and Dragonfly could be a children's book, Tereza -- like Frog and Toad!
Thank you, my friend, for weaving me into the beautiful tapestry you've created here: one filled with magic and TRUTH. I was gobsmacked by the revelations of the cards, especially "the power of becoming the illusion." Now THERE'S a concept I've never considered.
Let me know if you want to collab on a wee book for wee folk someday. I'd dance with you, happily. ❤️
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
I've been chomping at the bit to respond to you but spirit has conspired (a redundant phrase) to make me wait. I had gone to my daughter's when I posted this for her annual memorial event for all their bereavement clients--which was very beautiful. Then I went to get my eyelashes tattooed! Despite EVERYONE telling me how worried they were for me, it was easy and relaxing, even. More ticklish than pain. Until after--the numbing creme had gotten into my right eye and so the pupil was dilated. This made the 1.5 hr drive home really hard to keep it open. So by the time I got home, I put an eye mask on and kept my eyes closed for 15 hrs.
This gave me a lot of time to think about this story line. And as soon as I woke up, the power went out, so spirit said, 'Meditate on it'. It went back on just as I was leaving for my aerial conditioning and then back-to-back dance class.
So you picking out 'the power of becoming the illusion' really resonated with me. What if the dragon with iridescent scales voluntarily turns into dragonflies--the scales becoming wings--in order to enter the dreamtime and become the illusion? Think of the animation possibilities! Think of the merch! ;-)
And I was thinking of our pov grouselet as a tiny chick in a brood led by a fierce mama grouse--see Mark's comment above. She can teach them all the spiral dance, a little two step with wings, until they get to the center and spin like little grouse sufis. And that brings their spirit dragonfly to alight on their heads, and become their partner in the dreamtime.
Obviously, too much time left alone with my brain! Save me!
Now I'm heading off to pick up my youngest daughter for her 26th birthday at Vichy Springs, a bubbly warm springs for my gal who's the carbonation queen. So I'll get another peek at the Medicine Cards now that you've invited me to this dance collab--yes, yes, yes!
I’d say your malady had a greater purpose than it would appear on the surface!!
Ooh, Tereza, you're off and running! I love what you've dreamed up so far!!
I'm in Buffalo for the rest of the weekend and won't have the mental space to start noodling, but once I'm back -- YES.
This has tremendous promise! Enjoy your time with the Carbonation Queen (any Prosecco involved?) and we'll circle back soon. XOX!
On grouse medicine, whoo, good deep shivers. This resonates with my own journey. On insurance, it was one of the last straws for us leaving Cali. Jumped from $3k/yr to $4k then $7, then $9, $13, and then $21k! This was a 1.3 acre parcel in the redwoods in mendocino less than a mile from the coast, always damp if not downright wet, even during the worst of the drought. We and our neighbors had completely removed all undergrowth. Our house had a huge firebreak setback and a fire-proof roof. There was probably a lower actual fire risk in this zone than in most suburban neighborhoods in CA. Didn’t matter. This is part of the herding - they are pushing folk out of these areas. Hollowing them out. For this and many other reasons, Mendo is now a pretty corpse.
Wow, I think this might be my favorite post you've ever written. Divination cards are right up my alley and I've seen the Medicine Cards you wrote about. Have a bunch of different decks. A lot of insurance companies are either cancelling or charging outrageous fees but I've been able to find policies elsewhere...State Farm is really picky. I moved to Farmer's Insurance...❤️💕
What an honor for you to say that, Heather! I'm glad to know the Medicine Cards have fallen into other good hands. They're so beautifully and intuitively written! Mary (below) has gotten me excited about doing a children's story on the Grouse & Dragonfly. I can't stop thinking about it!
You should. I love dragonflies btw. And we have an abundance of them where I live. I usually see them when I'm out in the garden.
My oldest daughter always thought they were the spirits of her dad's parents, who she never had a chance to meet. I just ordered a dragonfly stained glass that, it turns out, is coming from Lviv, Ukraine. That has to be significant, eh?
WOW! Yes I would agree! ❤️
Oh, I love this, Tereza! My oh my, what a coincidence that we both have these cards! I'm going to start pulling from them again. It will be interesting to see if I draw the same several cards I draw from the Wild Unknown deck. Buffalo and Dragonfly are two of them.
I loved what you said about the book and its authors at the beginning of the post. I felt the same. And I loved the dedication to their Wolf Clan grandmother. I found a folded piece of paper in the book that contained the original nine cards I had pulled. Dragonfly, Grouse, and Raven were among them! Pretty sure I'm going to fall in love with these cards all over again.
Thx for sharing! XO
Beautiful post, and thanks for the inclusion!